Investigative Judgment
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rejected.16 When every person confessing faith in God has come up in review, Jesus then pleads his blood before the Father on behalf of those who are found worthy, and blots out the record of their sins from the books of heaven.17,18 Then, not knowing if, or when, the work of investigative judgment has been completed, the righteous, still in their human state, before the second coming of Christ, will have to live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.19 This, then, completes the atonement.20 Jesus then takes the sins of God’s people and transfers them to Satan, who is represented by the Day of Atonement scapegoat in Leviticus 16.21 Satan then bears the ultimate responsibility for all the sins he has caused the righteous to commit. He will suffer for these sins in the lake of fire and then be blotted from existence.22 The investigative judgment is conducted before all the intelligences of the universe. This, then, vindicates the character of God before all the unfallen beings.23,24 Then everyone will know the immutability of the law of God and the righteous character of God. 25

Footnotes
16
“Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance.” Ibid., p. 483.
17
“At the time appointed for the judgment—the close of the 2300 days, in 1844—began the work of investigation and blotting out of sins. All who have ever taken upon themselves the name of Christ must pass its searching
scrutiny. Both the living and the dead are to be judged ‘out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.’” Ibid., p. 486. See also Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 266.
18
“Each one of you needs to awake and face square about to get out of the cart rut of selfishness. Improve the short, probationary time given you by working with your might to redeem the failures of your past life. God has placed you in a world of suffering to prove you, to see if you will be found worthy of the gift of eternal life.” Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 530.
19
“When he [Christ] leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.” Ellen. G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p.
432. See also Early Writings, p. 280; Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 198; The Great Controversy, pp. 614, 647.
20
“Thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic word saw that, instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform
the closing work of atonement preparatory to His coming.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 422.
21
“When Christ, by virtue of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final
penalty.” Ibid., p. 422. See also Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 266.
22
“The scape-goat was sent away into a land not inhabited, never to come again into the congregation of Israel. So will Satan be forever banished from the presence of God and his people, and he will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners.” Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 267.
23
“With sobering timeliness we study the subject of God’s investigative judgment on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary (sesquicentennial) of its commencement in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary on October
22, 1844. Through this judgment work God has committed Himself to explain completely to the universe of unfallen beings His work of redemption, and His perfectly fair and loving way of dealing with sin and sinners. The judgment
settles all accusations, doubts, and concerns about the justice and goodness of God.” Commentary, Adult Sabbath School Lessons, Three Angel’s Messages, First quarter, 2008, p. 47.
24
Adventists, like the Mormons, believe that there are other populated worlds. According to the CD of her writings, Ellen White uses “unfallen worlds” over 100 times. This belief is an important factor in understanding the
investigative judgment and Adventist eschatology.
25
“The final judgment is a most solemn event, which must take place before the assembled universe. When God honors His commandment-keeping people, not one of the enemies of truth and righteousness will be absent. And when transgressors receive their condemnation, all the righteous will see the result of sin. God will be honored, and
His government vindicated; and that in the presence of the inhabitants of the universe.” Ellen G. White, Review and
Herald, 1901-06-18.