Great White Throne Judgment

## Core Position

The Great White Throne Judgment is the final judgment of all the unrighteous dead at the end of the millennium. The dead are raised, judged according to their works recorded in the books, and those whose names are not found in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire. This is distinct from the judgment seat of Christ, which is for believers. These are two separate events for two separate groups.

Supporting Scripture

Revelation 20:11-15 — The Great White Throne. The dead, great and small, stand before God. The books are opened. Another book is opened — the Book of Life. The dead are judged by what was written in the books, according to their works. Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire. Anyone not found in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire.

John 5:28-29 — "All who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out — those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." Two resurrections. Two outcomes.

Revelation 20:5-6 — The first resurrection is for the righteous. "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended." The second resurrection — the unrighteous dead raised for judgment — occurs after the millennium.

Revelation 20:14-15 — "Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

Acts 17:31 — "He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness."

Two Judgments — Distinct Events for Distinct Groups

The Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema Seat) — for believers:
2 Corinthians 5:10 — "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body." This is not a judgment of salvation — salvation is settled at new birth. This is a judgment of works — rewards and loss of reward for how the believer lived.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 — Works tested by fire; some survive, some burn. The believer is saved but may suffer loss.

The Great White Throne — for the unrighteous dead:
Revelation 20:11-15 — the unrighteous dead raised after the millennium. Judged according to their works recorded in the books. No one appears here whose name is in the Book of Life. The outcome is the lake of fire — the second death.

The Two Resurrections

First resurrection — the righteous (believers, tribulation martyrs); at Christ's return; reign with Christ 1,000 years.
Second resurrection — the unrighteous dead; after the millennium; Great White Throne judgment, lake of fire.

Revelation 20:6 — "Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power."

The Books and the Book of Life

The books (plural) — records of every work, word, and deed of the unrighteous dead. Judgment is according to works — not because works save, but because works reveal the heart and provide the basis for degrees of judgment.

The Book of Life — the register of the redeemed. Those whose names are written in it are not judged at the Great White Throne — they are already in the first resurrection. Revelation 20:15 — anyone not found in it is cast into the lake of fire.

What This Rejects

All judgment is the same event — Revelation 20 describes two resurrections and two distinct judgment contexts.
Believers appear at the Great White Throne — Revelation 20:6 — the second death has no power over those in the first resurrection.
The Great White Throne offers a second chance — Revelation 20:15 — the outcome is fixed.