Starting with 1 Corinthians 15:16-22, “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by one man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (ESV – all emphasis mine)
All who will have died on this earth from Adam and Eve, through the entire life span of this earth to the end of the Millennial Reign of Jesus, will be resurrected from the dead. However, their eternal souls will be destined for one of only two places: eternal peace in Heaven with Our Lord and Savior or eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire, also known as hell.
Revelation 20:11-15 describes the absolute negative side. When this Great White Throne Judgment starts, the lake of fire will only be occupied by three persons.
Revelation 19:20 states, “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet, who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”
The “beast” is the ultimate antichrist.
Next, Revelation 20:10, “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever.”
Matthew 25:41 states that the “eternal fire” was specifically made for the devil and his angels.
Finally, for all the lost, the Great White Throne Judgment takes place. All who were out of the will of the Father from Creation to Calvary will be in that line. Also, all from Calvary to the end of this earth’s existence who did not receive and accept Jesus as their Savior will be there.
Revelation 20:12-15 gives the activity; “And I saw the dead, great and small standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them according to what they had done. 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.”
Both the positive and negative sides of death are given in a parable by our Savior in Luke 16: 19-31. This is a parable about the Rich Man and Lazarus. Both died, yet their outcomes were totally different. Lazarus is said to have been “carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.” This would indicate that he had been in the will of the Lord before “falling asleep” and was already experiencing peace and comfort. The Rich Man was in hades, and his eternal torment had already started. His final destination will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment, as mentioned above.
For true believers, Paul tells us about the Rapture, and in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, he states, “For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
In 1 Corinthians 15:52, we’re told that true believers who are still alive will be taken up “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” We are not told exactly how rapid this will be; however, it could take place at any moment now.
All the increasing evil activities, changes taking place due to severe weather patterns, volcanoes and earthquakes, and all the devil worship and abominations out in the open as never before indicate we are very close to Luke 21:28. More and more, anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus is being labeled as a “hater.” Our Savior said that when all this and even more end-time events begin to take place, our redemption is near. For the first time ever, all the events are present at the same time, and started about ten or so years ago.
Now would be a great time to decide where you would like to spend eternity. For all true believers, we look forward to being with our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Fanny Crosby released a song in 1875 titled “Jesus More Than Life To Me.”
1.) Savior, more than life to me, I am clinging, clinging close to Thee; let Thy precious blood applied; keep me ever, ever near Thy side.
Ref.) Every day, every hour, let me feel Thy cleansing power. May Thy tender love to me bind me closer, closer, Lord, to Thee.
2.) Through this changing world below, lead me gently, gently as I go; trusting Thee, I cannot stray, I can never, never lose my way.
3.) Let me love Thee more and more till this fleeting life, fleeting life is over. Till my soul is lost in love, in a brighter, brighter world above.
Instead of getting more attached to this world and what it supposedly has to offer, I would rather draw closer to the One who came to this earth from His Heavenly Home to die on a cruel cross for all of our sins, including my sins. He willingly shed His precious blood so that we could have a way to our Heavenly Father. Only His pure, sinless blood was and is able to provide true forgiveness from the Father. All who reject His sacrifice will answer for every sin they will ever commit, great or small, and there will be no forgiveness available at their judgment.
There is no way I will ever say I am perfect and sinless. As long as we are on this earth in our mortal human bodies, we will sin (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23).
Once we have been given our forever immortal bodies and are with Jesus, we will never sin again. We will also have a mindset like His and not be subject to any temptations ever again.
Decision time. Jesus and eternity in Heaven with Him, or Satan and eternity in the lake of fire with him. It’s entirely up to each individual to decide, and the Father will force no one either way. Our promise in Romans 10:13 stands, as “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
God always keeps His promises.
Come, Lord Jesus!
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