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0:00 The investigative judgement. This doctrine has become the subject of much debate lately. What we believe about this issue directly affects our eternal life. It will determine your understanding of the very plan of salvation. Hi, this is Dustin with Hope Through Prophecy. On this channel, we help you better understand Bible prophecy, and be prepared for the soon return of Jesus. If you’re new, make sure you’re subscribed, with all bell notifications turned on. Lately, a battle has been brewing over the investigative judgement. Many are questioning this doctrine, as it seems to conflict with their view of salvation.
0:46 As we consider the Christian world today, there are several views of how God saves mankind: On one extreme end of the spectrum, you have “once saved, always saved”. This teaching states that once someone is saved, they can never be lost. On the other end of the spectrum, we have the false teaching of legalism. This teaches that we are saved by our works. A variation of this teaching, which is also false, is the belief that we are saved by our faith AND our works. The truth is, nothing we can do can earn our own salvation. A popular belief with many Christians who reject the false teaching of “once saved, always saved” is the idea that we are saved if we have a “relationship” with Jesus
1:34 – but there is no clear cut definition of what that relationship must look like. With this false belief, there is no need for victory over sin, and the belief is that one can keep sinning until Jesus returns, and still be saved. Finally, we have what I propose to you today is the Biblical view of salvation – and that is Righteousness by faith. With this belief, we are saved by grace alone, through faith. We obey God because of our love for Him, and there is in fact a judgment to determine who’s faith is genuine. And that is the purpose of this video, to put the doctrine of this investigative judgment to the test.
2:20 We will answer the following key questions about the investigative judgement: -Is it even Biblical? -We will look at the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of the Judgement – Including What is the purpose of God’s judgment? -Was the Atonement completed at the cross? -What is Jesus doing in Heaven Right now? -Can we have assurance of Salvation? -Can we have complete and total victory over sin? Before we begin, I should clarify one point – in this video we will be specially considering one of the phases of God’s judgement – the phase that would take place before the return of Jesus. The two other phases – the millennial judgment and the great white throne judgement - are
3:06 covered in a separate video on this channel – The Millenium: Bible Prophecy’s Climax. Now, for our first question: 1. Does the Bible Speak of a Judgment? First, we must see if this idea of a judgment is even Biblical. The Bible tells us: 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. We can see from this verse, and the verses throughout today’s message, that the judgment is a solidly Biblical theme. -What’s more, I have been amazed to see that judgment has a pattern throughout the Bible! In fact, from Genesis to Revelation, judgment is God’s method of dealing with the human
3:56 race! We see a consistent pattern of investigation, followed by judgment, followed by mercy. Let us consider some examples: Going back to the very first humans, Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, we see the investigative judgment. After Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God appears in the Garden to investigate the situation: Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Next, we see God execute judgment. He pronounced that the -Serpent would crawl on it’s belly -Women would have difficult childbirth -Women would be subject to men, and that -Men would have to toil with the ground for labor. And lastly, we see a beautiful example of God’s mercy:
4:45 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. Here we see a spectacular preview of the plan of salvation. The woman, representing the church, would eventually deal a fatal head wound to the serpent, who represents Satan. We see this same pattern of judgment repeated in the story of Cain and Abel. After Cain’s brutal act toward his brother, notice God’s investigation: Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
5:31 This investigation is once again followed by judgement: So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” Once again, we see investigation and judgement along with God’s mercy in His promise of protection for Cain: And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. The story of the flood once again reinforces God’s model of investigative judgement. Genesis 6 describes God’s investigating the wickedness of earth:
6:20 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Next, we see His judgement: And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Finally, we see His judgement mingled with mercy for those who believe and obey Him: But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. The story of the tower Babble reveals how God investigated mankind: But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
7:09 It then shows how He judged them: Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Lastly, we see God’s mercy in that, rather than destroying the people, he allowed for them to live, while still disrupting their evil plans: So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. One final example we will consider out of the many throughout Scripture is the account Sodom and Gomorrah. We see God’s investigation in Genesis 18:21: I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will
7:55 know.” Once again, only after investigating does God execute judgement Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. As always, we see mercy mixed with God’s judgement. For those of you who know the story, He promised to save the city if He could find just 10 righteous people within it. While these could not be found, we still read of the following act of mercy: And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. We can clearly see from just these few examples taken from the very first book of the Bible,
8:43 that a pattern of investigation, judgment and mercy is a common theme throughout Scripture. The idea of an investigative judgment is not foreign to God – in fact, it is the way that He has always operated when dealing with the human race. While God knows everything, and does not NEED to physically observe evidence before making a judgement, He investigates in this way to reveal to the universe that He is fair and just in His judgements. I have heard it said by some that the judgment offends them, or makes them feel uncomfortable. But friends, we must learn to trust God, and know that His ways are always for our good! If it’s in the Bible, we want it.
9:30 If it’s not in the Bible, it’s not for us! We must go by the Bible, even it does not match up with our feelings, or our prior understanding. And often times, the judgment is offensive to people because they have a misunderstanding of what it means. In today’s message, we will learn how the judgment can be good news! In fact, notice how King David actually ASKS God to judge Him! The LORD shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me. Can you imagine asking God to judge you? You see, David had a better understanding of the word “judge”. One of the original Hebrew interpretations of the Biblical word judge means to vindicate.
10:21 “Judge” = Vindicate! Notice how this verse shares how the judgment will be given in FAVOR of God’s people – the saints! Until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Yes friend, the judgment can in fact be good news for you. And we will see HOW later in this video! Now that we have seen that the concept of judgment is Biblical, our next question is 2. Who will be Judged? I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. We learn from this verse that God will judge both the righteous and the wicked.
11:10 Everyone will be judged! This next verse reveals which names will come up first in the judgment: For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Yes, it will be God’s people – professed Christians – who will first be considered in God’s judgment. 3. What will be Judged? So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. It will be the 10 commandment law of God which will be the standard in the judgment. It is the law that defines sin, and those who continue to break God’s law will not be saved.
11:56 The good news is that when we confess and forsake our sins, they will be forgiven, the blood of Jesus will cover our confessed sins in the judgment! However, those who hold onto their sins, will be judged according to them. Speaking of the wicked, the Bible says: And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. Revelation 20:12 This verse, and others, give evidence that there are in fact books of record in Heaven. King David states: You number my wanderings; Put my tears into
12:42 Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? So, just like the pattern that God has used throughout history, He will examine, or investigate, the lives of all human beings to see who have accepted His gift of grace. This will be evidenced in their lives – their thoughts, motives, and actions. It is only after this investigation, which God will make accessible to everyone who has ever lived, will God enact judgment. While God is righteous and just, He is also merciful. He extends His hand of grace to you and I today, while there is still time. 4. Where will the investigative judgment take place? I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated;
13:30 His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened. Here we see a spectacular vision of the Heavenly courtroom, which is the location of the judgment. 5. When will the Judgment take place? But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. Here, during the time of Jesus, we see the judgment portrayed as a FUTURE event.
14:18 The next verse, spoken by Jesus, gives us another clue of when the investigative judgment will happen: And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. So, we can see that the judgment was to take place sometime after Jesus was on this earth, and before He returns to gather His people. This makes perfect sense, because the Bible says that Jesus is coming back with His reward – to reward everyone according to their work. In order for Him to return with His reward, the judgement will have to already have taken place. This final passage perfectly solidifies this, as it describes God’s last-day message of
15:04 warning and love that must be given to the whole world: Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come… Yes, in the final years of earth’s history, before the return of Jesus, the Bible is clear that the hour, or time, of God’s judgment has arrived. 6. Why Does There Need to be a Judgment? Does God need a judgment to know who is saved or lost? Absolutely not. What then is the purpose of the judgment?
15:51 There are several purposes for the investigative judgement. 1. Transparency – So the universe can see that God is just and good. Rather than making his decisions in secret, God wants all to see the evidence that He used to make His decision. After all, God Himself is on trial after Satan rebelled. Satan has accused God of being unfair and unloving. But the judgment will eliminate any questions on who deserves to be saved or lost – the books of heaven will bare record of every act – and all will see that God is just, holy, and good. God’s character will be vindicated. 2.
16:36 Justice – to bring justice to the wicked for the evil deeds they have done. 3. Restoration – to restore God’s sanctuary – the true plan of salvation that has been twisted by the teachings of men. 4. Purification – to purify and sanctify God’s people, preparing them for Heaven. 5. Examination – To Determine which of the professed people of God are worthy to receive the merits of the shed blood of Christ. Not all who claim to be Christian, or who once accepted Him, will be saved: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
17:21 Yes, this verse and those that follow disprove the false teaching of “once saved, always saved”. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. It is only IF we hold fast to the gospel which was preached to us will we be saved. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than
18:08 having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. The Bible is very clear that if we flee from sin and become saved, and then go back to a life of sin, then it would be better for us if we had never known the truth. It is those who overcome sin, by the grace of God, that will enter into Heaven! He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. This verse clearly shows that names can be removed from the book of life. There must be a judgment to see who has truly accepted God’s grace – this will be evidenced
18:55 in the life and actions. The next question is one that is made to address those who disagree with the teaching of the judgement. 7. Was the Atonement Completed at the Cross? The atonement can most easily be defined as “AT ONE MENT”. It is the process of human beings being brought back to be at one with God. Those who disagree with the teaching of the judgment will often state that the atonement was completed at the cross. Was it? Let us carefully examine this important question. The best way that I can answer this question is this way, and please listen carefully, and then we will consider if the evidence supports my answer:
19:44 The atonement was COMPLETE at the cross, but not COMPLETED. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was complete. It paid for your sins and mine, and all the sins ever committed – past, present, and future. However, we know that not everyone will receive the merits of this shed blood – the benefits of this forgiveness. There must be a process of judgment to see who has accepted Jesus, by faith, as both their Savior and Lord. The complete work of atonement, being made one with God, still continues. It will not be complete until Jesus returns to claim His people.
20:33 Consider the old testament sanctuary service. This system was given as a model, or blueprint, of God’s plan of salvation. Each part of the sanctuary has symbolism for the plan of salvation. The altar of burnt offering, where the lambs were sacrificed, represents the cross, where Jesus, the Lamb of God, was slain for our sins. The laver represents baptism. As we continue into the Holy Place, we see the table of showbread, representing the Word of God. The seven-branched candlestick represents our witness for truth empowered by the Holy Spirit. The altar of incense represents our prayers, which ascend like smoke up to Heaven. We are seeing that the plan of salvation involves more than just the cross – it is comprised
21:25 of a thorough and continuing relationship between us and Christ. Finally, as we step into the Most Holy Place, the sacred compartment of the sanctuary that could only be entered once per year, we see the supernatural presence of God – the Shekinah glory. This presence rests on the mercy seat, which is above the ark of the covenant containing the Holy law of God – the 10 commandments. The High Priest entered into the Most Holy Place only once per year to perform the work of atonement to cleanse the entire camp of all the sins that accumulated in the sanctuary throughout the year. We learn from this, once again, that atonement is not completed at the cross.
22:13 While Christ’s sacrifice is full and complete, and nothing can be added to it, the process of being brought back to full harmony with God will continue until the Heavenly Day of Atonement, the hour of God’s judgment, is complete. 8. What is Jesus doing in Heaven right now? For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. Yes, Jesus is our judge in the Heavenly Day of Atonement – the judgment. But He’s more than that: Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle
23:03 which the Lord erected, and not man. Yes, Jesus is our great High Priest! He is working on our behalf in the courts of Heaven! He offers his shed blood to forgive and cleanse our confessed sins, and He offers His grace to give us the power to overcome sin! 9. Can We Have Assurance of Salvation? Those who attack the teaching of the investigative judgment often claim that it takes away the assurance of salvation. Is this true? Can we believe in the judgment and still have assurance of salvation? The Bible says: These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that
23:51 you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Yes, God wants us to be confident in our salvation – to KNOW that we have eternal life. But, we have already learned that not everyone who claims to be a Christian will be saved. So, how do I know that I am saved? The Bible reveals the answer: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. So, who has no condemnation? It is those who are living an obedient life – it is those who walk not according to
24:39 the flesh, but according to the spirit – it is those who are in Jesus, and know Him! To make this even clearer, the Bible provides us with the proof, or evidence, that we know Him: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. It couldn’t be more plain! Obedience to God’s commandments is the proof that we know Jesus! Yes, we can have assurance of salvation when we have surrendered our lives to God, and are living an obedient life. Those who believe they are saved while they are holding onto sin – that is, they have unconfessed sins on their record, are deceived. They have a false assurance of salvation, also know as presumption.
25:28 To these people, God’s holds out His hand of mercy. The Bible invites them: Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This brings us to our next question: 10. Can We Have Complete and Total Victory Over Sin? The Bible reveals: Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. The verse makes it clear that if we have been born of God, and are walking with Him, we
26:18 will not sin! This shows that if we stay connected to Jesus, we can overcome sin! That is the secret friends – abiding in Christ! Jesus tells us I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Now, this does not mean that God takes away our free will. We still have the choice to sin, and separate ourselves from God. But friends don’t believe the lie that is often heard in modern Christianity that we cannot overcome sin! The Bible is clear that God IS able to keep us from falling:
27:03 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless. Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. And “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Is this a works-based salvation? Not at all! It is the grace of God that saves us, and it is the grace of God that gives us the power to overcome sin! It is our job simply to surrender. Some may say “But I’m human – I will continue to struggle with sin until Jesus returns”. Well, we need to unpack this a bit. “Struggling with sin” can mean two different things – it can mean being tempted, or it can mean COMITTING sin.
27:49 These are two very different things, but the devil wants to blur the lines. There is nothing wrong with being tempted to sin. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus was tempted in all points, just like us, but was without sin. It is not a SIN to be tempted. But it IS a sin to give IN to temptation and to commit sin. The devil would have you believe that being tempted is the same as sinning. But friends, this is a lie. While the struggle of temptation may last until Jesus returns, there is never an excuse for giving into sin. And if we do, let us confess and forsake that sin, so that we can be cleansed.
28:34 I have heard it said that “God’s grace is big enough to cover even our sins that we continue to commit”. But friends, we must be careful to go by the Bible, and not our own opinions. The Bible reveals that we must confess and forsake our sins in order to have mercy: He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. The better statement to make is that “God’s grace is big enough to give us VICTORY over sin”: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Amen – and this brings us to our final, but most important topic of the Judgement:
29:23 Jesus Christ – the Hero of the Judgment Friends, the secret to facing the judgment with confidence, and to being found innocent is none other than Jesus Christ. He is our judge, our advocate, and our high priest in the heavenly courts above. He is our HOPE through prophecy! The Bible reveals But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Yes, Jesus is in the courts of Heaven above, waiting to plead your case before the Father.
30:08 He is waiting to mix the sweet fragrance of His righteoussness together with your prayers, so they will be accepted by the Father. He wants to be your Savior and your Lord. With those precious nail pierced hands, He is knocking on the door of heart today. He is waiting for you to answer – to surrender your life to Him so He can cleanse your sins and give you the power to live for Him. Dear friend, will you answer His call? If this is your desire, just write in the comment section below Dear Jesus, be my Advocate in the judgment. Praise God for your decision friends. Your words are not only documented in the comments below, but in the very courts of
30:59 Heaven. If this video has been helpful to you in any way, I just ask that you like the video and even share it with others. If you are new, I hope you will subscribe to this channel, and turn on all bell notifications, so you don’t miss any of our new content. But most importantly friends, keep your eyes on Jesus – the Author, and Finisher, of our faith!
