The Four Last Things

 This is one of my favorite topics to write about, talk about, or even ponder on, because it is often misunderstood since people do not think about death. And yet, death is one of the most important parts of a Christians' life, its the door, so to speak, to heaven ... or hell. The our last things are what everyone will experience three of the four things, no matter what. So why isn't it "The Three Last Things" instead of "The Four Last Things"? Well, it is because unfortunately not everyone goes to Heaven, and thankfully not everyone goes to Hell. That is not to say that the two results are unjust, there is certainly justice for those that go to Heaven, and justice in those that go to Hell, it is just unfortunate that more people do not choose Heaven over Hell. It is my hopes that if you read my blog you choose Heaven over Hell, and that my blog helps you to do so. 

The Four Last Things

1. Death.
2. Judgement.
1. Particular.
2. General.
3. Heaven.
1. Purgatory.
4. Hell.

Even though you see seven things, it is still the four last things, they just have sub categories for better explanation. 

"Death"

This is the most necessary thing for the four last things prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Why is it necessary? Well we all die sometime, and it is important to remember that. Memento Mori, a common phrase meaning "remember your death", this is something that we meditate on to look at our lives and how we have lived it. To look at our state of life, spiritually, and to remember the only fix for our fallen nature is God, and His sacraments. This is the time to "get right with Jesus", to recognize that we are in need of Him, and to ask of His forgiveness and receive Him in the sacraments. 

"Judgement"

When we die, and at the second coming we are judged. We can in scripture described by Jesus Christ in Matthew and Revelation. Judgement has also been discussed in the Old Testament books such as: Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, and 2 Maccabees. In the New Testament, aside from Matthew and Revelation, judgement was described in Luke and Hebrews. But what are the Particular and General judgments? Why two judgements? Well there is nothing to worry about as Double Jeopardy exists in the show and law systems here on earth. You are judged when you die, if this happens prior to the Second Coming, and everyone's judgement is also made known at the general judgement of the Second Coming. "It is appointed unto men to die once, but after this comes the Judgement" (Hebrews 9:27) . As it shows in Revelation, those who do the work of the Lord are known by Him in His kingdom, but those who claim to be Christian but do not follow the Commandments of the Lord will be condemned. Christ wants souls on fire for the sake of Him, not lukewarm souls who are lukewarm in their faith.

    "Particular Judgement" 

    As I said above the Particular Judgement happens at your death. This is when you make an account of all of your life to Jesus Christ our Judge. The reward of our judgement is either Heaven, Purgatory then Heaven, or Hell. 

    "General Judgement"

    General Judgement occurs at the Second Coming of Christ, as depicted in the Book of Revelation. At the General Judgement, the judgement of everyone is known as a means of meeting out justice for the persecuted and for the wicked. The persecuted will be known as such to their persecutors, and the persecutors will receive the just reward for their deeds. Those persecuted in this life for Christ will be rewarded in the next, the persecutors, who persecuted people for their faith in Christ, will like wise be rewarded for their actions; their reward will end up being eternity in Hell.

"Heaven:"

This is what we call the Beatific Vision, the Kingdom of God, the Eternal Reward, etc. This is the place to be, the bee's knees as it were. You make it here by believing in God, as revealed through Christ, obeying His commandments to include being baptized and being in His Church and receiving Him in the Sacraments. We must be purified of sin, and sinful inclinations/attachments. This purification is done through the forgiveness of Christ through the Sacraments of Baptism in Christ, Confession, and so on. For those who die in a state of Sanctifying Grace, such as those who go to Confession, and have a heart attack afterwards and die, they go to Heaven. Those who die in a state of grace, but have venial sin on their souls, they go to Purgatory for purification, as nothing unclean can enter the presence of God.

    

    "Purgatory"

        

    To be clear, Purgatory is not a second chance at salvation, you are either saved, or you're not. Purgatory is alluded to in Sacred Scripture several times. Just like the term "Trinity" or "Incarnation", "Purgatory" is not mentioned by name. Here is a list of Scripture references, and I will explain a few below: (2 Maccabees 12:46), (1 Corinthians 3:15), (2 Timothy 1:16-18), (1 Peter 3:18-20), (1 John 5:16-17), (Revelations 21:27), (Lev. 26:41), (Mic 7:8-9), (Zech 9:11), (Mal 3:2-4), (2 Sam 2:14), (2 Macc 12:38-46), (Is 4:4; 6:5-7; 33:11-14), (Matt 5:48; 12:36; 18:34) (Luke 12:58; 16:19-31), (1 Cor. 3:10), (2 Cor 5:10; 7:1), (Eph 4:8-10), (Phil 2:10-11), (Heb 12:14, 29), (James 3:2), (1 Peter 3:19; 4:6), (Rev 5:3, 13)

    Purgatory is the place that you go to when you die, in a state of grace, not doomed to damnation in Hell, but are saved. Yet, you still have an attachment to sin. Think of it as an addiction. When you are alive, you became addicted to something, decided to turn your life around and got clean, but you still had that nagging sensation to use again. You died while clean, and still struggled with that addiction, but in purgatory you are cleansed of this attachment. Purgatory is the car wash for your soul, but with cleansing fire instead of water and soap bubbles.

Why fire? that sure seems painful. Absolutely, having something that you once held dear to you, even if you despised it you held onto it, is painful. But it is a good pain, a pain of losing something harmful to you, not the pain of losing something good for you. It is the pain of giving up an addiction with the help of love and care from friends and family, it is not the pain of losing a loved one. But why the imagery of fire? Well, two reasons. In Isaiah, before he became a Prophet of the Lord, his mouth (tongue and lips) were purified with a burning coal carried by an angel. He was purified through fire. Another reason is when we look to the Angelic Choirs. The highest of the Angels, the Seraphim, are those that are closest to God. Their name means "burning one", they are so close to the purest of the pure, that is the nature of God that his Love burns away the impure. As we progress through purgatory, we grow closer to God. His pure nature burns away our impure nature. His love burns away our imperfections, we grow in love and purity as we approach Him through purgatory.

"Hell"

As in the place, and not the word "h-e-🏒🏒 (hockey-sticks)". To be fair the word is used to bring to mind the place, and by extent the pains and torment of hell. Christ Himself, in fifteen separate occasions referred to hell as the abode of the wicked. It is the place where the wicked go. Now most people, when asked to think of a wicked person will say "Hitler or Nero", but in truth any person who has an unrepented and unforgiven mortal sin is deemed to be wicked. Remember: a mortal sin is a deliberate violation of God's law with full knowledge of its wrongness and full consent of the will. A wicked person is then not sorrowful, is guilty of said sin, and doesn't want to be forgiven. This kind of sin is also called "final impenitence", a sin that can never be forgiven, a form of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. 

Hell is a place of eternal torment and pain, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the place to avoid. Remember: God may send you to Hell, but only because you chose Hell over Heaven in this life.