Reformed Confessions
37/37Of the Last Judgment
  1. God and His Word
  2. 1There Is One Only God
  3. 2By What Means God Is Made Known unto Us
  4. 3Of the Written Word of God
  5. 4Canonical Books of the Holy Scriptures
  6. 5Whence Do the Holy Scriptures Derive Their Dignity and Authority
  7. 6The Difference Between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books
  8. 7The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to Be the Only Rule of Faith
  9. 8God Is One in Essence, Yet Distinguished in Three Persons
  10. 9The Proof of the Foregoing Article of the Trinity of Persons in One God
  11. 10Jesus Christ Is True and Eternal God
  12. 11The Holy Ghost Is True and Eternal God
  13. Creation and the Fall
  14. 12Of the Creation
  15. 13Of Divine Providence
  16. 14Of the Creation and Fall of Man, and His Incapacity to Perform What Is Truly Good
  17. 15Of Original Sin
  18. Christ and Redemption
  19. 16Of Eternal Election
  20. 17Of the Recovery of Fallen Man
  21. 18Of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ
  22. 19Of the Union and Distinction of the Two Natures in the Person of Christ
  23. 20God Hath Manifested His Justice and Mercy in Christ
  24. 21Of the Satisfaction of Christ, Our Only High-Priest, for Us
  25. Salvation in Christ
  26. 22Of Our Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ
  27. 23Our Justification Consists in the Forgiveness of Sin and the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness
  28. 24Of Man's Sanctification and Good Works
  29. 25Of the Abolishing of the Ceremonial Law
  30. 26Of Christ's Intercession
  31. The Church and the Sacraments
  32. 27Of the Catholic Christian Church
  33. 28Every One Is Bound to Join Himself to the True Church
  34. 29Of the Marks of the True Church, and Wherein She Differs from the False Church
  35. 30Concerning the Government of, and Offices in, the Church
  36. 31Of the Ministers, Elders, and Deacons
  37. 32Of the Order and Discipline of the Church
  38. 33Of the Sacraments
  39. 34Of Holy Baptism
  40. 35Of the Holy Supper of Our Lord Jesus Christ
  41. Government and the Last Things
  42. 36Of Magistrates
  43. 37Of the Last Judgment

The Belgic Confession · Article 37

Of the Last Judgment

  • Article 37 of 37
  • 2 min read

Article 37

Finally, we believe, according to the Word of God, when the time appointed by the Lord (which is unknown to all creatures) is come, and the number of the elect complete, that our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, corporally and visibly, as he ascended with great glory and majesty, to declare himself Judge of the quick and the dead, burning this old world with fire and flame to cleanse it. And then all men will personally appear before this great Judge, both men and women and children, that have been from the beginning of the world to the end thereof, being summoned by the voice of the archangel, and by the sound of the trumpet of God. For all the dead shall be raised out of the earth, and their souls joined and united with their proper bodies in which they formerly lived. As for those who shall then be living, they shall not die as the others, but be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and from corruptible become incorruptible.

Then the books (that is to say, the consciences) shall be opened, and the dead judged according to what they shall have done in this world, whether it be good or evil. Nay, all men shall give an account of every idle word they have spoken, which the world only counts amusement and jest; and then the secrets and hypocrisy of men shall be disclosed and laid open before all.

And, therefore, the consideration of this judgment is justly terrible and dreadful to the wicked and ungodly, but most desirable and comfortable to the righteous and the elect; because then their full deliverance shall be perfected, and there they shall receive the fruits of their labor and trouble which they have borne. Their innocence shall be known to all, and they shall see the terrible vengeance which God shall execute on the wicked, who most cruelly persecuted, oppressed, and tormented them in this world; and who shall be convicted by the testimony of their own consciences, and, being immortal, shall be tormented in that everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.

But on the contrary, the faithful and elect shall be crowned with glory and honor; and the Son of God will confess their names before God his Father, and his elect angels; all tears shall be wiped from their eyes; and their cause, which is now condemned by many judges and magistrates as heretical and impious, will then be known to be the cause of the Son of God. And, for a gracious reward, the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory as never entered into the heart of man to conceive.

Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire, to the end that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

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