Students know that the exams are approaching in a month’s time. They know the consequences of not doing well. Yet they are still not studying hard two weeks before the exams after all the warnings and nagging of mother. It takes 1 hour to reach your working place. You know your boss will be very displeased if you are late for work. You know it is not pleasant to rush and be late. Yet you are still not on the bus half an hour before time the next day. A Chinese proverb aptly captures the problem of such people: “You will not weep until you see the coffin.” Just as there is judgment for refusing to prepare well for exams or for work, there is also judgment for not preparing well to meet the Lord Jesus. The difference is this: this time, you may lose your soul or lose an eternal value. Even as this pastoral letter is read, I bet there are some readers who are simply indifferent towards the coming judgment of Christ.

Jesus’ Return is Real and Soon

Events that are taking place in the world today tell us that Christ’s return is real and soon: moral decline, religious cooperation at the spiritual level among different religions, the resurrection of Israel in 1948, worsening earthquakes and disasters, etc. The Lord may come 50 years later, or He may come next month. Are you prepared to meet face judgment by the Holy and Almighty God? God will judge two parts of your life.

Criteria of Judgment

First, he will ask you to give an account of how you have lived your entire life. The bible says: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor 5:10). God will examine how you had lived your life and what you did with your time and money and abilities.

Second, God will also examine the state of your spiritual life at the time of His return: “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matt 24:46). In other words, not only must you have lived right in the past, you must also be living right at the moment of His return. God will judge you on the basis of the past and present. If you do well at the judgment, God will praise you and reward you with an eternal reward. It is not a $1 million reward, it is one of infinite value that will last forever. Blessed is such a person. But if you cannot stand in the light of judgment, you will suffer eternal loss. You will not and never lose eternal life or heaven, but there will be an infinite loss.

Be Wise

Christ will return and will return soon. He will call you by name and judge you. Do not be a fool. Be prepared. First, ensure that you are saved: if you have not received Jesus as your Saviour to cleanse all your sins, you will perish in hell for eternity. Therefore, be sure that you are a child of God. Second, if you have not been faithful to your Lord, ask Him to forgive you. Confess all your sins to Him. He is willing to give you a second chance. From now on, walk faithfully before Him with your whole heart. Put away sin, serve Him and give Him your best. Then, you will stand on judgment day and receive an eternal reward. You will be filled with great joy on that day.