Scripture References: John 3:17
Jesus Christ did not come to this world to save the world, nor did he come to save anybody while he lived on this earth. He came specifically to provide or reveal a way that the world or anybody could be saved, which is a saving plan of salvation revealed in the contents of his many teachings of the NT covenant. Not knowing exactly how Christ saves a person has caused millions of people to believe that Christ somehow in a miraculous moment of time saved them. Thinking that Christ saved you in an instant of time is in reality believing that the miracle of his salvation was performed on you in the same way that Christ performed a miracle on a person by instantly healing a person from a dreaded sickness or a disease. Christ does not save a person instantly like being healed instantly of a sickness of some kind, but rather Christ being the revealed truths of Gods word is what will save the sinner as he or she walks in and obeys those revealed truths in a daily process. It was the apostle James that proves this to be true in what he tells us in James 1:21-22 that says, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Notice that James tells us that its the engrafted “word of God” that will save the soul only “if” that engrafted word is obeyed by being a doer of it. What most people fail to understand is that Gods word revealed in scripture are words of instructions that tells us to obey and to do what his word says.
It was Abraham that first believed God and it was his faith that was counted for righteousness. To believe God simply means to believe what he says, and for us to believe what Gods says is revealed in the holy scriptures of his word. Our believing what Gods word tells us to believe and obey is the same faith that justified Abraham, and that same faith will also justify us and make us righteous as it did Abraham. We are justified by the very faith that comes by hearing, believing, and obeying Gods many revealed truths contained in the teachings of the gospel of Christ.
Deceived preachers and teachers today does not scripturally know how God actually saves a person. And they don’t know what it means to be saved as well. To be saved simply means to be saved from the power and influence of sin, of which the confessing Christian world today is not saved from. They believe they are somehow saved in their sins as they continue to commit sin against God, but that is nothing more or less than a deceiving lie of the devil to cause millions to suffer the consequences of the second death.
So just how many people will truly be saved from all of humanity that was ever born on this earth since Adam was created? I have no idea how many this will be, but I know that Jesus said these words in Matthew 7:14 saying, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” The way that leads to life eternal is a very straight and narrow way meaning that its a very demanding way to live. It was the apostle Paul that tells us these words in Titus 2:11-12 that says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” And does not Hebrews 12:14 tell us that without holiness no man shall see the Lord? What happens to an individual that dies in his sin without being holy as God is holy, as Peter tells us in I Peter 1:16? Will there be another opportunity for those who died in their sins to eventually be saved even though they rejected to be saved as they lived their life on this earth before death? There is a teaching in the land today that does teach that all of mankind will eventually be saved, but is this the truth of the matter?
Since humanity is a creation of God as well as all other forms of creation, can he not do with his creation as he so desires? Could he save all of humanity if he so desired to? Of course he could, but would this mean then that without holiness a man could still be able to see God, as Hebrews 12:14 tells us otherwise? No, of course not! God would have to save those who rejected his salvation and make them holy before they could see God, but is this what he will eventually do as some teach? Lets find out what exactly God thinks about this before we jump to a conclusion that may or may not be the truth of the matter. Is it Gods will for all to be saved or is it Gods will that some be saved and those who were not saved while on this earth to perish without hope whatsoever? Lets look at certain scriptures that deals with this matter. In Titus 2:11 the apostle Paul tells us these words saying, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Is Paul telling us here that because of Gods grace everybody will eventually receive his salvation and be saved, or is Paul revealing that this grace is available and those that take advantage of it should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world? I know for a fact that while we live on this earth before we die that we must be born of God in order to live soberly, righteous and godly before we can see or enter into Gods kingdom, as John 3:3,5 clearly reveals. What about all those who will not be born of God as they live on this earth and does not live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world? Will they be saved at a later date at the judgment of God, which has been said not to be a judgment to damnation in the lake of fire, but rather a judgment on them as the fire of Gods word will eventually make them a fit subject to enter Gods kingdom, as its being taught in the land today? If this be so, then those who will be saved at the judgment will they have to live another life on this earth and live godly until they die like all those before that lived godly in Christ before they died? Why would the sinners that failed to live godly while they lived on this earth be made righteous and godly without living godly before they died? Will living a godly life on this earth cause one to suffer persecution, as Paul tells us in II Timothy 3:12 that says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Now why would some not have to suffer this persecution and the affliction and the tribulation in order to enter Gods kingdom like those that did before they died? Does not
Acts 14:22 tell us these words saying, “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Why then will God save those who died in their sin and rebellion against him as they lived on this earth without them going through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God? This sounds like God is a respecter of persons believing this, but God is not a respecter of persons. To believe that sinners will be saved not being born of God before they die would be believing that God saves these people in an instant of time and no time would be available for them to go through any tribulation at all in order to be saved. The truth of the matter is that it is not Gods will for any to perish, but rather he would rather for all to be saved, but if any fails to take heed to his saving salvation, as they live their life on this earth, then they will not escape the damnation that both Paul and Christ spoke of. Paul tells us about this “damnation” in what he tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 that says, “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” This damnation is not being saved, even though millions were not saved before they died, but is rather the wrath of God being poured out on them. The word “perish” does not mean to be eventually saved, but rather describes some horrible fate like being destroyed And Jesus said these words as stated in Matthew 23:33 that says, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? If these people were going to be saved later at the judgment, then what is this damnation of hell? To perish or to be damned has nothing to do with one being saved, but to be saved is a process of suffering as Peter tells us in I Peter 4:1 that says, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.” This suffering is crucifying the affections and lusts of the flesh as Paul tells us in Galatians 5:24 that says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” The flesh loves the pleasures of sin, but to bring the body into the subjection of Gods holiness will cause the flesh to suffer.
So will all be saved? Some think so based on what I Timothy 2:1-4 tells us that says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Paul is not saying here that God will save all men, but rather its his will and desire for all men to be saved, but they will not if they fail to obey his every word. The same thought is revealed in what John 3:16 tells us that says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus did not say that whosoever believes in him “will not perish” nor does it say “shall not perish” but it rather says “should not perish.” Just believing on Jesus does not save you, but rather its both a belief on him and obeying him that saves, as Hebrews 5:9 says, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Listen to what James tells us in James 1:21-22 that says “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” What has just believing on Jesus have to do with doing what the word says? Its Gods word, which is the instrument that does the saving of the soul if his word is believed and obeyed; not just believing on the person of Christ alone like millions think and believe. And Listen if you will to what Paul tells us in I Timothy 4:16 that says, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” Are you not hearing Paul tell us to continue in the doctrine or the teachings of Christ in order to be saved and save those also that hear us?
It definitely is Gods will for all to be saved, which is proven by the fact that he provided a way that all could be saved, but the way that God has chosen to save us is a way that demands obedience to him. John 3:17 says, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” To be saved through Christ means to be saved through the word, which is through faith as Ephesians 2:8 reveals saying, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” We are not saved by a mere faith in the person of Christ, but by the faith of Christ or the faith that comes by hearing, believing, and obeying Gods word. “He that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” amen