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In The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan (1628–88) describes the final stage of Christian and Hopeful’s journey—crossing a turbulent river (symbolizing death) to gain entrance into the Celestial City. Christian, distressed by doubts and troubled by his sin, finds encouragement from his companion, who reminds Christian of the Lord’s continuing presence, even in death: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isa. 43:2). With that, they both took courage, the waters stilled, and they found firm footing. As they entered the Celestial City, Bunyan notes that “they left their mortal garments behind them in the river.”
The Bible describes death as the “last enemy” (1 Cor. 15:26), a tragic reality that every person will face (Heb. 9:27) because of the fall, except for those who are alive at Christ’s return (1 Thess. 4:17). The Christian today can find great comfort in the future reality when death is no more, however, for the believer’s great comfort is that he belongs—body and soul, in life and in death—to his faithful Savior, Jesus Christ (Heidelberg Catechism 1).
christ’s return
Christ’s return, also referred to as His second coming, will be a literal and personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will initiate a series of events—the general resurrection, final judgment, and eternal state—often considered collectively as the last day, when He will usher in a new heaven and a new earth where God will dwell with His people (Rev. 21:1–5). Thus, Christ’s return relates to the reverse of the curse and the eschatological hope of the restoration of all things, even creation itself (Rom. 8:19–22). At the last day, death will finally be defeated and will give way to the full consummation of the victory that Christ has secured through His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and session at the Father’s right hand.
When the gospel is preached throughout the whole world, the “end will come” and Christ will return “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:14, 30). Christ’s return will be public, so that “every eye will see him” (Rev. 1:7), and it will be glorious and triumphant.
Christ’s return will also catch people by surprise, for nobody knows the exact time of His coming (Matt. 24:36). In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus describes five wise virgins and five foolish virgins who went to meet the bridegroom. The wise took extra oil, while the foolish did not. The bridegroom was delayed, and the virgins all became drowsy and slept. Suddenly, the cry came that the bridegroom had come. The foolish virgins did not have enough oil and had to leave to buy some. But the wise virgins were prepared and entered the marriage feast with the bridegroom. Then Jesus says, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). Christ will come “like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2), so we are to understand that Christ’s return is always near (Heb. 10:25).
Thus, the Christian is to be ready for Christ’s return by leading a life that is pleasing to Him in faithful obedience. The reality of the second coming of Christ invites believers to live now with an expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promises and to live with a sense of purpose and mission. Such an event puts our present tasks and vocations in their proper perspective. If we know that Christ could return at any moment, such a thought shapes both our morality and the meaning with which we live. We will be more eager to bear witness about Jesus to our friends and neighbors, and we will be more focused on that which truly matters in this life. So let us be prepared for His coming.
the general resurrection
When Christ returns, both the “just and the unjust” will rise from the dead (Acts 24:15), which is often referred to as the general resurrection. We find this reality referenced in the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in . . . the resurrection of the body.” The Westminster Larger Catechism states, “The bodies of the just, by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue of his resurrection as their head, shall be raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body.” On the other hand, “the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in dishonor by him, as an offended judge” (Q&A 87).
The Old Testament speaks of the general resurrection as something of hope and joy for the believer. Isaiah 26:19 states: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!” Daniel’s vision captures the resurrection of both the just and the unjust—namely, that “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2).
The New Testament provides greater clarity on the resurrection from the dead. The Apostle John writes that the “hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28–29). Paul speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the “firstfruits” of all who are united to Him: “Each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor. 15:23). If Christ has not been raised, neither will we be raised. But in fact, Christ has been raised, which is the guarantee of our resurrection at the last day. Thus, Christ’s resurrection is both the pattern and the promise of the believer’s resurrection.
When considering the general resurrection, Paul contrasts our present bodies—frail, weak, and subject to death—with our glorified bodies, when death is no more. Thus, it not only is a spiritual event but also involves the physical glorification of the body, which will be imperishable and glorious, in contrast to the mortal and weak body that is sown.
The doctrine of the general resurrection has practical implications for how we are to live now. It gives perspective and hope to someone suffering with cancer, a debilitating disease, or the loss of a loved one. But it also reminds us that whatever suffering and tribulation may come, it is but a “light momentary affliction . . . is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). In this way, the general resurrection offers hope that the trials of this life are not in vain but will ultimately be used by God for His glory and our eternal good.
the final judgment
After Christ’s return and the general resurrection, He will judge the living and the dead. Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10). The final judgment is not just a moment of reckoning but also the culmination of God’s redemptive plan, when His justice, mercy, sovereignty, and love are on full display. As the Creator and Sustainer of all things, God has the ultimate right and authority to judge His creation. The judgment is not arbitrary but is rooted in His own holy and righteous character. Scripture repeatedly affirms that God’s judgments are true and just (Rev. 16:7). This assures believers that the final judgment will be carried out with perfect justice, without any partiality or error.
Moreover, God the Father has appointed His Son to execute judgment (John 5:22–23), and the Son will “separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matt. 25:32). In addition, God’s people will have some role in assisting in the judgment (1 Cor. 6:2–3; Rev. 20:4), though exactly how is not clear. But as the chief Judge—having perfectly fulfilled the law and borne the penalty for sin through His sacrificial death on the cross—Christ is uniquely qualified to judge humanity. For believers, this judgment is not something of which to be afraid, for Christ is both their Savior and their Advocate (1 John 2:1). This will be a time of condemnation for those who do not belong to Him, however, for they will be judged according to their deeds (Rev. 20:12–15). The wicked will receive the just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them, and then they will be cast away from the favorable presence of God to be punished with eternal torments of body and soul.
The standard of judgment will be God’s holy law, as revealed in His Word. Every person will be judged according to his works, but this is not a contradiction of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. For believers, their works will be evaluated as evidence of their faith (James 2:18). Good works, therefore, do not merit their salvation but are the fruit of genuine faith. Moreover, the believer’s condemnation has already been poured out on God’s only begotten Son; thus, there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). In contrast, the works of unbelievers will reveal their rebellion against God, leading to their just condemnation.
Westminster Confession of Faith 33.2 explains that the purpose of the final judgment is “the manifestation of the glory of [God’s] mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient.” The reality of the final judgment should deter all people from sin and console God’s people in their affliction. For believers, the judgment is a source of hope and assurance, knowing that their salvation is secure in Christ and that every wrong will be made right. For unbelievers, the final judgment serves as a warning of the inevitable judgment to come and the need to repent and believe the gospel of Jesus. The final judgment will ultimately usher in the full consummation of God’s kingdom, where sin and death are no more (Rev. 21:4).
the eternal state
The final judgment will result in the confirmation of the eternal destinies of all people. Those who are in Christ, having been justified by faith alone, will be welcomed into eternal life in the new heaven and new earth, a place that the Bible calls “heaven” (a term used nearly seven hundred times in the Bible). This is not because of any merit in them but solely because of Christ’s atoning work of taking the penalty of their sin upon Himself and the imputation (or crediting) of His righteousness to them. Conversely, those who remain outside Christ will be cast into the lake of fire, called “hell.” This stark contrast underscores the seriousness of the gospel message and the urgency to repent of sin and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
The doctrine of the eternal state addresses the final, fixed, and unchangeable condition of humanity in differing spheres after the resurrection and final judgment (Luke 16:19–31), and it highlights the stark contrast between the eternal destinies of believers and unbelievers. For believers, the eternal state is characterized by eternal communion with God with the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1) in a renewed creation as the culmination of God’s redemptive work through Christ. It is described as one of perfect joy, peace, and holiness. Believers will experience the fullness of their salvation, living in the favorable presence of God in a transformed and glorified new heaven and new earth. This state is often referred to as “eternal life,” a concept not merely of endless duration but also of quality—a life that is truly realized and fulfilled, with complete joy and in unbroken fellowship with God.
In contrast, the eternal state of unbelievers is described as a state of the unmitigated wrath of God for sin. In this state, unbelievers will face the consequences of their rebellion against God. Though many never actually hear the gospel proclaimed, what they know about God through the general revelation of creation is sufficient to render them “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). This condition is often depicted using imagery from Scripture such as “eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46) and “the second death” (Rev. 21:8). The doctrine of the eternal state underscores the seriousness of sin and the ultimate justice of God in the final judgment. It is a state of enduring consequence, in which the absence of God’s favor and the presence of judgment result in perpetual, unending suffering. This reality is not merely a reflection of divine retribution but also an affirmation of the integrity of God’s justice and righteousness.
It should not be missed that the eternal state conveys great significance to both our community and our worship now. While we may have unbelieving biological family members, we will spend eternity with those ransomed “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9)—namely, God’s elect. The believing, church-militant community here will be the seeing church triumphant there. This affects our worship, for our worship now is but a small reflection of that heavenly worship of the Lamb in glory. Such a reality frames our current worship on earth as preparation for our eternal worship in heaven.
The doctrine of the eternal state also highlights the importance of evangelism and faithful witness because the eternal destinies of people are at stake. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18). But this also offers comfort and hope, encouraging believers to live faithfully coram Deo (before the face of God) and to trust in God’s ultimate plan for justice, redemption, and joy for His people.
The end of death is not just a physical resurrection or eternal bliss but also the removal of the curse of sin that brought death into the world (Gen. 3). Believers will be raised to consummated eternal life, clothed in immortality, judged in union with Christ, and ushered into their eternal state, in which death will no longer have power over them. And there, the Lord “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). Thus, Christ’s return, and its successive events, is our present hope for the day when death is fully and finally vanquished, giving way to the eternal, joyous communion between God and His people. And so may we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (22:20).