We have already covered Christ’s teaching to his disciples that He would DRAG all men to himself (Joh 12:32). We have mentioned Paul’s statement that “AS in Adam all die SO in Christ will all be made alive” (1Co 15:22).

We have shown that no one can come to Christ except the Father draw [ drag] him (Joh 6:44). We have demonstrated that it is only those to whom it is GIVEN to understand the mysteries of the kingdom who will do so, and the rest are blinded by God Himself (Mat 13:11, 17; Mat 20:16; Mat 22:14). These are New Testament scriptures which are ignored, denied and contradicted by the idols of our hearts.

Paul

“Who will have ALL MEN TO BE saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1Ti 2:4).

“God is the Savior of ALL MEN, specially [ because they are the FIRST FRUITS, not the only fruits] of those that believe” (1Ti 4:10).

What does Paul teach will become of you if you have evil works? “Every man’s work shall be made manifest” for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try EVERY MANS WORK OF WHAT SORT IT IS” (1Co 3:13).

Peter tells us not to think it strange concerning the fiery trial that “IS TO TRY YOU… For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of GOD…” (1Pe 4:12, 17). These scriptures tell us the purpose of ‘fire’. So let’s go back to 1 Co 3 and let Paul finish his thought. “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereon [ on the foundation of Christ] he shall receive a reward” (1Co 3:14). Now this is commonly taught, but the next verse isn’t. What does Paul teach will happen to those who do not produce good works?: “If any man’s work shall be burned he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE” (1Co 3:15).

What Paul is saying is that anything that cannot endure the fire (gold, silver and precious stones) will be burned up (wood, hay, stubble 1Co 3:12).

This theme is repeated in Heb 6:8 “But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

The Great White Throne Judgment and the Lake of Fire

So there is no way to avoid the fire that guards the ‘tree of life’, Christ. The only way to get to Him is through burning out of us everything that offends God.

There are two times when this will be done. There are two judgments: “For the time IS COME that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?” (1Pe 4:17, 18).

What is the end of those “that obey not the gospel of God” and where do the “ungodly and the sinner appear?” When is the “fulness of the Gentiles” accomplished? (Rom 11:25). (See the Law of Moses Versus the Law of the Spirit article on web page listed below, PDF version pages 20 and 92.)

They appear at the next judgment. They appear at the Great White Throne Judgment of Rev 20:11. And what happens there? Do the scriptures really teach us that the wicked dead, those whose works were “wood, hay and stubble”, “nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned”; “death and hell were cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:14); are these scriptures telling us that all these wicked dead will either be tormented in literal fire for all eternity or else be literally burned up and be dead for all eternity? No, of course it doesn’t. It is only an ‘idol of the heart’ false doctrine that makes our loving Father out to be so heartless.

This is not a black throne judgment, it is the white throne judgment. And what do the scriptures teach us judgment is?: “When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord…” (1Co 11:32), not killed forever or tortured forever.

There, now we know the purpose of judgment. “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb 6:12) because “judgment must BEGIN [ NOT END] at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17).

Now if judgment “BEGINS with the house of God” and “we are chastened of the Lord” why would we think the second judgment would do anything else? What do the scriptures teach will be the outcome of God’s judgments?: “When thy judgments are in the EARTH [ the great white throne judgment; the chastening that befits a white throne] THE INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD will learn righteousness” (Isa 26:9).

So at the end, in the end of the book of Revelation, the story is the same as at the end of the book of Genesis: “God meant it [ evil] unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this [ white throne judgment] day, to save much people alive” (Gen 50:20). The parallel to this scripture in the New Testament is “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev 21:4).

You may ask: ‘How can you possibly say “much people are saved alive” when we were just told they were cast into the Lake of Fire which “is the second death”?’

The answer is that you cannot separate verse 14 from verse 15. The “whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire” of verse 15 is for the destruction of “death and hell” in verse 14. The second death is the death or destruction of ‘death’ itself. We know this is so because we now know that judgment is chastening (1Co 11:32), and verse 13 of Rev 20 tell us “they were judged every man according to his works”. “There is nor more death” is only five verses below this statement. As long as even one person is dead, death has not been destroyed.

Now Paul’s statements in 1Co 3:15 “if any man’s [ sinful] works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY [ the lake of] FIRE,” makes perfect sense.

Now it makes sense for Paul to tell the Corinthians “…deliver such an one [ the Corinthians’ fornicator] unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh [ death] THAT THE SPIRIT MIGHT BE SAVED IN THE [ great white throne judgment] DAY OF THE LORD JESUS” (1Co 5:5).

Joseph’s brothers were in total ‘outer darkness’, weeping and gnashing their teeth until Joseph revealed himself to them.

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