Revelation20:15

The emphasis of this passage is that everyone will be judged according to what he has done, and God’s judgment will be just and fair because it will be based on the records of one’s actions and also on the Book of Life which, according to the most widely accepted interpretation, will indicate whether or not one has come under the blood of Jesus. Even if we are under the blood, our actions matter and are written down, however, they are not the basis of our salvation; that is based on faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In Revelation there is a strong emphasis on those who have suffered persecution or have given their lives as a price for their testimony about Jesus. Such names and events appear to be recorded, kept as proof of one’s faithfulness. Other things may also be written down, but we cannot know.

Will there be a great white throne judgment, as described by typical “end times” experts? Most likely so. It appears that there will be a final, conclusive rendering of judgment for each person after death. It also appears that the souls of men are “held” after death for judgment to occur at a future time, rather than immediately after death (This is also found in other parts of Scripture). These things are consistent with the idea of a final, major-event-type-of-judgment. We also must admit that, down through history, God has been executing judgment on a regular basis on the living, be it on individuals or on nations, or both. No problems arise from saying there will be a day of ultimate judgment, even the Old Testament prophets spoke of “great day of the Lord,” which could mean a number of things, but judgment was often in view. The problem arises when we try to guess any further details surrounding that day of ultimate judgment, such as the sequence of events leading up to it. That is not the purpose of this vision.