A SECOND CHANCE (4)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Does God offer us a second chance to be saved and live forever? Or are the vast majority of humans going to Hell? Are there only two types of people as far as God is concerned - the SAVED and the LOST? What is the spiritual status of newborn babies?
b) If humans are, by default, considered totally LOST at birth, then if they die soon after being born does God consign them to the bowels of eternal torment - even though they never understood the Gospel? But what if he considers humans initially in a SAVED condition at birth. At what time would he hold the child accountable for his choices and consider what they could do as SIN? If the child takes something that is not his or hers at age three, do they then become 'lost' in the eyes of the Almighty? If they act rebelliously at age two do they get tossed into an ever-painful lake of fire upon death?
c) A well-known religious talk show personality summed up the issue by asking if God would throw into an eternal hell someone who NEVER understood, let alone heard, the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. He quoted another preacher who said the following (paraphrased).
i) "Does it make any sense that a sweet and innocent little boy or girl will be consigned by God to leap from flaming brick to flaming brick in Hell FOREVER simply because a missionary or minister could not get to them because of car problems?"
d) Skeptics of the concept that mankind is either saved or lost state that MANY people have not so much as heard the name of God, let alone understood his Word or even comprehended salvation. It would therefore be unjust for them to be totally responsible for their spiritual status and be cast away.
e) The moderator, however, stated that he believed God has revealed his saving truth to all mankind, in all times, no matter where they lived. His conclusion was that we receive our FIRST and ONLY chance at salvation the moment we are born into the world.
1. Dry bones and salvation
a) Ezekiel's 'dry bones' vision tells us quite a bit regarding the Eternal's great plan for man.
b) In the 37th chapter God's spirit comes upon Ezekiel and takes him, in vision, to a valley full of bones. After the prophet walks around a bit God asks him something of a rhetorical question. The question is 'Can these bones LIVE?' In other words, are the people represented by the bones gone FOREVER? The prophet is then commanded to preach the following to the bones:
i) 5 Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them: I am going to put breath into you and bring you back to life. 6 I will give you sinews and muscles, and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and bring you back to life. (Ezekiel 37)
c) This is, of course, a prophecy of a future resurrection from the dead. Who are these dry bones? God tells Ezekiel they are "the whole house of Israel" (verse 11). They symbolically cry out that their hope is lost and that they feel permanently cut off. Ezekiel is told to respond to the hopelessness of the bones (representing people) by saying,
i) I, the Sovereign Lord, am going to open their graves. I am going to take them out and bring them back to the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 37:12).
d) What exactly is the PURPOSE of resurrecting people back into a physical existence? The Lord states it will happen so that,
i) they will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my breath in them, bring them back to life, and let them live in their own land. (Ezekiel 37:13-14)
e) God will, very soon, resurrect the dead and bring them back as flesh and blood humans. They will be placed back in the land and offered a chance to receive the holy spirit. Clearly, an opportunity to be part of the 'saved' will be available after dying in this life.
The End ...
0. Introductiona) Does God offer us a second chance to be saved and live forever? Or are the vast majority of humans going to Hell? Are there only two types of people as far as God is concerned - the SAVED and the LOST? What is the spiritual status of newborn babies?
b) If humans are, by default, considered totally LOST at birth, then if they die soon after being born does God consign them to the bowels of eternal torment - even though they never understood the Gospel? But what if he considers humans initially in a SAVED condition at birth. At what time would he hold the child accountable for his choices and consider what they could do as SIN? If the child takes something that is not his or hers at age three, do they then become 'lost' in the eyes of the Almighty? If they act rebelliously at age two do they get tossed into an ever-painful lake of fire upon death?
c) A well-known religious talk show personality summed up the issue by asking if God would throw into an eternal hell someone who NEVER understood, let alone heard, the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. He quoted another preacher who said the following (paraphrased).
i) "Does it make any sense that a sweet and innocent little boy or girl will be consigned by God to leap from flaming brick to flaming brick in Hell FOREVER simply because a missionary or minister could not get to them because of car problems?"
d) Skeptics of the concept that mankind is either saved or lost state that MANY people have not so much as heard the name of God, let alone understood his Word or even comprehended salvation. It would therefore be unjust for them to be totally responsible for their spiritual status and be cast away.
e) The moderator, however, stated that he believed God has revealed his saving truth to all mankind, in all times, no matter where they lived. His conclusion was that we receive our FIRST and ONLY chance at salvation the moment we are born into the world.
1. Dry bones and salvationa) Ezekiel's 'dry bones' vision tells us quite a bit regarding the Eternal's great plan for man.
b) In the 37th chapter God's spirit comes upon Ezekiel and takes him, in vision, to a valley full of bones. After the prophet walks around a bit God asks him something of a rhetorical question. The question is 'Can these bones LIVE?' In other words, are the people represented by the bones gone FOREVER? The prophet is then commanded to preach the following to the bones:
i) 5 Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them: I am going to put breath into you and bring you back to life. 6 I will give you sinews and muscles, and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and bring you back to life. (Ezekiel 37)
c) This is, of course, a prophecy of a future resurrection from the dead. Who are these dry bones? God tells Ezekiel they are "the whole house of Israel" (verse 11). They symbolically cry out that their hope is lost and that they feel permanently cut off. Ezekiel is told to respond to the hopelessness of the bones (representing people) by saying,
i) I, the Sovereign Lord, am going to open their graves. I am going to take them out and bring them back to the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 37:12).
d) What exactly is the PURPOSE of resurrecting people back into a physical existence? The Lord states it will happen so that,
i) they will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my breath in them, bring them back to life, and let them live in their own land. (Ezekiel 37:13-14)
e) God will, very soon, resurrect the dead and bring them back as flesh and blood humans. They will be placed back in the land and offered a chance to receive the holy spirit. Clearly, an opportunity to be part of the 'saved' will be available after dying in this life.
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