Chapter 7—The Second Coming and Judgment

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Chapter 7—The Second Coming and Judgment

1. Discuss Joel’s opening comment and how common it is in the world…even among some in the church to think like Joel and what makes them think this way. Why do we hear less about hell and judgment than we used to?

2. Think about funerals of friend and family—the chapter says people today often broaden the path to include their relatives. Is that true in your experience or not?

3. When we broaden the path to include our dead relatives who never claimed to believe, on what (theological) basis do we sometimes act like they were saved?

4. What is the difference between the Second Coming and the final judgment? Why do we tend to talk more about the Second Coming than the Final Judgment?

5. Jesus is acting as the final Judge, how does this differ from popular thinking of who does the judging?

6. Who gets judged—how broad is scope is the final judgment?

7. What are some of the ways Christians over time have explained the delay in God bring final judgment?

8. This book reminds Christians of the “joy in judgment” that we should think about—describe how this approach to judgment changes a fearsome cringing into a joyful anticipation of judgment for us

9. Have the group read the “What about us” ending to this chapter to themselves as a closing meditation, or have someone prepared to read it aloud for the group. Consider closing by having someone read the prayer at the end for the group, or praying their own prayer based on the response we have to this part of Christian beliefs.

I invite you to post your own ideas on this chapter by adding a comment to this post to help other leaders. -- Keith Drury