One Sunday morning, a guy came up to me and said, "That was a hell of a sermon, pastor!" I didn't know if I should say, "Thank you," or "God help you." Hell is often spoken about flippantly, but hell is the place where the wicked will be punished for eternity after death—so why is the word used so lightly? I can't answer that, but I can answer this question: What will the final judgment be for the unbeliever?

Revelation 20:11-15 is a straightforward account, the basic facts of what will happen. "I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it…. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God" (vv. 11-12). The great white throne judgment signals the doom of all unbelievers throughout history, who stand in "the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:29).

The white throne represents God's utter purity, holiness, and impartiality. And God must judge because He is holy. God is the only one qualified to judge because He knows every thought, action, and motive—and He sees every single event.

Now, standing before the throne will be the out-and-out sinners who wanted nothing to do with God, those who knew they needed to be saved but kept putting it off, and those who thought their own goodness or works or church attendance was enough to get them to heaven.

If you look again at Revelation 20:12, God is keeping books. We're not told what they are, but they could be a record of everything every unbeliever said, did, or even thought. Jesus said, "There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known" (Luke 12:2) and "for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

Revelation 20:12 also mentions "the Book of Life," a record of all those who are saved. If you've given your life to Jesus, your name is there. Those not in the Book will be cast into the lake of fire (see v. 15). That's a metaphorical term for a place of eternal torment. It's the final hell.

God's original intention for hell was to be a place to punish Satan and his angels (see Matthew 25:41). He never meant for humans to go there, and He will respect their decision—but He doesn't want anybody in hell. Second Peter 3:9 says He is "not willing that any should perish." There is, however, only one person who wants you in hell: Satan.

Jesus said, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus took all of hell on Himself, becoming guilty of the sins of the world (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). That's why it says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). You will not stand at the great white throne judgment if your name is in the Book of Life.

Everything short of death is an opportunity, which means today is an opportunity. Maybe you've attended church or read DevoMail for a long time. You're not an out-and-out sinner, but you're a procrastinator—or you believe you're good enough. Just stop. Turn around. It's called repentance. Change direction. Change your mind.

Say yes to Jesus, and cultivate a true, authentic faith. It doesn't have to be a lot. Just say, "I believe. I trust. I make Jesus my own right now." If you walked away, come back to Him. Don't let this be one of the opportunities you had that you rejected. Say yes to Him. Make it real.