You may have heard or used the phrase, "as sure as I'm standing here." For example, "That man denies his guilt, but as sure as I'm standing here, he did it!" The Bible tells us that as sure as Jesus rose from the dead, there will be a judgment day: Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31 NKJV). If you believe Jesus rose from the dead, then you should believe all will rise from the dead one day to meet Him before the judgment seat and give account of themselves (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:12-33; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
When Paul preached this message to the Athenians, some refused to listen to him anymore. They didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter” (Acts 17:32). The term "mocked" is also used when others falsely accused the apostles of being drunk when they preached in the native languages of all those who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:13). This term means to scoff, sneer, ridicule, to laugh at. But the apostle Peter set them straight by saying, For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:15). He gave these scoffers two sound reasons that they were wrong and should not have been mocking: it was early in the morning when no one is usually drunk, and that what they were seeing and hearing was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
There are people today who believe in the resurrection of Jesus but discount the judgment day. They are called Universalists, and believe everyone will be saved and no one will be sent to hell. This flatly contradicts what Jesus said. "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’" (Matthew 7:21-23). These were not heathens Jesus was addressing, but religious people who failed to do the will of the Father. Earlier, Jesus stated that "few" would find eternal life (Matthew 7:13,14).
There is indeed a day coming when everyone will be judged. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28,29). Therefore, may we live righteously everyday with the judgment day in mind, for as sure as I'm standing here, it will come. Better yet, as sure as Jesus rose from the dead, it will come. Are you prepared should it come today?
Brotherly, Jamie
