As God

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

(Romans 9:14)

Perhaps you do not accept that God demands that people believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. You do not understand why God can save people solely on the basis of faith in the name of Jesus. And because you do not understand that, you do not agree with it. But is that justified?

Now, the point here is not to show why God considers it so important that people believe in His Son and allow Him into their lives. We limit ourselves here to the observation that God indeed demands this (John 3:36) and that everyone who believes in Him is saved and that everyone who does not believe in Him is lost, because of works that fall short. In Revelation 20, we see all the dead, who had not previously been raised from the dead, standing before the great white throne of God. Next, we read:

‘And the dead were judged according to what was written in the books, according to their works…. And if anyone was not found to be inscribed in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.’ (Revelation 20:15)

If you wish to be judged on the basis of works and you let it come to that, then you will indeed be judged on that basis. In ‘the books’, all the works of all people are meticulously recorded, including yours. All earthly intelligence services pale in comparison. And if your personal mentality is the basis of your salvation, then you will discover before the great white throne that your attitude towards life fell short. All people ‘come short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23). Therefore, those who are not written in the book of life are condemned to the lake of fire. Everyone’s works fall short. We have discussed the inevitability of the lake of fire on the page called 'Hell'.

Besides ‘the books’, containing information about human lives, there is another book, the book of life. However, it contains only the names of those who have believed in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have not believed in Jesus and have turned your back on Him your entire life, your name is not among them. You consider it unjust of God that this influences the judgment? Before the great white throne, you would never dream of arguing with God about the way He judges you. But as long as it has not yet come to that, you can postpone making a choice for Jesus for a while or reject it for good.