The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

162
DAY OF THE LORD
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.
According to the Bible, the unbelievers have already been condemned.
They do not deserve to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Only
those who believe will be judged, and only on the basis of works!
This brings us to another error that has crept into some Christian
congregations recently. This is called “The doctrine of eternal security”
or “assured salvation.” This error that has crept into Christian thought
within the last 100 years, states that a “believer” has already been saved
by the grace of God. He is assured of a place in heaven on account of
God’s own purpose and election. According to this view, works are
worthless. Some people even teach that works are an “insult” to the allsufficient
grace of God. Those people depend on verses like the one
quoted above “He that believes on him is not condemned” to prove
their error.
What is meant here is that there are two stages for the judgment,
one based on faith, and this decides whether you will stand trial or be
summarily condemned. And according to the verse quoted above, if
you are an unbeliever, you have already been condemned and you don’t
deserve to stand trial. Those who believe, are not condemned in this
“triage” to separate the believers from the unbelievers, but they still
have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according
to their works!
Those on the left (the goats of Matthew 25) protest their judgment
by 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?” People who say these words are not unbelievers! They address
the Judge as “Lord” and insist that they would have done these good
works had they realized that it was the Lord indeed that needed food
and drink and raiment! The same is very clearly stated by our Lord in
Matthew 7:21-23:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in
thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto