Is this your only chance
to respond to God?
In order to understand this topic, you should read the subject of
Salvation and how it relates to the
Destiny of Mankind. In it, you come to see this plan unfold, and
will understand why most of the world DOESN'T understand that
plan.
In this section, we will discuss the details of what happens
to the billions of people who have never heard about God's
plan and the truth, OR did not respond to God in this age. You
will come to see that the Bible describes not just one
"resurrection" to life again, but actually two
resurrections, and possibly three. Let's begin, based on your
understanding of God's calling of
many people, and how FEW are actually chosen to complete the
training on this earth. As with all the other subjects, we need
to piece together all the Bible has to say about any given
subject.
Remember, God has said that he wants EVERYONE to reach the
goal. If He's the one responsible for calling people and
giving them the ability to understand, then either He is playing
favorites...
Acts 10:34 "In truth I (Paul) perceive that God shows no
partiality. Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with
God."
Or, he has a far greater plan that includes EVERYONE who will
have the ability to respond to him, and the choice to choose the
right way.
1 Timothy 2:4 "who desires all men to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth."
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning [His]
promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward
us, not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance."
In Romans, Paul speaks of ancient Israel and their disbelief and not accepting God...
Romans 11:1-5 "I say then, has God cast away His people?
Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of
Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His
people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture
says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3
"LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your
altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? 4 But
what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved
for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to
Baal." 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a
remnant according to the election of grace."
Romans 11:7-11 "What then? Israel has not obtained what
it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest
were blinded. :8 Just as it is written: "God has given them
a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see And ears that
they should not hear, To this very day." :9 And David says:
"Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling
block and a recompense to them. :10 Let their eyes be darkened,
so that they do not see, and bow down their back always."
:11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? (Not
have the opportunity for eternal life) Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke
them to jealousy, salvation [has come] to the Gentiles."
POINT: WHY would God deliberately allow people to be
blinded, and prevent them from understanding the truth? THIS IS
THE PIVOTAL POINT OF THE ENTIRE PLAN OF GOD. God is allowing
mankind to go its own way. He is allowing the human race to build
a world according to what WE think and believe is right. He wants
mankind to learn the ultimate lesson that we ARE NOT COMPLETE
without GOD, and our own ways will only lead to death:
Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way [that seems] right to a
man, But its end [is] the way of death."
Because the angels sinned, it became necessary for mankind to
experience life of our own making. THAT is why the world is so
full of evil and problems. Man TRIES to do what is good, but he
ultimately makes the wrong choices in every aspect of life. The
world is NOT GOING GOD'S WAY, and therefore we simply reap
what we have planted. However, because God DOES have a plan for
mankind, part of that plan includes the training of a few people
who have to battle Satan's mind and OVERCOME IT NOW. But what
of all the rest of humanity?
The following scriptures are a vital key to understanding how
ALL mankind fits into the Plan of God.
Ezekiel 37:1-14 "The hand of the LORD came upon me and
brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the
midst of the valley; and it [was] full of bones. :2 Then He
caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, [there were]
very many in the open valley; and indeed [they were] very dry
(dead for a long time). :3 And He said to me, "Son of man,
can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You
know." :4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these
bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the
LORD! :5 'Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely
I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. :6
"I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover
you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you
shall know that I [am] the LORD. :7 So I prophesied as I was
commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a
rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. :8 Indeed,
as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the
skin covered them over; but [there was] no breath in
them."
:9 "Also He said to me, Prophesy to the breath,
prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the
Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on
these slain, that they may live. :10 So I prophesied as He
commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and
stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. :11 Then He
said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole
house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry,
our hope is lost..." (They figuratively are saying, "we
are dead and had no salvation..." the same thing many
Christian denominations teach today, that this is the only time
God is trying to reach people and any who have died without
"accepting Christ" are lost.) and we ourselves are cut
off. :12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord
GOD: Behold, O My people, I will open your graves
and cause you
to come up from your graves , and bring you into the land of
Israel. :13 Then you shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have
opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your
graves. :14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and
I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I,
the LORD, have spoken [it] and performed [it] says the
LORD."
Jer 31:33 "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
POINT: God makes it plain that this is a physical
resurrection from death of "the whole house of Israel."
Israel is a name for God's people, not just Jewish people.
God has a plan to bring all those who have ever died or will die
without understanding the truth, back to physical life and to
give them the understanding of His plan and laws. They will THEN
have THEIR chance to choose. This is at a future time, in the second resurrection when God will actually intervene in opening their minds to understand what they cannot today. Realize that if today, in this age, was the only day of salvation, why would God NOT do what He states He will do in Jer. 31:33 above NOW? Why not write His laws (which are NOT Done Away with) into their hearts today, all across the planet? That is because not everyone is Called in this age, and will have their day later.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 "or as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ all shall be made alive. :23 But each one in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those [who are]
Christ's at His coming."
John 5:28-29 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is
coming in which all who are in the "GRAVES"
(not in heaven or hell) will hear His voice 29 "and come forth
-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and
those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation."
POINT: The word "condemnation" is not
accurate above. Condemnation is complying with the idea that
those who either didn't hear about God, or rejected anything
about it are to be condemned to eternal suffering in hell. The
correct word should be "Judgment."
1) a separating, sundering,
1a) a trial, contest,
2) selection,
3) judgment.
You see, this portrays the time when the "valley of dry
bones" will be brought back to a physical life, and THEN
will judgment BEGIN with these people. They will have to overcome
and grow spiritually, just like the called or elect do in this
age. Their "judgment" will occur over their life span.
Let's look at a few more scriptures that help explain
this.
1 Peter 4:17 "For the time [has come] for judgment to
begin at the house of God..."
POINT: The called and chosen of this age are
"judged" throughout their lives, according to what they
do with the truth. The same "judgment" will occur to
everyone else, because everyone will have the chance to
understand the truth at some point. That is the only fair and
just thing God could do.
John 12:47-48 "And if anyone hears My words and does not
believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the
world but to save the world. 48 "He who rejects Me,
and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the
word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
POINT: The same word that God gives us today will be
the same word that will judge people later. It is God's laws
that reflect the mind of God and ALL of us have to come to that
state of mind, and the only way we CAN is to understand that word
and to shape our lives by it.
Acts 24:15 "I have hope in God, which they themselves
also accept, that there will be a resurrection of [the] dead,
both of [the] just and [the] unjust. (Why a resurrection for
someone who is already in heaven or hell?)
Hebrews 11:35 "Women received their dead raised to life
again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that
they might obtain a better resurrection."
Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat on
them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I saw] the souls
of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for
the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image,
and had not received [his] mark on their foreheads or on their
hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand
years."
:5 "But the rest of the dead did not live again until
the thousand years were finished." This (verse 4) [is]
the first resurrection :6 Blessed and holy [is] he who has
part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death
(see Soul!) has no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a
thousand years."
Revelation 20:11-15 "Then I saw a great white throne and
Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away. And there was found no place for them. :12 And I saw the
dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened
(the books of the Bible are "opened" to these
people's understanding). And another book was opened, which
is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged according to
their works, (in this second resurrection to physical life) by
the things which were written in the books (the same as those in
this age are judged by the books of the Bible). :13 The sea gave
up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the
dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according
to his works. :14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found
written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of
fire."
POINT: Revelation 20:4-6 explain how the firstfruits
or those called in this age rule with Christ on this earth for
1000 years, and that the rest of the dead did not live again
until AFTER the 1000 years were over. THEN, as Revelation
20:11-15 explain they are resurrected to physical life and have
their chance to live God's way. As the scripture reveals,
those who died in the past are STILL in their graves - DEAD - and
are not in heaven or hell.
I know this is contrary to anything you have heard or been
taught in the past, but it is the truth. There are dozens of
scriptures yet that describe a future time when people will have
the chance to understand God's truth.
Revelation 20:3 "And cast him (Satan) into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years
should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little
season."
Isaiah 11:9 "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my
holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of
the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
Habakkuk 2:14 "For the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the
sea."
POINT: Satan is prevented from deceiving mankind
during the 1000 years, and God's truth will be known by all
humanity that lives during this time. And yet, to show even
further how destructive Satan's ways are, God AGAIN allows
Satan at humanity...
Revelation 20:7 "And when the thousand years are
expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, :8 And shall
go out to deceive the nations(again) which are in the four
quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. :9 And
they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp
of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down
from God out of heaven, and devoured them. :10 And the devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where
the beast and the false prophet [were cast]. . ."
IT IS SATAN AND HIS DEMONS THAT want us to believe that
MANKIND'S destiny is to suffer forever in hell (creating a
"fear" religion, and misunderstanding God's
intentions for mankind) as part of their facade of false
religious ideas and practices. The truth is far more grand than
what traditional religion offers.
Each of us as individuals will most certainly reap what we
sow, and have to give an account of our lives and actions when
compared to the reality of TRUE LIFE AND EXISTENCE. If we
don't learn the lesson, we "flunk" out of training,
and there is only ONE penalty that can cover THAT decision, based
on the true reality of eternal spirit life.
THAT REALITY IS NONEXISTENCE. If we fail to achieve the
required state of mind, we fail to receive the spirit nature that
alone can live eternally. God WILL NOT give His nature, and a
spirit "body" to anyone who does not completely finish
the course. THAT is why Christ said, "Those who endure to the end,
the same shall be saved."
Satan has done a good job of taking the truth and words of
God, and turning them into an empty "religious" shell
that turns people off with just the mention of it. "Saved,
Salvation, Jesus, Sins, Repentance," etc., etc. Admit it.
Reading this material gives you the same reaction unless you have
been brought up with traditional religion, or you have had some
sort of "experience" that moved you toward
religion.
Continue reading through this website. If you have the
will to reach the truth, and the strength to resist your natural
impulses to turn away from it, AND God is truly calling you, then
you will definitely experience a change that will last for
eternity!
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