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back to Questions Readers Asked

What of Jesus after Judgement?

A reader wonders if Jesus will cease to be God and/or cease to have the authority spoken of in Matthew 28:18 when his ministry relative to the human race comes to a conclusion at the judgement.

I wouldn't understand the situation in that way. Humans don't "possess" humanity—it's what they are. God doesn't "possess" godhood as if it were something extrinsic to him—it's what he is. And as such he cannot cease to be deity (God). Jesus Christ is true God being a man and as long as the man Jesus Christ exists he will be the man God is being. If God were to cease being the man Jesus he would still be God though the man Jesus would no longer exist. I have no reason to believe that God will ever cease being the man Jesus Christ.The authority he exercises (Matthew 28:18 and 1 Corinthians 15:24-28) is a derived authority but it doesn't affect the truth that Jesus is God being a man. Jesus Christ is contrasted to Adam, who with Eve, when he was given dominion over all things, asserted his independence of God in sinful rebellion. This "last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45) neither thinks nor behaves in such a way (15:24-28).

I have no reason to believe that the eternal purposes of God end with the judgement. Life with God continues on into eternity with Jesus as the last Adam and we as the new humanity in him—immortal and fully human.