When Christ returns he will summon before him everyone who has ever lived. All people will be resurrected to appear before his judgement throne (John 5:28-29). Revelation 20 pictures the scene: the books are opened, and it emphasises that everyone will be judged according to what they have done as recorded in the books. That includes Christians. All will be judged so that justice will be acknowledged. But not all will receive the punishment that justice demands. For in addition to the books in which are recorded all the deeds of mankind there is another book: the book of life. We are told that everyone whose name was not found written in this book was cast into the lake of fire. In other words, if your name is written in that book then you will be saved. So how can we be sure of this? The answer is given in Jesus’ letter to the church of Sardis: “The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.” (Revelation 3:5) He is talking about those who walk with him faithfully to the end. We are saved, not by the accumulation of great spiritual and moral achievement, but simply through faith, that is, remaining faithful to Christ. Those who remain faithful to him will see that he will be faithful to them. “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Ask God to continue transforming you.
Read Revelation 20:11-15
