Righteous Judgment
Brian Kocourek
II
CORINTHIANS 5:9
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of
him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath
done, whether [it be] good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the
Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust
also are made manifest in your consciences.
What a terrible thing
to fall into the hands of an angry God. Let's bow our heaqds in prayer.
WHO IS THIS
MELCHISEDEC 65-0221E 62 When
you leave here, you're not dead. You've got to come back even if you're a
sinner and be judged according to the deeds done in the body.
Tonight I would like to examine this statement of
Brother Branham's in light of what Paul said in reference to the communion
scene. He said,
When you leave here, you're not dead. You've got to
come back even if you're a sinner and be judged according to the deeds done in
the body.
I CORINTHIANS 11:17 ¶ Now
in this that I declare [unto you] I praise [you] not, that ye come together not
for the better, but for the worse. 18
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there
be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you,
that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together therefore into one
place, [this] is not to eat the Lord's supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before
[other] his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to
drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What
shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise [you] not. 23 ¶ For
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord
Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake
[it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me. 25 After the same
manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of
me. 26 For as often as ye eat this
bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread,
and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and
blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's
body. 30 For this cause many [are]
weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of
the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come
together to eat, tarry one for another. 34
And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together
unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
I PETER
4:17 For the time [is
come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin]
at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 64-0830E 1160-Q-392
392. Ah... The church age ending and has blacked out, the Bride is
called, we have already entered into the tribulation period? No, no, no,
you're... I wished that I could just have more time on that. See, see? The
Bride, when she's taken from the church, then the church age will cease.
Laodicea goes into chaos; the Bride goes to glory; and the tribulation period
sets in upon the sleeping virgin for three and a half years while Israel is
getting its prophecy; then tribulation sets in upon Israel; and then comes the
battle of Armageddon which destroys all things. And then, the Bride returns
back with the Groom for a thousand years, the millennium reign; after that
comes the white throne judgment; after that comes the new heavens and new earth
and the new city coming down from God out of heaven. Eternity and time blends
together.
MATTHEW
16:24¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any
[man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will
lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son
of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall
reward every man according to his works.
I CORINTHIANS 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a
man be found faithful. 3 But with me
it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment:
yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For
I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me
is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing
before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then
shall every man have praise of God.
ABRAHAM
56-1208 E-99
While a calming, sacred quality in the church just now... I seldom ever
seen that done. Right here at the closing of this meeting in the church, and
the Holy Spirit dropped right from that healing line right out over here. Look
swarmed around this altar here. God knows what He's doing. It's better...
Obedience is better than sacrifice, and hearkening to the fats of lambs. God
making His call, maybe there's someone in their final call. How do I know?
Here's young ladies, young children, old grey headed, white, brown, colored,
yellow, all different kinds of people bowed around this altar here with their
hearts bleeding out to God. They're convinced that Christ is raised from the
dead and the great white throne judgment is just before us, in your Presence
now. Confess your sins and they'll go on before you and not bother you in the
judgment.
BLIND BARTIMAEUS
57-0127E E-47 I commend them to Thee now as a fruit of
preaching the Word and the love gifts of the Father, Who's in the Word. And You
receive them now, for Thou hast said, "He that heareth My Word, and
believeth on Him that sent Me has Eternal Life, and shall never come to the
judgment; but's passed from the judgment unto Life." In so many words,
Father, they can't stand at the white throne judgment, You're going to stand in
their place. Never come to the judgment, but has bypassed the judgment, and has
Eternal Life through Jesus Christ. Grant these blessing to the people. For we
ask it in Christ's Name. Amen.
SEED SHALL NOT BE HEIR
65-0429B 53 That's why the rapture of the royal Seed
has to come first. And the rest of the dead live not for a thousand years, then
they were brought up at the white throne judgment. See, there is no judgment to
the royal Seed, or the predestinated Seed of Abraham. Now, if you'll take Saint John 5:24, listen
to this, "He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has
Everlasting Life."
274-3 SARDISEAN CHURCH AGE
- CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT 7 There is another point to see here. In the
great White Throne judgment there will be a separation of people. The Book of
Life will be opened and another book will be opened. Matthew 25:31-46,
"When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with
Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be
gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His
right hand, but the goats on His left. Then shall the King say unto them on His
right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I
was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger and ye took Me in: Naked
and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came
unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we
Thee an hungered and fed Thee? or thirsty and gave Thee drink: When saw we Thee
a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee
sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily, I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the
least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Then shall He say also
unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me
not in: Naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me
not: Then shall they also answer Him saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered,
or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison and did not minister
unto Thee? Then shall He answer them saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as
ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not unto Me. And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life
eternal."
275-1
Revelation 20:11-15, "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 written 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." There will be both the
righteous and the unrighteous in this judgment. It says so. THESE RIGHTEOUS
WILL NOT BE THE BRIDE FOR THE BRIDE SITS WITH HIM IN JUDGMENT. I Corinthians
6:2-3, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the
world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to
this life?" Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to
sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My
Father in His throne." See, the bride is with Him in the throne. As she is
to judge the world she has to be sitting in the judgment with Him. That is
exactly what Daniel saw. Daniel 7:9-10, "I beheld till the thrones were
cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, Whose garment was white as snow,
and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery
flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times
ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were
opened." See, it is the same scene, for the thousand thousands who are
ministering to Him are the bride, for who ministers to the husband but the
wife?
276-1
The question now arises, why are these righteous ones in the judgment? There is
no other place that they can come up, for there are but two resurrections and
since they could not qualify for the first resurrection they must come up in
the second which is a resurrection unto judgment. The ones who qualify for the
first resurrection (the bride) are not in the judgment. John 5:24,
"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on
Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life (that is, the believer is already the
recipient of eternal life which he has in his possession now) and shall not
come into condemnation (shall not come into the judgment, is what it really says)
but is passed (permanently) from death unto life." But notice carefully,
Jesus must have yet another group in mind who at a certain resurrection will
receive eternal life. They will receive it at the resurrection, NOT HAVING
PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED IT AS A MEMBER OF THE BRIDE. John 5:28-29, "Marvel not
at this, for the hour is coming, in the which ALL that are in the graves shall
hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation." Now we all know that John 5:28-29 is NOT THE RAPTURE for only
the dead in Christ will arise from the graves at that time along with the
living bride who still is on the earth. I Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord
Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord." But it says in John 5:28-29 that ALL are going to come forth from
the grave. This is the very same resurrection that is spoken of in Revelation
20:11-15 wherein THE DEAD were brought before the Lord and judged according to
their works, and all whose names were not in the Book of Life were then cast
into the lake of fire.
277-1
We now face the question as to why they should be given eternal life at the
judgment since the Epistles seem to conclusively point out that one must
possess the Spirit of Christ or perish. Though it seems thus, we must not
discredit the words of Jesus Who most pointedly sets forth that there are some
found in the Book of Life who will either receive eternal life before the
general resurrection or after it. Paul does not evade this truth for he most
clearly says in Philippians 3:11, "If by any means I might attain to the
resurrection of the dead." Now this statement is most peculiar. We all
know that we are ALL going to be in a resurrection whether we want to be or
not. All will be resurrected. So Paul could hardly be saying, "If by ANY
MEANS I might attain to a resurrection of the dead." The truth of the
matter is, he is not saying that. The literal reading is, "If by any means
I might attain to the 'out-resurrection' from among the dead." This is not
the attaining to the general or second resurrection, but attaining to the first
resurrection, of which is said, "Blessed and Holy is he who hath part in
the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand
years." The first resurrection has nothing to do with the second death.
That is at the end of the thousand years when ALL THE REST of the dead live
again. And in that day there will be those who come forth to eternal life and
those others who are caught in the second death. Now we do not need to guess
about those who in the second resurrection are given life. We are told it is
given to them on the grounds that they have been kind and good to the
"Brethren". Those who are raised and cast into the lake of fire will
be so treated because of their mistreatment of the "Brethren". Since
this is the Word of God we simply accept it. There is no argument here, just a
simple statement of fact.
278-1
To further clarify, notice specifically the words of Matthew 25:31-46. It does
not say that a shepherd is literally separating sheep from goats, but it is AS
a shepherd dividing sheep from goats. These are not sheep in this particular
area of time (White Throne Judgment). The sheep are in His fold, they heard His
voice (Word) and they followed Him. THEY ALREADY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND CANNOT
COME INTO THE JUDGMENT. But these do NOT have eternal life, and they are in the
judgment. They are allowed to GO INTO eternal life. But upon what grounds do
they enter into life eternal? Certainly not upon the fact that they already
have His life as does the bride, but they receive it because they were kind to
His brethren. They are not His brethren: that would make them joint-heirs with
Jesus. They are NOT heirs to anything but life. They share no throne, etc. with
Him. THEIR NAMES MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE AND NOT REMOVED. Now
because of their love of the people of God they are recognized and saved. No
doubt these served and helped the children of God. Perhaps like Nicodemus and
Gamaliel they stood for the children in a time of trouble.
278-2
If this seems to smack of "restoration," watch carefully now, for the
wicked are NOT restored, but turned into the lake of fire. The names of many of
those destroyed were in the Book of Life also; but they were blotted out
because they failed to honor the people of God who were the living manifested
Word (living epistles) for their day.
278-3
Now let us be very clear here. These are not nations being judged and going
into the millennium because they have harbored and helped the Jews. That is
very clear because of the conclusion of these verses. "And these (the
wicked) shall go away into everlasting punishment (lake of fire), but the
righteous into everlasting life." There is no record of TWO judgments set
where the wicked are cast into the lake of fire. Only the beast and false
prophet are judged at the end of the great tribulation. No, this is the White
Throne judgment, and they are judged according to what is written in the books.
278-4It
is the second resurrection that the "souls under the altar" as set
forth in the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9-11) are given white robes, and of
course eternal life, or there would be no point of white robes. "And when
He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were
slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they
cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not
judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes
were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should
rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Now
note particularly that none of these under the altar were killed for the
testimony to Jesus. They were not like Antipas who was slain for holding fast
His Name. These are not born again ones, with eternal life as their possession.
They come up in the resurrection and receive life because of their stand on the
Word. And notice how these are crying out for vengeance. They cannot be bride
material. The bride turns the cheek and cries, "Forgive them, Father, they
know not what they do." These are Jews. They have to be because they are
in the fifth seal, and it is in the fourth seal that the Gentile bride is gone
in the rapture. So these Jews aren't born of His Spirit. They don't even
believe that Jesus is the Messiah. But as they were blinded by God for the
Gentile's sake, God gave them eternal life on the grounds that though they
could not come to Him, yet they were truly faithful to all the Word they knew,
and died for it as multitudes died under Hitler, Stalin, etc., and will yet
die.
279-1
It is the second resurrection wherein the five foolish virgins come up. Notice
that they were virgins. They did not have the Holy Spirit so they missed being
in the bride, while the five wise who had oil became a part of that bride. But
these people, being a separated, God-loving people, and trying to abide in the
Word, according to what they knew of it, and being a help in the work of the
Lord will come up at the end of time. They will miss the millennium, which you
can begin to see by these truths is much more important and wonderful than we
have ever thought or believed.
279-2
All these people had their names in the Book of Life and their names remained.
But whose names did not remain? Those of the world system churches who fought
the bride will be those whose names are removed. That is who will lose out.
They will be cast into the lake of fire.
279-3
Now let us go another step, but before we do let us review our case thus far.
First of all we know most assuredly that the purpose of God stands in election.
It was purposed in Himself. It was God's purpose to bring forth a people like
unto Himself that would be a Word Bride. She was chosen before the foundation
of the world IN HIM. She was fore-known and beloved before she was ever brought
forth during the ages upon the earth. She was redeemed by His blood and can
NEVER come into condemnation. She can never be in the judgment because sin
cannot be imputed unto her. Romans 4:8, "Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." But indeed she shall be with Him in His throne
of judgment, judging the world and even angels. Her name (each of her members)
was written in a section of the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of
the world. Secondly, there is another class. Their names are also in the Book
of Life and they will come up in the second resurrection. Such are the foolish
virgins and the righteous as are spoken of in Matthew 25. In this class also
are those who do not worship the beast or become involved in the antichrist
system but die for their faith even though they are not in the bride, not
having been born again. But they will come up in the second resurrection and go
into eternal life. Thirdly, there are the borderline Christians such as we saw
in Israel coming out of Egypt. These had their names in the Book of Life and
their works written in the books. These having failed to obey God and being
void of the Spirit, though even the signs and wonders were amongst them, will
have their names removed from the Book of Life. Amongst this group will be the
ones like Judas who though entirely void of the Spirit, but are religious, will
have manifestation in their lives, and though on the books were not the elected
IN HIM. Such also as Balaam will be in that group. Fourth and finally are the
ones whose names have never been or will ever be written on the books. Such are
found in Revelation 13:8 and Revelation 17:8, "And all that dwell upon the
earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The beast that thou sawest was,
and is not: and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition:
and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in
the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast
that was, and is not, and yet is." Jesus said that a certain group would
accept one who came in his own name. That one is the antichrist. And that is
exactly what it says of them in Revelation 13:8, and 17:8. These were ordained
of God but not unto election. And with this group is such that are as Pharaoh.
It says of him, "Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up. Vessels
of wrath fitted for destruction." Romans 9:17 and 22. None of these would
be placed on the records of life. I am not saying that there is no record of
them. No doubt there is some kind of a record of them, but NOT IN THE RECORDS
OF LIFE. Their purpose of existence has been dealt with slightly in the rest of
this book but we can add two more Scriptures. Proverbs 16:4, "The Lord
hath made the wicked for the day of evil." Job 21:30, "The wicked is
reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of
wrath."
281-1 Since this portion of the Word is
hard for the human mind to grasp, it must be accepted and believed by faith.
Some will be offended by what I have set forth because they fail to understand
the sovereignty of God which sets forth that GOD IS GOD, and because He is God
one cannot defeat His counsels or thwart His will and purpose; but He, being
omnipotent, is ruling in ALL affairs and is doing whatever He will with all His
creation because all were created for His good pleasure. Therefore, as Paul
says, "If God should take of one lump of clay and make of that same lump
one vessel unto honor and another vessel unto dishonor, who can be offended and
cry against Him?" That He has the right to do this on the grounds of
creation alone, we cannot deny. Yet He went even further, for according to
Romans 14:7-9, we have the irrefutable proof that Jesus paid the purchase price
of the whole world, and therefore He can do as He wills with His own. "For
none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we
live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and
rose, and revived, that He might be Lord BOTH OF THE DEAD AND LIVING."
(Ownership; NOT relationship is meant here.) This is also set forth in John
17:2, "As Thou hast given Him power OVER ALL FLESH, that He should give
eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him."
281-2
Now, if we impute omniscience to God, we must also accept that He is perfect in
wisdom and righteousness. This plan of election and reprobation is the wisdom
of God revealed in all ages even, as it says in Ephesians 1:3-11, "Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all
Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen
us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before Him. In love having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His
will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted
in the Beloved. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded toward
us in all WISDOM and prudence, Having made known unto us the mystery of His
will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, that in
the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in
Him; In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His
own will." Thus if God has so designed that there be those whose names are
placed in a section of the Lamb's Book of Life and cannot be erased for they
are the names of His bride, then we must accept that. If it also states that
there are those whose names were placed in the record of the Book of Life but
in the foreknowledge of God they were to fall and have their names removed we
must accept that. And if there are those whose names were NEVER placed upon a
record of life, we must accept that, also. And if there are those who will
enter into life eternal after the White Throne judgment solely on the grounds
of being good and kind and just to the elect of God who are His brethren, then
we cannot but accept that. FOR WHO KNOWETH THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE SHOULD
INSTRUCT HIM? Rather let us be subject in faith to Him Who is our Father and
live. But the rapture is not the only roll call. There at the second
resurrection, at the great White Throne judgment, will names be confessed
before the Father and His angels. Now I have been told by those who know, that
the sweetest sound to a human ear is the sound of that person's name. How
people love to have their names before the public. How they love acclaim. But
no earthly voice will ever sound your name as sweetly as will the voice of God
if your name is in the Book of Life and remains there to be revealed before the
holy angels. What a day that will be when we hear Jesus say, "Father, they
confessed My Name before men in the days of their earthly pilgrimage. Now I
will confess their names before Thee and all the heavenly angels."
MATTHEW 7:1¶ Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall
be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in
thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother,
Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thine
own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast
out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out
the mote out of thy brother's eye.
LUKE 6:36 Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 ¶
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be
condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again.
JOHN 7:24 Judge not
according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
JOHN 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth
not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same
shall judge him in the last day.