The Second Coming/The Last Judgement

Foreword: Human beings are created by Almighty God equipped with their own free will to deal with their environment and their fellow human beings, using their own intellect to decide to do what is appropriate for their survival, also taking into account the benefit of humanity. Throughout the long history of the human race on this planet earth, there has been a struggle for survival, whether between individuals, groups, races or between nations which has brought destruction and disasters that have affected and continue to affect the survival of humanity as a whole.

God the uncreated light sent his own Son Jesus Christ to save the world. He came into the world born in a cave with animals and shepherds as his company. No one had such a humble birth as our Lord Jesus Christ. After his birth he fled to Egypt to avoid execution by Herod. He began his teaching at the age of 30, choosing his disciples, who would follow him until his crucifixion and resurrection. His Apostles followed him and listened to his sermons, witnessing the many miracles that Jesus performed by healing the sick and afflicted and raising the dead. Jesus Christ In order to be understood by the crowds in his sermons, used parables with which the crowds would be identified, bringing in their minds similar situations and occasions they have faced, making them reexamining their actions and attitudes towards their fellow human beings. 

A few days ago, I turned 86. Although the afterlife destination was coming sporadically in my mind, it did not occupy my thoughts so much, turning my attention to family and the problems of everyday life. Although death could come at any time for all human beings, the probability of it coming for the elderly is statistically much, much higher. I will try to remember two cases where Jesus Christ spoke so vividly about Heaven and Hell as described by the testimonies of Matthew 25:31-46 and Luke 16:19-31 in the New Testament.


Lazarus and the Rich Man: Jesus Christ used the example of the Rich Man and Lazarus in his sermon on the Second Coming, describing their lives on earth, a life of abundance for the rich man and poverty and misery for the poor man. When both of them died, their souls went to two different places in Heaven and Hell. The rich man was in torment and when he saw Abraham far away with Lazarus at his side, he called on him to have pity on him and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool his tongue because he was in agony in the fire. Abraham replied, reminding him that in his lifetime he had all his good things, but Lazarus all his bad things and longed to be fed with what fell from his table and that between Abraham and Lazarus and him there was a great chasm that prevented the crossing. The rich man continued to beg Abraham to send Lazarus to his family members to warn them so that they too would not come to that place of torment. Abraham replied that they have Moses and the prophets to listen to.  

The Second Coming: The other case where Jesus Christ speaks so vividly about Heaven and Hell is the parable of the Last Judgment. Among other things, he speaks of his second coming and the gathering of all nations before him, separating people from each other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, placing the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. He will address those on his right saying that they are blessed by his Father, to inherit the kingdom of Heaven that he has prepared for them, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. All of them with one voice will tell him that they do not remember doing all these things to him. Jesus will tell them that by doing all these things for your fellow men who were in need, you did it to me too.  

Then he will turn to those on his left saying: Depart from me, you cursed, into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, in prison, and you did not take care of me. All the people on his left will complain that they did not see him in need and did nothing. Jesus will answer them that since you did not do it to any of your fellow men who were in need, you did not do it to me either.

These are two examples where Jesus Christ speaks of Heaven and Hell, describing so clearly the inner spiritual destiny of reward and punishment of humanity. I am not a theologian to make any interpretations, but I will try to use some interpretations of the Holy Fathers regarding their understandings of eternity and the nature of Heaven and Hell, as beautifully presented below by the Evangelical Orthodox Church of St. John of Virginia, ‘The Truth about Heaven and Hell”.

The Orthodox Church teaches us that Heaven and Hell are states and forms of relationship with God and the different experiences of His energy and presence. There is a creative energy of God, which the damned perceive as hatred and punishment because of their hard souls. The righteous, on the other hand, see it as love, happiness and consolation.  

The picture of Christ’s second coming shows us that Heaven and Hell are different experiences of eternity, not necessarily physical places. We may notice that white light surrounds those on Christ’s right, while red light surrounds those on His left, the damned. The righteous see Christ in this white light, while the damned see Christ’s light as red. The white light symbolizes the glory of God, and the red represents the inner fire and outer darkness. Both the righteous and the damned in the picture remain in the presence of God. It is the experience of the presence of the damned that makes eternity hell for them. 

The Holy Fathers of the Church emphasize that God loves everyone equally. Heaven and Hell, as most people understand it, does not exist from God’s perspective, but from ours. God loves everyone and sends his grace to everyone, in the same way “he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). He wants the salvation of all people. But not everyone will accept God’s grace in the same way. Some will see God as light and others as fire. It is how we experience that grace that differentiates Heaven from Hell. If we are hardhearted, selfish, sinful, and unrepentant, God’s Presence will be like a consuming fire. On the other hand, if we seek healing for our sinfulness, repentance, our pride, and strive to achieve deification, the presence of God will be Paradise.

According to the Fathers of the Church in both the East and the West, Hell and Heaven are not physical places. They are instead different experiences of the Uncreated Light of God, which all will see at the Second Coming of our Lord. When we see the glory of God with selfless love, with a pure heart and a humble soul, we will experience Heaven. However, the same glory will be eternal fire and Hell for those who choose to remain selfish and impatient.
 
Purgatory: The Catholic Church defines purgatory as "purification, in order to achieve the holiness required to enter the joy of heaven", which is experienced by those who "died in the grace and friendship of God, but were purified/imperfect", noting that "this final purification of the elect is entirely different from the punishment of the damned". When we die, we are subjected to what is called a specific, or individual, judgment. After we die, we are immediately judged and receive our reward. We would know immediately what our final fate would be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will be the general judgment that the Bible speaks of in Matthew 25:31-32. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. And before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” At this general judgment, all our sins will be publicly revealed. (Luke 12:2-5)

Memorials: The Orthodox Church does not believe in a place of temporary punishment after death such as Purgatory as defined by the Catholic Church. While the Orthodox Church recognizes a posthumous process of purification, it is not understood as a fiery purgatory realm. Instead, it emphasizes prayers for the dead and believes in a state of purification where the soul is prepared for the final judgment. The Orthodox Church holds Memorials, praying for the souls of the deceased because their fate, because the Last Judgment has not yet occurred. The services include hymns, supplications, and prayers for the deceased and are usually accompanied by the blessing of the kollyva. They are usually offered on the fortieth day after death and at the annual memorial service after death.

The Orthodox Church of Cyprus during the first year of the deceased have memorial services on the fortieth day, after three, six, nine months and then annually,      

Christians make up about 30% of the world's population. The remaining 70% belong to other religions or are atheists or agnostics. Both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches believe in the Last Judgment where all people will be judged by God, but their views on the salvation of those outside their respective churches differ. The Orthodox Church emphasizes God's mercy and leaves the fate of those outside the Church to God's judgment, while the Catholic Church, recognizing the importance of Christ and His Church for salvation, also recognizes God's mercy and the possibility of salvation for those who sincerely seek God. 

Eschatological signs according to the Holy Fathers of the Church

The Holy Fathers of the Church, while having different views on specific points of Eschatology, generally agreed on certain key points of the end times. These include the rise of false prophets and Christ, wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes, and persecutions of Christians. They also predict the preaching of the Gospel to all nations, the apostasy of some believers, and the appearance of the Antichrist. Finally, they believe in the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the Last Judgment. The culmination of God’s plan is the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, a place of perfect peace, righteousness, and fellowship with God. This new creation represents the fulfillment of God’s original purpose for humanity.