Precept Austin

Lake of Fire

Updated: Sat, 11/15/2025 - 10:52 By admin

THE LAKE OF FIRE 

See also: The Great Judgment by Adrian Rogers

The Lake of Fire is not a myth or metaphor but is a real place and eternal consequence for sin. But God, in His mercy, has made a way of escape through Jesus Christ. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2+). The Lake of Fire is the final place of punishment for Satan, his demons, and all who reject Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that it is the eternal destiny of those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life. Revelation 20:14-15+ describes it clearly, saying, “Then 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.”

Paul writes that "the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (THE SECOND DEATH) (2Th 1:7-9+).  The “second death” does not refer to physical death but to complete and irreversible separation from God, which is the ultimate consequence of sin. There is no escape from this eternal separation. There are no second chances to repent and believe in Jesus. 

The Lake of Fire is a real, eternal place of conscious punishment. It is not symbolic annihilation (a sad, false allusion), but a place of eternal torment. John explains the duration of the Lake of Fire writing "And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10+).

Who Will Be Cast
Into the Lake of Fire?

Satan and His Demons get top billing. Many people do not realize that the Lake of Fire was originally prepared for the devil and his angels, Jesus declaring "Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.’” (Mt 25:41+) In terms of time, the first "occupants" of the Lake of Fire will be the Beast (Antichrist)  and the False Prophet, the" two (who) were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone." (Rev 19:20+) Notice they are ALIVE, indicating they will be fully conscious of their terrifying fate. Finally, the major population of the Lake of Fire is reserved for all the Unredeemed of all the ages, all those who have rejected the "gift by His grace" of salvation in Christ (Ro 3:24+, Acts 4:12+) The Scripture is clear that at Jesus' Great White Throne judgment, which is the final judgment, all those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Rev 20:15+) This group includes "the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev 21:8+). Because God is holy (Isaiah 6:3) and perfectly just (Dt 32:4), He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Every act of rebellion against Him is infinitely serious, not because of the size of the sin but because of the greatness of the One sinned against.

Why Does the
Lake of Fire Exist?

The lake of fire exists as the final expression of God’s perfect justice against sin, rebellion, and evil.  The Lake of Fire exists because God is holy and just. Sin is not merely a mistake but is rebellion against the a Holy God. God’s justice demands that evil be punished "for the wages of sin is death" (Ro 6:23+) Here are 4 reasons the Lake of Fire was created.

(1) The Lake of Fire Exists to Display the Perfect Justice of God

God is eternally and immutably just (Deut 32:4+; Ps 89:14). Sin is not merely a mistake but cosmic rebellion against a holy God. The Lake of Fire is the final expression of His just judgment. Revelation 20:12+ teaches that judgment is “according to their deeds.” This is the final settling of moral accounts.

Hell exists because God’s justice exists.
If there is no hell, there is no final justice.

Without the Lake of Fire, evil would never be ultimately answered. The universe would remain morally unresolved. God’s justice demands a final reckoning.

The lake of fire is necessary because
God is holy and sin must be punished.

2. The Lake of Fire Exists to Vindicate God’s Holiness Against Satan’s Rebellion

The lake of fire is the eternal penitentiary
of the universe, created for Satan

Hell was not originally created for humans, but was “prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Mt 25:41+) It will be the eternal home of the angelic rebellion that began in heaven. The Lake of Fire is therefore the the place that assures the permanent containment of Satan, the final destruction of his evil works and the eternal demonstration that no creature can ever overthrow God. Think of the Lake of Fire as the place for the final quarantine of evil. Forever! Hallelujah! 

3. The Lake of Fire Exists to Uphold the Dignity of Human Freedom

Hell affirms that God respects human choice. In other words, those who refuse God’s grace in effect Christ choose final separation from Him. There is no middle ground. One is even for Jesus or against Him. And Revelation 20:15+ shows that the decisive issue is the absence of the rebel's name in the Book of Life. The point that is most amazing is God does not send people to the lake of fire against their will. They choose separation by rejecting His provision. The apostle John addresses this truth (which you may be questioning) writing "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil." It is not God's fault that men do not believe, but it is their fault because they choose not to believe in Jesus, seeking darkness instead of the Light of the world (Jn 8:12+). Notice that to fail to make a choice for Jesus is tantamount to rejecting Him. God does not send people to the lake of fire against their will. They choose separation by rejecting His provision. The Lake of Fire exists because love cannot be forced. A person who refuses God’s grace must bear their own guilt.

4. The Lake of Fire Exists to Demonstrate God’s Final Victory and Renew the Universe

Only when the lake of fire has received all that is evil
can the new creation be free of every effect of sin

Think of Lake of Fire as a divine "garbage dump," the place for cosmic cleanup before the New Creation. John explains the order of these last events writing that "death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:14+) Everything that belongs to the old fallen order—Satan, Demons, Death, Hades, Unrepentant sinners—is permanently removed so that the New Heavens and New Earth can be completely without sin, sorrow, or death. Following this "removal" John writes "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”  (Rev 21:1–4+). In short, another reason the Lake of Fire exists is so that God may dwell with His people in a universe entirely cleansed of evil, which should elicit a "Hallelujah!" if you are a child of the Living God! 

The Only Escape:
Faith in Jesus Christ

The writer of Hebrews may be speaking to you dear reader, if you have been procrastinating about faith in Christ or overtly rejecting him, for he gives this warning "we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?." (Hebrews 2:1-3+) The answer to the writer of Hebrews question is - THERE IS NO ESCAPE. Or as Jesus Himself said "“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; (ABSOLUTELY) no one comes to the Father but through (dia) Me." (John 14:6+) This is why Jesus gives two urgent commands to all who have ears to hear "The time is fulfilled (AND YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU HAVE TOMORROW! Jas 4:14+), and the kingdom of God is at hand (TIME IS SHORT); repent (present imperative - the Holy Spirit will give you the desire and power to obey) and believe (present imperative) in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15+).

God says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”
Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,”
Behold, now (NOT TOMORROW) is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”
–2 Corinthians 6:2+ 

God does not desire that anyone perish, Peter writing that "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9+). Paul adds that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1Ti 2:4+) So while God desires every soul to experience eternal life by truly knowing Him (Jn 17:3+), He will not force His Son on those who reject Him. The only way to avoid the Lake of Fire is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, for “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12+). John ads that “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (Jn 3:36+).

Summary - The Lake of Fire is a sobering reality, reminding us that God takes sin seriously, and that eternal destinies are at stake for every soul every born. On the other hand, the Lake of Fire magnifies the beauty of the Gospel, which emphasizes that Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God on the cross so that all who placed their faith in Him would not have to experience the second death in the Lake of Fire.

Truth Description Scripture

What is it?

Eternal place of judgment

Revelation 20:14+

Who goes there?

Satan, demons, and all who reject Christ

Revelation 20:15+; Rev 21:8+

Why does it exist?

To uphold God’s justice

Romans 2:5–8

How to escape it?

Repent and believe in Jesus

Acts 4:12; John 3:36

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved"
- Acts 16:31+

Related Resources: 

FALSE TEACHINGS ON
THE LAKE OF FIRE

Jehovah's Witnesses falsely interpret the "lake of fire" and "second death" of the Book of Revelation as referring to a complete and definitive annihilation of those cast into it. So the question arises "Is annihilationism biblical? GotQuestions.org says...

Annihilationism is the belief that unbelievers will not experience an eternity of suffering in hell but will instead be “extinguished” or annihilated after death. Annihilationism is an attractive belief to many because of the awfulness of the idea of people spending eternity in hell. While there are some passages that seem to support annihilationism, a comprehensive look at what the Bible says about the destiny of the wicked reveals that punishment in hell is eternal. A belief in annihilationism results from a misunderstanding of the consequences of sin, the justice of God, and/or the nature of hell. (Click for full answer)

Christian Universalists falsely interpret the "lake of fire" as an instrument of purification/refinement that will bring all people into a relationship with God. 

Related Resources to correct these false teachings:

  • What Is HELL and the LAKE OF FIRE Really Like? - What the Bible says about hell. 
  • What is Hell? - a shorter video but Biblically accurate
  • Eternal Punishment - is it really for eternity?
  • Hades (86) hades - this is not "hell" but the "precursor" (so to speak) of Hell. 
  • Hell (Gehenna) (1067) geenna - this is the final Hell - Gehenna is found in 12 verses - Matt. 5:22; Matt. 5:29; Matt. 5:30; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 18:9; Matt. 23:15; Matt. 23:33; Mk. 9:43; Mk. 9:45; Mk. 9:47; Lk. 12:5; Jas. 3:6 Notice who taught on Gehenna even more than Heaven!

Excerpt from Ray Pritchard's sermon Heaven and Hell: Payday Someday: Why I Believe in Heaven and Hell

Hell: Eternal Misery

We turn now to consider what the Bible says about hell. It may interest you to know that Jesus believed in a literal hell. In fact, he spoke of hell more often than he spoke of heaven. For instance, Jesus told a story in Luke 16 about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. When Lazarus died he went to heaven but the rich man went to hell. We pick up the story in verse 23: “In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’” Some people have grave difficulty with this story because they reject the notion that Jesus believed in a literal hell with literal fire. But here Jesus plainly says that there was a rich man who was tormented in the fires of hell. I find nothing in the text to suggest that this is symbolic. It appears to be an actual description of hell.

Someone has called hell the “forgotten doctrine” of the evangelical church. We don’t talk about it nowadays because it isn’t popular to suggest that unbelievers are tormented for all eternity for their sins. In order to soften the blow, some theologians have suggested that unbelievers are annihilated or destroyed by God, but they do not suffer throughout eternity. 

The Lake of Fire

I confess that the thought is indeed so gruesome as be almost unbearable. Yet the Bible teaches the eternal punishment of the wicked in many passages. Here are some of the biblical words and phrases associated with hell: smoke, fire, burning, torment, bottomless pit, everlasting prison, wrath, weeping, wailing, gnashing teeth, unquenchable fire, damnation, furnace of fire, blackness and darkness, and brimstone.

Revelation 20:11-15 describes the awesome scene surrounding the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the millennium. Here we discover the final destination of those who will not bow before Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Pause for a moment to let that image settle in your mind. A lake of fire. This is the most terrible verse in all the Bible.

What would a lake of fire be like? It is a lake so large that you cannot see the other side. A lake filled with fire and burning smoke. A lake so hot that no one can come near without burning up. The roar of the fire never stops, the smoke ascends forever. Into that lake the unsaved dead are tossed one by one, screaming, pleading, begging for mercy. But it is too late. Too late for repentance. Too late for remorse. Too late to give your heart to Jesus. That day is long past.

Death Without Death

If you are there on that day, you will be thrown headfirst into the lake. The heat will be unbearable. First scorching your skin, then turning it black, then baking your organs, stilling your voice, enveloping your head, destroying your vision, You open your mouth but no words come out. You inhale the choking smoke and pray to die but you can’t. As the flames blacken your body, you feel such pain that no words could ever describe it. Worse and worse it becomes until you reach the moment of death but you do not die. Frantically you swim for shore. But there is no shore. Only wave upon wave of hot sulfur washing over your charred body. You cannot sink, you cannot reach shore, you cannot see anyone around you. You are lost–eternally, hopelessly, terribly, consciously lost. You curse God but it does no good. You raise a bloody, blackened fist and the sulfur washes over it producing a soundless scream of agony.

Oh Jesus, you pray, but no one answers. How did this happen? How could it have ended this way? On and on you swim, burning but not consumed, tortured with no relief, hoping for rescue but no one comes to your aid.

This is the second death. It is the final destination of those who do not know Jesus Christ.

If someone objects to my depiction, I assure you that I mean no harm or offense to anyone. But I believe the Lake of Fire is real. I am sure that the reality is far worse than my words portray. 

III. Why It Must Be True

Since some people scoff at the notion of an afterlife, let’s pause for a moment and ask why the Bible reveals heaven and hell to us. What do we gain by knowing about these things and why are they important to the Christian faith?

1. To right the wrongs of this life.

What shall we say about the people who get away with murder and then go free? What about the pornographers who ruin so many lives? What about the drug pushers who corrupt our young people? What about the husbands who walk out on their wives for other women? What about the politicians who abuse their power and get rich off the misery of others?

And what about the monstrous criminals who killed that mother and her two children and then tore the unborn baby from her body? How can any punishment on earth repay them for what they did?

So many crimes go unpunished while the perpetrators are set free to hurt others. Hell must exist, if for no other reason than to balance the scales of justice.

2. To Reward those who serve the Lord.

A week ago Wednesday, I saw Miss Eva Lodgaard, who this year celebrated her 50th year as a missionary in the hills of southeastern Kentucky. When she graduated from Moody in 1945, she left Chicago with a pledge of $20 from our church. That’s all she had. She started her ministry back in the remote hollows of the Appalachian Mountains, riding on horseback along the creekbeds to teach the Bible to schoolchildren. She has officially retired but of course she is as busy today as she ever was. When I saw Miss Eva, she was a bit unsteady on her feet but she had a big smile on her face. She told me that the ladies of the Rock Fork Sunday School (which meets in a mobile home) listen my taped sermons. I told her to tell the ladies that the next time I come to Camp Nathanael, I would stay over on Sunday and preach for the ladies at Rock Fork.

Miss Eva is not famous as the world counts fame. Many would say that she threw her life away by wasting it with those mountain people. She could have stayed in suburbia, gotten married, had a family, and enjoyed a comfortable retirement. But she chose to serve the Lord instead.

Where is her reward? Oh, I know that she is greatly loved by all who know her–and that is part of her reward–but the best is yet to come. God has promised to reward those who serve Jesus Christ on the earth. Heaven must exist so that those who served Jesus faithfully may enter their eternal reward.

3. To fulfill the promises God made to his people.
The Bible is filled with promises about heaven. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come back to take you to be with me that you may also be where I am” (John 14:3). The last two chapters of the Bible are a description of heaven. Millions of believers have died believing in the reality of heaven. If it’s not true, then God is liar. Heaven must exist because Jesus promised to take us there when we die.
4. Redeem the suffering of this life.

Romans 8:18 says that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Not a week goes by that I don’t talk with someone whose suffering seems to be overwhelming. It may be cancer or some other disease, it may be a broken marriage or a child in trouble, it may be financial disaster or trouble at work or at school. God’s people endure many hardships in this life. Most of the time we can’t fully understand why God allows certain things to happen to us.

But we have this promise. When the books are opened and the scales are balanced, we will discover that the things we went through in this life are nothing compared with the glories of heaven. No one will ever say to Jesus, “Heaven’s not so great. It wasn’t worth what I went through to get here.” When we finally get to heaven, the glory will be so great that we won’t even remember the things that made us weep in this life.
Heaven must exist, or our present suffering losing its meaning.

Someone said it way. For the unbeliever, this life is the only heaven they will ever know. For the believer, this life is the only hell we will ever know.....

Several hundred years ago the French philosopher Pascal put forth his famous wager regarding the Christian faith. It’s an imaginary conversation between a Christian and a non-believer. It goes like this. Suppose that atheism is right and Christianity is wrong. In the end, I have lost nothing by believing in Christ since my faith gives me hope and comfort in this life and the atheist has gained nothing because he believes that death ends all. But suppose that Christianity is right and atheism is wrong. Who wins and who loses? The Christian wins everything because he goes to heaven. The atheist loses everything because he goes to hell.

If we are wrong, we lose nothing at all. If we are right, we go to heaven.

But those who reject Christ run a terrible risk that hell is real because if it is, that’s where they are going. 

PAYDAY, SOMEDAY

Here is a link to R. G. Lee's classic sermon Payday, Someday -  

“Payday, Someday” is one of the most famous and widely preached sermons in American evangelical history. It holds a legendary status in 20th-century preaching, especially within Southern Baptist and conservative evangelical circles. Dr. Lee reportedly preached “Payday, Someday” over 1,200 times in various churches, conferences, and revivals across the United States and abroad. He was often invited specifically to deliver this sermon, and it became a defining moment in many revival meetings.

R.G. Lee’s “Payday, Someday” is not just a popular sermon—it is a milestone in evangelical preaching history. Its vivid portrayal of God’s justice, rooted in Scripture and delivered with passion, has made it one of the most preached and remembered sermons of the 20th century. Its central truth—that God’s justice is certain and inescapable—continues to convict hearts and call people to repentance today.

A Powerful Message (TESTIMONY TO THE POWER OF THE SO-CALLED "ROMANS ROAD")

The gospel of Christ … is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. —Romans 1:16

Bible teacher Lehman Strauss was brought to Christ through the power of the Word when he was young. At his girlfriend’s suggestion, he read Romans 3:23, 5:8, and Romans 10:13. As he did, he was convicted of his sin. He wept and believed. When his son Richard was 7 years old, he asked his father how to be saved. Lehman used the same verses that his girlfriend (who was now his wife) had used years earlier. His son believed too, and eventually became a pastor. God’s Word has tremendous power! The first recorded time God spoke, He created light (Gen. 1:3+). He spoke a promise to Abraham (Ge 17:15-19+) and enabled his 90-year-old wife Sarah to bear a child (Ge 21:1-2+). God still speaks with power today, and all who hear and believe the gospel are saved (Ro 1:16+).

Yes, the message of Christ and His saving work on the cross can change the direction of a person’s life. It has the power to reach the heart of that person you love and have prayed for many times.

So don’t give up in your witness. Be consistent in your daily walk. Keep praying and sharing the gospel with others. It’s a powerful message!

Play and listen to the powerful hymn by Phillip Bliss....

Wonderful Words of Life

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Refrain
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessèd One, gives to all wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life;
All so freely given, wooing us to Heaven.

Refrain

Sweetly echo the Gospel call, wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior, sanctify us forever.

Refrain

Our words have power to influence; God’s words have power to save.

THE ROMANS ROAD
to RIGHTEOUSNESS
Romans 1:18-3:20 Romans 3:21-5:21 Romans 6:1-8:39 Romans 9:1-11:36 Romans 12:1-16:27
SIN SALVATION SANCTIFICATION SOVEREIGNTY SERVICE
NEED
FOR
SALVATION		 WAY
OF
SALVATION		 LIFE
OF
SALVATION		 SCOPE
OF
SALVATION		 SERVICE
OF
SALVATION
God's Holiness
In
Condemning
Sin		 God's Grace
In
Justifying
Sinners		 God's Power
In
Sanctifying
Believers		 God's Sovereignty
In
Saving
Jew and Gentile		 Gods Glory
The
Object of
Service
Deadliness
of Sin		 Design
of Grace		 Demonstration of Salvation
Power Given Promises Fulfilled Paths Pursued
Righteousness
Needed		 Righteousness
Credited		 Righteousness
Demonstrated		 Righteousness
Restored to Israel		 Righteousness
Applied
God's Righteousness
IN LAW		 God's Righteousness
IMPUTED		 God's Righteousness
OBEYED		 God's Righteousness
IN ELECTION		 God's Righteousness
DISPLAYED
Slaves to Sin Slaves to God Slaves Serving God
Doctrine Duty
Life by Faith Service by Faith

Modified from Irving L. Jensen's excellent work "Jensen's Survey of the NT"

The Great Judgment
By Adrian Rogers

NOTE: Adrian Rogers was a pastor who did not mince words and frankly on a topic as serious as Hell and the Lake of Fire, you want to hear from someone who will give you the "straight truth" even if it hurts (and hopefully convicts)! Here is a related video by Dr Rogers The Final Judgment. The transcript for this video is found on page 1035. Unfortunately I cannot find a video for the transcript below. 

Introduction

Would you rise with me? And, let’s stand together as we read God’s Word. I begin reading in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 11: the Apostle John said, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11–15+). May you be seated, and may God add His blessing to this—the reading of His Holy Word.

I want to speak to you tonight on one of the most serious subjects I know anything about, and that is the final judgment—the final judgment. Now, you need to pay attention, because one of these days, if you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ, you are going to come into judgment. You have a date with Deity; you are going to meet Jesus Christ.

I heard of a young minister one time who came to a village town to be the pastor. In that village, there was a man who was a skeptic, a scorner, an agnostic, a pseudo-intellectual. His favorite sport was baiting preachers, teasing preachers, arguing with preachers, ridiculing the gospel. He could hardly wait ’till the new minister came to town. One day, they met in the town square. This man, whose name was Burt Alney, met the new minister, and he said to him, “I understand you’re the new minister in town. Is that correct?” He said, “Yes, sir. I am.” He said, “Well, I want to tell you something: my name is Burt Alney, and I don’t believe in God. I don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God. I believe that Heaven is mere sentimentality. To believe in Hell is a blunder and foolishness. I believe that you’re a pious fraud and an imposter, and I believe that all of the people who go there to hear you preach are hypocrites.” The young minister looked at him and quoted a verse of Scripture. He said, “It is appointed unto [man] once to die, [and] after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27+).

Alney said, “Don’t quote the Bible to me.” He said, “I don’t believe the Bible. What do you have to say to that?” The young minister said, “It is appointed unto [man] once to die, [and] after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27+). He said, “That’s no argument. Don’t give me that. I said I don’t believe that.” He said, “It is appointed unto [man] once to die, [and] after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27+). He said, “That’s stupid. I don’t think you know enough to argue.” He said, “It is appointed unto [man] once to die … after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27+). It so infuriated Burt Alney that he wheeled around, turned and walked away in disgust. But, later on, Burt Alney gave this testimony. He said, “As I walked home that night, I walked over the bridge, and as the creek was beneath me, the frogs in that creek were saying, ‘Judgment. Judgment. Judgment. Judgment. Judgment.’ And, what that man had said so reverberated through my soul: ‘It is appointed unto [man] once to die, [and] after this the judgment’ (Hebrews 9:27+)—that I could not get it out of my heart and my mind until I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.” I pray God tonight that this will etch itself upon your consciousness and reverberate through your soul.

Listen to me, my friend: one of the most solemn facts I know is that one day—one day—every unsaved man, woman, boy, and girl in this world will come to judgment. Now, the message that I’m going to give you tonight is straight from the Word of God, and if you have a Bible with you, you may keep it open there in your lap. The very first thing we see as we speak about the final judgment, which really is a trial, is a court—it is eternity’s court; the Supreme Judge of the universe is sitting there upon the bench—I want you to notice that in every court trial, there are three parts: first of all, there must be a judge; and secondly, there must be some defendants; and thirdly, there must be a judgment.

I. The Setting

Now, the Bible tells us this is what is going to happen. First of all, I want you to notice the setting of this whole thing. Look in verse 11: “And I saw a great white throne” (Revelation 20:11+). Now, when the Bible says it’s “great,” that speaks of the power of it. When the Bible says it is “white,” that speaks of the purity of it. When the Bible says it is a “throne,” that speaks of the purpose of it, for this word throne is not the kind of a throne that a king would sit upon; this kind of a throne was a judgment bench. A person who stands before this is not coming to worship a king. Sometimes people say, “Oh, pray for us all that one day we’ll stand before Thy great white throne.” Don’t pray that prayer for me, please, and don’t pray it for you, if you know what you are talking about. Those who stand before this throne are standing there to be judged.

And, who is it that’s sitting upon this throne? Look again here in the Word of God: “and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away” (Revelation 20:11+). Who is this person? Who is this judge that’s sitting upon the throne? Well, I want to tell you who the judge is not going to be: you’re not going to judge yourself. The judge in that day is not going to be your opinion of yourself. It’s not going to be some friend. We all have friends who will write a letter of recommendation for us. They don’t bear false witness against us; they bear it for us, amen? They say all of these nice things, but your friends are not going to be the judge. Your mother, your father, is not going to be the judge. My mother had a way of overlooking all of the faults and foibles in me, but your mother is not going to be the judge. Who is the judge? Who is the One who sits upon this throne? The Bible says, “[In] him that sat [upon the throne], from whose face the earth and the [heavens] fled away” (Revelation 20:11+). Who is this One so awesome, so terrifying, so fearful that even the heavens and the earth flee from His presence? Are you ready for this? The judge will be none other than Jesus Christ. Did you know that? Jesus is the judge.

The Bible tells us in John, the fifth chapter: “the Father judgeth no man, but hath [commiteth] all judgment unto [His] Son” (John 5:22+). Now, that’s very important, because I want to tell you, as surely as my name is Adrian Rogers, as surely as I stand in this stadium, as surely as there’s breath in my body, as surely as there’s a God in Heaven, you are going to meet Jesus Christ. Everybody here is going to meet Jesus Christ. Now, you may not walk down this aisle and give your heart to Jesus, but in some church, they’ll roll you down the aisle, perhaps, after you are dead. And, some preacher will preach your funeral, but your soul will be in Hell before the undertaker learns you are dead. And, dear friend, you will be drawn out of that place called Hell, that place that the Bible calls “Hades,” and as we’re going to see in a moment, you will stand face to face with Jesus Christ.

Do you know what the Bible says? The Bible says, “As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow [to God] … every tongue shall confess [that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father]” (Romans 14:11+). Now, that tells me that if you don’t meet Jesus as Savior, you’ll meet Him as judge. If you don’t meet Him in grace, you’ll meet Him in judgment. But, you have a date with Deity. You’re going to meet Him as the Lamb. You’re going to meet Him as the Lion. You’re going to meet Him as the Savior, or you’re going to meet Him as the Judge. But, you’re going to meet Him.

II. The Defendants

Now listen—listen—this is the setting. There is a great white throne. Now, who are the defendants? Let’s continue to read. Look here in this passage of Scripture. The Bible says in verse 12: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to … works” (Revelation 20:12+). Now, the Bible teaches that there’s a summons that’s going to go out, and the dead are going to be summoned into this court. Who are these? Who are these dead that are coming to the judgment? “I saw the dead, small and great” (Revelation 20:12+). Well, listen, the big shot, the great, the little shot, the small, the up and out, the great, the down and out, the small, those who are well known and those that nobody knows anything about—all of these unsaved are going to stand in the judgment.

Now, let me tell you, there are basically in four categories of persons. Four types of people will stand there to be judged, and I want you to listen carefully to see if you’re in one of these four categories.

A. The Out-and-Out Sinners

First of all, the out-and-out sinner will be there, and I don’t think there are any like that here tonight, but there may be. These are those who hate God, who hate Christ, who hate the Bible. They hate revivals. They hate preachers. They hate churches. They spit on the cross. They ridicule the blood. They shake their puny fists in the face of God, boldly, braggingly, brazenly. They say, “God, if there be a God, You’re not big enough to make me serve You.” They hate God, and they despise what we’re doing here tonight. Now, there are none like that here tonight, unless you’ve come to make fun, and if you have, may God have mercy upon your soul. But, they will be there—they will be there.

B. The Self-Righteous People

But, I’ll tell you another category of persons who will be there. These are not the out-and-out sinners; they’re just the opposite. These are self-righteous people. These are good people. These people go to church from time to time. These people give their money. These people have been baptized. These people have gone to Sunday School. These people have culture. They have manners. They think that the gospel is for the thief. They think the gospel is for the murderer. They think the gospel is for the pervert. They don’t think the gospel is for them; they don’t think they need to be saved. Jesus said, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and [the] Pharisees, [you] shall in no [wise] enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20+). Some people are going to Hell because they drink, but some people are going to Hell because they never drink. They think the gospel is for the drunkard but not for them. They think the don’t need to be saved. And, when a preacher preaches a sermon like this, they’ll stand in the invitation—they’ll look around to see if any of those old sinners are going to go down there and give their heart to Jesus Christ. I told you the night before last; I’ll tell you again: the worst form of badness is human goodness when that human goodness becomes a substitute for the second birth. Now, mark it down: there is no sin greater than self-righteousness that keeps you from going to Jesus Christ. Most of the people in America are ego-maniacs, strutting to Hell, thinking they’re too good to be damned.

There are about five billion people on Planet Earth today. If you were to put those five billion people in a single file, they would reach out around the moon, circle around the moon a number of times, and come back to the Earth, and you still would not have reached the end of that line. If you were to take a golden cup, and place it in the hand of all five billion people, and tell each one to deposit all of his own personal goodness and righteousness that he innately has in that cup, and then pass it on to the next person, and on to the next, when that golden cup got to the end of five billion persons, there would not be enough righteousness in that cup to save one boy or one girl. Do you understand what I am talking about? God says that our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Would to God—would to God, would to God—the Holy Spirit would show you tonight, oh my friend, that your church membership cannot save you, your keeping of the Ten Commandments cannot save you. The Bible says, “If righteousness come by the law, then [is] Christ … dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21+). Do you know what that means? That means that if you could be saved by your good works, Calvary was a blunder and the blood of Jesus Christ was spilled rather than shed—Christ died in vain.

C. The Procrastinators

I’ll tell you a third category of person who will be there: not only, my dear friend, the out-and-out sinner, not only the self-righteous person, but there’s another category of persons who will be there, and this is the procrastinators. They’re not out-and-out sinners; they don’t hate God. And, they’re not self-righteous; they know they need to be saved. Every time the gospel is preached, they feel that tug—they feel that quiver. Every time a preacher stands up and says, “Come to Jesus,” there is something in them that says, “I ought to go.” But, the devil whispers in their ear, and the devil intimidates them. And, procrastination comes into their heart, and they say, “Not tonight, not tonight—tomorrow, tomorrow.”

Oh, I know we all know that we’re going to die, but do you know what most of us think? Most of us have the idea that somehow we’re going to live to be about 98, and then we’re going to get a little cough, and then we’re going to go to the doctor. He’s going to thump on us a little bit, and he’s going to say, “You’ve got about four months to live.” So then, we’re going to visit all of the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren. And then, we’re going to call all of our loved ones in around the bed. And then, we’re going to put on our pajamas, and crawl up in the bed, turn up our toes and die. That’s the way most of us think we’re going to die. But, I want to tell you, dear friend, more people die with their street clothes on than die with their pajamas on. Did you know that?

People die on their way home from church. In … where I used to preach, in another church, five people, in another city, five people were killed on their way home from church. I can remember Dorothy, another little lady—stood on the front steps of my church in Ft. Pierce. I can see her in my mind’s eye now, that perky little smile. And, Dorothy was a Christian, thank God, but the principal is the same. Dorothy said to me as she stood there, “Pastor, that was a great sermon. I’ll see you tonight.” I can still hear it in my ears: “I’ll see you tonight, Pastor.” And, as Dorothy went out the 520 causeway, and over the overpass going over the Banana River, another car was coming up on the wrong side of the hill—hit her head on. I doubt that she ever even saw it. The next moment she was in with Jesus. If that had happened to some of you, you’d be in Hell tonight. If going home that thing happened to you, that next moment you’d be in Hell.

The procrastinators, I say, are going to stand there. I tell you, there are souls in Hell who would give a million worlds like this one to have the opportunity to come to Jesus tonight. The Bible says, “To day if [you’ll] hear his voice, harden not your [heart]” (Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7). The Bible says, “He, that being often reproved [and] hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed” (Proverbs 29:1). God’s Word says, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). I tell you, I would not go without Jesus Christ 24 hours for ten million dollars. I mean that with all of my heart. If you were to put ten million dollars on this platform and say, “All you have to do is renounce Christ, do without Christ for one day—ten million dollars for one day.” God in Heaven knows, number one, I would not deny Jesus for ten million dollars. Number two: Dear friend, I might die during that 24-hour period. The Bible says, “What [should] it profit a man, if he [should] gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what [should] a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37+).

D.  The Church Members Who Don’t Have Their Names in the Book of Life

Who is going to be there? “I saw the dead, small and great, [standing] before God” (Revelation 20:12+). I’ll tell you who will be there: the out-and-out sinner will be there. I’ll tell you who will be there: the self-righteous person will be there. I’ll tell you who will be there: the procrastinator will be there. And, I’ll tell you someone else who will be there: these are church members who have gotten their name on the church role, but they’ve never had their name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Church membership, whether Bellevue-kind or any other kind, has never saved any body. You ask some people, “Are you a Christian?” They say, “Well, I’m a member of the church.” You ask, “When were you saved?” “Well, I was baptized at thus-and-such a time.” Friend, the Church is not the way to Heaven; Jesus is the way to Heaven.

Now, suppose when I came out here tonight to come to this crusade, when I got ready, rather than coming, I find a place that says “Show Place Arena.” I get up on that sign, and I sit down. And, I fold my hands, and I sit on that sign. And, you pass by, and you say, “Pastor, that’s very interesting. What are you doing?” And, I say, “Well, I’m going to the crusade.” You say, “You’re going to the crusade?” “Yes—yes.” “Well, well, well, how’s that, Pastor?” “Well, you see what it says here: ‘Show Place Arena.’ That’s what it says, and I’m on it, so I’m going to the crusade.” You say, “Pastor, that’s not the way to the Crusade; that’s just the sign that points you to the way.” The Church is not the way to Heaven; the Church is the sign that points you to the way. Jesus is the way.

“Jesus,” you say—“everybody knows that.” Friend, everybody doesn’t know that. You’d be surprised. There are some people in this building tonight—you are members in good standing of some church, but I want to remind you, so was Judas. He was a charter member of the first church, and he was the treasurer; and tonight, he’s in Hell. Are you saved? I’m not asking if you’re a member of the Church. Judas, are you a member of the Church? “Yes, I am. I’m a charter member. I’m a disciple. I’m an apostle. I’m the treasurer of the church.” Judas, have you ever been born again? He’d have to answer, “No,” and tonight, he’s in Hell.

There are four categories of persons who are going to be judged.

III. The Judgment

Now, here’s the third and final thing I want you to notice. We’ve talked, first of all, about the courtroom and the Judge—the great white throne, and Jesus is on it. Secondly, we’ve talked about the fact that the dead, small and great, will stand there to be judged. Now, the third and final thing I want you to see tonight is the basis of the judgment. Every judgment has three parts. First of all, the evidence is presented against you. Secondly, you have a chance to make your defense. Thirdly, the verdict of the court is given.

Now, let’s suppose that the end of time has come, and it is time for the resurrection of the unsaved dead. The graves vomit up their shrieking, moaning, groaning dead, and they stand one by one to be judged—that time when I told you about that you’re going to meet Jesus Christ. There’s an old spiritual that goes this way:

      I went to the Rock to hide my face,
      And the rock cried out, “No hiding place—no hiding place” (author unknown).

“The heavens and the earth flee away” (Revelation 20:11+). Every rock, every cave, every building, every closet—it’s gone. Just you and Jesus. You cursed His name behind His back—I wonder if you’re going to curse Him to His face now. You ridiculed Him—now, I wonder if you’re going to ridicule Him then. I am telling you—you listen to me—the most sobering fact that I know is that you’re going to stand before Jesus Christ.

“I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God … the sea gave up the dead which were in it”—listen, dear friend—“death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man” (Revelation 20:12–13+). You see, when you die, your body goes to the grave, but your soul goes to Hades—literally, Hades. That’s what it says. “Death and Hell”—in the Greek, it’s “death and Hades.” It is the place where spirits go before the resurrection. And, your spirit is in Hades; your body is in the grave. But, when the summons comes, death that has the body and Hell that has the spirit will give them up. Your body will come from the grave. Your spirit will come from Hell. And, that spirit will be reincarnated and, in this case, re-incarcerated in that body. From the Arctic wastes they will come. From the depths of the oceans they will come. From the jungles they will come. From graves that are millenniums old, and bodies that have turned to dust, they will come. Fresh corpses will rise again. “I saw the dead, small and great” (Revelation 20:12). They will come—they will come. They will be raised.

You know, I have never, ever been able to understand why unsaved people come to church at Easter to celebrate. I never can understand it. I’m glad they come, because it gives me a chance to shoot them full of the gospel, but I could never understand why an unsaved person would come to church on Easter. Do you know what Easter is? Easter, my friend, if you don’t get saved, is the day that seals your doom. Don’t you know that? Acts chapter 17 says that God “[has] appointed a day, in … which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Now, what does that mean? It means the proof positive of the judgment is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You can’t hold court if the judge is dead. But furthermore, you can’t hold court if the defendant isn’t there. What God is saying is this—listen to me: the same God that raised Jesus Christ up from that grave—listen—is the same God who’s going to bring you into judgment. Listen: “death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them” (Revelation 20:13+).

Some people get the idea that they can commit suicide and end it all. You can’t do it. Let me tell you, friend, you cannot crawl up into the grave and hide from God. You can’t pull the dirt over your face and hide from God. Could you have your body cremated and have your ashes scattered by the four winds of the Earth to the four corners of the Earth? The Spirit of Almighty God would bring those ashes together, bring that dust together, reincarnate into that body your soul, and you will stand before Him, and you will be judged face to face with Jesus Christ. You’ve got a date with Deity. “As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11).

A.  The Evidence

Three parts to the judgment—first of all, the evidence will be presented against you. The Bible says, “and the books were opened”—“the books were opened” (Revelation 20:12+). God is keeping books. God has a record. God has written down every deed, every thought, and every word—every word. Did you know the Bible says, “Every idle word that men shall … they give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36)? Every filthy thing you ever said, every lie you ever told, every lustful thought you ever had, every dishonest deed you’ve ever done, every proud act—all of it is recorded with a pen of iron, and rocks of lead, and letters of flame. I want to tell you, my friend, God is keeping the record.

There’s a camera right here taking a picture of me. There’s a microphone, and what I am saying is being recorded, and it can be played back and be heard later on. I am telling you, my friend, just as surely, what you are thinking this very moment is being recorded. Did you know that? I mean, what you’re thinking this very moment—every thought that you have right now, God is recording—every word that you speak. Jesus said, “That which is done in secret shall be shouted from the housetop” (Luke 12:3+). God has the record, and when you stand there, the case will be presented against you. You will see your sins—sins that you’ll remember, sins that you’ve forgotten, things that you did in Vietnam and Korea, things you did in the back seat of an automobile or the back room of some business place. All of those things are recorded. Every lie you ever told, every time you pinched a wrinkle into your mother’s brow, every gray hair you gave your father, every mocking, sneering thing you did about Jesus Christ—you will face that sin, my friend. There will be a foul mountain of sins. And, the most self-righteous person in this world, when he sees his sins and the great sin of rejecting Jesus Christ—high treason against Heaven’s King … It will all be there, and that will be the evidence presented against you.

B.  The Defense

And then, you’ll have a chance to make your defense. What will you say? Now listen, let’s practice right now. Let’s just suppose that you’re standing there before Jesus Christ. I’m talking to those of you who are not saved. And remember—remember, friend—this may be the last sermon you’ll ever hear. What will you say? I know what some of you will say. You’ll say, “Well, I’ll just call out for mercy.” There won’t be any mercy. If you want mercy, you may have it. If you want grace, you may have it. If you want forgiveness, you may have it. But, you must have it now; you’ll not have it then. The Bible says, “It is appointed unto [man] once to die, [and] after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27+). The Bible doesn’t say anything about salvation, forgiveness, after death. As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches that the only chance that you have for salvation is in this life. And, you will not get mercy.
“Well,” you say, “I’ll ask for justice.” You don’t need justice, friend; you need mercy. Justice is what you’re going to get. You’re going to be judged according to your works.

You say, “Well, then I’ll make an excuse.” Well, what will you say? I know what some of you are going to say. You’re going to say, “Well, Lord, I’ll tell You why I wasn’t saved: I wasn’t saved because there were so many hypocrites in the Church. Why, I went to Bellevue Baptist Church, and I saw someone singing in the choir, and I knew that man—I knew his lifestyle. I knew that woman—I knew the way she lived. She’s a hypocrite. That’s why I wasn’t saved—that’s why I wasn’t saved.” And, the Lord’s going to say to you, “I didn’t say, ‘Believe on the hypocrite.’ I said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ ” (Acts 16:31+).

I know what some of you are going to say: “Well, I wouldn’t go down there and confess Christ as my Lord until I was sure I could live it.” He’s going to say, “I didn’t say, ‘Believe on yourself.’ I said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ ” (Acts 16:31).

“Well, I’ll tell you why I wasn’t saved: it was Adrian Rogers. I went to hear him preach, and he yelled, and he screamed, and he lifted his hand, and he pointed his finger, and he talked about sin and all of that. I didn’t like that kind of preaching.” And, He’ll say, “I didn’t say, ‘Believe on the preacher.’ I said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ ” (Acts 16:31).

“Well, I didn’t know which church to join. There are so many churches: the Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, the Church of God, the Church of Christ, the Episcopalian church, Vegetarian church. I didn’t know which church to join—so many churches.” And, He’ll say to you what I’m going to say to you: “I didn’t say, ‘Believe on the church.’ I said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ ” (Acts 16:31).
“Well,” you say, “I didn’t have time. I mean, I was killed on that Wednesday night. I was in an automobile accident. I died of a heart attack. I died in my sleep. I didn’t have time.” And, He’ll say to you, “You had time that night when my servant Adrian Rogers preached, and prayed, and plead with tears, when he poured out his heart and begged you to come to Jesus. You had time that night, but you walked out of that place without Jesus Christ. You had time.”

I’ll tell you, my dear friend, that every excuse that you can possibly think of will falter and fail, and you will bow your head and plea the only plea that you can plea before a righteous God, and that is guilty—guilty of the crucifixion of the Son of God, because, my dear friend, your sins were the nails that nailed Him to that cross, and your hard heart, the hammer that drove those nails.

C. The Verdict

Now, you’ll have a chance, dear friend, to hear the verdict of the court. Do you know what it is? It’s right here in the Word of God. Now, listen to it. I want you to get serious. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15+)—“this is the second death” (Revelation 20:14+). May I be serious with you? We live in a world now where people are telling other people to go to Hell. Hell is no joke. If there is no Hell, this Bible is a book of blunders. If there is no Hell, Jesus Christ is a liar, for He had more to say about Hell than any other preacher in the Word of God. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15+). Every demon will be there to shriek, and moan, and groan as they, too, are pulled down into that liquid lake of fire, for Hell is “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

Conclusion

God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. I don’t want you to go to Hell. That’s the reason I’m preaching this crusade. If you think I’m preaching it for my health, or if you think I’m preaching it because I don’t have anything else to do, you’re wrong. Friend, I’ve never been busier in my life. But, the reason I’m here tonight, and the reason I put this prayer in this energy is I don’t want you to go to Hell. And, God has lifted up some blockades to keep you from going to Hell. The song we’ve sung, the scripture we preach, the prayers, the tears—they’re God’s blockades on the road to Hell. But, above all, there’s a cross. Listen, for you to go to Hell, you’re going to have to climb over and trample beneath your dirty feet the precious blood of Jesus, for the cross is God’s blockade on the road to Hell. Do you know Jesus? Are you saved? I mean, are you absolutely certain beyond the shadow of any doubt if you died right now you would go heaven?

I’m going to tell you a brief story, and I’m going to be finished. I heard this story years ago about some men who were out on a prairie, and the prairie had caught fire. And, there were winds of 30, and 40, and 50 miles an hour that were sweeping the fire along. The men tried to outrun the fire, and it became evident they would never outrun the fire. One said to the other one, “We’re going to burn to death. We’re going to perish.” But, the other man said, “No, I know what to do,” and he reached into his pocket and took out a book of matches. He struck a match, and kneeled down, and set the grass on one side of him on fire. And, the wind caught that grass and began to burn this way. Now, the fire was burning this way, and now the fire was coming this way. His friend said, “You’re a fool.” He said, “Now, we’re surrounded by fire.” He said, “No.” He said, “I’m know what I’m doing.” They waited a moment. And then, he said, “Step over here on the burned-off place, because the fire cannot come where the fire has already been.” Are you listening to me? The fire of God’s judgment fell at the cross of Calvary, and that’s where I’m standing tonight. Amen? And, the fire can’t come where it’s already been. Amen? You see, I settled my case out of court. Amen? The fire cannot come where it’s already been. And, Jesus, on the cross, endured the fires of God’s wrath, and He took your judgment for you. And, the Bible says, “[There’s] therefore now no condemnation to [those who] are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).  (Click for this sermon and more sermons - page 1035 -- Revelation 20:11-15)
 

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