This post is the story of a revelation I received from the Holy Spirit on this question. Some people would consider this heresy but read it through and ask God yourself. Some people are afraid to question their faith, trust me God is not afraid of your questions. Your faith will be far stronger when you get those questions answered.
I am a Protestant and believe that salvation though faith results in being born again. That this was the requirement to eternal life post Jesus, and my name was written in the Lambs book of Life” The righteous Jews pre-Jesus were liberated at his resurrection from Abrahams bosom mentioned in Luke 16 by the verse “he lead captivity captive”. EPH 4:8. Not being a pre Jesus Jew I was not terribly concerned with the details but essentially everyone else goes to Hell. I even preached messages comparing humanity to the titanic where everyone is perishing and only those picked up in the rescue boats are saved. So it was our duty that once rescued we were to help rescue others. It seemed harsh but that is what I believed.
I also believed that those saved on earth did not participate in the white throne judgement be went directly to heaven as the bride of Christ to the “marriage supper of the lamb”
I was reading about the final throne judgement
Revelation 20:11-15
King James Version
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
I went to God and said, so if the born again are not participating in this judgement is everyone guilty. Is this some show trial where everyone is guilty, why is it not just that your name is not in the book and therefore off the Hell you go. What’s with the big show if everyone is guilty.
His response over the next 3 days completely surprised me. It was not what I suspected at all. Again, you don’t have to believe me, ask him yourself.
He showed me the following. It was a long process so ill hit the high points.
He started with Jesus with the rich young ruler:
Mark 10:17-27
New American Standard Bible
The Rich Young Ruler
17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But he [a]was deeply dismayed by [b]these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
So the Jewish man asks God what must he do to inherit eternal life, Jesus quoted the Jewish law and when the man said he follow it all his life, Jesus loved him. Notice he did not say:
John 14:6 New International Version
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
He quoted him the Jewish law and loved him. Humm, why didn’t he say believe on me?, “the one thing you lack” reference is to if you want to be complete, perfect, mature etc was an invitation to go higher but he did not present it as a condition of eternal life. Now this is interesting Jesus is preaching but to this Jew when this exact question was asked, quoted the law.
Now here
Romans 1:20 New International Version
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
1 Samuel 16:7
King James Version
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
Hebrews 4:11-13 21st Century King James Version
11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall according to the same example of unbelief.
12 For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Then he showed me this:
Romans 2:14-16 New International Version
14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
These are scriptures that don’t line with the doctrine I have believed
He then showed me
Genesis 3:21 New International Version
21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Through Adam and Eve we all know both Good and Evil. The Jews were given a choice.
Deuteronomy 30:18-20 21st Century King James Version
18 I declare unto you this day that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land whither thou passest over the Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live,
And a verse that always puzzled me
Revelation 3 King James Version
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Wouldn’t it be better to be a little warm than cold, this verse doesn’t say that.
And finally
John 12:46-48 21st Century King James Version
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear My words and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejected Me and receiveth not My words, hath One that judgeth him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the Last Day.
Matthew 13 King James Version
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Finally, this is what I now understand to be true.
Adam gained the knowledge of good and evil. All his descendants have this knowledge, we call it conscience, are required to choose between good and evil. Like the wheat and tares there are only two choices, good or evil. Good people can do evil things, and evil people can do good things. But God judges your heart and looks into your thoughts and intents to see what choice you have made. Judge is a legal term and implies rendering a judgement and a sentence of found guilty. This is his irritation in those who sit on the fence, they refuse to choose.
The people who have never heard of Jesus, know there is a God and have the knowledge of good and evil.
The Jews had the law. They are under that law
So it’s not a show trial, it’s a real trial.
So it is by works? , kind of, your works reflect your choice of good or evil, remember he judges the heart. “and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works”.
So why doesn’t a loving God just let everyone live with him. Because God is good and some have chosen evil. Why do you weed the garden and not just let weeds grow with the fruit. Because weeds choke out the fruit,
Now about the book of life, I was taught that when you get saved your name is written in the book of life, but I can’t find that scripture anywhere.
I find that you should rejoice that your name is written in the book, (said to unsaved Jews by the way)
I find that your name can be blotted out
But nowhere where you can get it written in. I suspect (he didn’t say this) that everyone’s name is written in the book at first and its only when you have chosen evil and sold out to it that you are blotted out.
So, the question of those people who did not know the Jewish law nor heard of Jesus has been answered. He judges their heart, to see what choice they have made, good or evil. That was Jesus’ problem with the Pharisees, they obeyed the law, but their heart was evil.
So now the question comes up, why be saved? This is a ridiculous question when you think about it
You become born again, a child of God himself. Adopted as a son. You are given the Holy Spirit to live in you, to teach you, to comfort you, to help you grow into a full-fledged mature son of God. You are given access to the powers of the world to come,
You are no longer just children of Adam, mere humans without power subject to every whim of the enemy, and yes there is one. You are a bride of Christ, given the power to use his name to overcome all the works of the enemy.
Salvation is not just a ticket into eternal life, it is a choice that right now you decide. That is why the sons of God are not present at the great white throne judgement, you have already died and been born again.
You may say but I’m no different that this unbeliever, I have no power. You are saved and stuck. You need to grow from a baby to a mature son of God. This is done by interaction with him, the Holy Spirit was sent to teach you, if this is not real to you then you need to read my post on how to talk with God, coming soon,
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