I agree with everything you stated. I call it a 2nd chance as I don't know what else to call it, however I know it happens because they "never had a first one to begin with". For the grace of God, there go I. I also think it includes much of Christianity.
My main reason for this belief is that so few Christian churches teach about how to be prepared for end times. They teach salvation over and over. Very important - but after that those folks need to be given meat, later rain, that will get them through end times. Instead they are either taught rapture, that they will miss the tribulation (completely unbiblical - in other words, a lie that puts their soul in peril) or they aren't taught how it will happen, how Satan comes pretending to be Christ and fools the world, especially Christians (his main goal).
In comparison to the folks who will call on his name, I still believe the number of unsaved will be small. Believing any other outcome would be to believe that Our Lord's way would be secondary to Satan's!
I too feel many more will be saved than lost but the older I become the less I "over" estimate man and his free will.
As a side note - Yesterday one of the posts stated that a museum in Israel was going to display a piece of the manuscript that had been uncovered. They would display it on the eve of Shavout, (Shavout being today, Pentecost). The article stated that Shavout was the day the Word, the Torah, was given to Israel on Mt. Sinai. This was so interesting to me. I didn't realize that the Word was given on a day that so many years later would be when the Holy Spirit was sent to us - Pentecost. God doesn't miss a beat, does He? All one big, beautiful plan. (another reason that shows we should worship on Passover, not easter - The days were chosen by God, not man)
Thank you for your teaching on the 1 Corinthian scriptures. It is different than what I have been taught so I will take some time with comparing the two.
Your friend......Ping
Precisely! Many God fearing, self proclaimed Christians do not yet know God's plan for mankind, and as such, will be taught the correct way. If you are required to take a test to achieve a certain goal....but are taught incorrectly along the way, by a well meaning instructor....then you never received a first chance.....did you? Your first chance will be when you receive God's Word....in it's correct form. Then, because of the logic involved, the history will begin to make sense and true doctrine will emerge and become very clear.
This was so interesting to me. I didn't realize that the Word was given on a day that so many years later would be when the Holy Spirit was sent to us - Pentecost. God doesn't miss a beat, does He? All one big, beautiful plan.
"Passover": This shows the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt.
"Feast of Unleavened Bread": God instructed us to not eat leavened bread for seven days after the Passover. This is in remembrance of the fact that Israel did not have time for the dough to rise in their bread when they left Egypt.
"Feast of First fruits": On this day (also known as Pentecost) two loaves of bread are waved before the Lord. These are the first fruits to the Lord, and this represents the abundant harvest that is to come.
"Feast of trumpets": The beginning of the seventh month is initiated by sounding the shofar. Seven is indicative of God's completion, so the seventh month festivals indicate the completion of God's purpose. "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Messiah; and He will reign forever and ever". This is the gathering of the body of Messiah, the true rapture.
"Day of Atonement": On Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) the priest made atonement for Himself and all the house of Israel. Our Saviour was the Lamb of God and made atonement for us.
"Feast of Booths": On this day (also known as Sukkot) we remember the provision God made for us in the wilderness, how He kept us and provided for us. This feast is also called the Feast of the Ingathering.
"The Last Great Day": At the end of the Feast of Booths, on the eighth day, is a Sabbath (a holy convocation). This represents the final Sabbath.......the eternal one.