Why should there be a judgment day? Why doesn’t Jesus just change people from within and let the world be changed? Because, first of all, Jesus doesn’t force people to do what is right. Whether they have the Spirit or not, every person makes their own choice to do evil to others or to do good. And it only takes one evil person to ruin a whole community—as we saw in 9-11.
The goal of eschatology is justice in community. We cannot abide to have Idi Amins in the community of God. The oppressors must be weeded out. In the community will only be the merciful, the forgiving, the helpful, the servants, the ones who live for God. No one else will be welcome.
How does God know who will be who? He will ask witnesses to come. But witnesses will only show what others do or don’t do, not what they “believe.” And, in the end, this is what faith is: acting for God, according to God’s will. All scripture says what Bonaventure quotes: “All the secrets of all will be revealed to all… each will receive according to his deeds.” Because our deeds show us for who we really are more than what we say we believe.
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