What Everyone Should Know About Being Saved!

Two Days of Salvation-The Scriptural Basis

Chapter Thirteen

Two Days of Salvation-The Scriptural Basis

When a separate, subsequent day of salvation is understood as depicted in the Bible, it relieves the frantic necessity for everyone to either accept Christ now or be condemned to so-called hellfire. The early Christians, following the example of Jesus, did not cudgel and badger people into accepting Christ. Just as Jesus' words discouraged the nobleman in his quest for "eternal life," in like manner Jesus' followers in the early church held high the standards of discipleship. They did not do what Christian churches do today-try to save immortal souls, which don't exist, from a burning hell fire, which also does not exist. This must be a vexation to God as well as an exercise in futility. 

When the Christian church used Christianity for world conquest that is where it lost its way. Christianity was only intended to call and develop those who would be footstep followers of Jesus Christ. Saving souls from hellfire was never the work God authorized.

"Who Will Have All Men to Be Saved"

The Bible says of God, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4). It does not say God wills that all men be saved to heaven. In God's purpose "all men" will be saved from the condemnation of death standing against them. This will take place in two different time periods. In the Christian age, believers are given "remission of sins" and the gift of the Spirit to begin in the pathway to the heavenly calling. During the Millennium, the rest of mankind will return from the grave and be given the opportunity of receiving everlasting life upon the earth.

Everyone except Adam and Eve had no choice about being condemned to death. We all were sentenced to death in Adam. "For as in Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:22). The judgment of death stands against all men and none have escaped. We were all sentenced in one man and, by the same legal requirement, one man-Christ-may redeem us all from the same sentence standing against us.

In this Christian era, only those who present their "bodies a living sacrifice" may receive "remission of sins" and the invitation to the heavenly calling. However, in the Millennium of God's kingdom on earth, the judgment incurred by Adam will be lifted from all men. When awakened in the regeneration, mankind will still have sinful propensities, but the Mediator, the man Christ Jesus, who will stand between them and God, will cover these. It will be very much like the children of Israel under their Mediator Moses. Moses failed because he could not bring the Israelites up to God's perfect law. Christ will succeed because he has the resources to make the inhabitants of earth learn righteousness.

Some say it is only God's wish that he "will have all men to be saved." They say God cannot help it if men turn down His offer. However, the Bible does not say this. Various translations show that it is indeed God's will that "all men should find salvation." (See the New English Bible for 1 Tim. 2:4, for example.) Yet the Bible does not say that God "will have all men to be saved today," does it? Just because today most of the world turns away from Christ's sacrifice, does not mean his sacrifice will not reach everyone later. The wonderful truth is that there are two days of salvation. Many churches have totally missed this clear teaching in the Word of God. Let us examine this matter.

"The Day of Salvation"

"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)" (2 Cor. 6:1, 2). There it is-"Now is the day of salvation." Some would have us believe that is the final word of the Lord on this matter. However, this is a faulty translation and does not correctly convey the meaning of the original Greek. The King James translators are very inconsistent here. In Isaiah 49:8, the basis of the passage in the Old Testament, they translate it correctly. Then in the New Testament (2 Cor. 6:1, 2) they render it incorrectly.