Catechism Question 31
What happens to those who are not united to Christ by faith?
They remain under God’s righteous judgment, and after death are cast into hell, where they will be justly punished forever.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
In this question, we show the sad condition of those who do not receive the great benefits of Christ’s redeeming work. These people remain under God’s righteous judgment in this life, even though they may still experience the blessings of God’s common grace. Worst of all, however, after death, those not united to Christ by faith will experience God’s just punishment in hell, forever paying the penalty for their sin.
Additional Questions:
What happens to those who do not believe in Christ?
What happens to unbelievers?
What happens to those who are not Christians?
Scripture References:
John 3:16–18, 36
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son…. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.
2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
2 Thessalonians 1:8–10
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
Hebrews 10:28-29
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Matthew 25:46
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
Questions for Further Discussion:
What does it mean that those who do not believe in Christ remain under the righteous judgment of God in this life?
If unbelievers are still under God’s judgment, why do they experience so many blessings in this life?
Why does God require such a terrible punishment as hell for the sins of those who do not receive Christ?
Additional Information:
This question is based on question 28 of the New City Catechism.
For additional information, see the teachings “Justification By Faith Alone” (February 6, 2005); “The Blessings of Faith” (February 20, 2005); “Our Redemption In Christ (God’s Saving Grace)” (May 20, 2007).
O God Our Lord (by Keith Green, 1982)
Who You gonna throw in the lake of fire
O God, our Lord?
Who You gonna throw when the flames get higher
O God, our Lord?
The Devil and the man with the dark desire
O God, our Lord
The Devil and the man with the dark desire
O God, our Lord
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
Who You gonna throw in the lake of fire
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
Will my name be there when the books are opened
O God, our Lord?
Will my name be there when the books are opened
O God, our Lord?
You better know now, don’t just be hoping
O God, our Lord
You better know now, don’t just be hoping
O God, our Lord
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
Will my name be there when the books are opened
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
Who’s outside of the holy city
O God, our Lord
Tell me, who’s left out of the holy city
O God, our Lord
The liar and the thief and the ones half ready
O God, our Lord
The liar and the thief and the ones half ready
O God, our Lord
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
Tell me who’s left out of the Holy City
O God, our Lord, O God, our Lord
My, my, my Lord
I’m crying out to You Master, oh Lord
Don’t You know I need You, oh Lord?
Have mercy on a poor sinner like me, oh Jesus
Don’t You know I need You, oh Lord?