The Investigative Judgment

The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary necessarily is a work of judgment, just as was the cleansing of the earthly. When this work is completed, probation will close and Christ’s priestly ministry on behalf of sinners will cease.DOF 298.2

There are two phases to any work of judgment. One is the trying of the case, the searching of the records, the hearing of the witnesses, and the pronouncing of the sentence. The other is the work of executing that sentence after the case has been fully tried and the decision rendered. The first is the investigative judgment; the other, the executive judgment.DOF 299.1

When God’s judgment begins, it begins with those who have at some time in life accepted the plan of salvation, and have been numbered with the household of God. Their names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life, and the judgment determines whether their names should be eternally retained there, or whether they should be blotted out from the book of life. Thus Peter declares: “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17.DOF 299.2

This phase of the judgment work-the investigation of the records of the righteous-is carried on while people still live on the earth, and while the call to repentance is still being sounded throughout the nations. Thus we read:DOF 299.3

“I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7.DOF 299.4

Here is a solemn announcement that is to be carried to all nations and kindreds and tongues, and the burden of the message is, “The hour of His judgment is come.” It is a warning direct from heaven that the judgment has begun, and that men should hasten to worship God and give glory to Him. Since it would begin first with those who lived in Adam’s time, and who are now dead, there would yet be time for those still living upon the earth to make their peace with God, and hence the final appeal from heaven for men to prepare for that great and solemn hour when their own names would be called in review before God. This message, announcing that “the hour of God’s judgment is come,” was due to go to the nations in A.D. 1844, for that is the time pointed out by the prophecy as the starting point of the judgment, and it was in the year 1844 that the pioneers of the people who are now called Seventh-day Adventists discovered this mighty truth and began to herald it to the world. They believe, therefore, that they are literally fulfilling this prophecy of Revelation 14:6, 7, and that they have as solemn a commission from God as did Jonah when he was sent to warn Nineveh of its impending destruction.DOF 299.5

The opening of the judgment in the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 is graphically described by the prophet Daniel. Said he: “I beheld till thrones were placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit: His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, 10, A.R.V.DOF 300.1

Thus we see that the judging is done from books of record, in which is recorded “every secret thing,” even to every idle word that men shall speak.”DOF 300.2

So, then, there is a time of judgment. It corresponds to the Day of Atonement in the earthly sanctuary service. And in that day of judgment the record books in heaven are opened and searched. After this investigation sins are blotted out as Jesus pleads His spilled blood in behalf of sinners who trusted in Him for salvation, and who remained faithful to the end. In the cases of those who have proved unfaithful, the record of the sin remains against them.DOF 300.3

During the judgment the names of those who were once Christians but who have given up their faith in Christ, are blotted out of the book of life. But the promise abides: “He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5.DOF 301.1

It is clearly stated in the Scripture that this blotting out of sins is to take place just before the return of Jesus. Thus Peter declares:DOF 301.2

“Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God bath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21.DOF 301.3

It is to be at the time of refreshing, which is the outpouring of the latter rain upon the remnant church. (See Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28-32.) It will be just before Jesus comes. It will be just before the “restitution of all things.” Therefore it will be in the very last days of the world’s history, and this blotting out of sins is the result of the investigative judgment, and constitutes a work of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, where the record of all the sins of God’s people has been kept.DOF 301.4

The mere fact that one at some time in life has become a Christian and has united with the church, is no guarantee of his final salvation. Said Jesus, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13. And again we read: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10.DOF 302.1

The doctrine of “once in grace, always in grace,” will not do. There are thousands who start well, but who “cast away” their “confidence” (Hebrews 10:3), and who in the final judgment will be weighed and found wanting. This is clearly set forth in Ezekiel’s prophecy, as follows:DOF 302.2

“When the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin.” Ezekiel 18:24.DOF 302.3

The idea of a final judgment of the righteous is also conveyed by other passages of Scripture. In the parable of the wicked servant, narrated in Matthew 18:23-35, the thought is conveyed that even though one is forgiven and accepted of God, if he goes out from the merciful presence of his Lord, and treats his fellow servant unmercifully and cruelly, he will at last find himself condemned without mercy.DOF 302.4

In the parable a servant who had just been forgiven a great debt by his lord, beat his fellow servant who owed him a small sum, and even cast him into prison. When his lord learned of this, he judged him worthy of the severest punishment, even though he had previously been forgiven all his debt; and “so likewise,” said Jesus, “shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”DOF 303.1

When the work of the investigative judgment is completed, and Christ is about to return, to reward every man according as his work shall be, then the divine fiat will go forth from the throne, fixing the destiny of every soul: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11.DOF 303.2

At that solemn moment human probation will be closed forever. The righteous will be sealed for eternal life, and the “unjust” and “filthy” must remain so until they receive their just reward of eternal death.DOF 303.3