The Long Period of Judgment in Hebrews 6:2

As an introduction, let’s quote John 3:16-17 and take a more detailed look at what it is informing us: ¹⁶ 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. 

            If we in this church age are the first fruits (James 1:18; Romans 8:23 and Luke 1:33), then that implies that a much larger harvest will come after the church age. This will be during the judgment age when these resurrected unbelievers will be shone the truth and given an opportunity to repent and change their carnal minds to spiritual minds believing in Christ who had died and atoned for them too (First John 2:2; First Timothy 2:6). They will then become a part of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth which is the salvation of which man should be seeking through Christ. This is how Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Christ will not reign forever since Luke 1:33 says he will reign over the house of Jacob into the ages [εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας], which refers to the church age and the age at the beginning of the kingdom established at the Second Coming. And his kingdom will have no end since he will give the kingdom to the Father. Eventually, all humans will be in the kingdom and will be immortal and therefore the kingdom will last forever as is also stated in Luke 1:33, but many who are unbelievers now will have to face Christ and through the judgment age become converted believers in Christ.

Hebrews 6:2 mentions a judgment age or long period of judgment [κρίματος αἰωνίου], not an eternal judgment [κρίματος ἀϊdίοις]. It will run parallel with Christ’s reign in the kingdom that he will have established at his Coming. But this reign will end at some point in time. The scriptures say he must reign until he has put down all dominon, authority and power (First Corinthians 15:22-27). Until does not mean forever. It also says that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Physical death was destroyed at the resurrection when all were given spiritual immortal bodies of flesh and bone. So it must be referring to the destruction of spiritual death through conversion during this judgment age. When all of this has been accomplished, he will turn the kingdom over to the Father and God will be all in all (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

Christ has objectively (factually) saved even those presently who are unbelievers (First Timothy 2:6). These in this judgment period will have to become believers subjectively (personally) before being allowed into the kingdom of heaven on earth that Christ will establish when he returns. Apparently, this repentance and coming to be believers in Christ will have to be accomplished during this long period of judgment mentioned in Hebrews 6:2 while Christ will be reigning for an age or long period of time in the kingdom. His reign nor his judgment on these formerly unbelievers will be forever.