The last judgment

The judgment seat of Christ

Scripture says that history does not drift on for ever: it ends in judgment. "Man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). God "has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed", and proved it by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:31). The Father "has assigned all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22), so the Judge is Christ himself, at his second coming.

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:31-32

No one is left out. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:10), and God "will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus" (Romans 2:16). John saw books opened and "the dead were judged according to their deeds" (Revelation 20:12), with the Book of Life open beside them. The outcome is final: the righteous go into eternal life, the wicked into eternal punishment, hell (Matthew 25:46).

Yet for those who are in Christ the judgment does not end in fear. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). The good deeds brought to light that day are not the price of salvation but the fruit of grace. Matthew Henry, on the sheep and the goats, is careful to add: "We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness." Matthew Henry

What the church confesses

From the beginning the Apostles' Creed has confessed that Christ "shall come to judge the quick and the dead" Apostles' Creed. The Westminster Confession adds that on that day the apostate angels will be judged, and all people will give account of their thoughts, words and deeds Westminster Confession 33.1. The Heidelberg Catechism finds comfort here:

That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head, I look for the self-same One who has before offered himself for me to the judgment of God, and removed from me all curse, to come again as Judge from heaven

Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 52

Where the traditions differ

Christians explain the place of works on that day differently. The Catholic Church teaches that eternal life is both God's grace and the reward he has promised for good works done in grace Council of Trent, Decree on Justification (see merit). Protestants teach that those who are justified for Christ's sake alone (justification) will have their works shown as the evidence of their faith, and will be rewarded by grace (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Views of the millennium also shape the order of events. Amillennialists and postmillennialists expect one general judgment of all people at Christ's return. Historic premillennialists place this final judgment after the thousand years. Dispensational premillennialists usually distinguish the judgment seat of Christ, where believers' works are weighed, a judgment of the nations at the start of the millennium, and the great white throne after it, where the unbelieving dead are judged. All agree that judgment belongs to Christ and that he judges with justice. For more, see What is the last judgment? and the lesson Resurrection, judgment and the new creation.