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“And death and hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged each according to their works: and death and hades were cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:13-14 JND).
Here is another very serious verse, for it tells us about the judgment of those who die without Christ. Two days ago we saw that the rich man in Luke 16 was in torments, even though his soul was separated from his body. Here we see that in the final judgment, death gives up the body, and hades gives up the soul. They are then reunited to one another, and the individual stands before the Lord Jesus to be judged. No believer will be there—only unbelievers. The books are opened, including the book of life. This makes it clear to those unbelievers that all their sins are recorded, and that their names are not in the book of life. God’s judgment is totally just.
Then there is that awful judgment—“cast into the lake of fire.” Scripture calls this the “second death.” Even though those unbelievers will live forever in hell, yet their existence is not spoken of as life, but rather as the second death.” The warning is clear, and God has given it to us, in order that souls may come to Christ before it is too late.
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