April 13, 2026 | www.gospelofjesuschrist.blog | River Wilde
I hope that you have come to this writing with great interest and excitement, because I have something very important to teach you today.
Remember that feeling that you had when you got that special gift on Christmas morning? Something that you had always wanted, but though was impossible to receive such an awesome gift? Do you recall just how ELATED you were?
Well… I can promise you that TODAY you will receive a feeling even beyond what you felt at that moment. Are you ready??? Well, let’s go!
I personally have always wondered what would happen to me when I died. Would I go to heaven, or one of three different levels of heaven? Am I good enough to make it there? Have I done enough good works? Have my sins totally ruined any chance that I have to live with God?
I think it’s fair to say that even being religious most of my life, I had Great Uncertainty of where I would end up after this life. Uncertainty? Is that how it is supposed to be? Does God want us to be uncertain about our eternal life? How about you, do you share this uncertainty of which I am describing?
Over the past 3 years of studying the teachings of Christ in the Bible, I have learned that Christ had every intention for you and I to know EXACTLY where we will go from the moment that we are raptured, or die. Should I teach that now, or should I wait another week to keep you in suspense? =)
(Thinking about it) …
OK, I personally cannot wait another day to share this with you, for it is SO COMFORTING when you come to know the truth about what Christ taught us about this topic.
There are NOT three heavens that await you based upon your good works or church standing. The teachings of Jesus Christ teach us something very different.
There is ONLY ONE “Heaven” which is where Jesus Christ will reside. And, there is also one place where people will be sent where Jesus Christ is not present, called “The Lake of Fire.” What is the difference between these two things that He taught, and what determines where a person will go?
Let’s begin with the word Judgment. Many religious organizations teach that when we die, we will go before God and be judged. During this judgment, God will review our life’s performance, the good and the bad, and then determine where we will spend eternity. Is this what you have been taught? Is this what places fear into your heart, weather you have been good enough, and not knowing how God will judge you?
If so, FORGET all of those things that you have been taught, and let’s start FRESH, learning what Jesus actually taught regarding the judgment. It is both fascinating, as well as comforting. It is so profound, yet SIMPLE to understand.
A person’s judgment has everything to do with the atonement of Jesus Christ. There are people who have accepted Christs atonement into their life, and then there are those people who have rejected it. This single event determins where a person will be sent!!!!!!!!!!!
For those who accept Christ into their life, and accept His atonement, and repent of their sins, are completely washed free of all of their sins. They have no SINS to be judged upon, for they have all been removed.
Those who have not accepted Jesus Christ and His atonement are responsible of all of their sins, and cannot live in the presence of Jesus Christ, which makes them responsible for each and every sin that they have committed in their life.
What I have just described are two different groups of people, and each group will be sent to different places after they die. YES, it is this simple. But, don’t just believe me, let’s keep learning.
Those people who have accepted Jesus Christ into their life, and have been Born Again as I have taught in a previous writing, will be sent to heaven. How can I say such a thing? A better question is how can you know this truth for yourself?
If you believe in the atonement of Jesus Christ, then you know that because of Christ’s sacrifice, ALL of your sins can be washed away…Not just some, but ALL of them. Completely gone, as if they never happened. Because of this, there is no Judgment of our sins, for there aren’t any to be judged. The atonement covers ALL SINS, regardless of what you might have been taught.
But what about our Good Works, where do they fit into our judgment? We have learned that good works are a fruit of becoming born again… the FRUIT of salvation, and NOT the ROOT. Our good works do not determine if we go to heaven or not, however, they are something that Christ wants to recognize.
Alright, let’s get into the details of this teaching by going to the scriptures.
The Judgment Seat of Christ – For “Born Again Believers”
The Bible teaches that there is a future judgment referred to as the Judgment Seat of Christ, specifically for those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. This judgment is not about determining salvation, because salvation is a free gift already secured by faith in Christ. As it is written:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, KJV).
Instead, this judgment concerns a believer’s works and faithfulness after they are saved. In 2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV), we are told,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
The word “bad” used here is not referring to sin in the sense of condemnation, because Paul is speaking to believers who are already “in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV) and are “not under condemnation” (Romans 8:1, KJV).
Instead, this judgment is about the value and quality of a believer’s works and service, not their salvation. “Bad” means works that are worthless, empty, or lacking eternal value, similar to “wood, hay, stubble” in 1 Corinthians 3:12–13 (KJV), which do not endure God’s testing fire.
Even good actions can be counted as “bad” in this sense, if they are done with wrong motives or without love, and therefore produce no eternal reward (1 Corinthians 13:3, KJV). This passage teaches a judgment of reward and loss, not sin and punishment, because the believer’s sins were already judged at the cross, and “he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15, KJV).
This judgment will evaluate how a believer has built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. With sin removed from the Judgment, God will look at our Good Works and what we have done.
1 Corinthians 3: 12–13 explain that ”…our works may be like gold, silver, precious stones, or like wood, hay, and stubble—and “every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire.”
This “fire” symbolizes God’s perfect judgment, revealing what we have done for His glory versus what was done for self. Don’t get hung up on this. It is not that we will be punished for our works that were done selfishly. There is not punishment in the Judgment seat of Christ. God want to only consider the good works that we have done in rightousness, bringing glory to Him rather than ourselves.
God’s fire, as referred to in this scripture, simply removes any selfish works that we have done, or good works completed that are meaningless. He is removing these so that He can see the Good Works that we have done with the purpose of honoring Him. Even if a believer’s works are burned up, their salvation is not lost. 1 Corinthians 3:15 (KJV) says,
“If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
This shows clearly that this judgment is about rewards and loss of rewards—not eternal destiny. Those who have trusted Christ are already saved by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Is this making sense to you? Are you understand just what an awesome gift, the atonement is to us? For when a person accepts Jesus Christ into their life, is Born Again, and repents, it removes all of our sins, and grants us permission to go to “heaven.”
God also knows that people are different while upon the earth. We are all different in how we respond with Christ in our lives. Some people spend a lifetime doing “Good Works” and some very do little. In God’s fairness, it makes perfect sense that there should be a different reward between these people, and that’s exactly what the Judgment Seat of Christ is all about.
God “judges” each one of us for our “Good Works.” First He “burns” or removes any of our good works that were done for selfish reasons, like things that bring US the glory of doing good. Yes, these are still good works, but they are not what God is looking for.
What remains are our good works that were specifically done to bring glory to God. This is what God seeks to “Judge us” on. And how will he judge these final good works of ours? Let’s return to the scriptures.
The scriptures teach us that God will reward each person with “Crowns” for our good works as Paul refers to, specifically with a category:
The Incorruptible Crown – For a Disciplined Life
1 Corinthians 9:25
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”
This crown is given to those who run the Christian race with self-control, resisting the temptations of the flesh and finishing their course faithfully. It represents victory over sin through discipline and devotion to Christ.
The Crown of Rejoicing – The Soul-Winner’s Crown
1 Thessalonians 2:19
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”
This crown is given to those who bring others to Christ — who share the gospel faithfully and rejoice as others find salvation. Every soul reached for Jesus adds eternal joy to this crown.
The Crown of Righteousness – For Loving His Appearing
2 Timothy 4:8
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
This crown is for those who eagerly await Christ’s return — who live in anticipation and hope, keeping themselves pure and steadfast as they look for the Blessed Hope.
The Crown of Life – For Enduring Trials and Persecution
James 1:12
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Also called the Martyr’s Crown, it is given to those who remain faithful under suffering and persecution — even unto death. It is a symbol of life eternal for those who chose Christ over comfort.
The Crown of Glory – For Faithful Shepherds and Servants
1 Peter 5:4
“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
This crown is reserved for those who lead and serve God’s people faithfully — pastors, teachers, and all who feed the flock of God with humility and care. It represents the eternal honor given to those who shepherd others in truth.
A word of caution here. I have heard people respond while rolling their eyes and stating, “Oh, so a person can just accept Jesus Christ into their life and sin all that they want, and still get to heaven?” This is NOT what I am teaching at all.
A person must become “Born Again” which is a spiritual transformation. Someone who has the intent of saying a born-again prayer and then spending a lifetime sinning was NEVER was actually born again.
When a person has truly becomes born again, they begin to distance themselves from sin and move closer to Jesus Christ. Again, if you do not see the results of “Fruit,” which is good works, and less of a desire to sin, then the transformation never happened. The actual TRANSFORMATION is what determines if a person has truly become born again.
But how does this mean that followers of Christ will all go to heaven?
John 3:3 (Born again required for God’s kingdom)
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
For those who have met this requirement they will be sent to “Heaven” – The Kingdom of God.
Accepting Jesus Christ and His atonement, and repentance removes all sin. Therefore, we all receive the gift of salvation and are sent to heaven after this judgment. We will receive crowns for our good works.
But what about those who do not accept Jesus Christ and His atonement. Where do they go? The scriptures teach us what will happen to these people as well:
The Great White Thorne Judgment – For the “Unsaved”
The Great White Throne Judgment is described in the Book of Revelation as the final judgment of all the unsaved dead before God. John writes,
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away” (Revelation 20:11, KJV).
This shows the absolute holiness and authority of God in judgment. At this moment, no one can stand on their own righteousness, because all are judged apart from Christ’s saving grace. They have not accepted the atonement of Jesus Christ and are therefore responsible for ALL of their sins. As sinners, they cannot be in the presence of God. God will judge them and see every one of their sins, and all of the awful things that they have done.
In Revelation 20:12, it says,
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened… and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
This judgment is based on works, but not works that save—rather, works that reveal a person’s rejection of God’s gift of salvation. Another book is mentioned, “which is the book of life,” showing that those whose names are not found in it are those who have not received eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Finally, Revelation 20:15 gives the sobering conclusion:
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
This is the final separation between those who accepted God’s grace and those who rejected it. The Great White Throne Judgment is for NON-BELIEVERS in Christ. It demonstrates both God’s perfect justice and the seriousness of rejecting His salvation. All who attend this Judgment will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
But what if these same people have done WONDERFUL works in helping others? Doesn’t that count?
Not towards salvation, remember… Good works have NOTHING to do with our salvation, regardless of how good they are. Salvation, is ONLY determined by accepting Jesus Christ or not. And, it is certain to state that these people were not doing their good works to honor Jesus Christ, because He was never a part of their life, so those good works too “burn” and are removed from judgment.
This Great White Thorne Judgment happens after the millennium (1,000-year reign of Christ) and is for the wicked dead. This is also when the Second Resurrection will happen. Yes, even the wicked are resurrected, but will have to wait until after this 1,000-year millennial period.
So, herein lies the simplicity of asking and knowing, will you go to “Heaven”, or will you be going to the “Lake of Fire” when you die. It ALL hinges on a simple question of, have you been Born Again?
If you have been – 100% you will be going to heaven when you die.
If you have not, 100% that you will be headed to the lake of Fire, unless you do so now, or duruing the upcoming 7-year Tribulation Period.
It is that simple…And GOD wants you to know right now where you will go, because He wants you to become Born Again, if you have not already done so.
Some religions have made us feel that we are not good enough to live with God forever, but push continual fear and placing this burden on all of us personally.
As we have learned, going to heaven has nothing to do with our good works, or quite frankly OUR CHURCH. We all can get to heaven by accepting the Sacrifice that Jesus Christ gave for us. HE is the reason, All on His Own. Do you fully realize the importance of what He did for You… and Me?
It is my hope that all of you reading this will look at your relationship directly with Jesus Christ, and NOT your relationship with your church. Have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life, and become born again as it teaches in the Bible?
If you have, I’d like for you to recognize right now…that you will be going to heaven! That’s right…no more suspense. You Are Going to Heaven When You Die!!!!!!!
Spend a moment today with God in prayer and once again give Him the glory of such an awesome plan that He has created for you. Spend some time once again recognizing the sacrifice and IMPORTANCE of Jesus Christ in atoning for your sins. It was DIFFICULT for Him, and I am so very grateful that He was able to do something so challenging! A MIRICLE! He did this for me…and He did this for you.
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life, DROP EVERYTHING and go do this right now! There is nothing more important in life than doing this. Study the atonement of Jesus Christ as written in the bible, include God in prayer and ask for Him to assist you in understanding what this is…and then, approach God in prayer, tell Him that you recognize that you are a sinner and NEED His help, and accept Jesus Christ into your life, and begin repenting of your sins.
You too then will know that you belong to Jesus Christ and will be headed to heaven when you die. Is there any Gospel Teaching more glorious than this?
(In an upcoming writing regarding the rapture, I will show you when the Judgment Seat of Christ happens in relationship to this event, and how it includes the First Resurrection. I will also tell you how you can know 100% if you will be included in the rapture or not.)
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