The Doctrine of Christ

LESSON FIFTY-THREE The Investigative Judgment

1. Both the living and the dead will be judged. 1 Peter 4:5, ARV. TDOC 146.1

2. The judgment is represented as involving the examination of books of record. Daniel 7:10; Revelation 20:12. TDOC 146.2

3. This investigative judgment precedes the doming of Christ. Revelation 14:6, 7, 14. TDOC 146.3

4. Earthly history is still being made while this judgment is in progress. Daniel 7:11, 12. TDOC 146.4

5. As the result of this investigative judgment, sins will be blotted out or retained in the books of record, and names will be blotted out or retained in the book of life. Psalm 51:1, 9; Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19; Revelation 3:5; 21:27. TDOC 146.5

6. There is more reason for rejoicing because our names are written in the book of life than because the demons are subject to us. Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20. TDOC 146.6

NOTES

A work of investigation

“As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the sin offering, and through its blood transferred, in figure, to the earthly sanctuary; so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon Christ, and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary. And as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the removal of the sins by which it had been polluted, so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished by the removal, or blotting out, of the sins which are there recorded. But before this can be accomplished, there must be an examination of the books of record to determine who, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of his atonement. The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation, a work of judgment. This work must be performed prior to the coming of Christ to redeem his people; for when he comes, his reward is with him to give to every man according to his works.”-The Great Controversy, 421, 422. TDOC 146.7

The cases considered

“In the typical service, only those who had come before God wit confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the day of atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and take place at a later period.”-Id., 480. TDOC 147.1

The book of life

“The books of record in heaven, in which the names and the deeds of men are registered, are to determine the decisions of the judgment. Says the prophet Daniel, ‘The judgment was set, and the books were opened.’ The revelator, describing the same scene, adds, ‘Another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.’ TDOC 147.2

“The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. Jesus bade his disciples, ‘Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.’ Paul speaks of his faithful fellow workers, ‘whose names are in the book of life.’ Daniel, looking down to ‘a time of trouble, such as never was,’ declares that God’s people shall be delivered, ‘every one that shall be found written in the book.’ And the revelator says that those only shall enter the city of God whose names ‘are written in the Lamb’s book of life.’ TDOC 147.3

“All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah, ‘I, even I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Id., 483. TDOC 147.4

The new covenant promise fulfilled

“The divine Intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in his blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint heirs with himself to the ‘first dominion.’ Satan, in his off orts to deceive and tempt our race, had thought to frustrate the divine plan in man’s creation; but Christ now asks that this plan be carried into effect, as if man had never fallen. He asks for his people not only pardon and justification, full and complete, but a share in his glory and a seat upon his throne. TDOC 147.5

“While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of his grace, Satan accuses them before God as, transgressors. The great deceiver has sought to lead them into skepticism, to cause them to lose confidence in God, to separate themselves from his love, and to break his law. Now he points to the record of their lives, to the defects of character, the unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer, to all the sins that he has tempted them to commit and because of these he claims them as his subjects. TDOC 147.6

“Jesus does not excuse their sins, but shows their penitence and faith, and, claiming for them forgiveness, he lifts his wounded hands before the Father and the holy angels, saying, ‘I know them by name. I have graven them on the palms of my hands.’ ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ And to the accuser of his people he declares, ‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?’ Christ will clothe his faithful ones with his own righteousness that he may present them to his Father, ‘a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any ouch thing.’ Their names stand enrolled in the book of life, and concerning them it is written, They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.’ TDOC 148.1

“Thus will be realized the complete fulfillment, of the new covenant promise, I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”-Id., 481, 485. TDOC 148.2