The Judgment Seat of Christ: A Life-Altering Allegory
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
I was asked to write a fable or an allegory for the ministry Exposit the Word as a tract. In it, I narrate a visionary judgment experience where I confront Christ after death. My allegory self realizes that being “good” isn’t sufficient for heaven. Jesus reveals my sins, declaring me unqualified for entry.
I died. I went to the place all humans due to appear, the judgment seat of Christ. I’d thought there might be something like this, an afterlife, God, some kind of examination to see if I was qualified to enter heaven. I hadn’t given it much thought, believing I was a pretty good person (certainly better than THAT guy over there!) and I’d probably get in. One nagging question: what were the qualifications? If everybody gets in, then what makes it heaven?
Now it’s my turn. Jesus asked me why He should let me into His heaven. I said, “Lord, Lord, didn’t I do many good things? Aren’t I a good person?” He replied that ‘There is none good, no not one, except Myself’.
“I know the hearts of men, and the evil that is in them”. “YOU”, He said, pointing to my heart, “are an adulteress, a liar, a thief, and a murderer. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries…”
He continued, devastatingly, “I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.”
“UNQUALIFIED! Depart from me you who do evil!”
The throne room shook and trembled with His words. I was cast, cast! Into the Lake of Fire. This was the first of many conscious thoughts I had as the fire melted into my bones, but did not melt them away. The fire burned and the worm did not die, it tortured. This can’t be all there is! I didn’t kill anyone! There was that abortion, but that was just a clump of cells, nobody died! I am NOT an adulterer, I only had fantasies of the tennis pro. Jesus is wrong about that. And stealing pens from work? That’s nothing!
And her thoughts went on and on…forever.
Meanwhile-to be in right standing with Jesus one must repent of sins before one’s last breath, believing on Him who died on the cross, was entombed 3 days, and rose victorious over death from the dead! Jesus absorbed the wrath for all who would believe. Jesus is the only way to heaven. He is the sole path. Sinners can’t enter heaven, but if one repents one is forgiven, the chief end of man fulfilled: to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Two destinations: hell, and heaven. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
