THE COMING DAY OF JUDGMENT Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised to return  a second   time to  claim  His  own, both dead and living.  He will return “As a thief in the night” (2 Pet. 3:10).  Thieves   give  no  signs;  they  just  show up at unexpected times.   The prepared  (Christians)  fear  not  the Judgment Day to come but on that day will express boldness  or   confidence  in  the  right  judgments of their Lord (1 Jn. 4: 17).  This day will be like no other in all of human history; it will be a “great day” (Jude 6).  “The Day of the Lord” (1 Thess. 5:2) will clearly be the day when  the  faith  will   be  made  sight.  It will  be  the  day  when  the  Lord   Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6, 10) has all things clearly evidenced  as  being  under  His  authority.  As  we   humans  reckon  time,  it  will  be “the  last  day”  (Jn. 6: 39-54).   This  last day is an “appointed day” for all humans of all time, “for  it  is  appointed  for  a  man  once to die and after that the judgment ” (Heb. 9:27).  That last day will end with judgment being given to all by Jesus Christ who  will  judge  and  is already  judging by or through His inspired and preserved word, which we   often  call  the  Bible  (Jn. 12:48).     For  the majority (the broad way – Mt. 7:13), the last day will be a “day of wrath” (Rom. 2:5).  When studied together, these verses are very sobering to the believer.   To the unbeliever they are casually dismissed.  It is still true, the sober “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Ps. 11:10; Prov. 9:10).  Observe that God’s people are not terrorized by God’s awesome power and authority, but rather we are  sobered  by  these thoughts to dismiss jesting and foolishness. With  seriousness, we should take God and His holy word to heart.  We realize that in this clear way God does personally and individually speak to all the same way with equality and fairness.  In this way the Christian does walk or live life being in a constant state or readiness for either death or the return and judgment of the Lord.  Living IN Christ is both enriching and empowering as His listening and obeying children are given extra insights regarding both life now and life eternal.   Judgment is as  certain a future event as is the fact that if you are reading this, you are alive.  Consider what we learn in Acts 17:31:  “He (God) has appointed a day on which He (God) will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus) whom He (God) has ordained.  He (God) has given assurance of this to all by raising Him (Jesus) from the dead.”  God’s judgment is Jesus’ judgment, and Jesus’ judgment is God’s judgment.  We who believe in the One God are not surprised at this circular reasoning and understanding.   Christians are prepared by their Lord for the coming judgment through the inspired word.   There will be no surprises for what is revealed in the word settled in heaven (Ps. 119:89), as it is impossible for our God to lie (or make a mistake) (Tit. 1:2: Heb. 6:18).   “For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad”          (2 Cor. 5:10).  When it takes place, judgment will take place in this order: firstly, with the house of God (His people) (1 Pet. 4:17).  Knowing this, realize how the rest of the judgment will go for those who DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL of God (1 Pet. 4:18).  Here is another sobering thought God would have His children to reflect upon.  Do I know what the Gospel of God is?  If I don’t, then I doubt that I have obeyed it.  I had better know what the gospel of God is so that on judgment day He will be able to judge me as one who has obeyed the gospel.  On Judgment Day Christ will look us right in the eye, and we will know and He will know if we know what the gospel is.  More importantly, He will know whether we have obeyed it.  Christians are the sobered up ones. “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade …”   (2 Cor. 5:11).  God does not want anyone lost (1 Tim. 2:3-4); and like God,  Christians don’t want anyone lost either.   To the best of their ability, Christians attentively share the faith of the first-century church with whoever will want to hear the gospel of God.   Think now (prepare) for the coming Judgment day when you and I will stand before the great, white throne of Christ (Rev. 20:11).  Here we are forewarned    regarding the options regarding our own personal and eternal destiny.  “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened (books of the Bible?). And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life (we want our name here).  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death” (Rev. 20:12-14).  We will be judged by our works.  Have we done what we have been told to do by our Lord?  If we have not done what our Lord has told us to do, then we need to realize that our works will fall short before Jesus, the Just Judge, on Judgment Day.  Have you done the work of both hearing and obeying the gospel of God?  Do you know what the gospel (good news) is?  How does one obey the gospel or good news?  You and I had better know for the judgment is certain and the standards are set.   Know this:  I don’t want to motivate people to obey God through fear; but I want to do all I can to help people to sober up regarding the eternal destiny of their own souls and the control they have regarding their judgment.