Is everyone given a chance?

[jeff77]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? Does the Holy Spirit reveal to people that Jesus is the one and only and they either choose to accept or reject him? I don't think that some people just get it intellectually and others don't. Many of the people that we witness to say that they don't believe in God because they don't see the evidence for his existence, or that there may be a god just not the one in the Bible and sometimes in a different god altogether. So if someone has had the knowledge of God revealed to them but tell you they don't believe, are they actually saying that they don't want to commit their life to the Lord at least at that point in time?

 

[reba]

Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? Does the Holy Spirit reveal to people that Jesus is the one and only and they either choose to accept or reject him? I don't think that some people just get it intellectually and others don't. Many of the people that we witness to say that they don't believe in God because they don't see the evidence for his existence, or that there may be a god just not the one in the Bible and sometimes in a different god altogether. So if someone has had the knowledge of God revealed to them but tell you they don't believe, are they actually saying that they don't want to commit their life to the Lord at least at that point in time?

I don't see how God can desire that all men be saved and then not give them a real chance to believe and be saved.

God sends his testimony via the Holy Spirit out into all the world:

"It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth." (1 John 5:6 NASB)

Many choose to not believe that testimony, in effect calling God a liar:

"...the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son." (1 John 5:10 NASB)

You can't be convicted of calling God a liar if you've never heard the truth and been given a legitimate chance to believe and be saved. Ultimately, the person who doesn't believe doesn't believe because that is what they have chosen. And you will see if you look into it they don't believe because they simply refuse to accept God's definition of sin and his justice in condemning it. Which is, as you say, they simply do not want to commit their lives to live righteously, but love unrighteousness instead.

 

[jeff77]

I don't see how God can desire that all men be saved and then not give them a real chance to believe and be saved.

God sends his testimony via the Holy Spirit out into all the world:

"It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth." (1 John 5:6 NASB)

Many choose to not believe that testimony, in effect calling God a liar:

"...the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son." (1 John 5:10 NASB)

You can't be convicted of calling God a liar if you've never heard the truth and been given a legitimate chance to believe and be saved. Ultimately, the person who doesn't believe doesn't believe because that is what they have chosen. And you will see if you look into it they don't believe because they simply refuse to accept God's definition of sin and his justice in condemning it. Which is, as you say, they simply do not want to commit their lives to live righteously, but love unrighteousness instead.

Right and thanks for the scripture Jethro and Reba. I used to think that the main goal when witnessing to someone was to convince them that God exist. Pointing out evidence through His creation, through the Bible and sometimes archeological evidence may be helpful but it is really the Holy Spirit that gives the person the knowledge. So is our job as witnesses more about convincing them to put their faith in what they already know to be true? Is this a good way at looking at it?

 

[elijah23]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? Does the Holy Spirit reveal to people that Jesus is the one and only and they either choose to accept or reject him? I don't think that some people just get it intellectually and others don't. Many of the people that we witness to say that they don't believe in God because they don't see the evidence for his existence, or that there may be a god just not the one in the Bible and sometimes in a different god altogether. So if someone has had the knowledge of God revealed to them but tell you they don't believe, are they actually saying that they don't want to commit their life to the Lord at least at that point in time?

The Lord is just. Everyone is treated equally. He teaches each of us his law.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

So is our job as witnesses more about convincing them to put their faith in what they already know to be true? Is this a good way at looking at it?

I'd say so.

But don't rule out the possibility that you'll share the gospel with someone that is being convicted of it for the very first time through your testimony.

When I was a young lad, a young Asian woman approached me in the Mall one Saturday night with the famous question, "if you should die tonight....". Of course, my answer was, 'yes', but it was the first time I'd really been confronted with the gospel in my heart (which I now know to have been the Holy Spirit) and I wondered after our conversation why I thought I'd go to be with Jesus when I died. I knew in my heart that I would not. She gets the credit at the awards ceremony at the end of the age for planting the first seed of the gospel in my life. Her reward? (Besides God's approval).......Me! We will rejoice together--she over me, and I over her for sharing the gospel with me.

 

[Andrew Mason]

I believe everyone is held accountable for the dispensation of revelation they receive. I also believe everyone receives a dispensation of who God is in their life according to Romans 1:20:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse...

 

[clark thompson]

I don't anyone go to hell will have a valid excuse so they have a chance to come to God in a way but may not be the way we do. They may reject their being God so there would be no need for them to hear about Christ if they do not believe in God.

 

[His_nee (Jeff)]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? .....

no

 

[Stan1953]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? Does the Holy Spirit reveal to people that Jesus is the one and only and they either choose to accept or reject him? I don't think that some people just get it intellectually and others don't. Many of the people that we witness to say that they don't believe in God because they don't see the evidence for his existence, or that there may be a god just not the one in the Bible and sometimes in a different god altogether. So if someone has had the knowledge of God revealed to them but tell you they don't believe, are they actually saying that they don't want to commit their life to the Lord at least at that point in time?

Definitely..... 2 Peter 3:9

 

[jeff77]

no

Why not? Considering God desires everyone to be saved and He is a just God.

 

[His_nee (Jeff)]

this was the question i answered, as it was the first from the op of this thread.
quote op: My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior?

not the question : does God desire everyone to be saved? nor is he a just God?

 

[jeff77]

this was the question i answered, as it was the first from the op of this thread.
quote op: My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior?

not the question : does God desire everyone to be saved? nor is he a just God?

Ok, thanks.

 

[Gary]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior?

I don't believe they do. Not everyone has heard of or will hear of Jesus during their lifetime.

.

 

[reba]

Salvation is not by chance..
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

 

[jeff77]

Salvation is not by chance..
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

When you say salvation is not by chance do mean as in luck? Like for example "By chance I was in the right place at the right time and over-heard someone preaching the Gospel, that's how I was saved"

 

[jeff77]

EDIT to the above post. I was saying not by chance. When someone accepts Christ as savior they are given an opportunity to be saved. Probably many of them. Is this what you mean?

 

[jeff77]

I don't believe they do. Not everyone has heard of or will hear of Jesus during their lifetime.

.

In these cases I believe that God still reveals Himself to them through nature as it says in Romans 1:20 Maybe not by making a Bible appear out in the middle of the jungle, but somehow.

 

[reba]

I know jeff77 saying Salvation is not by chance is most often me being a smart alec...

 

[john darling]

My question is does everyone have a chance at some time in their life to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior?

It depends on what you mean by "accept", too. A lot of people will say, "lord lord" but Jesus will say, "I never knew you". (Mt 7:21-23) These are people who obviously thought they had accepted Jesus; they called him "lord".

And then we have the example of the "good" Samaritan. He wasn't a Christan or a Jew. There was nothing in the parable about accepting the name of Jesus or following an appropriate religious formula. He just showed love to his neighbor and by doing so, he was right with God. Jesus even included a priest and a Levite (guys who definitely had the correct theology) as a CONTRAST to the Samaritan, making it clear that the emphasis was on the behavior rather than the title.

Jesus said that his teachings are the Holy Spirit (John 6:63). He said the job of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of his teachings (Jn 14:26).

When talking to Nicodemus, Jesus described the Holy Spirit as a wind which blows where ever it wants; we don't see where it comes from or where it goe. It's like that with God and his relationship to humanity. In the end only God really knows what the Holy Spirit is doing in each person's life. (Jn 3:8)

God's spirit blows through the world attempting to convict and guide us. It does this even if we never hear the name "Jesus" because Jesus is so much more than just a a name, and God is so much more than just a book.