57. Who was to be judged according to Jesus?
The scriptures make it abundantly clear who was to be judged at the 'end of the age' ...and on who God's wrath or His indignation would be poured out in the Great Tribulation.
Isaiah (and most of the prophets Acts 3:24) refers to the coming judgment ...
Isa 3:13 The LORD stands up to plead,
And stands to judge the people.
14 The LORD will enter into judgment
With the elders of His people
And His princes:
"For you have eaten up the vineyard;
The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people
And grinding the faces of the poor?"
Says the Lord GOD of hosts. NKJV
The judgment coming was on the WICKED LEADERSHIP of ISRAEL ...and those who followed them.
Jesus confirms this ...
Matt 23:29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation . NKJV
Israel leadership had rejected God's messengers throughout the ages and had become almost completely apostate.
Luke 19:41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation ." NKJV
God had warned Israel even about the TIMING of the coming judgment...and still they refused to repent.
Luke 21:20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. NKJV
Matt 24:15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation , such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. NKJV
Brethren, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem at AD 70 FLED as instructed to Pella in the mountains ...and according to Eusebius 'NOT a single one was killed because they remembered what their master had taught them'. History records for us that this promise HAS BEEN FULFILLED just as Jesus said it would be.
Matt 24:21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be NKJV
THEN there will be.... So on what basis can we now possibly assume that the Great Tribulation of Revelations is another event separated by 2000 years and suddenly applicable to Gentiles instead of the Jews....even after Jesus said the event would NEVER be repeated (vs 21b)?
Rev 2:22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation , unless they repent of their deeds. NKJV
Rev 7:14 So he said to me,"These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. NKJV
Luke 23:28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' 30 Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' NKJV
Jesus here links the JUDGMENT on THAT SPECIFIC GENERATION to Revelations 6:6-17...which also references Hosea 10:8. This IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION that the Old and New Testament including the Book of REVELATIONS refer to....there is not another one prophecied.... and certainly not one on the church.
But it got worse...Israel also rejected and KILLED their Messiah in AD 33
Matt 21:33 "Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers , that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers ?"
41 They said to Him,"He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."
42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
'The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD's doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes'?
43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." NKJV
Brethren, the kingdom of God was taken from Israel in AD70 with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem and the nation. It was then given to Jesus (Dan 7:14) and it now comprises the church which is made up of the believing remnant of Israel and the Gentiles who believed the gospel. It will NEVER again be Israel according to the flesh.
This played out at Jesus's judgment before Pilate
Matt 27:22 Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"
They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"
23 Then the governor said,"Why, what evil has He done?"
But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"
24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."
25 And all the people answered and said,"His blood be on us and on our children."
26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. NKJV
John 19:15 Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?"
The chief priests answered,"We have no king but Caesar!" NKJV
Israel rejected Jesus as their Lord... but accepted Caesar.
Please note that Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Not over Rome or New York or Los Angeles or Babylon) ...they sided with the wicked and corrupt priests and rulers in condemning Jesus.
Matt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; NKJV
The reason the abomination that causes desolation was loosed upon ISRAEL and Jerusalem was that not only would she reject and KILL her Messiah .. but that she would then still continue in the pretense of offering sacrifices to God in the temple. Think about this from God's view for a moment
The apostles preached the coming judgment after Pentecost.
Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. NKJV
Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NKJV
Peter tells the crowd who were to be JUDGED...and why
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation" NKJV
Peter hammers the message home again
Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. NKJV
Acts 5:27 And the high priest asked them, 28 saying,"Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said:"We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. NKJV
Despite all this only the godly REMNANT of Israel repented and believed (1 Kings 19:18, 2 Chron 30:6, Is 1:9, Is 37:2, Acts 2:41, Rom 11:4)...they were 'added to the church'
Peter preached the consequence to the Jews in AD 33 of the rejection of Messiah as promised by Moses in the Law ...
Acts 3:22-26 Moses truly said to the fathers .... the Lord your God will raise up for YOU a Prophet like me from your brethren ... and it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet SHALL BE UTTERLEY DESTROYED from among the people NKJV
The rest of the Jews persecuted the church everywhere... and many were killed (from Stephen to James and most of the apostles)
The book of Revelations also spells this out.
Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan . 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. NKJV
Rev 6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying,"How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. NKJV
Revelation states that justice was coming IN A LITTLE WHILE (not 2000 years) .... and the word for 'earth' here is the same word that is used for the land of Israel
And THEN the time came (three verses later)
Rev 6:12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" NKJV
The Thessalonian church in AD60 were suffering horrible persecution from these Jews
2 Thess 1:4 ... so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. NKJV
Ask yourself if God did deliver the Thessalonians as Paul promised ...or are they still waiting for the promised deliverance? Were THOSE Jews who were persecuting them punished...or are they all still waiting for justice? Revelations tells us that Jesus was SOON to make this happen (i.e. in AD70)
Rev 3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. NKJV
Brethren, the WRATH of the Lamb was the vengence executed ON THE GENERATION that rejected and killed Jesus and the apostles and persecuted the early church! Rev 6:12-17 contains quotes from Is 34:4 and Is 2:19 and Hos 10:8 concerning what God would do to Israel in the day of His wrath.
The city Revelations refers to was NOT Rome or literal Babylon. Neither is it Los Angeles or New York. It was conclusively Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. (Rev 16:19, Rev 18:21)
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. NKJV
Brethren, if you disagree please take some time to read Josephus "War of the Jews" . It is an incredible independant historical verification that all these prophecies were FULFILLED.
So why did Israel alone need to be judged?
A search of the word "INDIGNATION" will show some of the reasons for God's promised judgement on Israel
When you see that Israel, who were God's chosen nation whom He had nurtured for 1500 plus years, had rejected Him after all that he had done for them and then to go as far as to kill His Son Jesus to retain control of their worldly religious empire.... ask yourself if God's wrath was not justified?
God had choosen Israel and bought them out of Egypt with a great display of power and miracles...for them to have a special relationship with Him. He wanted them to be 'a nation of priests'. But they rejected Him and asked for God to speak only to Moses and the priests for fear of dying. While Moses is receiving the Law written by God Himself on stone tablets in which the first commandment says they were to worship the Lord only and not to make graven images or bow down to them ...the Israelites are doing exactly that with the golden calf. The punishment for this was UTTER DESTRUCTION (Ex 22:20).
The Law brought DEATH to ISRAEL because it defines sin...and the consequences are specified.
Ps 119:53 Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. NKJV
Rom 4:15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. NKJV
Rom 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. NKJV
Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, NKJV
The Law does not apply to Gentiles ...nor did it apply to the Hebrew people before Moses received the Law for their nation.
The Law required JUDGMENT (Deut 32:36)
From Isaiah to Lamentation, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zephaniah, Joel, Malachi the judgement of INDIGNATION on Israel was promised. This is the same wrath which John the Baptist and Jesus warned of...and the wrath the apostles said was about to come...and the judgment spoken of in Hebrews ...and the indignation poured out in Revelations (Rev 14:10). Peter tells us that ALL the prophets from Moses to Malach spoke of 'THESE DAYS' (Acts 3:22-24)....they were NOT referring to events which could happen some 2000 years later.
Lam 2:6 He has done violence to His tabernacle,
As if it were a garden;
He has destroyed His place of assembly;
The LORD has caused
The appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion.
In His burning indignation He has spurned the king and the priest.
7 The Lord has spurned His altar,
He has abandoned His sanctuary;
He has given up the walls of her palaces
Into the hand of the enemy.
They have made a noise in the house of the LORD
As on the day of a set feast.
8 The LORD has purposed to destroy
The wall of the daughter of Zion.
NKJV
Ezek 21:31-32
31 I will pour out My indignation on you;
I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath,
And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.
32 You shall be fuel for the fire;
Your blood shall be in the midst of the land.
NKJV
Dan 8:19 And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation;
for at the appointed time the end shall be. NKJV
Mal 1: 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"They may build, but I will throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the LORD will have indignation forever. NKJV
Mal 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,"
Says the LORD of hosts,
"That will leave them neither root nor branch. NKJV
Matt 24:1-2 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." NKJV
Indignation is NOT prophecied as being poured out on the unsaved Gentiles some time 2000 years in the future ... but SPECIFICALLY on Israel within THAT VERY generation who killed the Messiah!
THIS GENERATION...there are seven scriptures IN EACH of the Gospels other than John telling us that the timing of the judgement would be on THIS GENERATION.
Jesus tells us why and on whom the judgement was to come....this is certainly not to be repeated on a future generation!...and without any reason being given!
Jesus did not say that the judgment would be on a future generation or He would have said "THAT generation"
Brethren please note that the early church in Jerusalem CONTINUED to live as Jews UNDER the Law (Acts 15:1-5, Acts 21:18-26, and Gal 2:9-13.... and the book of Hebrews 7:18-22, 8:6-9:1, 10, 12:18-28).
However WHEN the judgment on Israel was manifested by the destruction of the temple they could no longer offer sacrifices and the priesthood was destroyed (i.e. ALL their genealogical records were burned in the fire) ...THEN the Law which was made OBSOLETE actually vanished.
Heb 8:13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. NKJV
This was fulfilled before their eyes and is recorded in HISTORY for our understanding and verification.
NO JUDGMENT on believers in the New Covenant
The outcome now for mankind (post AD70) is very different because when we die the LAW which condemns (2 Cor 3:5-11) HAS ALREADY BEEN ABOLISHED.
1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 "O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NKJV
The sting of death ...or what made man fear death under the Law was that he knew he would be condemned as a sinner...and would be raised and face the wrath of God in judgment.
Today for us as believers, CHRIST has borne all the punishment for our sins...we have passed from death to LIFE and will not be judged again. This is an emphatic promise from Jesus.
John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. NKJV
Brethren under the New Covenant we are NOT waiting for a judgment to see if we have been good enough to get eternal life.... we HAVE (present tense) eternal life already. While we as God's children are not judged, we are disiplined for our behavior. (Heb 12:7-11)
The question which remains is 'HAVE YOU HEARD AND BELIEVED?'
Now ask yourself if God's wrath is likely to be directed some 2000 years later, IN THE SAME WAY, towards those who do not know Him and certainly do not have His Son's blood on their hands? Yes, they will perish if they do not seek LIFE....
Col 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, NKJV
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. NKJV
These verses speak primarily of the wrath which came upon unbelieving ISRAEL in AD70.
To people today God now reaches out His hands in love and offers a NEW Covenant.....
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV
Without Jesus those who do not believe will not be saved and will ALL PERISH. (John 3:15-18).
For those who reject God today Rom 1:16-32 addresses God's abiding wrath against EVIL...and the consequences
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. NKJV
(Note NOT eternal torment...but DEATH..or PERISHING)
Many will quote Romans 2:1-16 about judgment applying to Greeks as well as Jews but please notice the context and timing being at the soon coming 'Day of wrath and the revelation of Jesus' (vs 5 and 16) ... and that judgement was to be rendered to mankind 'according to his deeds' i.e. according to their obedience to the Law of Moses ... the punishment being tribulation and anguish as Jesus had promised for Judah in Mat 24:21 (on that generation vs 34) ... and again NOT eternal torment but perishing vs 12.
Rev 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. NKJV
If one choses to walk through life apart from God (which you are free to do) you will not enter the Kingdom of God...nor will you receive eternal life.
Eph 5:5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. NKJV
John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. NKJV
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus NKJV
When you are saved you can NEVER again be condemned.....but as long as you reject God He allows you to suffer the consequence...DEATH.
Col 3:3 For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God
God now sees us as having the righteousness and perfection of Christ ...can you believe this? (2 Cor 5:17-21)
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." NKJV
When you have everlasting life you can never again be judged and condemned and destroyed.
Those who suffered the wrath of God were those Jews prior to AD70 who had not availed themselves of His mercy, and all DIED. We who believe are NOW ALIVE in Christ and do not face judgment. Yes, we too will all die physically BUT as Jesus tells us...
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." NKJV
Brethren, things changed when the Old covenant was brought to an end and the New Covenant introduced.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. NKJV
His commandments are that we BELIEVE IN JESUS ....and LOVE one another (John 6:29, John 13:34)
The choice today is .... Believe and find LIFE eternal with God ....OR ... don't believe and remain DEAD and EXCLUDED from the Kingdom of Heaven.
Those who claim that the church creed of Jesus 'coming again to judge the living and the dead' IS STILL APPLICABLE TODAY almost 2000 years after AD70 clearly have a problem believing one of Jesus most emphatic promises to us as New Covenant believers even after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Old Covenant were fulfilled in AD70.
John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. NKJV
Post AD70 believers at death TODAY in the New Covenant ....
* ALREADY have (past tense) everlasting life ... we do not have to wait for a judgement of the sheep and the goats...to be rewarded with this.
* SHALL NOT enter judgment ... all judgment for sins has now been paid for by Jesus shed blood for us.
* DO NOT wait to see if we go to heaven ... we HAVE ALREADY passed from death into LIFE.
Does your FAITH allow you to believe this?