Session 8

The Apostles Creed Study

1.      and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

“11 ¶ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” (Revelation 20:11-13 NKJV)

              The Great White Throne Judgment has become almost a legend within Christian thought and theology.  The Return of Jesus will bring a culmination to all of sin and death and the fullness of grace to make everything right and good. 

          Revelation 1:7 tells us that when Jesus returns every eye shall see Him come, even those who crucified Him!  So when Jesus returns all will be aware of the culmination of time and that the time of judgment is at hand.

          The dead are gathered before God to be judged.  Interesting it seems to imply a bodily and spiritual gathering to be judged as not only death and Hades are emptied but also the sea.

          The dead are judged by the Book of Life which does seems a tad ironic.  Are they in the Book of Life because they are saved, or is the Book of Life a list of those who are alive?

“10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11 NKJV)

Why the coming of Jesus defined as a time of judgment?

What does it mean that Jesus will judge the living and the dead?

What does the coming of Jesus mean to you?