I was one of four authors of a book titled, Four Views on the Role of Works in the Final Judgment, published by Zondervan. In response to my claim that John 5:24 proves believers will not be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment, Dr. Tom Schreiner wrote, “Revelation 20:11-15 [refers to] the judgment of all people” (p. 53, emphasis his). In his own article, Schreiner wrote, “A quick survey of other writings in the New Testament demonstrates that good works are necessary for eschatological salvation…The necessity of good works for salvation is pervasive; it is not an isolated theme!” (p. 92).
In his Systematic Theology, John Miley wrote, “The deeds for which we shall render an account at the judgment, and according to which our destiny shall be determined, are deeds of the present life” (Systematic Theology, Volume 2 [Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1893, 1989], p. 436, emphasis added).
In a 2008 book titled Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, John Piper wrote on the Reformed doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints. He warned about two extremes: the “deadly [thinking that] perseverance is unnecessary…for final salvation” (p. 40) and the “deadly [thinking that] perseverance puts or keeps God on our side” (pp. 41-43).
Piper says that fear of not persevering is something all believers need to face honestly:
“So when the fear of not persevering raises its head, don’t try to overcome it by saying, ‘Oh, there is no danger, we don’t need to persevere.’ You do. There will be no salvation in the end for people who do not fight the good fight and finish the race and keep the faith and treasure Christ’s appearing. And don’t try to overcome the fear of not persevering by trying to win God’s favor by your exertions in godliness” (p. 42).
While most Calvinists and Arminians believe that the destiny of all believers and unbelievers who have ever lived will be determined at the Great White Throne Judgment, there are differences in how each group explains why works are necessary.
However, the text of Rev 20:11-15 unequivocally indicates that eternal destiny does not depend on the books of deeds, but on the singular Book of Life.
Even a casual study of those five verses reveals that the Great White Throne Judgment involves examination of what is in the books of deeds and what is and is not in the Book of Life.
The first examination will concern the books of deeds. Revelation 20:12 says that “books were opened” and “the dead were judged according to their works.”
One reason for consulting these books is to show unbelievers that they have no claim on kingdom entrance based on their works, since the books will show sinful deeds. A second reason for the Lord’s looking at the deeds of every unbeliever is to determine the level of torment awaiting each in the lake of fire. Every unbeliever will be recompensed for the works they did.
The second examination will concern the Book of Life. The judgment of the eternal destiny of unbelievers will be based on what is in the Book—singular—of Life. People will be cast into the lake of fire if they are not found in the Book of Life: “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15).
The issue regarding eternal destiny is what is in the Book of Life, not what is in the books of deeds.
We get into the Book of Life by believing in Jesus for everlasting life (John 3:16; cf. Luke 10:20; Phil 4:3).
Unbelievers will be sent to the lake of fire, but not because of what is in the books of deeds. They will be sent to the lake of fire because they never believed in Jesus and hence, were never inscribed in the Book of Life.
The Great White Throne Judgment does not teach that people with sufficient good works get into the kingdom, while people lacking enough good works do not. That is not the issue at all.
The Great White Throne Judgment teaches that those whose names are written in the Book of Life will get into the kingdom, while those whose names are not in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire; that is, they will experience “the second death” of Rev 20:14—eternal separation from Jesus and His kingdom.
Keep grace in focus and you will continue to be sure that your name is in the Book of Life, the most important book in all of history.
