John 12:48 “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
As far as Eternal Judgment, the Lord had already “spoken” all that was necessary for them to understand God’s Straight Forward Judgement Criterion. He had already told them that “ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep” (John 10:26) and “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) and “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44) and “no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:65) and “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)! Such teachings as these are the exclusive basis for our Eternal Judgment; we are either His Sheep or we are not. If we are His Sheep, then we are given faith (Hebrews 11:1; 12:2) which includes belief, and we are drawn to our Lord by His Sovereign Power, and He will raise us up to Eternal Glory “in the last day”. Using Paul’s explanation of the Lord’s Judgement Criterion, He either chose us or He didn’t (Ephesians 1:4); those chosen “before the foundation of the world” are Eternally Secure in Him. Those that He did not choose will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12); thus, because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; 5:12), their judgment will be condemnation to “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thessalonians 1:9). Knowing the Lord’s Words to be true, we sing “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me …” (John Newton) and cry aloud, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Psalms 116:12) for we know that our Eternal Salvation is entirely by our Lord’s Grace and not by any meritorious works on our part!