The eternal, evangelical truth of God as Judge is neither imposed knowledge nor is it unnaturally added to divinely-revealed truths. It is a natural, integral part of holy Revelation in the theanthropic Body of the Church. The logic of Revelation would not be divine without it, and the theanthropic dispensation of salvation would not be complete. Without it, Divine Revelation would be like the world without the heaven above.
It is a roof that covers and completes the resplendent temple of the theanthropic truths about man and the world. It is of the same nature and essence as the other holy dogmas: they are found within it as it is in them. It has the same value and life-giving powers. It cannot be separated from them, as together they constitute one indivisible theanthropic organism. It is natural for God, who is the Creator, Saviour and Sanctifier, also to be the Judge. As Creator, He brought us from non-being into being, ordaining that, as the goal of our existence, we become Godlike with the help of the soul He gave us in His likeness, and to increase with the increase of God … unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ [Col. 2 19[1]; Eph. 4 13[2]]. As Saviour, He saved us from sin, death and the devil by introducing into human nature, rendered mortal by sin, the Principle and the power of resurrection and immortality. As Sanctifier, He has given us by grace, in His theanthropic Body, the Church, all the means and powers necessary for the adoption of His theanthropic ascesis of salvation and the fulfilment of the Purpose of our existence. As Judge, He appraises, judges and determines our attitude towards Him as Creator and ourselves as His God-like creation, towards Him as Saviour and ourselves as the subject of salvation, towards Him as the Theanthropos, the Church, the Sanctifier, and ourselves as the object of sanctification, deification and likeness to the Theanthropos. In this four-fold act, God worketh all things after the counsel of His own will [Eph. 1 11][3], according to the plan for the world and man which He made before time with one purpose: to gather together all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, into their Head, into Christ [Eph. 1 10; cf. Col. 1 16–17,20[4]).
God placed the yeast of desire for Christ into the dough of the human being, so that man, and with him all creation, should rise to Christ. For this reason all creation is essentially christcentric and is strongly drawn towards Christ as its natural and eternal Centre and Goal (cf. Rom. 8 19-23 [5]; Col. 1 16–17; Eph. 1 4–5[6]). Whilst God, in His creative, saving and sanctifying role, appears as a tiller, sower and cultivator, He acts in His role as Judge as a reaper and winnower. It is natural for the heavenly Sower, who has abundantly sown the seed of eternal, divine truths in the earth of the human soul, to come and see how much of that seed has rotted in the mire of lust, been strangled by the thorns of passion or withered by the coals of sinfulness, and how much has grown and yielded divine fruit, and, also, to reap and winnow the ripe ears of corn. As He is the Tiller, Sower and Cultivator, He is entitled to be also the Reaper and Winnower. Because He gave men all the means necessary to attain the God-given goal of their lives, it is right that He also be the Judge. It would be unpardonably unjust, insulting and tyrannical if God were to act as Judge without having previously appeared as Saviour and Sanctifier. A God who would not reveal the way to eternal life and eternal truth or give men the means of salvation from sin, death and the devil, who would not be their Saviour, would have no right to judge mankind. Mankind would be right to say with one soul and one voice to such a tyrannical God what the wicked servant said in the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25 24–25[7]).
If Christ were such a God, it would not be right to believe in Him. In that case, He would not truly be God, but one of the powerless so-called gods in the pitiful pantheon of human idols. But because the Theanthropos, the Lord Christ, manifested Himself as the Saviour of man and mankind and, through His inexpressible love for mankind, fulfilled the exceedingly difficult ascetic task of salvation; because He gave men all the heavenly gifts which only the God of love can give, He rightly judges man and the world.
If the Lord Christ is of the same essence with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, then the judgement of mankind is an act of the whole Holy Trinity. But, so that man, being rebellious and sinful by nature, cannot protest that a God who has not been through human suffering in the earthly nest of vipers has no right to judge men, the Father … hath committed all judgement unto the Son [Jn. 5 22][8], and He will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead [Acts 17 31][9].
By appointing the man Jesus, God the Logos incarnate, to judge the world, God has done mankind the final justice. He, in His love for mankind, brought His heavenly justice on earth full circle, so that men cannot justifiably protest against divine judgement. The Theanthropos, the Lord Christ, is not only the Founder of the Faith, but also the Fulfiller, the author and the finisher [Heb. 12 2[10]; cf.2 10[11]] of [our] faith, of the entire divine plan for the world and mankind.
The whole creation hastens through its changes to its end. Through all days and nights, all mankind, and with it all creation hastens towards the Last Day, when the mystery of this world and all human history will reach its fulfilment. All days, like clear streams, and all nights, like black torrents, break through the gorges and abysses of existence carrying all beings and all creation towards the last day into which they must flow and end their course. Everything that has lived and lives in the confines of time must enter that last day and land at its shore. There is no being or created thing which the stream of time will not bring to that last day. Time will end its existence on that day and this is why it is, in the Revelation, called the Last Day (Jn. 6 39,40,44[12]; 11 24[13]; 12 48[14]), the great and notable day [Acts 2 20[15], Jude 6[16]]; and because it is the divinely-ordained day in which He will judge the world [Acts 17 31], it is called the Day of Judgement [Matt. 10 15; 1 22.24; 12 36; 2 Pet 2 9; 1 Jn 4 17], the Day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God [Rom. 2 5[17]]. But, as all judgement has been committed to the Son [Jn. 5 22], and He is to be manifested in glory as the Judge on the Last Day, it is also called the Day of the Son of Man [Lk. 17 22, 24, 26], the Day of the Lord [2 Pet. 3 10; 1 Thess. 5 2; see Ezek. 15 5; Is. 2 12; Joel 2 31; Zeph. 1 14; Mal. 4 1], the Day of Christ [2 Thess. 2 2; Phil. 1 10; 2 16], the Day of the Lord Jesus [2 Cor. 1 14; 1 Cor. 1 8; 5 5], the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men [2 Pet. 3 7; 2 9].
On this all-important day, the Theanthropos, the Lord Christ, will pronounce His last Judgement, the final judgement on the entire history of the world and men; all men together and each man in particular. And as, after He completed the creation, He surveyed every created being and thing and pronounced His judgement that it was very good [Gen. 1 31[18]], so on the Last Day shall the Triune Lord survey all beings and creation at the end of their journey through history, and pronounce His judgement on everything and everyone. He shall then finally separate good from evil, and set an impassable barrier between them. He shall then pronounce His infallible judgement on all human values. He shall weigh all human acts, thoughts, emotions and words on the unerring scales of His Justice and Love. Then shall the mystery of God of man, of creation, the world, the universe, be finished [Rev. 10 7[19]]. All who are righteous and all that is good shall then inherit eternal beatitude, eternal Paradise in the heavenly kingdom of the sweet Lord Jesus, and all that is evil shall inherit eternal suffering, eternal hell in the bitter realm of the wicked and fallen angels.
[1] Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. Colossians 2 18–23
[2] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4 11–16
[3] 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: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Ephesians 1 7–12
[4] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1 16–20
[5] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Romans 8 18–23
[6] 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. Ephesians 1 3–6
[7] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25 24–30
[8] Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. John 5 19–23
[9] Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. Acts 17 29–32
[10] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Hebrews 12 1–4
[11] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. Hebrews 2 9–12
[12] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6 38–44
[13] Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11 23–26
[14] I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 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. 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. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. John 12 46–50
[15] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2 20–21
[16] I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 5–7
[17] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2 3–11
[18] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1 26–31
[19] And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. Revelation 10 5–7
Archimandrite Justin Popović, The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism, Translated from the Serbian by Benjamin Emmanuel Stanley, Lazarica Press, Birmingham, 2000, pp. 85–88
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