WILL EVERYONE BE SAVED?
There are many who rebel; think they will be saved. But the biggest question is "Will everyone be saved?" Let's take a look, "But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers, and whoremongers and socerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and a brimstone which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
These are not idle words brethren, they are facts not fictions. Those who do not overcome sinfulness, but who show by their lives that they want to live that way cannot be accepted in the Kingdom of God. Why? Because their nature is the antithesis of God's way of Living which is based upon love, not self - cannot inherit eternal life.
The truth is, God wants to give everyone eternal life, but not everyone wants to accept it. Not everyone is prepared to love like God does. Some are too stubborn to change and lay down their selfish ways. The fate that awaits them is death. Obliteration of their unwanted spirits by spiritual fire!
Notice what Revelation 22:15 says "For without are dogs, and socerers and whoremongers and murdered and idolater and whoever loveth and maketh a lie." Outside are the dogs who practice magical arts, immoral sexuality, murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practice falsehood.
Do we understand why those individuals, will be burnt up? It is because they love what God hates. It is not because God does not love them, He died for them, but they don't love Him!
Would you want to live forever with someone who hates you? Or with someone who does things, or behaves in a way that is offensive to you?
Jesus warned us in several parables that not everyone will be saved. There are sheep, but there are goats also. "When the Son of man shall come with His glory, and all the holy angels with Him then shall He sit upon His thrones of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations and He shall separate one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand but the goats on the left . Then shall the King say unto them on the right hand, come ye the blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:31-34 ). Vs. 35-46, tell us what those on the left shall face.
There are also wheat and there are weeds. "Another parable put He forth unto them saying the kingdom of heaven is linked with unto a man which sowed a good seed in his field, But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares [weeds] among the wheat and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth then appeared the tares also, so the servant of the householder came and said unto him, sir didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath the tares? He said unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servant said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said Ney; lest while ye gather up the tares you root up also the wheat with them. Let all grow until harvest. I will say to reapers gather ye together fast the tares and and bind the in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn" (Matt. 13:24-30).
This is no different from what happened to the ten virgins! Remember five were wise and carried with them enough (oil of truth) "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Prov 23:23). The other five were not wise enough to do the same as the five wise virgins but thought they could acquire from the other five when Christ came for the wedding.
Note what He said to them that were not wise. "...... verily I say unto you, I know you not" (Matt. 25:12). Indeed, if we do not change and we persist in doing evil things then we will fully face the wrath of God. "And I heard a great voice from the temple saying, to the seven angels go your way and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went and poured his vial upon the earth and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast and upon them which worshipped his image" (Rev.16:1-2 ). Look again what is said from God's throne: "And a voice came out of the throne saying, Praise our God all ye His servant and ye that fear Him, both small and great" (Rev. 9:5). Note that all who fear Him, not the rich, neither the weak nor the poor, but this is to all who fear Him.
If we fail to see how believers who espouse God, yet will not follow God's word, be saved. Of course, through human rationalism, one can arrive at that conclusion. We can think in our puny minds that because God is love and He wants to save everyone, then He wouldn't allow anyone to be lost. But that overlooks something of great importance. It's not all up to God. WE all have a responsibility too. We must want what God offers. But surprisingly not all do!
Humans all have free moral agency. They can accept or reject God's will. Many will do the latter! They only have themselves to blame. They prefer to believe the lies of the devil and live their own way which will brings what they want. Unfortunately, it doesn't bring eternal salvation. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Pro 14:12). It brings the opposite of what carnal man wants.
The devil is the deceiver who has duped the whole world. Everyone has been hooked by his bait to some extent. Some more than others! And the ones most deceived are those who think they aren't, or can't be deceived because they think they are God's called and chosen.
Ironically, some Christians have really bent minds! They are amongst the most twisted in their reasoning and concepts. Some are overly simplistic. Others are naive. Some are just misguided. Others are just plain deceived. Amongst the most deceived are those who think that every human being and even every demonic will be saved at the end. They fail to understand the mind of God which hates sin, and why Satan exists. He is an enemy because he will not submit to God's wonderful ways. The wicked among humans follow suit too. They don't want God's goodness.
So, what option does God have? Only one. He has to put them out of their misery and end the misery they inflict upon themselves and others. That is the only just and righteous solution. To grant salvation to those who rebel against God is like releasing all criminals onto the streets to oppress, maim, rape, pillage and kill at will. It's just not on! Those who think it is are sorely deceived by Satan.
Beware of Complacency
So what of the scripture where God says one day "...... He will be all in all?" (1 Cor 15: 28).
Paul is explaining how one day God the Father will dwell with us in total union, after His enemies have been destroyed (1 Cor. 5:24-25). God wants to have absolute union with his creation, and He will have achieved it through what Christ has done.
It is entirely wrong to take this text out of context and read into it what Paul did not intend. He never intended to imply that everyone will be saved. He even expressed the concern that he could fail in his bid to become a son of God, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Cor 9:27). Others had failed and shipwrecked their faith, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck" (1 Tim 1:18 - 19).
The Scriptures warn that such is a possibility for each of us if we don't take our calling seriously.
The belief that all will be saved - apart from being totally erroneous and unbiblical - leads to a great danger. It is a satanic deception designed to induce complacency, and thereby cause some to fall. It lures the unsuspecting to let down their spiritual guard. It plants subtle implication in the mind that if all will be saved, then sin is a non issue. After all, Jesus paid for that at the stake, so we will be saved anyway regardless of what we do. It gives subtle license to immorality and undermines the reason for building godly character.
Don't be deceived! Not everyone will be saved: only those who do God's will!
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:16-17).
Bradox Ochieng, Kenya
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