“You told us last evening, that the common theory of a judgment day, at the end of time, was a delusion. The Scriptures certainly teach what you were pleased to term a delusion.”
“Do you think that God judges in the earth?”
“I do. We are in his presence every moment of our earth-life, and he judges between the good and the bad; the righteous are exalted, and the wicked are debased. The Bible expressly says, ‘There is a God who judgeth in the earth.’”
“Very good. You also contend, that at death we are sent to heaven or hell. Of course this is not done till we are judged. Civil tribunals do not hang a man and then judge him. He is judged first. The Divine Judge surely does not consign any to hell without a previous judgment. I have heard ministers of your faith at funerals tell the mourners, that the departed have gone to the bar of God to give an account of the deeds done in the body, and that justice will be meted out to them. Do you believe that we go at death to the bar of God?”
“That is a solemn truth, and we should have that judgment in all our thoughts from the cradle to the grave.”
“You think, I suppose, that there is to be a judgment day at the end of the world.”
“I certainly do; and that is what I understood you to deny.”
“According to your theology God will judge the world three times. 1. All are judged in this world, you assert. 2. All are judged at death. 3. All will be judged at the end of the world. Here are three distinct judgments. I, on the other hand, contend, that God judges us but once, and that will continue as long as we live. His law is stamped on the soul, and our eternal life will only increase its impression, its vividness, and by that immutable law, ingrained in the soul, we are now judged, and ever will be judged. If our character is in harmony with that law, peace, bliss, heaven is our portion. If we are disloyal to that law, we are crushed on the iron track. And what is true now ever will be true—obedience ever will lead to heaven, and disobedience to hell. Instead of their being three judgments, there is only one; and instead of three seasons of judgment, the true judgment is eternal. I believe, then, in an everlasting and universal judgment.”
“I should like to hear a discourse on that kind of a judgment, for it is a new idea to me.”
“I will deliver a discourse on that subject this evening.”