Eternal judgment stands as a foundational doctrine of the church of God, equal in importance to repentance, faith, and baptism. God, the great Judge of all the universe, decides a person's reward or punishment for all eternity. While many regard judgment as a future event, it is a process that has already begun, with Christians being judged today through trials and tests to prove their faithfulness to Him and His way of life. God the Father has appointed Jesus Christ to be the Judge of all mankind. He alone has lived a perfect life and understands the human experience, making Him eminently qualified for this role. All humans will ultimately stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and His judgment will be fair and righteous, based on true knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, not on appearances or rumors. Individuals will be held accountable for all their works, including secret sins and even the words they have spoken. The standard by which God will judge is His Word, the Bible, which contains His laws and the measure of righteousness for everyone. God's judgment remains perfectly fair, with some held to stricter standards based on the opportunities and abilities they were given in life, applying the principle that to whom much is given, much is required. Teachers of God's way face an even higher standard. Under the guidance and authority of Jesus Christ, the resurrected saints will participate in the judging process, helping to judge the world during the Millennium and even the angels who rebelled under lucifer. Those who never had the chance to learn God's plan of salvation will be resurrected after the Millennium in a second resurrection to physical life. They will live in a peaceful, prosperous world free from satan's influence, granted a hundred years to learn and accept God's way. During this period, the Great White Throne Judgment will occur, and they will be judged by the same standard—God's Word. Finally, a third resurrection will address the incorrigibly wicked, those unwilling to live by God's laws and refusing to repent. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire, completely burned up, with no possibility of resurrection, having rejected God's offer of salvation and eternal life.

Eternal Judgment stands as a foundational doctrine within God's plan, carrying implications that are age-lasting and never-ending. It involves a process of forming an opinion or evaluation through discernment and comparison, requiring time to observe individuals under set standards and varied circumstances before rendering a decision. This judgment is not limited to a single moment but spans different times for different groups, as evidenced by the indication that now is the time for the household of God to be judged, implying other times for others who are not currently under judgment. The concept of judgment as a crisis or turning point reveals that after death, individuals face a significant moment of evaluation that can lead to a positive outcome. For many, this turning point will be wonderful, as they are offered salvation through a process of judgment. This is not an immediate condemnation but a resurrection to different circumstances, where individuals are assessed over time against the standards of God's Word, much like the current judgment upon the household of God. Scriptures point to distinct periods of judgment, with the first resurrection described as blessed and holy, where death holds no power over those involved. Subsequent resurrections, occurring at least a thousand years later, involve others who may still face death and are judged according to their works from the books of God's Word. This later judgment includes billions who never had an opportunity for salvation in their lifetime, rising from their graves to know God and be given His Spirit, entering a process where their names may be added to the Book of Life. God's purpose in Eternal Judgment is to bring all to repentance, as He is not willing that any should perish. Through various resurrections and judgment periods, He ensures that all, from Israel to the Gentiles, will have their opportunity for salvation. This process, exemplified by visions of the dead rising to know God, underscores His commitment to complete what He starts, ultimately transforming the earth and its people into the beauty and character He originally intended.

The wages of sin is death, not eternal life in torment. The dead know nothing, and all mental and physical processes cease at death, so neither the righteous nor the wicked go to heaven or hell when they die. Both return to dust until the resurrection, when Jesus says all will be brought back to life and judged, some to reward and some to punishment. The punishment Jesus describes is Gehenna, named for the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, where refuse burned continually. It serves as a type of the place of final punishment. An "unquenchable" fire does not burn forever. God kindled such a fire in Jerusalem's gates, and the city is not still burning. Unquenchable fire burns until everything flammable is consumed and then goes out. After dying once and being resurrected to judgment, the incorrigibly wicked die the second death in the Lake of Fire. Body, mind, and spirit are utterly destroyed, and they cease to exist, leaving only ashes under the feet of the righteous. The judgment is therefore final and permanent in its result, not in ongoing torment. Only the righteous remain alive, and they live for eternity.

A third and final resurrection raises the incorrigibly wicked, those not found written in the Book of Life, to stand before God for judgment. God Himself sentences them, and they are cast into the Lake of Fire, the final Gehenna, when He burns up the earth. By then all humanity has had the opportunity for salvation, and every destiny is eternally set. Those who, after coming to the knowledge of the truth, sin willfully and trample the sacrifice of Christ find Jesus refusing to answer their knock. They weep and grind their teeth, realizing what they have forfeited, and a great gulf is fixed so that no one can change his fate. God does not want anyone to perish and desires all to repent, but toward those who refuse His mercy He is a God of justice and righteous judgment. Because man has the power of choice between life and death, the consequence of rejecting God's way is the second death, which is final. The wicked are raised to shame and everlasting contempt, then annihilated, serving as punishment and an eternal example. Afterward God creates a new heaven and earth where only righteousness dwells, and the righteous live and serve Him forever as glorified sons.

Eternal judgment is one of the seven fundamental doctrines of Christ listed in Hebrews 6:1-2, alongside going on to perfection, repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead. These seven are not all the doctrines of the church. They are the elementary principles, a basic understanding of God's truth early in the process of conversion. God begins with the most fundamental truths because every Christian starts as a spiritual infant, a babe in Christ. Just as parents begin a child's education with the ABCs, God teaches these truths first, and they become the foundation for the deeper theology of a mature Christian. A Christian must not remain at this level. He must grow toward maturity in all of Christ's doctrines, including this one, by actively practicing God's standard of righteousness. One who never advances beyond the milk of the Word stays immature and cannot discern good from evil. Doctrine is not mere belief. What a person believes in mind and feels in heart shows in what he does, so true worshippers must live by God's teaching in spirit and truth.