What’s the Meaning of “Judgment Begins in the House of God”?

Those who are familiar with the Bible know that there are many prophecies about the Lord’s returning to do the work of judgment in the last days. Then, have you noticed 1 Peter 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God”? Do you know the meaning of “judgment must begin at the house of God” in this verse? In fact, it is very important for us to understand this issue, which directly relates to whether we can be saved and enter into the kingdom of heaven. Next, we will tell you the true meaning of “judgment must begin at the house of God.”

The Meaning of “Judgment Must Begin at the House of God”

What’s the meaning of “judgment must begin at the house of God”? First of all, we should know that it is a prophecy, so it certainly prophesies the work that the Lord will return to do in the last days. If we carefully read this verse: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God,” it is not hard to see that when the Lord returns in the last days, He will do the work of judgment, and this work of judgment will begin at God’s house. Let’s take a look at other prophecies about the Lord’s coming to do the work of judgment, and then we will better understand the meaning of judgment starting from the house of God. The Lord Jesus predicted, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12–13). “And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:47–48). “For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son … And has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man” (John 5: 22, 27). 1 Peter 4:17 says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” From these scriptures, we can see that when God returns in the last days, He will express the truth and do the work of judgment beginning in the house of God. In addition, one scripture also says, “but has committed all judgment to the Son.” “Son” and “Son of man” mean someone born of man and possessing normal humanity. Like the Lord Jesus, though He may look ordinary on the outside, He has God’s Spirit and a divine essence within Him. Neither God’s Spirit nor His spiritual body could be called the Son of man. These verses prove that God will incarnate as the Son of man in the last days to express the truth and perform the work of judgment, and this judgment begins in the house of God. This means those who welcome the Lord and come before His throne will be judged first. This is the true meaning of “judgment must begin at the house of God.”

Why Does the Judgment of the Last Days Begin at the House of God?

After understanding the meaning of judgment beginning in the house of God, some people may feel confused: Isn’t God’s judgment in the last days only for the judgment of unbelievers? Why does it start from the house of God? Now, let’s think about it: The Lord Jesus said that when He comes back in the last days, He will do the work of harvesting and winnowing, and will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares, and the good servants from the evil. If God returned in the last days only to judge the unbelievers, how would these prophecies be fulfilled? Actually, in the last days, God does the work of judgment beginning in the house of God in order to sort people according to their kind. He will separate the sheep from the goats, and the wheat from the tares, that is, differentiate true believers from false believers, and the righteous from the wicked, and then He will reward good and punish evil. In the last days, God has become flesh as the Son of man, expressing the truth and doing the work of judgment beginning in the house of God. Because the incarnate God is the Son of man with normal humanity, and looks like a human being, thus this is more conducive to revealing people. Just like when the Lord Jesus became flesh and came to work, He revealed the hypocritical priests, scribes, and Pharisees. In the same way, when God becomes flesh in the last days to express the truth and do the work of judgment beginning in the house of God, it is also easy to reveal man’s satanic nature. Only in this way can God completely separate the sheep from the goats, and the wheat from the tares, and the good servants from evil servants. Thus, people will be separated according to their kind, and evil shall be put with evil, good with good. This is the wisdom of God’s work.

In addition, God becoming flesh to express the truth and do the work of judgment beginning in the house of God is to save and purify people and bring them into the kingdom of heaven. Because we human beings are deeply corrupted by Satan and full of satanic dispositions, thus even though we accept the redemption of the Lord Jesus and our sins are forgiven, our sinful nature still remains deeply rooted within us. So, we can continue to lie, to be vain, to detest the truth and uphold evil. We are still arrogant, treacherous, selfish and greedy; we are helplessly caught up in the corrupt satanic disposition and are totally unable to stay true to the Lord’s teachings. For example, we tell lies and act falsely to protect our own interests; when we disagree with each other, we become angry and argue; even though we work hard for the Lord, we do so in the hopes of being rewarded and entering into the kingdom of heaven. When we enjoy the Lord’s grace, we are happy and resolute in our faith in the Lord; but as soon as we are faced with disasters, we misunderstand, blame and even deny and betray the Lord. The list goes on. The Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant stays not in the house for ever: but the son stays ever” (John 8:34–35). Hebrews 10:26–27 says, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Then, can people as sinful as us get into the kingdom of heaven? In order to completely save mankind from sin, God expresses the truth in the last days and does the work of judging and purifying mankind, that is, the work of judgment beginning in the house of God. God does His work of judgment of the last days by beginning it at God’s house, and expressing the truth to purify and save people and to make a group of overcomers. He then brings the great disasters, rewards the good and punishes the wicked, and destroys this evil old age. Finally, He will appear openly to all people. When the great disasters rain down is when the work of judgment beginning in the house of God ends. At that time, all whose corrupt dispositions have been cleansed by the judgment of God’s words will survive the disasters with God’s protection, and God will lead them into His kingdom. However, those who denied and condemned God’s judgment work of the last days will be swept away by disasters, weeping and gnashing their teeth.

It can be seen that God’s work of judgment beginning in the house of God is to purify and save people, and at the same time, it’s to sort people according to their kind. This is why God’s work of judgment in the last days starts from the house of God.
The Work of Judgment Beginning in the House of God Has Begun

Now, the prophecy “judgment must begin at the house of God” has been fulfilled, and the Lord has returned to do the work of judgment beginning in the house of God. Over these years, The Church of Almighty God has publicly testified that the Lord Jesus has returned as the incarnate Almighty God. Almighty God has done the work of judgment beginning in the house of God, expressing all the truths to purify and save people. This fulfills the prophecy of the Lord doing the work of judgment in the last days.

Almighty God says, “The work of the last days is to separate all according to their kind, and to conclude the management plan of God, for the time is near and the day of God has come. God brings all who enter His kingdom—all who are loyal to Him to the very end—into the age of God Himself. Yet prior to the arrival of the age of God Himself, God’s work is not to observe the deeds of man, or to inquire into the life of man, but to judge man’s disobedience, for God shall purify all those who come before His throne. All who have followed the footsteps of God to this day are those who come before the throne of God, and this being so, every single person who accepts God’s work in its final phase is the object of God’s purification. In other words, everyone who accepts God’s work in its final phase is the object of God’s judgment.

“In the judgment beginning at the house of God spoken of in times past, the ‘judgment’ of these words refers to the judgment that God today passes on those who come before His throne in the last days.”

“Only through chastisement and judgment can the outcome of all creation be revealed. Man only shows his true colors when he is chastised and judged. Evil shall be put with evil, good with good, and all humanity shall be separated according to their kind. Through chastisement and judgment, the outcome of all creation will be revealed, so that the evil may be punished and the good rewarded, and all people become subject to the dominion of God. All this work must be achieved through righteous chastisement and judgment.”

The words of God clearly tell us that God’s primary work in the last days is to sort all things according to their own kinds. It is also the work of judging and chastising man by word, judging man’s sin and chastising man’s rebellion and unrighteousness, thoroughly transforming man and making man perfect. All those who accept and obey God’s work in the last days are the objects of God’s judgment and cleansing. Now the great disasters have befallen, and the work of judgment beginning in the house of God is already nearing its end. Those who accept Almighty God’s work of the last days and are raptured before God’s throne are experiencing the judgment and chastisement of His words, and their corrupt dispositions begin to be purified, and some of them have been made into overcomers. These people will have the chance to be raptured into the kingdom of heaven, inherit God’s promises and blessings, and gain the beautiful destination. Those who resist, condemn and refuse to accept Almighty God’s work in the last days are all exposed as tares and evil servants, and they will all be punished in the disasters.
Therefore, if we want to receive God’s promises and to be brought into a beautiful destination, we must accept and experience the judgment and purification of God’s words. The work of judgment beginning in the house of God in the last days is the final stage of God’s work to save man, and it is also the work of determining people’s outcomes. God has given us all the truths, and revealed to us His will. Whether we can be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven depends on our own choice.

Editor’s Note: God’s work of judgment beginning in the house of God relates to our destiny and destination. If you are not clear about God’s judgment work in the last days, please feel free to contact us using the online chat buttons at the bottom. We are online 24 hours a day ready to answer your questions.