MG on ‘Divine Justice’ at the ‘Great White Throne judgment,’ but what about James 2:13?

In his newsletter today, former Roman Catholic, now evangelical Protestant, Mike Gendron had the following:

How Can Sinners Escape Divine Justice?

Divine justice is a central theme in the Bible because it reflects God’s holy and righteous character and His commitment to uphold moral order. Justice is a foundational characteristic of God’s relationship with humanity. His punishment of sin is necessary for justice to be upheld according to His perfect and righteous standards. Everyone needs to know that they are accountable to their Creator, who requires us to be perfect as He is perfect (Mat. 5:48). Since this is impossible, our only hope is to trust the crucified Savior, who died as a substitute for sinners to satisfy divine justice (Isaiah 53:4-11). His resurrection assures us that divine justice was satisfied (Rom. 4:25). There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). His righteousness has been given as a gift to all who believe (Rom. 5:16-18).

Divine Justice Must Be Satisfied

Divine justice must be satisfied because our holy and righteous judge in heaven must punish every sin that has been committed by everyone who has ever lived. We know that any judge who pardons law-breakers and lets the guilty go free is not a righteous judge. But God, in His profound wisdom, provided one specific way to pardon sinners that would not violate His righteous and holy attributes. In His love and mercy, He graciously provided a sinless substitute to die in the place of sinners to satisfy divine justice. The same God whose justice demands satisfaction for our sin made satisfaction by offering Himself for those who trust Him. The world needs to know that divine justice for sin must be satisfied and there is only one way to escape it.

How Can God Be Just and Justify the Unjust?

Jesus was born to die. “The Son of Man came…to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This was to demonstrate His righteousness so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). Since all have sinned and broken God’s laws, divine justice had to be satisfied by Christ before forgiveness could be applied to sinners. By dying as a substitute for sinners, the Lord Jesus paid the eternal debt for sin and satisfied all the demands of divine justice so that He could extend mercy and grace to those who trust Him. Man can never DO what Christ has Done. He died “once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).

Divine Justice at the Great White Throne

Those who reject the Lord Jesus as their substitute will come face to face with Him at the Great White Throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). Since they did not trust Him as a gracious and loving Savior, He will be their holy and righteous judge. Divine justice will be dispensed in the eternal fires of hell. The punishment and separation from God will be everlasting because every sin is committed against an infinitely holy and majestic God. There will be no escape because God is “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29).

Let’s look at some of the above in the light of scripture.

First of all, the main theme of the Bible is NOT justice per se, but love.

In John 3:16-17, Jesus said:

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.

Notice that love was the motivator for God to send His Son to die so that the world may not be condemned but may be saved.

Furthermore, Mike Gendron quoted 1 Peter 3:18 which shows that Jesus did die for the unjust.

Secondly, what about mercy?

Notice some scriptures and comments in our free online e-book Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation:

Mercy is so important, that the English term ‘mercy’ is shown 282 times in the NKJV of the Bible and 289 in the Douay-Rheims Bible.

Notice, for one other example, how Jesus referred to it in Matthew 23:23:

²³ … the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

Mercy is one of the weightier matters of the law. It is more important than most realize.

It has been claimed that “The Mercy Seat of the Holy of Holies was the earthly representation of the very Throne of GOD in heaven” (Armstrong HW. Plain Truth, June 1967). The expression ‘mercy seat’ is used 28 times in the Bible (NKJV). It is shown as a place that God speaks from (Exodus 25:22).

Does God have a mercy seat because He expects to mainly provide eternal condemnation at the white throne judgment of Revelation 20 like many seem to think?

Obviously, since there is a mercy seat (cf. Exodus 25:17-22; Hebrews 9:5), this is a clue that God plans to have mercy.

While judgment will happen in Revelation 20:11-12 and people will be found guilty (as “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” per Romans 3:23), it will not be for eternal condemnation.

Why? Because, God will plead with His handiwork (Jeremiah 25:31), and mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

Is not that what mercy is for?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines mercy as:

compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power

also: lenient or compassionate treatment …

a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion

Furthermore, mercy is not just for those who are truly Christians in this age.

While God has mercy on those called now, God will also have mercy on those not called to be firstfruits in this age.

But, this teaching is hard for many to understand now as Romans 11:30-33 teaches:

³⁰ For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Notice that God’s plan ‘has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all’. Also notice that Paul is teaching that God’s mercy and judgment is apparently not easy for most to figure out.

Is it someone’s fault that they were born in an area that no one knew or taught Christ? Or if Christ was taught, He and God’s plan were not properly taught?

God knew that most would not at first obey, but that He has a plan to have mercy on them.

Thus it should be clear that God INTENTIONALLY is allowing some to be disobedient now, so that they will get mercy later and that those called now (the firstfruits) will have mercy now.

And God has done this so that He might have mercy on all–this apparently could not have happened any better way. The only way for God to have mercy on ALL is for salvation to be offered to all in a manner they can properly comprehend.

Yet, these concepts are offensive to many.

Because of their traditions, miseducation, biases, and pride, many cannot accept that God is so merciful.

Most who followed Jesus were offended after He spoke and turned away from Him, despite seeing miracles (see John 6:1-66). Most will not believe what we in the Continuing Church of God point out that the Bible teaches–this includes most who claim to believe the Bible.

Yet, it is only those who intentionally reject God’s mercy, who will be destroyed in the lake of fire, the second death (Revelation 20:14) to put them out of their misery (cf. Revelation 21:4).

Thirdly, does the Bible teach that the unrepentant will continue to burn in eternal torment?

No.

While Mike Gendron referred to the fact of a “consuming fire” in Hebrews 12:29, he seems not to consider that a CONSUMING FIRE, consumes, burns things up.

[C]onsistent with Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28, the wicked who will not repent and support God’s Kingdom will be condemned (John 5:28-29), burnt up (Revelation 20:14), annihilated, totally destroyed:

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. …

⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. ¹⁰ For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more. …

²⁰ But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. …

³⁸ But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:1-2,9-10,20,38)

⁴ You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. ⁵ God shall likewise destroy you forever; (Psalm 52:4-5)

² As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. (Psalm 68:2)

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. ² But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. ³ You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:1-3)

The Bible calls this the ‘second death’:

¹¹… He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14)

⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Thus, it is a type of death, but permanent. Note: The fact of the boy God had Elijah raise (1 Kings 17:17-22), Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead, (John 11:11-44), and all those who were raised after Jesus was executed (Matthew 27:52-53) shows that human beings can physically die more than once. For those who have been resurrected to physical life prior to the 21^st century, their experiencing physical death again is NOT the second death of Revelation 20:14 and Matthew 10:28. THE SECOND DEATH IS DEFINED IN REVELATION 20:14 AS WHEN DEATH AND HADES ARE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. It is not a reference to any humans who, after being resurrected, die again.

Now, the permanent second death, is not eternal torturing like many claim. Jesus came so we would not have to PERISH, but have eternal life:

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. (John 3:16)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

²⁷ And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

Jesus did not come so that people would not experience physical death—He came to help prevent the second death (Revelation 20:14).

And since the Apostle Paul was inspired to write that it is appointed for people to die (Hebrews 9:27), the PERISHING in John 3:16 has to do with what happens after the resurrections.

James 5:11 states:

¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord–that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Permanent torment is not merciful nor very compassionate–but putting the wicked permanently out of their misery is. God is very compassionate and merciful.

Nahum 1:12 teaches:

¹² Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more;

Thus, this prophetic book is teaching that there is not a permanent, torturing affliction.

Revelation 21:4 teaches:

⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” ⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Thus, there will not be an ever-burning torment and torture of sinners throughout eternity. All things will become new.

Remember that Malachi 4:1-3 teaches that the wicked (those who will not repent) will be burned up and will be ashes (see also Luke 13:1-3; Matthew 10:28). This is not an everlasting torment, but a destruction of those that refuse God.

Fourthly, here is some information on the Great White Throne Judgement from the free e-book Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation:

The Great White Throne Judgment and the One Hundred Year Period

The Bible tells of a time when the saints of the house of God—the Christians—will be resurrected and be part of the Millennium, but that the rest of the dead will be resurrected later:

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵ But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6)

Satan will not be a problem for one thousand years as he will be bound (Revelation 20:1-2). After that thousand years, he will be released for a “little while” (Revelation 20:3,7-10; which could be consistent with the idea of a time gap that Jewish sage Rabbi Joshua ben Levi placed between the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the next day in Midrash Pesikta Rabbati 30, Tanchuma, parshat Pinchas). And after the “little while,” but before the second resurrection, Satan will be put into the “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:10).

Those who live during the Millennium will have their opportunity to participate in the salvation process. They will have their opportunity to grow spiritually toward spiritual birth into the God Family.

However, what happens to those who had already died without having truly understood God’s truth?

The Bible then tells of a time called the great white throne judgment, which happens after the second resurrection:

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. (Revelation 20:11-12)

So, the Bible tells of judgment for those not judged by God in this life. And that books would be opened. Yes, people will be found guilty of sin (cf. Romans 3:23), but remember, that eternal life will be granted to repentant sinners who accept Jesus (Romans 6:23).

Now, according to David Jeremiah, a well-known evangelical minister, all who come before the white throne judgment are essentially doomed. Here is some of what he wrote:

Revelation 20. The Great White Throne Judgment is an event where those that did not know Jesus as their Savior during their life will come before the Lord and be judged by Christ. …

We see Buddhists and Muslims and Hindus and Protestants and Catholics and Baptists and Presbyterians. … What will happen to these religious people when they stand before God? … Let the Lord Jesus answer that question. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23) …

If we come to the end of our life and we haven’t accepted Him, the Bible says our name is blotted out of the Book of Life … (Jeremiah D. What is the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation? https://davidjeremiah.blog/what-is-the-great-white-throne-judgment-in-revelation/ accessed 06/26/19)

Despite David Jeremiah’s last claim, the Bible does NOT say those who were not called in this age are automatically “blotted out” of the Book of Life. Now it is true that many religious people practice lawlessness. To learn more about that, David Jeremiah (and others) should read our free online book: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

Sadly, many have been given wrong teachings about the Great White Throne Judgment. Its purpose is not to permanently doom those who had not known the true Christ.

The Bible teaches:

² … You are a gracious and merciful God (Jonah 4:2)

And that mercy “triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

Now let’s notice something in contrast to David Jeremiah’s view from the old Radio Church of God:

Revelation 20: 11-12 says about this RESURRECTION: “. . . and I saw a great white throne . . , and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God . . .” these people are STANDING-A RESURRECTION–”. . . and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books.” JUDGMENT! Even the WORST of the sinners who never had a chance will be in this RESURRECTION, for even the inhabitants of SODOM will be there! “When thy daughters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate . . . then thou (Jerusalem) shall return to your former estate.” (Ezekiel 16:55.) Isaiah 65:20 indicates ALL will live to be a hundred years old in this age at this time. (When Will the UNCONVERTED Be Resurrected? Plain Truth, February-March 1954)

And we in the CCOG concur that sinners will get their opportunity during the time of the great white throne judgment. Notice, also what the Apostle Paul wrote related to one who was sexually immoral:

⁵ deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:5)

Yes, the Apostle Paul pointed out that sinner—and by implication others—still had an opportunity for salvation.

Furthermore, while some will consider these teachings as “unorthodox,” let me show quotes from their leaders also found in the book Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation:

Notice something from an Eastern Orthodox bishop from the late 20^th century:

There is no terrorism in the Orthodox doctrine of God … several of the Fathers have none the less believed that in the end all will be reconciled to God. It is heretical to say that all must be saved, for this is to deny free will; but it is a legitimate hope that all may be saved. Until the Last Day come, we must not despair of anyone’s salvation, but must long and pray for the reconciliation of all without exception (Ware, 262).

So, the belief that the Last Day, which is considered the time of the White Throne Judgment, salvation may still be available is held by at least some of the Eastern Orthodox. The comment about ‘the Fathers’ is referring to the fact that Eastern Orthodox saints and leaders taught it over a thousand years ago.

As far as the timing goes, scripture is clear that the white throne judgment happens after the resurrection of ‘the rest of the dead’:

⁵ But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. … 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. (Revelation 20:5, 11)

Thus, at least some of the Eastern Orthodox agree that there is a possibility of salvation after one has died in this age.

Orthodox Archpriest George Florovsky observed:

St. Gregory of Nyssa anticipated a kind of universal conversion of souls in the afterlife, when the Truth of God will be revealed and manifested with compelling evidence …

God respects human freedom, as St. Irenaeus once said … The Last Judgment remains a mystery. (Florovsky G. The last things and the last events. Originally written no later than 1979. Missionary Leaflet # E95h Holy Protection Russian Orthodox Church. Los Angeles. Editor: Bishop Alexander (Mileant) http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/last_events_florovsky_e.htm#n3 viewed 06/07/09).

Orthodox priest Thomas Hopko stated:

There is no clear dogmatic teaching of our Orthodox Church on death and what happens when we die. … Furthermore, there are questions about the soul after death and the intermediate state (i.e. the period between when we die and the world’s end). (Life after death … Mysteries beyond the grave. Transcript of a talk given in Brisbane Australia during October, 1999)

Dr. Amir Azarvan wrote:

The orthodox have little assurance concerning the age to come. They do, however, have a profound hope in the resurrection from the dead … (Azarvan A. Re-Introducing Christianity: An Eastern Apologia for a Western Audience. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016, p. 185)

Orthodox eschatology (prophetic teachings) remains a mystery to the Orthodox as they tend to admit that they do not understand much of it–but at least some of them do realize that God’s plan of salvation is not limited the way that most Protestants seem to believe that it is.

Now, if the Eastern Orthodox observed all the biblical holy days, including the Last Great Day, God’s plan of salvation would not be such a mystery to them (for some details, check out the free online book: Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?).