There are over 300 references to the Judgment Day in the New Testament alone. The Judgment Day was a favorite subject of the apostle Paul (cp. Acts 17; 22-31, 24: 25). Jesus also taught lessons relative to the judgment (see "Second Coming," Matt. 25: 31-46).
The certainty of the Judgment Day. Beloved, the Judgment Day is an appointment set by God himself: "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained…" (Acts 17: 30, 31). Notice the assurance of the judgment, "…whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Just as surely as Jesus was resurrected, there shall be a Judgment Day (see "The Resurrection").
The universality of the judgment. "And before him shall be gathered all nations," Jesus taught (Matt. 25: 32). The writer of Hebrews stated, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9: 27). Again, "…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. 14: 10). All nationalities, genders, educational levels, poor and rich, young and old shall appear before Jesus' august throne.
The individuality of the judgment. In writing of the fact of the judgment, Paul penned, "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14: 12). "Who will render to every man according to his deeds," we also read (Rom. 2: 6). Paul stressed the individuality of the judgment when he wrote, "…that every one may…according to that he hath done…" (emphasis mine, dm, 2 Cor. 5: 10). The wife will not hide behind the husband, children behind parents, and members behind elders. Each of us shall be individually judged!
Christ shall be the judge. The scriptures teach that all judgment is reserved for Christ (Jn. 5: 22, Acts 17: 31). Jesus' first advent was to offer life, his return shall be that of judgment (Jn. 3: 17, Matt. 25: 31-46). Jesus who himself has experienced life shall be a "righteous judge" (Heb. 4: 15, 2 Tim. 4: 1).
God's word shall be the standard. Man will not be judged by some standard with which he is justifiably unfamiliar or to which he has not had access. God's word shall be the standard (Jn. 12: 48). "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words," Jesus said, "hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
Judged by our deeds. The doctrine of imputation which teaches when God looks at man he only sees the righteousness of his Son is patently false (see "Imputation of Christ's Righteousness" in Archives). Man is gong to be judged by his deeds (Rom. 2: 6, 2 Cor. 5: 10, Matt. 12: 36, 37, Rev. 22: 12).
The finality of the judgment. Beloved, the scriptures offer no hope of a second chance being extended to man at the time of the judgment. In like fashion, the scriptures say nothing of preparatory or refining punishment or even intimate of punishment limited in duration. All is final (Matt. 25: 31-46). "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
The judgment will be a time of exoneration, joy, and reward for the righteous. The righteous will hear Jesus' precious voice say: "Enter thou into the joy of the Lord" (Matt. 25: 21, 23). They will be told, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (vs. 34). However, the wicked will be told, "…Depart from me; ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (41). (For additional study material, be sure to read "Death and the State of the Soul").