The Final Word on Everything

Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen is the Word Who Is With God from Eternity — and indeed is God. He is the Creator of All, the Redeemer of All, and the Judge of All, Who Puts Everything Right. He is the Word Who Draws All to Himself. The Word Who Comes at the End of the Age. The Word Who Brings Unity to All in Heaven and on Earth. The Word Who Fills All Things in Every Way — and His Body, the Church, is That Fullness. The Word Who Restores All Things. The Word Who Makes All Things New. Jesus Christ, Crucified, Risen and Ascended, is God’s Final Word on Everything.

Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to myself. (John 12:31-32)

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:8-10)

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all things in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23) 

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making all things new!” (Revelation 21:5)

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you — even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3:19-21)

Christ and the Final Judgment

Yes, there is a Final Judgment — and thank God for it! It means that God finally puts everything right, even as God created it to be from the beginning. The Final Judgment is where we see that the end is in the beginning and the beginning is in the end. 

The Final Judgment is Jesus Christ crucified and risen. It is Christ upon the Cross, the Lamb of God upon his Throne. It is all in heaven and on earth being gathered together and summed up in Christ, which is God’s eternal purpose and the mystery of God’s good will (Ephesians 1:9-10). It is all in heaven and on earth being reconciled through Christ having made peace by the Blood of the Cross (Colossians 1:19-20).

Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to myself. (John 12:31-32)

For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15) 

We must all stand before the Judgment Seat, the Cross, where our Lord Jesus Christ poured himself for us in self-giving, other-centered love. We must all be tested and corrected by Divine Love. For our Lord has said, “Everyone will be salted with fire” (Mark 9:49).

The Final Judgment is the Fire of God’s Consuming Love. It is not retributive, for God is Love, and Love is not retributive. It is, rather, a Refiner’s Fire, burning away what is worthless, what does not come from God — the “wood, hay and stubble” — while purifying and preserving safe what is precious, what does come from God — the “gold, silver and precious jewels” (see 1 Corinthians 3:11-15). It is purgative, therapeutic and restorative.

Jesus Christ does not save us from the Final Judgment. Through the Cross and Resurrection, Jesus is the Final Judgment — on sin, death, and the devil. The Final Judgment, then, is salvation, for the judgment of God is never retributive but is finally restorative.