Board index ‹ Salvation

[Boom Izzy]

If someone who lacked a belief in God were to die, and they found out after death that God and Christianity were correct, would they be able to ask forgiveness and be saved?

[jimwalton]

Let me give you three texts from the Bible, then some theology.

Luke 16.19-31: The rich man and Lazarus. There is no indication, implicit or explicit, that someone can be saved after death. Even when the rich man realizes the error of his ways, there's no offer of, "Oh, don't worry about it. There, there, just come into comfort."

Luke 13.22-29. People ask Jesus directly if only a few will be saved. He doesn't answer their question directly, but seems to imply that many will not be. Verse 25 in particular says that once the door is closed, it will not be opened again.

Hebrews 9.27. After death comes judgment, with each person receiving what they deserve (2 Cor. 5.10). There is no indication of a second chance.

On the other hands, there areChristians theologians who do not believe in the traditional concept of hell. There are theories about reconcilationism, semi-restorationism, modified eternalism, and annihilationism, all with some kind of scriptural backing. In other words, hell isn't necessarily eternal for all who enter it. It may only be eternal for those who refuse to be reconciled.

To be on the safe side, don't mess with possibilities. Come to Jesus now, while the invitation is warm and the door is wide open. If you knew a tornado were coming your way, it's no time to play the odds. Instead, get out of Dodge while you have the chance! If there is a strong possibility of no second chances, then don't take a chance.

[Goodzilla]

I have to add that scriptural evidence for reconciliationism etc is weak at best(Largely due to figurative rather than literal interpretations of some key passages) in my opinion.

[jimwalton]

I agree. I don't subscribe to reconciliationism. I put it in the post to show that scholarly, well-meaning and sincere Christians do have different perspectives on how eternal destiny works. The OP should know that there are a variety of beliefs. There are several things that are certain:

1. There is an afterlife
2. God will be the judge
3. God will be fair
4. God is not cruel
5. Since we may not know all the details, the wisest course is to come to God so that one participates in the best possible picture of what awaits one.

[Yummy Yummy]

Without reconciliationism, the system seems extremely unfair. What if there is a man who never heard about Jesus and was murdered, but he could have found Jesus and repented had he lived. That man/soul goes to hell but would have had a chance of going to heaven had he not been murdered. Isn't that unfair?

[jimwalton]

The hypothetical situation you describe would be unfair, yes. You're making an assumption that a person who has never heard about Jesus automatically goes to hell, which the Bible doesn't affirm. You also seem to making a false assumption that God reconciliatory efforts need to happen in the afterlife because they are inadequate in this life, also which the Bible does not affirm. If I am interpreting this incorrectly, I'm glad to receive clarification and to discuss it further.

Colossians 1.20 teaches that God is in the process of reconciling all things to Himself, so we have to interpret what that means. It certain doesn't mean universalism (the idea that everyone will end up in heaven no matter what), which is a blatantly non-biblical idea.

We see that Jesus is the agent of reconciliation, which goes along with John 14.6, that all people who come to God must come through Him.

Philippians 2.10-11 says that all things will be in submission to Christ (even things that are hostile to Him). So we have not universal salvation, but universal submission.

Doug Moo says that through the work of Christ on the cross, God has brought His entire rebellious creation back under the rule of His sovereign power. Again, not cosmic salvation but cosmic renewal.

Shawn Bawulski, an advocate of reconciliationism, says that all things will be reconciled to God, but not in the same way. "For believers, reconciliation is brought about by salvation. The cosmos itself will be reconciled in that it will no longer be subject to frustration (Rom. 8.19-23). For the 'principalities and powers,' the reconciliation is best understood as finding realization through their conquest (Col. 2.13-15)—the imposing of peace. In the same way, the reprobate will participate in the final reconciliation by way of conquest and pacification. Christ will bring all things, even the principalities and the reprobate, under his divine rule and order by defeat."

So, as you see, interpretation gets difficult, but there seems to be a common gist to what these are all saying.

As far as your murdered man who never heard, Romans 5.13 assures us that God does not hold people accountable for what could not have possibly known. How this will play itself out at the final judgment we are never told. But there are several things we are told: God knows everything, God is not cruel, and God will be fair.