Is Everyone Being Judged Now?

Not everybody is being called to salvation and eternal life during their fleshly life on earth.

What about those who haven't accepted Jesus Christ or have never heard even a word about His message? What happens to them?

The wonderful answer to that question illustrates the hope God holds out to all people who have ever lived!

God is a loving Father. We are all His creation and children. No father wants to see bad things happen to his children, although he may allow problems to come upon them.

Our heavenly Father also allows us to suffer as part of His higher and greater purpose for us. Why? Because God's whole purpose is to bring mankind into the knowledge of Him and His way for eternity.

Surely a loving Father would not doom most people to the fiery hell preached by most churches. In fact, He does not doom ignorant people to hell. He has a plan that provides all with ample opportunity to choose to live forever.

"We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 [1] We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
[2] (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

See All...). Other translations of the Bible show that "the day of salvation" is better translated "a day of salvation." Notice Green's Literal Translation: "In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you" (verse 2).

Paul told his fellow minister, Timothy, that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
See All...). Putting these two passages together, it becomes apparent that the Father's intent is that everyone will have a chance to learn and understand His way of life. If someone hasn't been called in this life, at another time he will be raised to physical life and learn about God's plan for him and all mankind.

More than one resurrection

Revelation 20 speaks of the return of Christ and the restraint to be placed upon Satan the devil. It also speaks of Christians, martyred for their faithfulness to Jesus Christ, living and reigning with Him for a thousand years. Of those resurrected to reign with Christ, it says, "This is the first resurrection" (verse 5, emphasis added throughout).

That same verse, however, speaks of an additional resurrection too. " But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished." Since the first resurrection of those faithful to Christ occurs at His return, and "the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished," it becomes obvious that other people are raised to live again.

Why does God raise additional people after the 1,000 years? So they can learn the truth about the message of Jesus Christ and have an opportunity to accept the One they have never been taught about as their personal Savior!

How does "hell" fit into all this? The Hebrew word sheol is the word translated "hell" throughout the Old Testament. It means simply "the grave." The Greek word hades is translated the same way and has the same meaning. So in a sense we all go to hell, the grave, when we die. While we are there, we have no knowledge of anything earthly or heavenly.

But that is not the end. All the dead will be resurrected. Some will be raised to life at the return of Christ, and "the rest of the dead" not until the first 1,000 years of Christ's reign ends. At that time all those who never heard of Jesus Christ, and never learned God's way, will be given their opportunity for salvation.

In contrast to those who are resurrected to immortality at Christ's return (1 Corinthians 15:22-23 [22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
[23] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

See All..., 51-54), those in this resurrection are physical and mortal (as shown by the vision in Ezekiel 37:1-14 [1] The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
[2] And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
[3] And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
[4] Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
[5] Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
[6] And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
[7] So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
[8] And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
[9] Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
[10] So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
[11] Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
[12] Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
[13] And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
[14] And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

See All...). They are given physical life and the opportunity to learn God's way of life, recognize and repent of their sins and submit to God's rule over them. This is not a "second chance" for salvation, but is truly their first opportunity to learn of God's precious truth and wonderful plan for them.

Fate of those who refuse to repent

However, some will utterly refuse to allow God to rule over them. Their fate will not be the traditional ever-burning hell in which the wicked are tortured forever. They will experience a consuming hell that will burn them up completely.

Speaking through the prophet Malachi, God describes the fate of those who willingly reject His way of life and Christ's sacrifice for them. "'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. But to you who fear My name . . . 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 [1] For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
[2] But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
[3] And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

See All...).

The Bible calls this "the lake of fire" (Revelation 19:20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
See All...; 20:10, 14-15). Those who choose to reject God's way will not be allowed to continue living in the misery their choice will bring on them and others. They will die, not suffer forever. As Malachi wrote, they will be consumed in this fire, leaving nothing but ashes. Their fate is far more merciful than the popular-and unbiblical-view of the wicked suffering forever in hell.

Awesome fate foretold

All ungodly things will be ultimately purged from the earth. The physical elements will melt and disappear (2 Peter 3:7-13 [7] But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
[8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
[10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
[11] Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
[12] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
[13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

See All...). What is left? The glorious Kingdom of God and His immortal glorified children remain.

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God'" (Revelation 21:1-3 [1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
[2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

See All...).

The cares of life will become a thing of the past. "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" (verse 4).

What an incredible destiny for the human race! GN