Board index ‹ The End of the World

[Batty]

Where in Revelation does it say there will be a time that Jesus will no longer accept our cries for salvation?

[jimwalton]

That’s a good question, Batty, and I’m glad you’ve asked it. I’m actually not aware of any such text or teaching. Where did you hear this?

In Revelation 7.9-14, those who are in white robes are people who were saving during and out of the Great Tribulation.

In Revelation 11, the two witnesses will be witnessing for the Lord, for the gospel, and for truth. We might be able to assume that some will come to Christ because of them.

It seems that even in the Tribulation, God’s grace for salvation will still be available to any who will come.

Where did you hear something otherwise? (I’m curious.)

[Batty]

When we were doing this study with our local church, you said there would come a time that God would close the door on people and they would no longer be expected into heaven.

Maybe not exactly the words you used.

But that has been on my mind off and on since that study. And was trying to get exactly what you said and meant by that.

[jimwalton]

Oh, yes, I remember now what you are talking about. Thanks for your patience.

What I said was that I firmly believe that Jesus will not return until all who are going to respond to Him for salvation have already done so. He will not return until all that is supposed to be accomplished has been accomplished, and all who would ever possibly come to Him have come. Then His judgment will be fair. No one will be able to say to Him, “If you had just waiting another (day)(week)(year), I would have turned to you.”

I get that mainly from Matthew 24.37: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” We know that in the days of Noah, the entire world was corrupt, and the hearts of all people were evil (Gn. 6.5)—except Noah, who was a righteous man, who was blameless among the people of his time, and who walked with God (Gn. 6.9). God didn’t send the flood until the situation was absolutely hopeless.

We see the same picture in Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. God had promised Abraham in Gn. 18 that He wouldn’t destroy the city if there were even 10 righteous people in it (Gn. 18.32), because there is expectation that the judge of the Earth will never be unfair or judge unjustly (Gn. 18.25). God would not judge the city unless EVERYONE in it had some guilt. And so it was: Noah was the only righteous man of his era (we aren’t told about his wife and sons, though they were spared anyway, by God’s mercy); Lot was the only righteous man of his city (and even that is questionable, and we know his wife and daughters were not, but God, again, will only err on the side of mercy, never on the side of unjustness).

So it will be when Jesus returns. He will return when the time is exactly right, when no one else would come to Him. He may possibly gather in his net some that are questionable, but God has a right to be merciful, but He will not leave behind any who could have or would have.

One of the things certain in the book of Revelation is that there is a grand plan and that God is following that plan (Rev. 6.11; 15.8; 17.17, et al.). People will be able to turn to God all through the Tribulation Period. Anyone who comes to Him will in no wise be cast out (Jn. 6.37). But when the door closes, when Jesus comes in all His resplendent glory, the time for responding will end (Lk. 13.22-30).

Hopefully this is what you were looking for. Ask more questions if you wish; we can discuss it some more if you would like.

[Batty]

Thank you and will ask more questions.