The Great White Throne Judgment

Did you ever see The Final Cut? It was set in the future where everyone (almost everyone) has memory implants that record everything you ever did. Robin Williams plays a "cutter", someone who goes through those records when you die and makes a "final cut" of your life to give comfort and lasting memories for those who survive you. Of course, given the "uncut" version, with all its hidden sins, perversions, activities, and all, this can be quite a daunting task. In this movie, the person Williams was hired to produce a final cut for a guy who had less than stellar memories to cull through. It wasn't pretty.

The Great White Throne Judgment, as it is commonly called, happens at the end of this existence. It's outlined at the end of the Revelation.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15)

Now, I was told that Christians wouldn't be there for that judgment. We had a different one to face, but not that one. Why? Well, of course, because those at that judgment would be judged "according to their deeds." And we know that we are not. After having read the account, however, I have to say that I must disagree.

Notice, first, that the attendants were "the dead, the great and the small." Unless believers are not included in "the dead", I have to think we'll be there. But there is more. If you read it, you'll see that the final determination is not deeds, but "the book of life." "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Now, if Christians (those whose names are written in the book of life) are not present, this is a moot point, isn't it? I mean, if this judgment is solely about those who are not in the book of life, why mention it at all? What is the meaning of the "if"? No, I think that we'll be there. And I think that the final determination of our eternal abode is not our deeds, but whether or not our name is written in that book.

I was always told that we wouldn't be there. Christians had their own "judgment seat", where they would be sized up for rewards, not condemnation. You'll find that in 2 Corinthians. There we read, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Cor 5:10) This is an addition to the 1st Corinthians commentary where Paul said, "Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Cor 3:12-15) Well, look at that. As it turns out we will be required to give account of our deeds. In fact, we can "suffer loss" in that judgment, even though we are "saved, yet so as through fire."

I think that there is one judgment. I think that we will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. I think that those whose names are written in the book of life will avoid the lake of fire and those who are not will be thrown in to the lake of fire. I think that we will be rewarded for our deeds done for Christ and lose out on our "good works" that were not done for Christ. Same judgment.

Here's the thing. That Great White Throne Judgment is ... unnerving. Not because I fear damnation. I'm just thinking of all the things that I don't want my mom or my dad or my wife or my boss or my friends or ... a lot of people to know that I've done, that I'm ashamed of. Like The Final Cut, there is stuff I don't ever want known. In fact, the thoughts, the words, the motives, the actions--there is stuff I don't want to know. And all of that will be displayed on that day. Now, sure, my Advocate (1 John 2:1) will assure the court that "It is finished"--paid in full. That's not it. I just don't want to keep amassing those kinds of things that need to be paid for. I can clear my Internet history. I have no way to clear my own. I may have the book of life issue taken care of, but I need to be more careful about what goes in those other books.