HEAVEN & HELL - God is the judge

Matthew 7:21-23 | “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

1. Who judges if a person goes to Heaven or Hell?  
2. How will God decide who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell? What does He base His judgement on?

Revelation 20:11-13 | And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.

1. Will anyone escape God’s judgement? 
2. What are people judged by according to this verse? 

No one can do enough good deeds to earn their way to Heaven. That is why the Book of Life is opened at the judgement.

1. If a person’s name is in the Book of Life, will their other deeds (actions) matter?
2. How does a person’s deeds (actions) prove their belief?

Matthew 13:47-50 | “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

1. Some people think they are going to Heaven but don’t actually live with Jesus as Lord. What will happen to them according to Matthew 13? 
2. Are you a ‘pretender’ who goes through them motions of church and being a Christian or do you have a true faith rooted in a relationship with God because of Jesus?