Commentary by Dr. Chuck Baynard

Q88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?

Answer: Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final judgment of angels and men, the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord.

References: 2 Pet. 2:4,6-7; Mt. 24:36,42,44

Harmony of the Standards: COF 33.1

WCF 33.1 God hath appointed a day wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. References: Acts 17:31; John 5:22,27; 1 Cor. 6:3; Jude 6.

Notice that in this entire section dealing with the end times there is no millennium theory put forward. Rather the Divines were true to the simplicity and truth of the Scripture. I was not until sometime in the nineteenth century (1800s) that eschatology became an issue with the church concerning the sequence of events. It was during this same time period that the "rapture" (a word not found in the Bible, but implied) also became a subject of debate. Our forefathers showed far more wisdom in some things than their children of later generations.

The problem with all the theories is that they have a sequence and if one is familiar with that sequence they could conceivably know for sure when the coming of the Lord was close, if not the hour. This contradicts Scripture, for the Lord said no man knows, only God the Father. Simplistic? Most definitely! But then I find the Scriptures have such a simple and straight forward approach and things that are truly hidden were left there by God and it is perhaps infringing on the person of God for us to even attempt to inquire further than God has revealed. A simple truth is that if the earth must go through a thousand year period of Christ’s rule on earth before the final events, we cannot possibly miss the coming of the Lord, and would know that 1000 years later God would call a halt to history as we know it. For those who place the return of the Lord at the end of this magical 1000 years, and look for the Gospel to be the dominant force in the world, the same fits. We will know when Christianity is the predominant force in the world, and again most assuredly will recognize the return of Christ at the end of that period. For those who deny any millennium, they have to deny portions of Revelation which speak of such a time of rule on earth. Aside from the date setting, neither view is in complete compliance with what God has revealed in His word.

What the Divines brought to us is an attitude we must constantly maintain, of humble submission to God and to live at peace with all God’s creation, particularly our fellow man. They point out the things that can be stated from Scripture and do not debate the things God has reserved for himself. IN many ways the whole issue of eschatology, other than the sure return of Christ at any moment could be labeled as a thing indifferent. We will find as we search the Old Testament prophets that of those prophecies which are fulfilled, each was done so in extremely fine detail. Such is the wisdom and foreknowledge of God. Each generation can point to the signs and pull back from the edge of oblivion believing Christ’s return is soon. In this way prophecy aids the believer to obey the final word on the subject by Christ and watch and pray for His soon return.

I also disagree somewhat with the statement that the believer will stand before Christ and give account for every idle word and every sin during their whole life. My sins were washed white in the blood of the Lamb and have been removed as for from me as the east is from the west. Ephesians 2 says that we were "saved by grace through faith, not of self but of it is the gift of God lest anybody should glory. To walk in the good works foreordained by God that we should work with them." The believer stands before Christ to receive the reward he has laid up in heaven, not account for what has been forgiven in Christ. A court that has declared a man justified cannot retry the same man for the same crime. The appeal to the original language is that this is the "Bema Seat" of Christ which equals seat of reward. If one sin that has been repented of and forgiven is resurrected at this judgment, then God is not sovereign and we are in miserable shape, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There would be no joy in heaven but one huge guilt trip with much sadness for these sins, and I can’t think of a more humiliating thing in this world, much less the next than to have to hang ones dirty laundry on a public clothes-line. We can see that most of man’s laws are but reflections of the law of God. These events which cannot happen in the shadow of God’s glory, certainly will not happen in its full effulgence.

I believe the righteous and the wicked will stand before Christ at different times, though I think we are dealing with micro seconds here if it could be timed at all. The billions of persons born since the world began will be judged during the time frame of the evening of the six wrath and the morning seventh wrath when God announces it is done. Is this a natural day? I do not know, but would opt for a shorter day rather than a longer since this is happening at the end of the great tribulation which I limit to seven days at best, and think perhaps all of this is going to be only an instant in human time. One moment all is well the next the world stands before Christ in judgement. I accept no millennial position and believe most (self) included who attempt to place time into this day of wrath do err. I choose to use each of the wraths, and I think the seal, trumpet, and vials are the same wrath in each sequence, as one day with God. And again Christ said these days would be shortened. Physically shortened in length or number I am not sure. Any sequence of events then in my opinion would be interwoven with the seven wraths, to include that last great battle and on the dawn of that seventh day when God announces it is over and the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, and we all know the rest of this glorious narrative of heaven.

Once more we see from the Bible that some men indeed will stand before Christ and be condemned to eternal hell. Thus petal three is vindicated from the Scriptures with the brightness of God’s own glory. In that none who have died in Christ or held steadfast until His return if alive are lost and here surely all will praise God for the steadfastness of His faith toward us, and that we live not by our own feeble faith.

Once more you cannot have partial flowers that can live and grow. Where one petal exists the other four must be from necessity. That any are condemned not only vindicates the third petal, it affirms the first, for if logic and experience alone were enough none would be lost. However from his fallen state man cannot see to save himself and the big "T" continues to rule among men until that faithful day. Considering the awesome truth of the first petal now established, I dare say none will cavil over the second and it is only by God’s unconditional election by grace through faith that any may be saved from the fires of hell. Having acknowledged the first three, though it may grate upon the ego of the creature, none can argue that were not God’s grace safe within His providential hand, none would choose a savior that hung on a tree. However both Scripture and experience testify to the truth that those God has proposed to save will be saved entirely. And once more the garden sparkles from the beauty of these jewels from heaven because one petal being establish, the full doctrine of the reformed faith will stand vindicated before men, as on that faithful day God through Jesus Christ brings in this precious harvest of His elect, despite themselves and never because of their own actions. To God be the glory!