Judgment day is a favorite subject for fundamentalists. The thought of the wicked finally getting their dues makes them positively cheerful. Even more delightful is the idea that the whole of humanity will get to see every sin and evil though committed by their friends and neighbors up on the heavenly big screen. What a day that will be.
This threat of public humiliation in front of (literally) God and everybody is a great motivator for fundies and is carefully taught to fundamentalists children. “Some day, we’ll all watch you up there on that screen and we’ll know everything you’ve thought, said, smoked, climbed or yodeled. You’d better watch out!” It’s even better than threatening a child with the wrath of Santa Clause.
It may seem strange that God would feel the need to remind us of sins that He said He has as good as forgotten about. But then, what’s the fear motivation in absolute forgiveness? Too much grace just isn’t useful.
Hopefully there will be popcorn to go with the movie.
Um, isn’t judgment day a pretty common theme of the Scriptures?
Yeah, but the big screen TV part is strangely missing…
Exactly. And, even though I heard the thing about the screen growing up, it is my belief that only our GOOD WORKS will be tried to see if we were sincere in doing them. Shallow works being burned up and sincere works being as gold. I mean, why would bad works be tried if they were covered.
So, whenever I hear the common phrase, “Well, he’ll have to stand before God one day for that.” I just roll my eyes and say, “Okay”
Darrell, you seem to get great pleasure in mocking things that are sacred and special to alot of people. Revelation 20:12-13 will be a special tine in future history. Your site seems to take pleasure in mocking believers. We pray that your heart will soften up towards other believers even thought they don’t exactly believe the way you do.
Charles, you’re conflating a judgment of life and death with the judgment of reward.
I do not mock the Scripture. I do mock the mishandling of Scripture and the attempt by some to control through fear.
There will be no judgment of sin for the believer. Any attempt to say that our sins that Christ has already paid for will be dredged back up and reviewed at the judgment day is simply false.
Darrell
Thanks for your comments, I am sorry that I “mishandled†Scripture, though from what I see in Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 that this “Judgment†will occur at the same time as also referenced in Revelation 20:12-13.
I understand that some folks can be very bitter towards others they disagree with, but as believers, we must let God do the judging and we should try and get along.
Have a good day – Charles
I totally agree with Charles. What do you do with II Corinthians 5:10 if you believe that there is no jugdment for the believers? It does say that “we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Christ forgives us our sin, but this verse clearly says that judgement will come. We will stand before God and that is not to be taken lightly. And no, there will be no popcorn.
There is a judgment. But according to Romans 8 we have no condemnation. God remembers our sins no more. They are removed from Him.
The judgment for Christians is akin to an awards ceremony. We will be receiving rewards based on our life’s work. But nobody runs the reel of the quarterback dropping the ball and getting sacked. They run the reel of the touchdown passes.
There will be no condemnation at that day. And there will be no big screen to play back our every secret sin and fault. Those are already paid for and will not be back to haunt us.
Like I said, too much grace is a scary thing to some people.
(Oh yay – the jumbotron made it to the blog!)
Darrell
I think you misunderstood what I said and what I didn’t say. I don’t disagree with the fact that we will not have our sins brought back up, as Christ has forgiven them. The Judgment day will be to decide who stays in fellowship with God and who is cast into the Lake of Fire. If your name is not written in the “Lambs Book of Life†then your will be eternally separated from God. My beef was how you pictured the process and brought it down to our worldly level instead of keeping it on a much higher plain – God’s.
Thanks for the clarification, Charles.
Charles said:
I understand that some folks can be very bitter towards others they disagree with, but as believers, we must let God do the judging and we should try and get along.
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Not a chance Charles, the Bible says we are to rebuke and withstand those who teach things not found in Scripture. We don’t just “try and get along” with such, we rebuke them.
Reformedfundy – I was speaking about believers and how they should get along, that has been my whole contex, of putting away bitterness and forgive those who have wronged you.
Exactly what I was referring to as well Charles. If a believer teaches something that is false, what’s the problem in pointing out the error, even with using satire? And who says that Darrell hasn’t forgiven those who have wronged him, or that he is bitter? Art thou God that ye can judge another man’s heart?
I think we have decided that we don’t agree, but that is okay. I just meant that you can tell by the words used can indicate the “Tone of Voice”. After reading many lines of opinions on Blogs and Forums you can pick up on people’s feelings.
All of you have a good day. Charles
A post on the rapture would be fitting as well. Don’t know if you’ve seen “rapture” websites like this one: http://youvebeenleftbehind.com/, where you can have letters sent to your friends and relatives once you’ve been raptured (for the small fee of $40 a year).
I think that some (many?) Fundamentalists get pleasure in the thought that Sinners (particularly Gays, Sceptics stc) will burn in Hell and don’t like the idea that Jesus actually loves them as much as the Good Fundamentalist, and wants to save them. It just doesn’t seem fair…. And what is that quote about our sins being “thrown into the sea of God’s forgetfulness….) ??
In my experience with Fundamentalism, I’ve never heard a preacher joyfully speak on Hell. I, myself get excited at that stanza “the Tempter will be banished; we’ll lay our burdens down” Many fundamentalists do have a mean spirit, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve not seen what you’re speaking of. Honestly, I’ve sat under preachers who openly preach about the bema, and not a big screen. No hate or anger in this response, just my experience.