The Investigative or Preadvent Judgment

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The Investigative or Pre-advent Judgment

• This study will deal with the judgment of the
  believers in the light of the Gospel.

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• More than any other doctrine, the Investigative
  or Pre-advent Judgment of believers has produced
  fear and insecurity in the lives of many
  Christians (especially SDAs).
• Why is this so?
• Because many Christians believe that their works
  will ultimately decide their eternal destiny.
  That is, the good will make it to heaven and the
  bad will be lost (A national survey, done in New
  York, Philadelphia, Utah, Denver, and Seattle
  confirmed this).

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• Yet, when the facts of this judgment are examined
  in the light of the Gospel, this doctrine
  actually turns out to be good news.
• This is the purpose of this study. Its objective
  is to remove the fear and insecurity plaguing so
  many believers and replace it with joy, peace,
  and assurance of salvation.

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The objective facts of the judgment

• To correctly understand the doctrine of the
  investigative or pre-advent judgment one must
  begin with the objective facts of the
  judgmentRomans 515-18.
• In Adam, the entire human race stands condemned
  to death. In contrast, the gift of justification
  of life was accomplished for the entire human
  race In Christ
• 1 Corinthians 1521-23.

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• Our eternal destiny depends on which humanity we
  chose to belong.
• In Adam we stand condemned to death. This is
  our natural inheritance from birth.
• 4. When we receive the gift of salvation in
  Christ by faith, our legal status immediately
  changes from death to life, or from condemnation
  unto death to justification unto lifeJohn 524
  Romans 81, 2.

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• 5. On the cross the human race was executed in
  Christ and Satan was cast out as the ruler of
  this worldJohn 1231-33.
• 6. This is the incredible Good News of the
  Gospel, which established the Kingdom of Heaven
  on earth. This good news is experienced by faith,
  by all who believeRomans 115-17.

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• 7. This however, does not exempt believers from
  standing before the judgment seat of
  ChristRomans 1410.
• The purpose of this judgment is not to find out
  if believers deserve heaven (since we are saved
  by grace alone), but to vindicate the saints
  against the accusations of SatanRevelation 1210
  
• This has to take place before Christ comes and
  legally take us to heaven.

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How does Christ vindicate the Saints?

• The New Testament contains two groups of texts
  which seem to contradict each other.
• 1. On the one hand, it clearly declares that
  salvation is a free gift experienced by all who
  by faith receive Christ as their personal
  SaviorRomans 328 45 Ephesians 28, 9 Titus
  35.

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• 2. On the other hand, the New Testament clearly
  states that believers will be judged and rewarded
  according to their works Matthew 1627 John
  528, 29 2 Corinthians
  510 Revelation 2212.
• Since most Christians believe in the authority of
  the Bible, they do not like to see contradictions
  in Scripture.
• Consequently, they prefer to chose one group of
  texts at the expense of the other.

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• But the Bible will not allow such a stand, since
  both groups of texts are inspired and in many
  cases have been spoken or penned by the same
  individual.
• The solution to this problem is to consider a
  third group of texts that harmonizes the two
  above groups. What are they?

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• Genuine Justification by faith always produces
  works. These works do not save us but are
  evidence of our salvation in ChristJohn 1412
  Ephesians 210 Titus 214 38 James 214, 17,
  20.
• It is these works of faith that Christ brings up
  in the judgment. Not to prove the believers
  righteousness but to demonstrate our faith in
  Him. This gives Him the legal right to vindicate
  the saintsJames 221-24.

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• Once Christ has established this fact He can
  legally claim the right to take us to heaven, on
  the basis of His righteousnessRomans 104
  Zechariah 31-4 Daniel 79, 10, 22.
• This is the incredible good news of the judgment,
  so that it is no longer a doctrine of fear but of
  hope, joy, peace, and assurance 1 John 416-18.
• Halleluiah!