Early Christian Beliefs About the Last Judgment

Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians Direct teaching

for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and “we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself.” Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the Gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Lord [have alike taught us].

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Direct teaching

2. That, then, was called the day of retribution on which the Lord will render to every one according to his works—that is, the judgment.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

For He has determined at the last times to pass judgment on the living and the dead, concerning which judgment I shall speak in the last book.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching

and now we look for His appearing from heaven in glory for the life and judgment of all, when the resurrection of the dead shall take place, to the end that recompense may be made to all according to their desert.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching

We acknowledge the passion of the Lord in the flesh, the resurrection in the power of His divinity, the ascension to heaven, and His glorious appearing when He comes for the judgment of the living and the dead, and for the eternal life of the saints.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

who also will come at the consummation of the world with power and great glory, to judge the quick and the dead, and to recompense to every one according to his works.

1 Peter 4:5 Supporting witness

but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

24. What then will be the glory of faith? What will be the punishment of unbelief? When the day of judgment comes, what joy there will be for believers, and what sorrow for unbelievers. They were unwilling to believe here, and then they will be unable to return so that they may believe. An ever-burning Gehenna will consume the condemned, with a punishment that devours by living flames. There will be no source from where they may ever have either relief or an end to their torments. Souls with their bodies will be kept in endless tortures for suffering. Then the man who looked at us here for a short time will be seen by us forever. And the brief pleasure of those cruel eyes, in the persecutions they carried out against us, will be repaid by an everlasting sight, according to the truth of Holy Scripture, which says, "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be for a vision to all flesh," Isaiah 66:24. And again: "Then shall the righteous stand with great boldness before the face of those who afflicted them and took away their labors. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpec

Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen Direct teaching

...estows salvation, and you sink down into destruction. He confers everlasting life, and you wait for punishment, and prefer the fire which the Lord has prepared for the devil and his angels, Matthew 25:41, 46. Therefore the blessed apostle says: "I testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind; having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart: who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness and concupiscence." Ephesians 4:17-19 After the accusation of such a witness, and his invocation of God, what else remains for the unbelieving except judgment and condemnation? And the Lord, with ceaseless assiduity, exhorts, terrifies, urges, rouses, and admonishes. He awakes from the sleep of darkness, and raises up those who have wandered in error. "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light," Ephesians 5:14—Christ, the Sun of the Resurrection, He who was born before the morning star, and with His beams bestows life. Let no one then despise the Word, lest he u

Hippolytus, Against Plato Direct teaching

...quenchable fire, into which we suppose no one has yet been thrown. For it has been prepared for the day appointed by God, when one sentence of righteous judgment will justly be applied to all. And the unrighteous, and those who did not believe God, who have honored as God the useless works of human hands, idols made by themselves, will be sentenced to this endless punishment. But the righteous will receive the incorruptible and unfading kingdom. Indeed, at present they are kept in Hades, but not in the same place as the unrighteous. For there is one descent to this place, at the gate of which we believe an archangel stands with a host. And when those who are led by the angels appointed over souls have passed through this gate, they do not go on the same road. But the righteous, being led in the light to the right, and being sung over by the angels stationed there, are brought to a place full of light. And there the righteous from the beginning dwell. They are not ruled by necessity, but always enjoy looking at the blessings before them. They delight themselves with the expectation of other blessings that are always new, and they consider those better than these. And that place b

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...rd your God; for He is merciful, and gracious, and patient, and of great pity, and who inclines His judgment toward the evils inflicted" Joel 2:13. Referring to this, the blessed apostle also urges the sinner to repentance and says, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the patience and goodness of God leads you to repentance? But after your hardness and impenitent heart you store up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall render to every one according to his works" Romans 2:4-6. He says that God's judgment is just because it is delayed, because it is deferred for a long and great time, so that by God's long patience man may be helped toward eternal life. Punishment is then carried out on the impious and the sinner, when repentance for sin can no longer help.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

but those kings which went a-whoring from God did soon perish in their apostasy by the righteous judgment of God, and were deprived of His life, inheriting, instead of rest, eternal punishment.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching

Now they affirm that there will be both a judgment and a conflagration of the universe, and that the wicked will be eternally punished.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

For if all men knew this, no one would choose wickedness even for a little, knowing that he goes to the everlasting punishment of fire;

Lactantius, The Epitome of the Divine Institutes Direct teaching

...er the earth for a little while, until the destruction of the nations is completed. After the third day they will come out and see the plains covered with dead bodies. Then there will be an earthquake, and the mountains will be torn apart, and valleys will sink down to a great depth. Into this the bodies of the dead will be piled together, and its name will be called Polyandrion. After these things God will renew the world and change the righteous into the forms of angels, so that, clothed with the garment of immortality, they may serve God forever. This will be the kingdom of God, which will have no end. Then the wicked also will rise again, not to life but to punishment. For God will raise them also when the second resurrection takes place, so that, being condemned to eternal torments and handed over to eternal fires, they may suffer the punishments they deserve for their crimes.

Matthew 25:41 Direct teaching

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:46 Direct teaching

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 Direct teaching

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

Hebrews 10:27 Direct teaching

but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...ds about its future resurrection may also be believed—so at the end, when the Lord speaks with “the last trumpet,” the dead shall be raised, as He declares: “The hour will come in which all the dead in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of man, and will come forth; those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...peaks to Daniel: "And many of them that sleep shall arise out of the dust of the earth, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that understand shall shine as the sun, and as the firmament, and as the stars." Daniel 12:2-3 Therefore the most holy Gabriel foretold that the saints should shine like the stars. For His sacred name did witness to them, that they might understand the truth. Nor is a resurrection declared only for the martyrs, but for all men, righteous and unrighteous, godly and ungodly, so that every one may receive according to his desert. For God, says the Scripture, "will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14 This resurrection was not believed by the Jews, when of old they said, "Our bones are withered, and we are gone." To them God answered and said, "Behold, I open your graves, and will bring you out of them. And I will put My Spirit into you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it." And He says by Isaiah, "The dead shall rise, and those that are in the graves shall be raised up. And those that res

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Direct teaching

1. But since the discourse has reminded us of the subjects of a future judgment and of retribution, and of the punishments of sinners, according to the threatenings of holy Scripture and the contents of the Church's teaching — viz., that when the time of judgment comes, everlasting fire, and outer darkness, and a prison, and a furnace, and other punishments of like nature, have been prepared for sinners — let us see what our opinions on these points ought to be.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

...he dead, then no other person will rise again. And if no one will rise again, then there will be no judgment. For it is certain that, if I am not to rise again, I cannot be judged. But if there is to be no judgment, then keeping God's commandments will be to no purpose, and there will be no occasion for abstinence. No, we may say, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die." For all these consequences follow when you deny that He was born of Mary. But if you acknowledge that He was born of Mary, then His passion will necessarily follow, and His resurrection will follow from His passion, and the judgment from His resurrection. And so the commands of Scripture will have their proper value for us. This, therefore, is not an idle question, but the greatest issues are involved in this one word. For just as all the law and the prophets are summed up in two words, so also all our hope is made to depend on the birth by the blessed Mary. Therefore give me an answer to these several questions that I will ask you. How shall we get rid of these many words of the apostle, so important and so exact, which are stated in words like these: "But when the good pleasure of God was with us, He

Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh Direct teaching

... to mind our earlier arguments, so that the occasion that first suggested this passage may help our judgment in reaching its meaning. As I understand it, the apostle, after setting before the Corinthians the details of their church discipline, had summed up the substance of his own gospel and of their belief in an explanation of the Lord's death and resurrection. He did this in order to draw from it the rule of our hope and its foundation. So he adds this statement: "Now if Christ is preached that He rose from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up, if it is true that the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not raised. And if Christ is not raised, your faith is vain, because you are still in your sins, and those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished." 1 Corinthians 15:12-18 Now what is the point that he is plainly working hard t

Athenagoras, The Resurrection of the Dead Direct teaching

but seeing that all are to rise again, those who have died in infancy as well as others, they too justify our conclusion that the resurrection takes place not for the sake of the judgment as the primary reason, but in consequence of the purpose of God in forming men, and the nature of the beings so formed.

Athenagoras, The Resurrection of the Dead Direct teaching

But the fallacy of this is very clearly shown, from the fact that, although all human beings who die rise again, yet not all who rise again are to be judged: for if only a just judgment were the cause of the resurrection, it would of course follow that those who had done neither evil nor good — namely, very young children — would not rise again;

Athenagoras, The Resurrection of the Dead Supporting witness

For many, in discussing the subject of the resurrection, have rested the whole cause on the third argument alone, deeming that the cause of the resurrection is the judgment.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

so also at the end, when the Lord utters His voice “by the last trumpet,” the dead shall be raised, as He Himself declares: “The hour shall come, in which all the dead which are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and shall come forth;

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place.

Justin Martyr, On the Resurrection, Fragments Supporting witness

..., why did He heal it? Most importantly, He raised the dead. Why? Was it not to demonstrate what the resurrection would be like? How then did He raise the dead? Their souls or their bodies? Clearly, both. If the resurrection were only spiritual, it would have been necessary for Him, in raising the dead, to show the body lying apart by itself and the soul living separately. But He did not do so; instead, He raised the body, confirming the promise of life within it. Why did He rise in the flesh in which He suffered, if not to demonstrate the resurrection of the flesh? Wishing to confirm this, when His disciples were unsure whether to believe He had truly risen in the flesh, and were looking at Him in doubt, He said to them, “You still have no faith; see that it is I.” He allowed them to touch Him and showed them the marks of the nails in His hands. When they were persuaded by every kind of proof that it was indeed Himself and in the body, they asked Him to eat with them to further verify that He had genuinely risen bodily; and He ate honeycomb and fish. By doing this, He showed them that there truly is a resurrection of the flesh, and wished to demonstrate that it is not impossible

John 5:29 Direct teaching

and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Hippolytus, Against Plato Direct teaching

...us and the unrighteous alike, will be brought before God the Word. For the Father has committed all judgment to Him. And in fulfillment of the Father's counsel, He comes as Judge, whom we call Christ. For it is not Minos and Rhadamanthys who are to judge the world, as you imagine, O Greeks, but He whom God the Father has glorified. We have spoken elsewhere about Him more particularly, for the profit of those who seek the truth. He, in carrying out the Father's righteous judgment for all, assigns to each what is righteous according to his works. And while standing before His judgment, all, both men and angels and demons, will speak with one voice, saying, "Righteous is Your judgment." And the justification of this voice will be seen in the awarding to each of what is just. For to those who have done well, eternal bliss will be assigned righteously. And to the lovers of iniquity, eternal punishment will be given. And the fire that is unquenchable and without end awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm that does not die, and does not waste the body, but continues bursting forth from the body with unending pain. No sleep will give them rest. No night will soothe them. No death

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

If Christ was only man, how is it that He Himself says, “And everyone who believes in me shall never die”? Yet the one who believes in man alone is called accursed. But the one who believes in Christ is not accursed, and is said not to die forever. Therefore, if on the one hand He is only man, as the heretics claim, how will anyone who believes in Him not die eternally, since the one who trusts in man is regarded as accursed? Or on the other hand, if he is not accursed, but rather, as we read, is appointed to receive everlasting life, then Christ is not only man, but also God. In Him, the one who believes both puts aside all danger of curse and gains the fruit of righteousness. If Christ was only man, how does He say that the Paraclete will take what is His, the things that He will declare? For the Paraclete does not receive anything from man, but gives knowledge to man. Nor does the Paraclete learn future things from man, but teaches man about what is to come. Therefore, either the Paraclete has not received from Christ, as man, what He should declare, since man could give nothing to the Paraclete, seeing that man himself ought to receive from Him, and Christ in this case is both

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

...knees. Be consoled, you who are cowardly in heart. Be strong. Fear not. Lo, our God shall come with judgment. He Himself shall come, and shall save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then the lame man shall leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be eloquent.” Since the prophet says that at God's advent these should be the signs that come to pass, let men acknowledge either that Christ is the Son of God, at whose advent and by whom these wonders of healings were performed; or else, overcome by the truth of Christ's divinity, let them rush into the other heresy. Refusing to confess Christ to be the Son of God, and God, let them declare Him to be the Father. For, bound by the words of the prophets, they can no longer deny Christ to be God. What, then, do they reply when those signs are said to be about to take place at the advent of God, and yet were manifested at the advent of Christ? In what way do they receive Christ as God? For now they cannot deny Him to be God. As God the Father, or as God the Son? If as the Son, why do they deny that the Son of God is God? If as the Father, why do they not follow those who seem t

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Supporting witness

...ees. Be consoled, you who are cowardly in heart. Be strong. Do not fear. Look, our God shall return judgment. He Himself shall come and shall save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then the lame man shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall be eloquent.” Since the prophet says that at God's coming these would be the signs that come to pass, let men acknowledge either that Christ is the Son of God, at whose coming and by whom these wonders of healing were performed; or else, overcome by the truth of Christ's divinity, let them rush into the other heresy. Refusing to confess Christ to be the Son of God, and God, let them declare Him to be the Father. For, being bound by the words of the prophets, they can no longer deny that Christ is God. What, then, do they reply when those signs are said to be about to take place at the coming of God, and yet were shown at the coming of Christ? In what way do they receive Christ as God? As God the Father, or as God the Son? If as the Son, why do they deny that the Son of God is God? If as the Father, why do they not follow those who seem to hold blasphemies of that kind? Unless

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

...ear it with calmness and self-control, and not take revenge on his own behalf, but leave it for the judgment of God. Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30 He must guard innocence at all times and in all places. And this command is not limited to this alone, that he should not himself do harm, but also that he should not avenge harm when it is done to him. For there sits on the judgment seat a very great and impartial Judge, the observer and witness of all things. Let him value Him above man. Let him rather choose that He should judge his case, whose sentence no one can escape, either by anyone's defense or by favor. So it happens that a just man is despised by all. And because people think that he is unable to defend himself, he will be regarded as lazy and inactive. But if anyone has taken revenge on his enemy, he is judged to be a man of spirit and action, and everyone honors and respects him. And although the good man has the power to help many, yet they look up to the one who is able to harm, rather than to the one who is able to help. But the wickedness of men will not be able to corrupt the just man, so that he stops trying to obey God. And he would rather be despised, provided that

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

... the foal of an ass." Daniel describes Him as the Son of man coming to the Father and receiving all judgment and honor from Him, and as the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, becoming a great mountain and filling the whole earth, dashing to pieces the many governments of the smaller countries and the polytheism of gods, but preaching the one God and ordaining the monarchy of the Romans. Jeremiah also prophesied concerning Him, saying, "The Spirit before His face, Christ the Lord, was taken in their snares; of whom we said, Under His shadow we shall live among the Gentiles." Ezekiel also, and the prophets after him, everywhere affirm that He is the Christ, the Lord, the King, the Judge, the Lawgiver, the Angel of the Father, the only begotten God. Therefore we also preach Him to you, and declare that He is God the Word, who ministered to His God and Father for the creation of the universe. By believing in Him you shall live, but by disbelieving you shall be punished. For "he who is disobedient to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him," John 3:36. Therefore, after you have kept the festival of Pentecost, keep one more week as a festival, and afte

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

After these things the lower regions shall be opened, and the dead shall rise again, on whom the same King and God shall pass judgment, to whom the supreme Father shall give the great power both of judging and of reigning.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

And how is this statement correct: For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ;

2 Corinthians 5:10 Direct teaching

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Romans 2:16 Supporting witness

on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:1 Supporting witness

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;