1 Peter 4:5

⁵ They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Welcome November! Before we proceed any further, the reader needs to understand who will give an account to the Judge Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 5, a pronoun, they is used which means both the living and the dead. A person living on this earth, who has repented and confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior , and physically died afterwards, will be in the group called the living. On the other hand, a person living on this earth without accepting Jesus Christ and a person who has died without repenting and accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior are in the same category. They belong to the dead group.

In the above verse Peter writes that Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead. In the New Testament two judgements are described. One is the judgment of the believers who belong to the living group also called as the judgment seat of Christ as mentioned by Paul in the Epistle of 2nd Corinthians. The second one is called the white throne judgment as described in the Book of Revelation. The dead group belongs to the white throne judgment.

The people who have accepted Jesus Christ, have spiritual life filled with the Holy Spirit and those who don’t are spiritually dead. This what it boils down to in the end. Only Jesus Christ has the authority to judge the living and the dead. Jesus holds all authority in heaven(s), on earth and under the earth. He holds the keys to death and hades. No one will ever escape from these judgments. Every idle word that men speak and every evil work that they do is being recorded by the heaven. Everyone will be judged according to their lifestyle. Some to eternal separation from God and some to eternity in God’s presence with rewards to follow. Let us rejoice and be glad that those who are living will have the pleasure to meet Jesus face to face. In Jesus name! Amen.

Maranatha!