It was October 22, 1844 when the judgment was set in heaven, and the books were opened—the books that contained the actions, the words, and the thoughts of God’s people. The judgment started in 1844 from those who died, over 6,000 years ago, and continues to our time. When the dead have been judged, the judgment continues upon the living, and all the church members will be judged. The following event will be the shaking and separation of all who are not accepted in the judgment. They will be shaken out and all who remain will receive the Latter Rain.
To receive the seal of God in the judgment we must reflect the image of Jesus fully, and be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48). Jesus told us to, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate.” Luke 13:24. Therefore, to reflect the image of Jesus fully, requires striving daily, constant prayer and Bible reading—with the help of God. Faith and works go hand in hand.
What is the result when His people reflect His image fully? “God will soon do great things for us if we lie humble and believing at His feet. . . . More than one thousand will soon be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications.” –Colporteur Ministry, p. 151. This will finally complete the number 144,000 who will be saved through the Three Angel’s Messages.
Sister White writes further, “In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great Day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence. Great blessings were received by the true and humble people of God. I heard voices of thanksgiving and praise, and there seemed to be a reformation such as we witnessed in 1844.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 126
In the beginning she mentions hundreds that she saw, but thousands were added daily that joined the church of God.
Terrible is the condition of those who were rejected in the judgment. “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isaiah 2:20–21
“So long as they can conceal their transgressions from their fellow men, many, like Achan, feel secure, and flatter themselves that God will not be strict to mark iniquity. All too late their sins will find them out in that day when they shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering forever. When the records of heaven shall be opened, the Judge will not in words declare to man his guilt, but will cast one penetrating, convicting glance, and every deed, every transaction of life, will be vividly impressed upon the memory of the wrongdoer. The person will not, as in Joshua’s day, need to be hunted out from tribe to family, but his own lips will confess his shame. The sins hidden from the knowledge of men will then be proclaimed to the whole world.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 498
David prayed to God to search him and to reveal to him any sin that he should confess and overcome. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23–24
Our private sins we confess only to God, but sins that we have committed against another person, we must confess to God and to the other person. “Have they sowed discord among the brethren and sisters of the church? If these things have been committed, they should be confessed before God and the church.” –Counsels on Health, p. 374
Unconfessed sins will keep a person out of heaven. “Let church members bear in mind that the fact that their names are registered on the church books will not save them. They must show themselves approved of God, workmen that need not be ashamed. Day by day they are to build their characters in accordance with Christ’s directions. They are to abide in Him, constantly exercising faith in Him. Thus they will grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ—wholesome, cheerful, grateful Christians, led by God into clearer and still clearer light. If this is not their experience, they will be among those whose voices will one day be raised in the bitter lamentation; ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved! Why did I not flee to the Stronghold for refuge? Why have I trifled with my soul’s salvation, and done despite to the Spirit of grace?’
“‘The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly.’ Zephaniah 1:14. Let us be shod with the gospel shoes, ready to march at a moment’s notice. Every hour, every minute, is precious. We have no time to spend in self-gratification. All around us there are souls perishing in sin. Every day there is something to do for our Lord and Master. Every day we are to point souls to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.
“‘Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as we think not the Son of man cometh.’ Matthew 24:44. Go to your rest at night with every sin confessed.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 48
To keep nine commandments will not save us; we must faithfully keep all ten commandments, and also love God above all and our neighbour as ourselves. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10
If you have besetting sins remaining in your book on your judgment day, your name will be removed from the Book of Life. Since we do not know when our judgment takes place in heaven, we must overcome sin daily. It is possible to overcome all sin. We are forgiven by the merits of Jesus’ blood and He gives us power and willingness to overcome. He has promised to cleanse us from all sin if we confess. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3:8–9
It is possible for everyone to be born again and be saved. However, Sister White writes in 1897, “The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world. This is the reason why there are so many perplexities in the churches. Many, so many, who assume the name of Christ are unsanctified and unholy. They have been baptized, but they were buried alive. Self did not die, and therefore they did not rise to newness of life in Christ.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1075
“Not one in one hundred among us is doing anything beyond engaging in common, worldly enterprises. We are not half awake to the worth of the souls for whom Jesus died.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 148
“Why there is so little exercise of true faith, and so little of the weight of truth resting upon so many professed believers is because they are indolent, in spiritual things. They are unwilling to make exertions, to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for the blessing, and therefore they do not obtain it. The faith which will live through the time of trouble must be in daily exercise now. Those who do not make strong efforts now to exercise persevering faith will be wholly unprepared to exercise that faith which will enable them to stand in the day of trouble.” –Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 186
These are the reasons why only a remnant will be saved. Jesus spoke a parable of a wedding garment, which is the righteousness of Christ. In this investigative judgment it will be examined if all the guests have a wedding garment on. If not, then they were cast into outer darkness, which means that the Holy Spirit left them. The wedding garment is a gift from God to us. We cannot produce Christ’s righteousness; we must ask the Lord to give it to us, and then care for it carefully so that we will not lose it. Adam and Eve lost it. To receive it again Jesus had to die for them, and for us also.
If you want to be clothed with Christ’s righteousness on your judgment day, then start today. Pray without ceasing, read the Bible every day to gain strength from above and then get involved in missionary work, and confess all your sins. If there is a possibility that you may have forgotten some sins that you may have committed years ago, then pray to God like David did that God will bring them your memory. It is a great happiness if our names remain in the Book of Life, when our names are called in the judgment. Amen.
Timo Martin