Most professing Christians and preachers believe that all those who had died accepting Christ as their personal Saviour will end up in 'heaven enjoying eternal life of bliss'. Conversely, they also believe that all those who had failed to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour in this life-time will die 'burning in eternal hell fire'. But all these beliefs are false as they are not supported by Scriptures. Some even believe that only a small elite group of people are called to salvation and most people are predestined to be eternally lost forever. They are projecting God to be in the business of condemnation as an unfair Judge without giving them an opportunity to know the whole truth!
Such wrong belief stems largely from a misunderstood verse, ' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold,now is the day of salvation - 2 Cor 6:2' The Apostle Paul was quoting Isaiah 48:9 which states, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you'. The King James translators wrongly translated it as 'the' when it ought to be 'a'. If as it is claimed, then the only acceptable time for salvation would be during the time of Apostle Paul in the first century, and we are all doomed! Clearly, the true meaning is when God revealed to you the truth, that is the time He is calling you as He had predestined you to be a son in His divine Family in the kingdom of God. But the offer is good only if you obey His laws and commandments to pursue Christ-likeness, that is, seeking His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Sadly, many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - for they failed in their obligation to obey and abide in Christ.
God has given all mankind free will to choose their course of actions. They have to learn that there is a cause or causes for every effect, and they need to seek Godly wisdom to choose wisely. However, in this present age, God is calling only a small group of people to understand and obey His truth, in preparation for them to become rulers and priests in His coming kingdom of God (Rev 20:6). These men and women were predestined and chosen by God long before even they were born, ' He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will - Ephesians 1:4-5'. Hence, predestination is not about God determining who should be saved and who should be lost - for those who are not called in this age to be sons of God are neither saved nor lost, for their time of salvation has yet to come - but is all about God calling a small group of true believers to be the firstfruits (James 1:18) that will form the true Church of God for the fulfillment of His divine plan.
Many may wonder why God is favouring some whom He has called, in this present age, to be His sons and not others. The reason is that God knows each of us best even when we were in our mother's womb. He knows the make-up of every individual human being even before birth and who would best fit the task cut out for each of His sons in the kingdom of God. Do not forget that those who are called in this age has to undergo trials and tribulations - to overcome selfish ambition and desire, the temptation and deception of Satan and the riches and glamour of society. All humans who have ever lived but were not called in this life-time will be resurrected as reconstituted human beings (Ezekiel 37) to be told the whole truth, repentance and offer of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). They will have an easier opportunity for salvation as Satan will be bound, and the world would be a paradise at the close of the millennium age, after the restoration of all things by Christ and His saints ruling the world (Acts 3:21).
The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:29-30 puts it succinctly, 'For whom He (God the Father) foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He (Christ) might be the firstborn among many brethren. Morever whom He (God the Father) predestined, these he also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified'. These two short verses summarise God's Plan for His true church of God who will become joint heirs with Christ as brethren in the coming kingdom of God. Those who are being called, God's Holy Spirit is leading and guilding them to conform to the image of Christ (JUSTIFIED). When Christ return, they will be in the first resurrection (Rev 20:6), glorified as immortal spirit God Beings (1 John 3:9) to rule with Him in the kingdom of God (Rev 11:15).
Take heart, all who died without Christ are just 'sleeping in the grave'. Nowhere in Scriptures is it mention that God is trying to convert the whole world in this present church age. The verse in Matthew 24:14 states that the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be preached in all the world as a witness to the nations - not converting all of them! Come judgment day (Matt 11: 21-24), they will see the errors of their way and be given the truth and opportunity for salvation. God is preparing those whom He has called (and chosen) for the latter harvest yet to come in the millennial age. Then the saints shall be as gods (born again sons in the divine Family) leading many to salvation (Micah 4:5) in the kingdom of God.
Just as in the times of the Old Testament, God has chosen a special group of people as His special treasure (Exodus 19:5-6; Deut 7:6; Psalms 135:4). In these last days, God has also called a special group of people to be His special treasure - the true church of God - for His special purpose. God has revealed special knowledge (Matt 13:11) with special reward (Rev 2:17) for a special group of people (special treasure) who truly love Him (1 Cor 2:9). If you are predestined and called, will you heed to accept the offer since you have found the 'one pearl of great price - Matt 13:46'?
Such wrong belief stems largely from a misunderstood verse, ' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold,now is the day of salvation - 2 Cor 6:2' The Apostle Paul was quoting Isaiah 48:9 which states, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you'. The King James translators wrongly translated it as 'the' when it ought to be 'a'. If as it is claimed, then the only acceptable time for salvation would be during the time of Apostle Paul in the first century, and we are all doomed! Clearly, the true meaning is when God revealed to you the truth, that is the time He is calling you as He had predestined you to be a son in His divine Family in the kingdom of God. But the offer is good only if you obey His laws and commandments to pursue Christ-likeness, that is, seeking His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Sadly, many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - for they failed in their obligation to obey and abide in Christ.
God has given all mankind free will to choose their course of actions. They have to learn that there is a cause or causes for every effect, and they need to seek Godly wisdom to choose wisely. However, in this present age, God is calling only a small group of people to understand and obey His truth, in preparation for them to become rulers and priests in His coming kingdom of God (Rev 20:6). These men and women were predestined and chosen by God long before even they were born, ' He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will - Ephesians 1:4-5'. Hence, predestination is not about God determining who should be saved and who should be lost - for those who are not called in this age to be sons of God are neither saved nor lost, for their time of salvation has yet to come - but is all about God calling a small group of true believers to be the firstfruits (James 1:18) that will form the true Church of God for the fulfillment of His divine plan.
Many may wonder why God is favouring some whom He has called, in this present age, to be His sons and not others. The reason is that God knows each of us best even when we were in our mother's womb. He knows the make-up of every individual human being even before birth and who would best fit the task cut out for each of His sons in the kingdom of God. Do not forget that those who are called in this age has to undergo trials and tribulations - to overcome selfish ambition and desire, the temptation and deception of Satan and the riches and glamour of society. All humans who have ever lived but were not called in this life-time will be resurrected as reconstituted human beings (Ezekiel 37) to be told the whole truth, repentance and offer of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). They will have an easier opportunity for salvation as Satan will be bound, and the world would be a paradise at the close of the millennium age, after the restoration of all things by Christ and His saints ruling the world (Acts 3:21).
The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:29-30 puts it succinctly, 'For whom He (God the Father) foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He (Christ) might be the firstborn among many brethren. Morever whom He (God the Father) predestined, these he also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified'. These two short verses summarise God's Plan for His true church of God who will become joint heirs with Christ as brethren in the coming kingdom of God. Those who are being called, God's Holy Spirit is leading and guilding them to conform to the image of Christ (JUSTIFIED). When Christ return, they will be in the first resurrection (Rev 20:6), glorified as immortal spirit God Beings (1 John 3:9) to rule with Him in the kingdom of God (Rev 11:15).
Take heart, all who died without Christ are just 'sleeping in the grave'. Nowhere in Scriptures is it mention that God is trying to convert the whole world in this present church age. The verse in Matthew 24:14 states that the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be preached in all the world as a witness to the nations - not converting all of them! Come judgment day (Matt 11: 21-24), they will see the errors of their way and be given the truth and opportunity for salvation. God is preparing those whom He has called (and chosen) for the latter harvest yet to come in the millennial age. Then the saints shall be as gods (born again sons in the divine Family) leading many to salvation (Micah 4:5) in the kingdom of God.
Just as in the times of the Old Testament, God has chosen a special group of people as His special treasure (Exodus 19:5-6; Deut 7:6; Psalms 135:4). In these last days, God has also called a special group of people to be His special treasure - the true church of God - for His special purpose. God has revealed special knowledge (Matt 13:11) with special reward (Rev 2:17) for a special group of people (special treasure) who truly love Him (1 Cor 2:9). If you are predestined and called, will you heed to accept the offer since you have found the 'one pearl of great price - Matt 13:46'?
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