IT IS commonly believed that God is desperately trying to save the world now. That He is struggling with Satan to save all mankind now, while the devil is feverishly trying to keep as many as he can “lost” forever.
If this is true, who do you think is winning?
If God and Satan are in a titanic battle for human lives, and if God is as all-powerful as the Bible reveals, then why is five-sixths of the world non-Christian today? And why have thousands of millions already died without ever having had a chance to be saved?
Many sermons have been preached based on the premise that “there is no middle ground. Either you are this minute saved, or you're a lost soul!”
Many people have grieved over dead loved ones who had never made a profession of Christ. Perhaps over one who was a terrible sinner; perhaps over one who lived a “good” life, but never became an active church member. Still others grieve because they are not sure whether some loved one died “saved.”
The teaching that a person is either saved or lost comes from the assumption that God is out to save the world now – that the mission of the Church is to save mankind now – that this is the "only day of salvation,” and that this time is just about over.
These assumptions are all absolutely false!
The vast majority of people have never heard the true Gospel – the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. And of those who have heard it, most have not understood that message because Satan has deceived them (Rev. 12:9). Therefore, they never had a chance to understand and be saved!
Are they all, through no fault of their own, “lost” forever?
Shocking as it may sound, God does not intend for everyone to understand His truth at this time! If He did, they would understand!
Many think that Jesus spoke in parables to make His meaning clearer. This was not the reason. He spoke in parables to hide His real meaning so most of His hearers would not understand. After Jesus had spoken the parable of the sower, He plainly told His disciples whom He had called, “It is not given” to the rest (those who had not then been called) to understand the truth about the Kingdom of God. They were not permitted to understand! (Mark 4:10-12; Matt. 13:10-13.)
God has allowed the vast majority of humanity to be blind to His truth. He has allowed Satan to deceive the whole world. It is God's purpose and plan that, until Christ returns, only those whom He specially calls (John 6:44, 65) can understand the true way of salvation.
As we learned in the previous lesson, the future members of God's Family will be the kings, priests, teachers and administrators in His soon-coming world-ruling government. Only a comparatively few are now being called to fill these positions. They are receiving the training necessary to prepare them to teach all mankind when God's Kingdom is set up, with world-ruling headquarters in Jerusalem.
God reveals in His inspired Word – the Holy Bible – that those He has not yet called have not lost their opportunity for salvation, God is not in the process of saving everyone now.
After Christ returns and establishes the Kingdom of God on earth, He will then begin to teach the way of salvation to millions. They will have their calling and opportunity to understand God's truth and be born into His Family during the Millennium.
But what about the multiple thousands of millions who have already died without ever hearing or understanding the way of salvation? After the Millennium, they will be resurrected to mortal life and given their opportunity to understand God's truth, to be begotten by God's Spirit, to grow in His character, and to become Spirit-born members of His ruling Family.
God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Everyone will ultimately be called and given an opportunity to receive salvation! God is absolutely fair!
The truth about this important subject is plainly revealed in the pages of your Bible. So be sure to look up and read each verse given in answer to the questions. Don't just read this lesson – prove the truth from the Bible. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21).
Let's begin this eye-opening and encouraging study of God's Word.
