Is Our Fate Decided at Death or on the Day of Judgement?

Is Our Fate Decided at Death or on the Day of Judgement?

Bro. John:
If the souls of Christians go to Hades or "Paradise" after death to await the Judgement and the souls of non-Christian go to the other area of Hades to wait the return of Jesus, then what is the purpose of the Judgement? Hasn't it already been determined if the person will go to heaven or not, based on where his soul awaits? Otherwise why would God let us go to Paradise only to be sent to Hell?
-Kelly

Dear Kelly:
We must not think of the day of judgment wherein Christ will judge us as court trial such as we have today. "Now is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2). If one chooses to confess Christ in this life and dies faithful, his destiny is sealed. The man who does not confess Christ in this life and the unfaithful Christian who dies in his unfaithfulness are lost. Their destiny is settled. This is seen in the case of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). On the Great Day of Judgment we will all be gathered before Christ, separated and sent to our destiny (Matt. 25:31-46). There will be no lawyers, no arguing our case, no weighing of the sins and good deeds. God is omniscient, He knows all, even the thoughts of our hearts (Heb. 4:12), thus there is nothing new for him to learn when we stand before him. Think of it as the day when the sentence will be delivered, even though the trial occurred in this life. On that day when we stand before Christ, all will confess his holy name and bow before him (Phil. 2:10). Even the wicked will do so, but it will be to no avail since they refused to do so in this life (Matt. 10:32) which is the day of salvation. Why God has arranged the judgment and sentencing in this fashion we cannot say. As his children we only confess that whatever He does is right (Gen. 18:25).

The spirit of man goes to Hades to wait until the day of resurrection. On that day he will receive a new body, suited for eternity (I Cor. 15:52-54). Even the wicked will receive a resurrected body and in it they will live in eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46).

Sincerely,

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