50. The Final Judgment and the Renewal of the World
As we saw earlier, prophecies and symbols describe the second coming of Christ “in power and majesty.” We can then portend that that power and majesty is related to the last judgment and the definitive establishment of the Kingdom of God. The latter is in turn linked to the total renewal of the world. We will discuss both in this last chapter.
37. The Final Judgment
Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium clearly and constantly attest to the truth of the final judgment. St. Augustine affirms that “no one denies or doubts that there will be a final judgment by Christ, as the Sacred Books proclaim.”1
It is a dogma of faith that Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, that is, all people of all times. Christ himself solemnly announced this when he talked about his second coming. He repeated the announcement on the day of the Ascension, and his apostles and disciples understood it in that way (cf. Mt 16:27; 26:31–46; Acts 1:11; 10:42; Rom 14:10).
In the Old Testament, the universal judgment forms the backdrop of the prophecies against the infidelity of Israel, against the peoples of the earth, and against the whole world. The New Testament is much more explicit, revealing that, at a certain moment, at the end of time, the whole human race will appear before Christ, who will come with great power and majesty to judge all people according to their works (cf. Jer 46; 51; Is 13; 27; Rom 2:2–10; Mt 24:30–31; 25:31, 32, 46; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Pt 4:4–5; Rv 20:13).
The Fathers and Doctors of the Church speak in many ways about the final judgment. They describe in great detail the way in which it will take place and its different aspects. This shows that the issue was quite clear in Sacred Tradition.
The Magisterium of the Church has defined as dogma the existence of the final judgment. This teaching is already found in the earliest symbols: the Apostles’ Creed, the Quicumque Symbol, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and the Profession of Faith of the Fourth Lateran Council. It has also been upheld by the Second Council of Lyons, the Council of Florence, the Council of Trent, and the bull Benedictus Deus of Benedict XII.2
Paul VI’s Creed of the People of God professes it as follows: “He ascended to heaven whence he will come again to judge the living and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have responded to the love and compassion of God will go to eternal life. Those who have refused them to the end will be consigned to the fire that is never extinguished.” And it concludes saying, “And of his kingdom there will be no end.”3
The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares that the final judgment will reveal the last consequences of our actions and omissions. The truth of the relations of each person with God will be shown when we appear before Christ, who is the Truth.4
Sacred Scripture alludes to divine wrath in connection with the last judgment. Nevertheless, its main theme will be the triumph of Christ and the establishment of the definitive world, or total renewal of the world. Hence, the preaching of the last judgment is seen against the backdrop of the love of God inviting us to penance.
Sacred Scripture does not give many details about the final judgment. We know only that:
· Christ will come in all glory, surrounded by angels;
· he will summon all peoples and all men;
· he will requite each one for his deeds, according to the measure of his love;
· he will establish his definitive Kingdom, and hand it over to the Father; and
· he will be assisted by the apostles in this judgment (cf. Mt 25:35–46; 1 Cor 15:23–28; Lk 22:30).
The main difficulty lays in the existence of two judgments. If every man undergoes a particular judgment, it seems that there is no need for a universal judgment. St. Thomas faced the problem and found a solution: “Why a Universal Judgment? Are not all men rewarded right after death? It has to be pointed out that the reward granted to men in the just judgment of God is twofold. In the first place, the reward of the soul; later, the reward of the body. The reward of the soul is given out right after death; but in the Final Judgment they will also receive the glory of the body.”5
The final judgment will take place “when on the same day and in the same place all men shall stand together before the tribunal of their Judge, that in the presence and hearing of all human beings of all times each may know his final doom and sentence. The announcement of this judgment will constitute no small part of the pain and punishment of the wicked; whereas the good and just will derive great reward and consolation from the fact that it will then appear what each one was in life.”6
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the final judgment will happen when Christ returns in glory. Only God the Father knows the day and the hour. He will pronounce through his Son, Jesus Christ, the last judgment over history. We will know the ultimate meaning of the entire work of creation, and of the economy of salvation. We will understand the admirable way through which God’s providence has led all things to their ultimate end. The final judgment will show that God’s justice prevails over all the injustices that are perpetrated by his creatures, and that God’s love is stronger that death (cf. Song 8:6).7
The arguments that are offered by theologians can be summed up as follows:
· The glory of Christ and his universal sovereignty
· The open manifestation of providence in individual lives and in the whole of history
· The public ratification of the irrevocable sentence of the particular judgment
· The resurrection of the bodies, which will mean more accidental glory for the blessed and more punishment for the damned
The universal judgment is the definitive triumph of good over evil. Once the devil, sin, and death are defeated and all people are judged, all things will return to God for his eternal glory.
38. The Total Renewal of the World
At the end of time, the world and everything in it will not return to nothingness. They will instead be renewed or changed for the better. This is a truth of faith. In 1459, Pius II condemned a series of propositions by Zaninus de Solcia. One of these stated that the world would be annihilated.8
The Catechism teaches that the unity of human kind will be accomplished, and that mankind will be no longer wounded by sin. Because of the profound community of destiny between the material world and man, the material universe will also be transformed “so that the world itself, restored to its primitive state, will be at the service of the just without any obstacle,”9 and will participate in the glorification of the risen Christ.10
Isaiah speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. In the New Testament, Christ asserted that heaven and earth will pass away, but then be regenerated or transformed. St. Peter, speaking in the name of Christ, preached the same doctrine (cf. Is 65:17; 66:22; Mt 5:18; Mt 19:28; 24:35; Acts 3:21; 2 Pt 3:3–13).
St. Paul adds that this new creation—human and cosmic—goes through stages. It was inaugurated with the resurrection of Christ. Christ is the “first fruits” and after him will come “those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father.… The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:23–24, 26). He also describes the creatures that expect to be freed by the manifestation of the liberty of the glory of the children of God. The Book of Revelation is especially eloquent: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.… And he who sat upon the throne said: ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Also he said: ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.… He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son’” (Rv 21:1–2, 5, 7; cf. Rom 8:19–22).
Theology explains this truth on the basis of the dignity of the creator, which requires creation not to be annihilated, but rather transformed at the end of history.
There is also an anthropological reason. Man is the king of creation, and the destiny of creation is, in some way, bound up with his. Cosmos and history are the stage of man’s actions, for good or for evil.
Finally, man is the head of the universe, the Church is the head of mankind, and Christ is the head of the Church. For St. Thomas, the Pauline recapitulation of all things in Christ means the “re-establishment of everything in Christ—that is, by Christ—in heaven and on earth, since peace is made between heaven and earth; this restoration is to be understood as regards sufficiency, although not all will be restored according to efficacy” (cf. Eph 1:9–10; Col 1:18–19).11
The manner of this renewal is usually summarized as follows. In the first place, there will be a universal conflagration, a break between this world and the world of the future. The new world will not be just a continuation of the present one. Besides, the world will be somehow purified from the remains of the sins that were committed by humans in this present world. To explain this point, the present world is usually compared to a temple that has to be consecrated anew after a profanation. The world—the temple that is inhabited by man—has been defiled by sin. It needs a new consecration for Christ to reign in it after his second coming. This renewal should not be understood as an essential change, but simply as a change of situation, state, or quality.
The purpose of this renewal is hinted when we say that the new world is destined to be the dwelling place of the glorified bodies. It thus has an anthropological purpose. But its main purpose is Christological. Christ will restore all things in himself, those of the heavens and those of the earth, thus freeing them from the slavery of sin (cf. Rom 8:19–22). This restoration implies a renewal, giving rise to a world that is united in harmony, over which the victorious Christ will reign. Creation will thereby share in the glory of its head, Christ.
Thus, the goodness of God will shine forth in the new world. The divine wisdom will be manifested and God will be “everything to every one” (1 Cor 15:28).
39. Epilogue
The subjects that were studied in this work are an integral part of the whole unity of theology. However, they are especially related to the specific treatises on creation, salvation, and the Church. Specifically, the conclusions of the treatises on grace and salvation are a necessary premise for the study of the Last Things.
The Last Things, especially those of man discussed in the first part, are taking place now, although they will reach their consummation only at the end of time. This gives a new and special relevance to the study of eschatology: There is a constant “communion” between the pilgrim Church in this world, the suffering Church in purgatory, and the triumphant Church in heaven. This communion will reach its consummation in the definitive Kingdom of God toward which history is headed.12
Footnotes:
1. St. Augustine, De Civ. Dei, 20.30.
2. Cf. DS 11; 30; 41; 76; 150; 801; 852; 1338; 1862; 1002.
3. Paul VI, Creed of the People of God, 12.
4. Cf. CCC, 678–679, 682, 1038–1041.
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Expos. in Ev. Mt., 25.
6. Catechism of the Council of Trent, 1.7.3.
7. Cf. CCC, 1040.
8. Cf. DS 1361.
9. St. Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., 5.32.1.
10. Cf. CCC, 1042–1050.
11. Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Super Epist. ad Eph., 1.3.
12. Cf. LG, 48–50.
37. The Final Judgment
Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium clearly and constantly attest to the truth of the final judgment. St. Augustine affirms that “no one denies or doubts that there will be a final judgment by Christ, as the Sacred Books proclaim.”1
It is a dogma of faith that Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, that is, all people of all times. Christ himself solemnly announced this when he talked about his second coming. He repeated the announcement on the day of the Ascension, and his apostles and disciples understood it in that way (cf. Mt 16:27; 26:31–46; Acts 1:11; 10:42; Rom 14:10).
In the Old Testament, the universal judgment forms the backdrop of the prophecies against the infidelity of Israel, against the peoples of the earth, and against the whole world. The New Testament is much more explicit, revealing that, at a certain moment, at the end of time, the whole human race will appear before Christ, who will come with great power and majesty to judge all people according to their works (cf. Jer 46; 51; Is 13; 27; Rom 2:2–10; Mt 24:30–31; 25:31, 32, 46; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Pt 4:4–5; Rv 20:13).
The Fathers and Doctors of the Church speak in many ways about the final judgment. They describe in great detail the way in which it will take place and its different aspects. This shows that the issue was quite clear in Sacred Tradition.
The Magisterium of the Church has defined as dogma the existence of the final judgment. This teaching is already found in the earliest symbols: the Apostles’ Creed, the Quicumque Symbol, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and the Profession of Faith of the Fourth Lateran Council. It has also been upheld by the Second Council of Lyons, the Council of Florence, the Council of Trent, and the bull Benedictus Deus of Benedict XII.2
Paul VI’s Creed of the People of God professes it as follows: “He ascended to heaven whence he will come again to judge the living and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have responded to the love and compassion of God will go to eternal life. Those who have refused them to the end will be consigned to the fire that is never extinguished.” And it concludes saying, “And of his kingdom there will be no end.”3
The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares that the final judgment will reveal the last consequences of our actions and omissions. The truth of the relations of each person with God will be shown when we appear before Christ, who is the Truth.4
Sacred Scripture alludes to divine wrath in connection with the last judgment. Nevertheless, its main theme will be the triumph of Christ and the establishment of the definitive world, or total renewal of the world. Hence, the preaching of the last judgment is seen against the backdrop of the love of God inviting us to penance.
Sacred Scripture does not give many details about the final judgment. We know only that:
· Christ will come in all glory, surrounded by angels;
· he will summon all peoples and all men;
· he will requite each one for his deeds, according to the measure of his love;
· he will establish his definitive Kingdom, and hand it over to the Father; and
· he will be assisted by the apostles in this judgment (cf. Mt 25:35–46; 1 Cor 15:23–28; Lk 22:30).
The main difficulty lays in the existence of two judgments. If every man undergoes a particular judgment, it seems that there is no need for a universal judgment. St. Thomas faced the problem and found a solution: “Why a Universal Judgment? Are not all men rewarded right after death? It has to be pointed out that the reward granted to men in the just judgment of God is twofold. In the first place, the reward of the soul; later, the reward of the body. The reward of the soul is given out right after death; but in the Final Judgment they will also receive the glory of the body.”5
The final judgment will take place “when on the same day and in the same place all men shall stand together before the tribunal of their Judge, that in the presence and hearing of all human beings of all times each may know his final doom and sentence. The announcement of this judgment will constitute no small part of the pain and punishment of the wicked; whereas the good and just will derive great reward and consolation from the fact that it will then appear what each one was in life.”6
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the final judgment will happen when Christ returns in glory. Only God the Father knows the day and the hour. He will pronounce through his Son, Jesus Christ, the last judgment over history. We will know the ultimate meaning of the entire work of creation, and of the economy of salvation. We will understand the admirable way through which God’s providence has led all things to their ultimate end. The final judgment will show that God’s justice prevails over all the injustices that are perpetrated by his creatures, and that God’s love is stronger that death (cf. Song 8:6).7
The arguments that are offered by theologians can be summed up as follows:
· The glory of Christ and his universal sovereignty
· The open manifestation of providence in individual lives and in the whole of history
· The public ratification of the irrevocable sentence of the particular judgment
· The resurrection of the bodies, which will mean more accidental glory for the blessed and more punishment for the damned
The universal judgment is the definitive triumph of good over evil. Once the devil, sin, and death are defeated and all people are judged, all things will return to God for his eternal glory.
38. The Total Renewal of the World
At the end of time, the world and everything in it will not return to nothingness. They will instead be renewed or changed for the better. This is a truth of faith. In 1459, Pius II condemned a series of propositions by Zaninus de Solcia. One of these stated that the world would be annihilated.8
The Catechism teaches that the unity of human kind will be accomplished, and that mankind will be no longer wounded by sin. Because of the profound community of destiny between the material world and man, the material universe will also be transformed “so that the world itself, restored to its primitive state, will be at the service of the just without any obstacle,”9 and will participate in the glorification of the risen Christ.10
Isaiah speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. In the New Testament, Christ asserted that heaven and earth will pass away, but then be regenerated or transformed. St. Peter, speaking in the name of Christ, preached the same doctrine (cf. Is 65:17; 66:22; Mt 5:18; Mt 19:28; 24:35; Acts 3:21; 2 Pt 3:3–13).
St. Paul adds that this new creation—human and cosmic—goes through stages. It was inaugurated with the resurrection of Christ. Christ is the “first fruits” and after him will come “those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father.… The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:23–24, 26). He also describes the creatures that expect to be freed by the manifestation of the liberty of the glory of the children of God. The Book of Revelation is especially eloquent: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.… And he who sat upon the throne said: ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Also he said: ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.… He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son’” (Rv 21:1–2, 5, 7; cf. Rom 8:19–22).
Theology explains this truth on the basis of the dignity of the creator, which requires creation not to be annihilated, but rather transformed at the end of history.
There is also an anthropological reason. Man is the king of creation, and the destiny of creation is, in some way, bound up with his. Cosmos and history are the stage of man’s actions, for good or for evil.
Finally, man is the head of the universe, the Church is the head of mankind, and Christ is the head of the Church. For St. Thomas, the Pauline recapitulation of all things in Christ means the “re-establishment of everything in Christ—that is, by Christ—in heaven and on earth, since peace is made between heaven and earth; this restoration is to be understood as regards sufficiency, although not all will be restored according to efficacy” (cf. Eph 1:9–10; Col 1:18–19).11
The manner of this renewal is usually summarized as follows. In the first place, there will be a universal conflagration, a break between this world and the world of the future. The new world will not be just a continuation of the present one. Besides, the world will be somehow purified from the remains of the sins that were committed by humans in this present world. To explain this point, the present world is usually compared to a temple that has to be consecrated anew after a profanation. The world—the temple that is inhabited by man—has been defiled by sin. It needs a new consecration for Christ to reign in it after his second coming. This renewal should not be understood as an essential change, but simply as a change of situation, state, or quality.
The purpose of this renewal is hinted when we say that the new world is destined to be the dwelling place of the glorified bodies. It thus has an anthropological purpose. But its main purpose is Christological. Christ will restore all things in himself, those of the heavens and those of the earth, thus freeing them from the slavery of sin (cf. Rom 8:19–22). This restoration implies a renewal, giving rise to a world that is united in harmony, over which the victorious Christ will reign. Creation will thereby share in the glory of its head, Christ.
Thus, the goodness of God will shine forth in the new world. The divine wisdom will be manifested and God will be “everything to every one” (1 Cor 15:28).
39. Epilogue
The subjects that were studied in this work are an integral part of the whole unity of theology. However, they are especially related to the specific treatises on creation, salvation, and the Church. Specifically, the conclusions of the treatises on grace and salvation are a necessary premise for the study of the Last Things.
The Last Things, especially those of man discussed in the first part, are taking place now, although they will reach their consummation only at the end of time. This gives a new and special relevance to the study of eschatology: There is a constant “communion” between the pilgrim Church in this world, the suffering Church in purgatory, and the triumphant Church in heaven. This communion will reach its consummation in the definitive Kingdom of God toward which history is headed.12
Footnotes:
1. St. Augustine, De Civ. Dei, 20.30.
2. Cf. DS 11; 30; 41; 76; 150; 801; 852; 1338; 1862; 1002.
3. Paul VI, Creed of the People of God, 12.
4. Cf. CCC, 678–679, 682, 1038–1041.
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Expos. in Ev. Mt., 25.
6. Catechism of the Council of Trent, 1.7.3.
7. Cf. CCC, 1040.
8. Cf. DS 1361.
9. St. Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., 5.32.1.
10. Cf. CCC, 1042–1050.
11. Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Super Epist. ad Eph., 1.3.
12. Cf. LG, 48–50.