Investigative Judgment
Pg.2


God.5 The wicked, according to SDA theology, will be investigated during the 1000 years6 andexecuted shortly after the close of the 1000 years of Revelation 20.7 The investigative judgment starts with the cases of the dead, reaching clear back to Adam and reviews the life records of every person who has professed faith in God. Every deed is closely examined. Each succeeding generation is investigated and judged.8 At some time, none know when, the cases of the dead are completed and God then moves to the cases of the living.9 SDAs believe they will not know when their name comes up in judgment.10 Therefore, it is extremely important that they engage in no frivolous activity or sin. Every sin must be confessed. Sins which have been forgotten and unconfessed will stand against them in the judgment.11 Their characters must demonstrate perfect obedience to the Ten Commandment law,12,13 especially the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.14,15 Some names in this list of professed believers will be accepted, others will be


Footnotes:

his ministration in behalf of man,—to perform the work of investigative Judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 308.
5
“In the typical service only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 480. See also Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 420.
6
“The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 480. “After the judgment of the wicked dead had been finished, at the end of the one thousand years…” Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 292.
7
“At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 662.
8
“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living.” Ibid., p. 483.
9
“Solemn are the scenes connected with the closing work of the atonement. Momentous are the interests involved therein. The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For many years this work has been in progress. Soon none know how soon it will pass to the cases of the living.” Ibid., p. 490.
10
“How perilous is the condition of those, who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments, it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence, ‘Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.’” Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 315.
11
“Day after day passing into eternity, bears its burden of records of the books of Heaven. Words once spoken, deeds once done, can never be recalled. Angels of God have registered both the good and the evil. The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn. They go before us to the Judgment. The use of every talent will be scrutinized.” Ibid., p. 331.
12
“Christ lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s law, and in this He set an example for every human being. The life that He lived in this world we are to live through His power and under His instruction.” Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, p. 180. “God requires perfect submission and perfect obedience. Eternal life is worth everything to us. You may come in close connection with God if you will agonize to enter in at the strait gate.” Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, p. 218.
13
“Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father’s
commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 1888 edition, p.
623.
14
“Many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow their faith. None could fail to see that if the earthly sanctuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly, the law deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of the law in the ark in Heaven, and that an acceptance of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an acknowledgment of the claims of God’s law, and the obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.” Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 257.

15“The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 605.



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