The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

DAY OF THE LORD 161
gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and
ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall
they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or
athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not
minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did
it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but
the righteous into life eternal. (Matt 25:31-46)
This is how the Lord Himself describes the day of Judgment. The day
of Judgment, of course has to be preceded by the general resurrection,
because, as St. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive
the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it
be good or bad.” So, the judgment has to be for both body and soul in
as much as both body and soul have been partners in the deeds whether
they be good or evil, so, both have to give account of these deeds and
receive the wages of these deeds. This is also clear from the words of
our Lord in John 5:28-29:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation.
Note that the deciding factor here is works! “Those that have done
good” and “they that have done evil.” The same is said in Proverbs
24:12, “Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that
keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every
man according to his works?” And again in Matthew 16:27 we are told,
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his
angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”
There is nothing said here about faith! No verse in the Bible says
that the judgment will be according to faith! So, what will happen to
the unbelievers? To those who do not believe in God? Psalm 1
answers this question for us, “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in
the judgment.” (Ps 1:5) Why would the ungodly or the unbelievers not
stand in the judgment? Our Lord answers this question for us in John
3:17-18: