Is there any chance of salvation for the unbeliever who dies in his unbelief? What if the person never heard the gospel? …what if he was lied to all his life and was told there is no God? …what if he thought Jesus was just a good man and a prophet but not really the Son of God? The Bible is clear that those people described above will not be joined with Christ when he returns—they will not be caught up in the clouds “to meet the Lord in the air” (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). However, does it mean they can never be saved? I believe the Bible has a surprising answer to that question. In this blog, I seek to explain how the Bible teaches that all those who have died (or will die) in unbelief will be resurrected at the time of the rapture to take part in the day of the Lord (or day of the Lord’s wrath). I understand that this is a somewhat controversial position. But even more controversial is the resulting consequence that those unbelievers who are resurrected at that time will have a chance to hear the gospel, believe in Jesus, refuse to take the mark of the beast, and be saved.
Scriptural evidence for this resurrection of unbelievers is as follows:
- “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29; there will be a resurrection of all people …good and evil)
- “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2; resurrection of all people …good and evil)
- “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” (Revelation 1:7; they who pierced him will see Jesus and wail when he comes …they will be alive)
- “Jesus saith unto [the high priest]…Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64; that high priest will be alive)
- “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5; Those people in the first century hearing this warning from Paul will experience God’s wrath in the day of the Lord)
Perhaps the greatest scriptural support for this teaching is found in 1 Corinthians 5:3-5: The unbelieving sinner in the following passage certainly died in the first or second century, but Paul says he will have the opportunity to be saved in the day of the Lord.
- “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed…To deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)
If that sinner comes to faith in the day of the Lord and refuses to worship (and take the mark of) the beast, he will be saved …and he will be numbered with the many others who are saved at that time and are mentioned in Revelation 15:2:
- “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.”
However, there are some people who, because they were so evil during their life on earth, will not be given the opportunity to be saved during the day of the Lord. These are referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12:
- “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
I realize this is not a popular teaching, and it does not bother me at all if you don’t agree with it (I actually expect people not to agree with it). Whatever the truth is about the resurrection of unbelievers, it will become very clear in the end times, so I don’t get hung up on opposing views. That said, it can be a comfort to someone who has lost a loved one who wasn’t saved …to know that their loved one might be saved in the day of the Lord.