Is There A Second Chance?

[Chris]

Is There A Second Chance?

Is There A Second Chance?
By Jack Kelley

If you believe as I do that the Bible teaches a rapture of the Church to occur before Daniel’s 70th Week begins then you’ve no doubt wondered what will happen to those among your friends and family who will miss it. Will they get another chance to be saved?

Those Who Are Perishing

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness (2 Thes. 2:7-12).

Here Paul makes the case that the Church has to be gone before the anti-Christ is officially revealed. Those who are perishing will believe the lie that He’s the one God has sent to rule the world. Paul taught that God will actually help them come to this false conclusion because they will have refused to believe the truth and be saved. That’s why they’re perishing.

At first glance this passage appears to say there will be no second chance, that the time for believing the truth that saves us will have ended with the rapture. The Greek word translated refused literally means they did not accept the truth. It implies that the truth was presented to them and they rejected it.

But this doesn’t really put the question to rest. Do they have to hear the Gospel and consciously reject it to be counted among those who are perishing, or does the failure to give an affirmative response result in rejection by default? Will everyone left after the rapture be numbered among the perishing, or will there be some who are not?

Without getting into the nuances of the Greek language, let’s see if there are any other places in Scripture that can help us find more of the answer. The most logical thing to do is see if we can find any convincing evidence that Gentiles can be saved after the rapture. (I assume you know that many Jews will be saved in the 70th Week because that’s one of the main reasons for it.)

It’s true that when Daniel’s 70th Week begins God will once again be focused on Israel. From Daniel 9:24-27 it’s easy to see He has unfinished business with them. Some of the things He promised to accomplish through them in verse 24 simply have not been accomplished yet. There hasn’t been an end to Israel’s rebellion against God, everlasting righteousness hasn’t come in, there are 500 prophecies that remain unfulfilled, and the Holy Place has not been anointed. None of these things involve the world at large. They all concern Daniel’s people, the Jews, and Daniel’s Holy City, Jerusalem.
What About The Gentiles?

But in our study of Acts 15 we saw that one of the things God is going to do while restoring Israel after the rapture is to provide a way for the remnant of men, including Gentiles, to seek Him (Acts. 15:17).

Evidence that this is true can be found in Rev. 7:9 which describes a multitude of post rapture believers that no one could count, coming from every nation, tribe, people and language and arriving in Heaven. This tells us that many of these believers will be gentiles, saved out of Daniel’s 70th Week before the Great Tribulation begins.

Some say this group is the church and place the rapture here, between the 6th and 7th seal judgments, but they can’t be right. In the first place John, the disciple most closely associated with the Church, doesn’t recognize them. But more to the point, their destiny is not the same as the Church’s. They are before the Throne of God, but are not seated there with Jesus like the Church will be (Ephesians 2:6) They will serve Him day and night in His Temple, but they will not reign with him and are never called either kings or priests.

I believe this great multitude of believers will have come to faith primarily because of the rapture. They will have heard the gospel but, neither accepting or rejecting it, will have put off making a decision until it’s too late. The rapture will remove the final obstacle to their conversion, providing confirmation that you and I were right in what we tried to tell them.

This is evidence of Gentiles being saved after the Rapture. But before you get too comfortable with this, remember that in order to arrive in heaven they will have had to die on Earth. They’ll be some of the first martyrs of the 70th Week. Waiting until after the rapture to be saved will not be like waiting for the next streetcar. They’ll have to endure a lot more to receive a lot less.

People have wondered how so great a multitude could die so early in the 70th Week, before the anti-Christ gets his world wide government fully stabilized and before he becomes indwelt by Satan. The Bible doesn’t say, but I think it could be the result of a back lash against believers following the rapture.

Pagan prophecies all pointing to the same general time tell us the world intuitively knows about the coming judgments. The rapture will be incontrovertible evidence that God is about ready to come down hard on them. Retaliation against God’s people because they’re mad at Him for actually doing what He said He’ll do could be one of the motivational forces behind the mass killings.

Another one could be the anger many will feel when just as they think they’re rid of all the meddling Christians, clearing the way for the utopian life they’ve dreamed about, a whole new flock will show up to ruin things. Remember, with the Holy Spirit gone, the restraining influence that’s kept evil in check all these years will be gone. “Kill the infidels” could become the rallying cry of the unsaved world.

(Some New Age teachers say the world is headed for it’s final leap of evolution. It’s a spiritual one that will usher in worldwide peace and harmony. They say born again Christians and Orthodox Jews are holding this up by clinging to the outmoded notion of a single Creator God who rules over all and they will have to taken out of its way. They liken the rapture to the surgical removal of a life threatening cancer from an otherwise healthy body.)

This slaughter of believers will soon be seen as an act of God’s mercy because certainly not all the post rapture believers will immediately be put to death. Others will have years of suffering ahead of them beginning with horrific natural and supernatural events that poison the air and water and including such an agonizing attack of demonic locusts that men will long for death to release them (Rev. 9:1-6). A third of mankind will die from these judgments (Rev. 9:18).

Remember, the Great Tribulation will not have begun yet. Neither will this be the last post rapture chance for Gentiles to be saved. Rev. 14:6-7 speaks of another world wide altar call just after the Great Tribulation begins,

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

This one will come right after the mark of the beast is introduced, and will be followed by a warning that taking the mark will result in permanent seperation from God and a guaranteed eternity of suffering (Rev. 14:9-11). The judgments of the Great Tribulation will be so severe that if left to run their course no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, the Lord will put an end to them after 3 ½ years.
I’m Glad That’s Over

Only about half of the post rapture world’s population will survive until the end. During the face-to-face judgments that follow the 2 nd Coming the Lord will find believers among the survivors, both Jews and Gentiles. In spite of complete exclusion from even basic levels of society and a never ending fear of capture and death, they will live to stand before Him and receive their reward.

The parables of Matt. 25 describe this and the Sheep and Goats judgment is exclusively about surviving Gentiles (Matt. 25:31-32). The ones who have demonstrated their faith by their actions will be welcomed live into the Kingdom. They’ll help repopulate the nations of Earth. Egypt and Assyria are specifically mentioned in Isaiah 19:25, but I believe there will be other Millennial nations too.

Maybe some of your currently unbelieving friends and family will find themselves among one or another of these post rapture groups. If so those who won’t be martyred early on will have endured a time you wouldn’t want your worst enemy to experience. Jesus said it will be the the most terrible time ever to befall mankind. Please don’t adopt a fatalistic attitude about them, and don’t settle for post rapture salvation on their behalf.

But if you’re beating them over the head with the Gospel, don’t do that any more either. It won’t work. Your most effective strategy will be a two-fold one. Pray for their salvation with the same intensity you would pray for their recovery from a life threatening disease. And show them the benefits of being a believer by letting your unshakeable faith be a beacon of light and a source of hope in this dark and dying world. Nothing else will be as effective. We don’t have very much time left so if you haven’t begun yet now’s the time. You can almost hear the Footsteps of the Messiah. 10-15-11

[mattfivefour]

Thanks for posting this, Chris. It answers an important question in many people's minds. I just would counsel anybody who thinks of waiting for the second chance to think twice. As Jack points out, salvation during the Rapture will be at the cost of martyrdom. Not a pleasant thought at all.

[n2bowling]

If you believe as I do that the Bible teaches a rapture of the Church to occur before Daniel’s 70th Week begins then you’ve no doubt wondered what will happen to those among your friends and family who will miss it. Will they get another chance to be saved?

IMHO, no! only the souls that were not giving the Gospel will have the opportunity to be saved in the trib. Paul elaborates on this question in 2Thess. So America had her chance...The good news is though that there will be millions saved in that time of destruction.

[mattfivefour]

Hi, n2. I am not sure where in Second Thessalonians you are thinking. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 refers to the Second Coming, not to the Rapture. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 refers to both the Rapture and the Second Coming; but I do not see any reference in any of those verses to those anybody who was witnessed to during this dispensation but did not believe and is left behind at the Rapture not having the chance for salvation. And Chapter 3, of course, is all prayer, admonition, exhortation and benediction. Maybe I am missing something that you are seeing?

[Sean Osborne]

If you believe as I do that the Bible teaches a rapture of the Church to occur before Daniel’s 70th Week begins then you’ve no doubt wondered what will happen to those among your friends and family who will miss it. Will they get another chance to be saved?

IMHO, no!

n2bowling,

Really? You believe this? Who teaches such an erroneous thing as this?

Clearly, according to the Word of God, what you have been taught in in gross error. You teaching completely ignores the innumerable souls of all nations, tribes, peoples and languages that are saved thanks to the evangelizing 144,000 Jewish young men during the 70th Week by the Antichrist and his False Prophet.

We refer to these future brethren as the "Tribulation Saints." These "Tribulation Saints" are the specific topic discussed in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 7, Verses 9 through 17.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:


“ Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
And I said to him, “Sir,[b] you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.[c] And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

I hope this increases and improves your understanding of the prophetic Word of God.

[n2bowling]

My belief is from this:
2 Thess 2:10-12

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,

12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
NASB

This scripture tells me that the people were offered the Gospel but said "NO" to it since they didn't believe it in verse '12'.

[Sean Osborne]

My belief is from this:
2 Thess 2:10-12

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,

12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
NASB

This scripture tells me that the people were offered the Gospel but said "NO" to it since they didn't believe it in verse '12'.

So then how is it that ANYONE is saved out of the 70th Week?

Are you so bold as to ignore and deny the Word of God in the clear text and meaning of Revelation 7:9-17?

Not a particularly bright idea, imho.

[bearycool]

My belief is from this:
2 Thess 2:10-12

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,

12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
NASB

This scripture tells me that the people were offered the Gospel but said "NO" to it since they didn't believe it in verse '12'.

Aren't you quoting the "Pershing" versus from the OP? The OP pretty much explains how that's not going to be every single person after the rapture. Again, as Matt said, those versus are talking about the Rapture and the Second Coming itself. You probably should reread the OP again and Matt and Sean's posts as well.

[dave-o]

Quote Originally Posted by n2bowling
My belief is from this:
2 Thess 2:10-12

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,

12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

We know that the time of the end was been declared from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) and nothing can change that time (Daniel 8:19, Daniel 11:27). We also know that God desires that none perish. (2 Peter 3:9)

Jeremiah 18:7-10
The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, ⁸ if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. ⁹ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰ if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

Perhaps I'm taking those verses out of context but they do show the nature of God when the time of His judgment is NOW.

The tribulation period is the last judgment on nations and people are going to get one last shot to change their mind (repent) but they must do it very quickly. The moment they hear they must decide. Here's the truth, believe it, yes or no. There's just no time for anything else.

IMHO most of those saved out of the Tribulation will be from the East. The West has had the Gospel preached freely for centuries and far too many just don't care. I think the rapture will only make them hate God.

[n2bowling]

@bearycool
Aren't you quoting the "Pershing" versus from the OP? The OP pretty much explains how that's not going to be every single person after the rapture. Again, as Matt said, those versus are talking about the Rapture and the Second Coming itself. You probably should reread the OP again and Matt and Sean's posts as well. OP< Will they get another chance to be saved?
================================================== =======================
heres the OP "If you believe as I do that the Bible teaches a rapture of the Church to occur before Daniel’s 70th Week begins then you’ve no doubt wondered what will happen to those among your friends and family who will miss it. Will they get another chance to be saved?"

the OP asked if they would HAVE ANOTHER chance to be saved and that means to me that they already HAD a chance. I learned this from my teacher of 19 years a Mr. Hal Lindsey, perhaps you have heard of him?

if I misunderstood the Q than please forgive me for my intrusion, Thx

Now if a person(s) have never heard the Gospel than they are the ones open to salvation in those terrible times...no matter where they are from, I personally believe that China, Russia, N.Korea, Africa (basically countries where the Gospel is controlled) and the middle East will benefit, but thats my thinking!

[Twinklingofaneye]

"Only about half of the post rapture world’s population will survive until the end."
I don't agree with this statement at all. We know from Rev. 6:8 that 1/4 of the population is killed and from Rev. 9:15 another 1/3 are killed. These two verses alone take out approx. 1/2 the population.

Matthew 24:22 And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved;
This verse tells me that there are few left, not 1/2 the population.

[FaithInChrist]

Maybe some of your currently unbelieving friends and family will find themselves among one or another of these post rapture groups. If so those who won’t be martyred early on will have endured a time you wouldn’t want your worst enemy to experience. Jesus said it will be the the most terrible time ever to befall mankind. Please don’t adopt a fatalistic attitude about them, and don’t settle for post rapture salvation on their behalf.

But if you’re beating them over the head with the Gospel, don’t do that any more either. It won’t work. Your most effective strategy will be a two-fold one. Pray for their salvation with the same intensity you would pray for their recovery from a life threatening disease. And show them the benefits of being a believer by letting your unshakeable faith be a beacon of light and a source of hope in this dark and dying world. Nothing else will be as effective. We don’t have very much time left so if you haven’t begun yet now’s the time. You can almost hear the Footsteps of the Messiah. 10-15-11

I truly believe the martyrs and the believers that endure to the end become martyrs and believers because love ones, who have preached to them for years and years are suddenly gone. In that same instant that we hear the trumpets and disappear, they will realize how right we were. Nothing that anybody tells them from that moment on will change their belief. Even without the Holy Spirit here to comfort and lead them, they will be so convinced they will be willing to die for their belief.

Thank you for posting this. It completely reiterates everything I believe and it comforts me to know that so many souls will be gathered in Heaven, even if they had to go through "Hell" to get there, at least they get there. Oh and I will definitely continue to pray for the lost, with all my heart I pray.

[GlennO]

There is clearly opportunity (post-rapture) to avoid the eternal separation from our Creator and Savior....but it will not be easy during the seventieth week.

First proof...

Rev 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.
Rev 6:10 They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
Rev 6:11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Believers Bible Commentary:

6:7, 8 The fourth living creature called forth a pale horse with Death and Hades as its riders. Death is associated with the body and Hades with the spirit and soul. By means of war, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, a fourth of the earth's inhabitants are destroyed. We might think that plagues are no longer a threat because of modern antibiotics and wonder drugs. However, the great killer diseases are not conquered but merely dormant. They can spread throughout the world as fast as jet aircraft can carry them.
6:9 Now we are introduced to the first martyrs of the Tribulation Period (Mat_24:9), Jewish believers who go out and preach the gospel of the kingdom and who are slain for their testimony. Their souls are under the altar in heaven.
6:10 They cry out to the sovereign Lord to avenge their blood. As mentioned previously, “those who dwell on the earth” refers to unbelievers who look upon the earth as their home.
6:11 White robes are given to the martyrs, a symbol of their righteousness. They are told to wait until the final complement of tribulation martyrs is completed.

Second proof...

Rev 7:9-17
(9) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
(10) and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
(11) And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
(12) saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."
(13) Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?"
(14) I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(15) "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
(16) They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
(17) For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Believers Bible Commentary:

7:9 The people described in this section are Gentiles from all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues. They stand before the throne and before the Lamb with white robes (the righteous acts of the saints, Rev_19:8) and holding palm branches, which are a symbol of victory.
7:10 These are Gentiles who will be saved during the Great Tribulation by trusting the Lord Jesus. In their song they celebrate their salvation and attribute it to their God and to the Lamb.
7:11, 12 The angels ... and the elders and the four living creatures join in worshiping God, although the subject of redemption is missing from their praise. As the hymnwriter said, “Angels never felt the joy that our salvation brings.” But they do chant His praises and pronounce Him worthy of seven distinct forms of honor.
7:13, 14 When one of the elders asked John who were these people in white and where did they come from, John confessed ignorance but a desire to know. Then the elder explained that they had come out of the great tribulation, and had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “When we stand face to face with an inexplicable mystery,” writes F. B. Meyer, “how comforting it is to be able to say in perfect faith, ‘Thou know est.’”
7:15 The elder went on to explain their present location and service. Bible students are not agreed as to whether this Gentile multitude is seen in heaven or on the millennial earth. The blessings described are true of either place. If the Millennium is in view, then the throne of God and His temple refer to the temple which will be located in Jerusalem during the Kingdom Age (Ezek. 40-44).
Notice the blessings that are described:
Perfect nearness: Therefore they are before the throne of God.
Perfect service: and serve Him day and night in His temple.
Perfect fellowship: He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
7:16 Perfect satisfaction: They shall neither hunger nor thirst anymore;
Perfect security: the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
7:17 Perfect guidance: for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to fountains of the waters of life (NKJV margin).
Perfect joy: God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Third proof...

Rev 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
Rev 14:7 And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Believers Bible Commentary:

14:6, 7 The angel flying in mid-heaven with the everlasting gospel seems to correspond with Mat_24:14 : “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” The subject of the gospel is given in verse 7. Men are commanded to fear God rather than the beast; to give glory to Him rather than to the idolatrous image; and to worship Him rather than a mere man. Of course, there is only one gospel—the good news of salvation through faith in Christ. But there are different emphases in different dispensations. During the Great Tribulation, the gospel will seek to turn men away from worship of the beast and prepare them for Christ's kingdom on earth.

I do not belief for one minute that this is an empty gesture. Indeed we are wise not to trifle with Revelation 22:18-19

Rev 22:18-19
(18) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,
(19) and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.


Everybody gets the opportunity to be in one of two groups:

- born once die twice
- born twice die once