Today the vast majority of Christianity is in the business of desperately trying to save souls in the belief that if they aren’t reached now they are lost, doomed to be tormented forever in hell.

 

   But is this truly what the Bible teaches?  Is this the only opportunity mankind has to accept Jesus as their Savior? Are those who do not accept Him before death, even those who have never heard his name, condemned to burn forever in hell fire?

 

Let’s take another look at what the pages of your Bible teach about this important topic.  It may surprise you! 

 

Not all called now

 

    The Bible reveals that not everyone is able to see and understand the life changing truth of God’s word that you and I can. 

 

What does the scripture say?

 

    1Co 2:9-11  “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.”

 

    The natural man, the man that has not had his mind opened by the Holy Spirit to see the things of God cannot understand spiritual things.

 

Why can’t they understand the gospel?

 

2Co 4:3 - 4  “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are perishing: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

 

    God has allowed Satan to blind the eyes of most in this world so they cannot see His truth, even if it has been preached to them.  It’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit, opening the minds of those God calls, that the things of the spirit, the power of the gospel, can be comprehended.

 

1Pe 2:9  ”but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:” (emphasis ours)

 

  For most in this world, this is not the time of their calling. Most who have lived and died never had their minds opened to the truth of the gospel.

 

Why Few Called Now?

 

Rom 8:28  ”And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

 

God has called a select number now for a special purpose. What is that purpose?

 

1Th 4:16 - 17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

 

Matt 22:30  “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels of God in heaven.”

    When Jesus returns, those who have died in the faith will be resurrected as spirit beings and meet Jesus in the air as He is returning to this earth. They will then return with Him to set up His Kingdom. 

 

Rev 20:4  “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

 

    The resurrected immortal saints will live and reign with Him on this earth for a thousand years.  They will reign over those who are still alive on this earth when He returns. 

 

* * *

 

But what of those who lived and died, never having had their minds opened to understand the gospel? What of them?

 

Rev 20:5  “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.”

 

Did you notice what it said?  There is another resurrection; one that occurs at the end of the thousand years!  

 

Rev 20:11-12  “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

 

Notice that the book of life is opened.  Paul in Philippians writes, “I entreat you also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel….whose names are written in the book of life.” (Phil. 4:3)

 

The book of life contains the names of those who have been saved.  These women spoken of here by Paul are surely among those who have been raised to immortality in the first resurrection.

 

So why is this book again opened here if those who are Christ’s have already been raised?  Is it possible that new names are to be entered?

 

The Salvation of Israel

 

In Romans 9 the apostle Paul was troubled that the Jews were not responding to Christ.

 

Paul reveals why they have not received the gospel.

 

Romans 11:7 “What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”

 

God purposely allowed their minds to be closed to the truth of the gospel. But, if they were blinded so that they could not understand the gospel in this life, how can they be held responsible? Paul continues,

 

Romans 11:11  “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

 

Paul saw that Israel’s rejection of the gospel was allowed so that a door might be opened to the Gentiles. But is Israel then lost? Read on.

 

Romans 11:25-26 “For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery…that

blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  And so all Israel shall be saved.”

 

How could they all be saved when many who were blinded and rejected Jesus have died in an unsaved state?

 

Ezekiel 37:4-6 "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."

 

This can only be the resurrection to physical life that we read of in Revelation 20:11-12.  Remember the saints are to be raised to immortality as spirit beings, not physical flesh and blood.

 

Who are these dry bones?

 

Ezekiel 37:11  “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.”

 

But why are they resurrected?

 

Ezekiel 37: 13-14 "And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land; then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it, saith the Lord."

 

They are raised so that they can come to know the Lord and so that He can put His Spirit in them. 

 

Is there an opportunity for salvation after the grave? Clearly, YES, there is!

 

God tells us in I Tim. 2:4 that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 

 

His desire is that, not just the Jewish people, but all would come to know Him.

 

Romans 11:31 "Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all.”

 

If there is hope for Israel, there is hope for others who have died in this blinded state as well. God ultimately will have mercy on not just Israel, but all of mankind.  All may not accept the gospel, but all will ultimately have an opportunity to have their names written in the book of life.

 

Second Chance?

 

There are some Christians who protest the idea of a second resurrection.  They argue, “What is the incentive for men to come to Jesus if they know they have another chance?”  But that analysis is inaccurate. In fact it is not a second chance these individuals are being given. For the vast majority of mankind, it will be their first chance.  They have never had the opportunity to know Jesus Christ. 

 

What an awesome, loving God we serve! All those who have not heard of Jesus Christ are not consigned to eternal suffering and torment.  Loved ones who have died without being converted, without their minds being opened to the truth, will ultimately have an opportunity to receive it and be saved. 

 

This is the message of hope that is written in the pages of your Bible.