Monday, December 03, 2007

After Life (8) - Two Classes of People

There will be two classes of people at the last judgment.

  1. People who have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ will be judged on whether they have accepted or rejected him. Those who have placed their trust in Jesus will go to eternal life. They are the ones whose names are written in the book of life (Rev 20:12,15). Those who have rejected Jesus will be condemned (Matt 10:32,33; John 12:48; 2 Thes 1:6-10).
    Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son (John 3:18).
  2. Those who have not heard the gospel will be judged on the basis of what they have known of God's ways. Every person has some knowledge of God. His power and divine nature is made plain in creation, and his requirements are revealed to each one by his conscience (Rom 1:20; 2:14,15).
    All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law (Rom 2:12).
    In the same way those who have not heard the gospel will be judged apart from the gospel, on the basis of the truth they have known. (This applies especially to children.)
More here.

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