What Is The Great White Throne Judgment?

The Great White Throne Judgment (see Revelation 20:11-15), according to the book of Revelation, will take place at the end of the Millennium, prior to the time when God will "make all things new" (Revelation 21:5). This will be the final and irreversible judgment of Satan and his angels and of all the redeemed. According to the Bible, the great books recording the deeds of all mankind will be opened. Those people whose names were not recorded in the "book of life" will be cast into the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels. This experience is called "the second death" to distinguish it from mere physical death.

However, Jesus taught that anyone who believes in Him "shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (see John 5:24). We therefore must conclude that those who have been "born again" by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be transformed into a heavenly state when Jesus Christ comes back again. All of these people, according to the apostle Paul, will answer for their Christian service and stewardship at the "judgment seat of Christ" at that time (see Romans 14:10, II Corinthians 5:10). None of these true believers, however, will face eternal condemnation at the Great White Throne, because Jesus Christ has already paid for their sins at Calvary.

Everyone else will have to come before God and account for the way he or she has lived. It will be an awesome day of judgment. Some people think there may be those who lived before Christ, or who never had a chance to hear of Christ, who will be judged worthy of heaven. This is extremely doubtful, because the Bible says none has lived righteously (see Romans 3:10). But God, who is the judge of all the world, is going to judge by the standard of righteousness. He will allow each person to come before Him and present his case. In each case, the accuser or excuser of the individual will be his or her own conscience (see Romans 2:15). What did each one do in relationship to what he or she knew to be right or wrong according to the revelation they had of God's will?

Excerpt taken from Answers to 200 of Life's Most Probing Questions, Copyright 1984 by Pat Robertson.