This is the 21st installment in a series on theological terms. See previous posts on the terms theology, Trinity, creation, man, Fall, common grace, sin, righteousness, faith, pride, election, revelation, atonement, adoption, sanctification, incarnation, idolatry, the church, holiness, and salvation.

Meditate much upon the day of judgment. Feathers swim upon the water, but gold sinks into it; so, light, feathery Christians float in vanity; they mind not the day of judgment; but serious spirits sink deep into the thoughts of it. – Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity

The Bible teaches that the world as we know it now will one day end and every human who has ever lived will stand individually before the throne of Jesus Christ to give an account for how they lived (2 Corinthians 5:10).

This judgment, also known in Scripture as “the day of the Lord,” will come at a time people do not expect (1 Thessalonians 5:2), and the ruling for each person will be either eternal punishment in hell or eternal life with God in heaven (Matthew 25:46).

Eternal punishment will be the fate of those who have not believed in the only Son of God and therefore have no shelter from the wrath of God (John 3:18).

But those who believe in Jesus Christ—whose sins have been paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross and whose lives have begun to demonstrate obedience to him—will be brought into everlasting peace with God and granted eternal life (Romans 5:1, 9; James 2:17).