This is a series of posts on NoSuperHeroes based on the Top Questions I receive in my Grace Seminars. Come back each day to see how we answer our questions without changing the message of Grace!
Top Question: I’m afraid of Judgment Day. What will happen when I stand before God?
As I grew up, I heard sensational stories of Judgment Day. One particularly memorable version has believers who appear before the Judgment seat of God. Behind the Lord, is a giant TV screen that will show every action, thought, word, and attitude.
Well, we know this is a bleak picture. It sends tremors of fear through our bodies. An altar call is given at the youth rally and people tremble fearfully into the kingdom.
Effective, but misguided.
If there is a giant TV screen in heaven as you stand before God, there will be one picture on that screen. A picture of Christ! Heaven and Hell are decided based on faith in Christ, not our actions. There is no need to fear.
Not convinced?
Listen to words from the book of Revelation. Who would have thought our youth group stories could be more sensational than the Apocalypse? Read for yourself:
“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.” (Revelation 20:12-15)
The dead are judged by what is written in the books. Unbelievers face evaluation based on their actions, thoughts, words, and attitudes. When that is the case, the verdict is death.
Believers are judged based on what is written in the Lamb’s book, the Book of Life. We read of their destiny in chapters 21-22 of Revelation, which is an indescribable picture of heaven.
Two groups.
Two books.
If you are in Christ, you have security and no need to fear!
For believers Judgment Day is not a fearful event.
It is graduation day.
It is promotion day.
You don’t need to be a superhero to make it to heaven. Jesus has done that for us!———
– If you want to explore grace as a small group or on your own, Death of the Modern SuperHero: How Grace Breaks our Rules comes with discussion questions and is used in groups all over the world. Other questions in the “Top Questions” series are:
“Do I Need to Repent?“
“Have I Committed the Unforgivable Sin?“
“Can I Do Whatever I Want?“ Take a Look and pass them on to others who would benefit!