This is the second post in a series on the Investigative Judgment, for the previous entry please click HERE.
A key piece of the puzzle on the Investigative Judgment is that Ellen White teaches it is the Judgment for believers only.
“…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, at a later period” The Great Controversy, 1950 edition, page 480
In order to back this up I have seen many SDA online will assemble unclear verses speaking about Judgment day and attempt to argue how it fits into their motif. The problem with this is that there are many clear verses in scripture which teach that believers do not enter into Judgment at all. The Bible teaches that we pass from death to life in this present age.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 ESV
Source: Biblehub.com
The SDA that I present this verse to will generally tell me that I am reading it in the wrong version. They argue that the King James uses the word “condemnation” instead of “Judgment”. The problem with their argument is that at the time the King James was translated “condemnation” meant the same thing as “Judgment”. If you want to double check my claim feel free to look up the word in a KJV Dictionary, or simply click HERE.
More relevant to this issue is that when Jesus speaks of the Judgment he uses the same Greek word “krisin”. See below:
Source: Google Translate
“The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” Luke 11:32 ESV
Source: Biblehub.com
“Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” Matt 10:15 ESV
Source: Biblehub.com
“But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” Matt 11:22 ESV
Source: Biblehub.com
The Bible doesn’t teach that believers undergo the judgment at all, this fact alone refutes the entire premise of the Investigative Judgment.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1 ESV
In this next verse look closely at the tense of the verb
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Rom 5:1-2 ESV
This is not something we have to wait for or a test we have to pass in the future, we have currently in this present age put on Christ Jesus and stand blameless before God.
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Gal 3:27 ESV
Both of these verses above speak of something that has already been done. This is the anti-type fulfillment of what Ezekiel prophecied in chapter 37.
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” Eze 37:4-6 ESV
This is what happens to us today when we hear the word of God preached. Our Lord and Savior has promised to create faith within us. Just as Ezekiel prophecied of speaking the word of God to dry bones to bring them to life, today when the pastor preaches the Word of God Faith is created in the heart of the spiritually dead.
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Rom 10:14-17 ESV
This faith is created in us as a gift as Paul teaches in Ephesians.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” Eph 2:8 ESV
So to believe in the Investigative Judgment you would have to overturn all the clear soteriological texts of scripture. You would have to believe that you are not justified until the conclusion of the Investigative Judgment process. The Bible teaches that our salvation is now:
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 ESV
The gospel has never been a future date of forgiveness. We are currently forgiven of our sins right now. Notice John even uses the present tense in the first century for his flock. Just as they could know they were saved then, we can know we are saved now. Conversely, according to the Investigative Judgment sins of all believers are blotted out after every name of every believer has been reviewed, which would be in a future date after 1844.
“The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated.” Great Controversy 1888 Page 485, Ellen White
In contradiction to Ellen White, the scripture I posted above teaches that we are saved here and now in this very present time in the preaching of the word by the death burial and resurrection of Christ. You cannot have it both ways.
“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 ESV
Repent and be baptized now, the promise is for now not for a future date. God bless, please feel free to drop any comments down below.
Armchair Theologian 
There are two judgments. The one going on now and the White Throne Judgment later.
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I don’t see that taught in scripture. Unless of course you mean the separation upon death. One group to heaven and one to hell. In either case though believers pass through the judgment.
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Judgment must first begin at the house of God.
And then there is judgment for the wicked.
You have a misunderstanding of the texts.
Secondly In the time of the apostles Christ was ministering in the holy place only. The day of atonement had not come. People are saved according to the truth they receive and act on accordingly.
Many have died believing in God in a time when many biblical truths were lost during the dark ages. If they were sincere and living up to the light they had they will be saved. But though we can have assurance in The presence of our salvation ad long as we abide in Christ, he still has to physically examine your case to reveal to all the heavenly host why you were saved. Just as the righteous will judge the wicked after the second coming, so that they can know why they were lost.
There seems to be confusion in what you say sdas believe and what you think the bible says in relation.
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No Jesus is clear that we pass through the judgment. I see you post no scripture and rely on conclusions drawn from an arminian decision theological framework.
I guess in your view Jesus wasn’t the only sinless person. Those who had less light had no sin too? That’s semi pelagian at best. At least Roman Catholics only believe there were two sinless people. With respect, your view would mean millions of sinless people.
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You have judged me falsely. Jesus is the only sinless person and in these last days he will have a people that he has cleansed entirely from sin and they will live without sin just prior to his coming, not out of legalism but out of a pure mind of love. Righteousness becomes a part of them.
The high priest could only enter the most holy place on the day of atonement. Hebrews 9:7 -“But into the second went the high priest alone once every year…”
Now do you reject the fact that the sanctuary and it’s services pointed to Christ and the work he would perform in the plan of salvation?
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You misunderstood me. I pointed out an obvious flaw in your Armenian framework. It’s not your fault I blame Wesley and Armenian theology.
Basically if your saying people are judged by the light they receive your saying that on some level God is okay with sin. And that ignorance is a cleansing sacrament of sorts. Your falling in part into the pelagian heresy. I recommend looking it up and adopting a monergistic approach.
I recommend you read my post called the day of atonement. I show how Christ is our high priest Biblically. The whole day of atonement pointed to Christ. He is the priest offering the sacrifice of himself, he is the sacrifice, he is the scapegoat taking our sins far from us. He is the whole thing.
I walk through Lev 16 and compare to Daniel 8, and Heb 9 and other parts of the Bible that SDA don’t seem to know about.
Even if you disagree I think you will like it.
http://armchairtheologian.info/2015/10/28/the-day-of-atonement/
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Oh, once again, thanks for reading and commenting. I do appreciate your remarks even though we are far apart on this.
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Am really impress by your teachings
what people have to understand is that christianity is not a religion but divinity in humanity.
Religiouse people believe in thier own ability to pleases God which is wrong. Read Romans 10:3 Galatians 5:4.
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yes arm chair we are saved here and now,if we consider what Jesus told the hanging thieve on the day of crucifixion that i tell you the truth ,TODAY,you will be with me in paradise.
Am no theologian but i see here that the dying thieve who showed faith in Jesus was given direct pass to paradise no judgement mentioned here because Jesus is able to that.He didn’t say that after judgement you will be with in paradise(Luke 23;43) .
Jesus saves and i now agree there is no judgement for those who r in Christ Jesus.
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I know how you feel, it’s a real comfort and blessing to discover the Gospel in scripture. Don’t let anyone take that seed from you friend.
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If my ‘name comes up’ in the IJ, and Im ‘judged’ as Not Guilty, what then? Evidently I am perfect, because I could not remain a sinner and yet be ‘judged’ as Not Guilty. Soon, very soon, the IJ in the sanctuary will pass from judgment of the dead – to judgment of living believers. ( Believers only are ‘judged’, if I read correctly.) .Do I remain Not Guilty, or can I sin after my ‘name comes up’? To be truly guiltless, a person must be Infinitely Perfect, “..as He is, so are we in this world” Must we wait for the IJ to declare us so?
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Yeah there’s a number of logical and Biblical problems with the IJ heresy.
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Even unberlievers have COVERING OF THE atonement of Jesus christ for their sin indeed of unberlief. They are thus judged by christs word on the last day and not for sins which is trangression of law , the law died with christ. GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM ALL THE NATIONS AND ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE ( emphatic) BLSSED THROUGH ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED ( Jesus Christs who’s word is the judge of unberlievers on the last day) AND WOMAN WHO HAVE BEEN DECIEVED LIKE EVE , THEIR MINDS BLINDED BY SATAN , SHALL BE ( emphatic) SAVED BY CHILDBIRTH – doing good to the least of the brethren of Christ – LITTLE CHILDREN / BABIES.
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Judgement with a twist!
The Bible talks a lot about judgement. There is judgement in the OT between Israel and Abba as well the final judgement by Him in the end! NT talks about judgement as well by most writers stating that Abba is the judge as well. Unfortunately there seems to be much confusion going on between these great two testaments. Yeshua/Jesus says all judgement is given to him, then John says different, is he going against what the Father said in OT at that time because there was no NT. Paul says that both judge in many other books written by him. In a twist Paul does a 180 and says Abba judges him and not Jesus. But Paul and others say quite definitely that Abba is the judge and all judgement goes through him. Paul at one time even says we will judge Angels, but no where in OT is that stated, the final judgment has been done only by Abba Himself. Timothy is confused as well as he says Jesus/Yeshua judges and then later changes his mind and says Abba is the only one to judge. So as you can see there is a lot of confusion going one here. I quess Jesus/Yeshua didn’t get that message or understand what the Father said in OT. Again another major not minor contradiction between testaments. How can this happen if they have the Torah and the scrolls to follow. Unless this so called Messiah is a counterfeit, because he is going against Abba’s word. There over a hundred verses both in OT and NT that says Abba is the Judge! No contradictions found in OT who does the real judging, but only in NT does this contradiction happen. Read for yourself. Abba is not the author of confusion, but we know who is!
Happy Reading!
“The Father does not judge anyone, but has handed over all judgment to the Son
Also He has given the Son authority to judge, because He is the Son of Man.
I can do nothing on My own. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, for I do not seek My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me.”
John 5:22, 27, 30 TLV
“If anyone hears My words but doesn’t keep them, I do not judge him; for I came to save the world, not to judge the world.”
“The one who rejects Me and doesn’t receive My words has a judge; the word I spoke will judge him on the last day.”
John 12:47, 48 TLV
“But Yeshua said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
Luke 12:14 TLV
“May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?”
Romans 3:6 TLV
“But those who are outside, God judges. Put away the wicked fellow from among yourselves.”
1 Corinthians 5:13 TLV
“Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more the matters of this life!”
1 Corinthians 6:3 TLV
“on the day when God judges the secrets of men according to my Good News through Messiah Yeshua.”
Romans 2:16 TLV
“For we know the One who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “ ADONAI will judge His people.””
Hebrews 10:30 TLV
“And He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that He is the One ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead.”
Acts 10:42 TLV
“For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me.”
1 Corinthians 4:4 TLV
“Don’t you know that the kedoshim will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to judge trivial matters?”
1 Corinthians 6:2 TLV
“I solemnly charge you—in the presence of God and Messiah Yeshua, who is about to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom—”
2 Timothy 4:1 TLV
“Let marriage be held in honor among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.”
Hebrews 13:4 TLV
“For He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed. He has brought forth evidence of this to all men, by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 17:31 TLV
“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you too, why do you look down on your brother? For we all will stand before the judgment seat of God.”
Romans 14:10 TLV
“In the future there is reserved for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not to me only, but also to everyone who has longed for His appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:8 TLV
“and to the assembly of the firstborn who are written in a scroll in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous ones made perfect,”
Hebrews 12:23 TLV
“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”
2 Thessalonians 1:5 TLV
“And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “O Sovereign Master, holy and true, how long before You judge those who dwell on the earth and avenge our blood?”
The Revelation 6:10 TLV
“For this reason her plagues will arrive in a single day— death and grief and famine— and she shall be burned down with fire. For mighty is ADONAI Elohim who judges her!””
The Revelation 18:8 TLV
“before ADONAI, for He is coming! For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.”
Psalms 96:13 TLV
“before ADONAI, for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with fairness.”
Psalms 98:9 TLV
“Those who oppose ADONAI will be shattered. He thunders against them in heaven. He judges the ends of the earth. He gives strength to His king, exalting the horn of His anointed one.”
1 Samuel 2:10 TLV
“ADONAI arises to contend a case, and stands to judge the people.”
Isaiah 3:13 TLV
“ADONAI judges the peoples. Vindicate me, ADONAI, according to my righteousness and integrity in me.”
Psalms 7:9 TLV
“God is a righteous judge, a God who is indignant every day.”
Psalms 7:12 TLV
“He judges the world in righteousness and governs the peoples justly.”
Psalms 9:9 TLV
“I said in my heart: “The righteous and the wicked, God will judge. For there is a time for every activity and for every deed.”
Ecclesiastes 3:17 TLV
“He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, to judge His people:”
Psalms 50:4 TLV
“The heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.”
Psalms 50:6 TLV
“For God is the Judge: He lowers one and lifts up another.”
Psalms 75:8 TLV
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? So Arise, O God, judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.”
Psalms 82:2, 8 TLV
“Rise up, O Judge of the earth! Pay back to the proud what they deserve.”
Psalms 94:2 TLV
“Can anyone teach God knowledge, since He judges even the highest.”
Job 21:22 TLV
“Yet you say, ‘What does God know? Does He judge through such thick darkness?”
Job 22:13 TLV
“For by these, He judges peoples and supplies food in abundance.”
Job 36:31 TLV
“So I myself have not transgressed against you, yet you are doing me harm by waging war against me. May ADONAI, the Judge, judge today between Bnei-Yisrael and the children of Ammon.”
Judges 11:27 TLV
“But I am going to judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will go out with many possessions.”
Genesis 15:14 TLV
“For ADONAI is our Judge, ADONAI is our Lawgiver, ADONAI is our King— He will save us!”
Isaiah 33:22 TLV
“Then men will say: “There really is a reward for the righteous. There really is a God who judges on earth!””
Psalms 58:12 TLV
“I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples. I will judge you there face to face.”
Ezekiel 20:35 TLV
“Therefore thus says ADONAI Elohim to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
I will save My flock. They will no longer be prey. I will judge between sheep and sheep.
“So you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are human, and I am your God.” It is a declaration of ADONAI Elohim.”
Ezekiel 34:20, 22, 31 TLV
“A psalm of Asaph. God takes His stand in the assembly of God. He judges among the ‘gods’:”
Psalms 82:1 TLV
“He will judge among the nations, heaping up corpses. He will crush heads over the entire land.”
Psalms 110:6 TLV
“Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before ADONAI, for He comes to judge the earth.”
1 Chronicles 16:33 TLV
“Even if I were right, I would not answer; I would implore the mercy of my Judge.”
Job 9:15 TLV
“There the upright can reason with Him, and there I would forever be delivered from my Judge.”
Job 23:7 TLV
“For ADONAI will judge His people— for His servants, He will relent when He sees that strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.”
Deuteronomy 32:36 TLV
“His delight will be in the fear of ADONAI. He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor decide by what His ears hear.”
Isaiah 11:3 TLV
“The end is upon you. I will send My anger on you. I will judge you according to your ways. I will bring all your abominations on you.”
Ezekiel 7:3 TLV
“Just as I judged your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you.” It is a declaration of ADONAI.”
Ezekiel 20:36 TLV
“Yet you say, ‘The way of ADONAI is not fair!’ House of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his ways.””
Ezekiel 33:20 TLV
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.”
Psalms 51:6 TLV
“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples fairly, and guide the nations on the earth. Selah”
Psalms 67:5 TLV
“Say among the nations: “ ADONAI reigns!” The world is firmly established— it will not move. He will judge the peoples with fairness.”
Psalms 96:10 TLV
“So they said to them, “May ADONAI look on you and judge, because you have made us a stench in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants—putting a sword in their hand to kill us!”
Exodus 5:21 TLV
“He will judge between the nations and decide for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war any more.”
Isaiah 2:4 TLV
“My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone out, and My arms will judge the nations. The coastlands will wait for Me— for My arm they will wait expectantly.”
Isaiah 51:5 TLV
“But ADONAI -Tzva’ot, who judges righteously, who tests the mind and the heart, let me see your vengeance on them. For to You I have made my cause known.”
Jeremiah 11:20 TLV
“Now, soon, I am about to pour out My fury on you. I will exhaust My anger on you. I will judge you according to your ways. I will bring all your abominations on you.”
Ezekiel 7:8 TLV
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways.” It is a declaration of ADONAI. “Return, and turn away from all your transgressions, so they would not be a stumbling block of iniquity for you.”
Ezekiel 18:30 TLV
“I, ADONAI, have spoken —it is coming. I will do it, I will not let go, not pity, not relent —according to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you.’” It is a declaration of ADONAI.”
Ezekiel 24:14 TLV
“He will judge between many peoples and decide for mighty nations far off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war again.”
Micah 4:3 TLV
“‘Thus says ADONAI -Tzva’ot, “If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then you will judge My House and watch over My courts and I will give you a place to walk among these standing here.”
Zechariah 3:7 TLV
“Far be it from You to do such a thing—to cause the righteous to die with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked share the same fate! Far be it from You! Shall the Judge of the whole world not exercise justice?”
Genesis 18:25 TLV
“Had I not had the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, you would have sent me away empty-handed now. But God saw my misery and the toil of my hands and last night He became the Judge.”
Genesis 31:42 TLV
“therefore, as I live”—it is a declaration of ADONAI —“I will deal with you with the same anger and envy that you had because of your hatred against them. I will make Myself known among them, when I judge you.”
Ezekiel 35:11 TLV
“For behold, ADONAI will come in fire, and His chariots like the whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and His sword ADONAI will execute judgment on all flesh and those slain by ADONAI will be many.”
Isaiah 66:15-16 TLV
Sola Scriptura not Sola Ecclissia
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