Does the Bible teach there is a second chance in the afterlife to be saved by Jesus?

[Alfred Persson]

"Does the Bible teach there is a second chance in the afterlife to be saved by Jesus?"

Some say we have only one life on earth to make our decision for or against God, that a "second chance" to repent and be saved doesn't exist. Two main texts are cited for this view: Hebrews 9:27 "it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" which suggests the judgment concerns acts performed while alive; and the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), which seems to rule out a "second chance" when the Rich Man is told " between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' (Lk. 16:26 NKJ).

The scriptures cited against the "second chance" have been taken out of context:

For example, the Rich Man is in Hades, which in the context of the New Testament is a temporary residence. Hades will be emptied out on Judgment Day (Rev. 20:13), it then "dies the second death" which symbolically means it will never return (Rev. 20:14). As the Rich Man is raised up out of Hades with everyone else (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:13), the "great gulf" is not an impassible barrier "to the resurrection of life, and …the resurrection of condemnation." (Jn. 5:29 NKJ)

As for Hebrews 9:27, Christ said Christians "shall not come into judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis), but has passed from death into life" (Jn. 5:24 NKJ) [3]. That means the "judgment" (2920 κρίσις krisis) in Hebrews 9:27 is deciding what happens to non-Christians after they die, not Christians who have been saved by grace (Eph. 2:5-10).

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis), but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)

Therefore, the "judgment" in Hebrews 9:27 is "the second chance for salvation", because after this judgment Christ will appear: "To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time…for salvation." (Heb. 9:28 NKJ).

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis),
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:27-28 NKJ)

That fits the meaning of the Greek krisis, it denotes a "trial, contest, selection" where an "opinion or decision" is given one way or the other.-Strong's Concordance.

Some claim the apostle refers to the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. If there is no judgment after men "die once", how is it anyone ends up in hell? Shouldn't everyone be in the same place? Moreover, if Christians are among those being judged then they must wait for Christ's second appearance, "for salvation". There is no support for that idea in scripture. It is proposed only to evade the plain sense, that among those who died many would be saved by Christ's sacrifice.

Christians must be excluded because they were saved by grace through faith in Jesus while alive, and do not come under a krisis judgment, whether immediately after death or sometime in the future at the Great White Throne Judgment.

As Christians are excluded it is clear belief in Christ is the issue being judged after death. The "Judgment" in Hebrews 9:27 is a "krisis trial" to decide which among the dead Christ's sacrifice bore the sins for, regardless of when they died. Christ "was offered once" "at the end of the ages" (Heb. 9:26) so all who died without Christ, including the generations who lived and died " since "the foundation of the world", would be eligible for His sacrifice for sin. As John put it, Christ is the sacrificial "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8) so all born into it are covered by His Sacrifice. Christ was offered once "at the end of the ages…to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself…to bear the sins of many…those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time…for salvation (Heb. 9:26, 28 NKJ).

Read it for yourself, it screams "second chance for non-Christians", they died and were judged and now some of them eagerly wait for Christ's salvation.

24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another--
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (2920 κρίσις krisis),
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:24-28 NKJ)

How can we be certain this trial is not a judgment whether one died a Christian? Christ our Teacher (Mt. 23:10) said Christians have passed from death into life when they believed (John 5:24). So did the apostles, Christians are saved by grace when they believe (Ac. 15:11; Eph. 2:5, 8), not by a krisis judgment after they die. Moreover, as the dead since the foundation of the world undergo the same "judgment", if dying a non-Christian condemned them for what is not their fault, the trial would be a sick parody of justice. That cannot be.

Jesus confirmed the dead will have a chance to obey His voice while still in the grave:

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Christ's opponents are warned, the Father has committed all judgment to the Son. Just as obedience or disobedience to the Father's voice kills or makes alive, so also obedience or disobedience to the Son's voice kills or makes alive in order that all honor the Son even as they honor the Father.

'The time is coming and begins now, all the dead whether alive physically or in the grave shall "hear the voice" and those who obey will live':

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice (ἀκούσονται τῆς φωνῆς) of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice (ἀκούσονται τῆς φωνῆς),
29 And shall come forth; they that have done (ποιήσαντες aorist participle) good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done (πράξαντες aorist participle) evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (Jn. 5:25-29 KJV)

Life or death are determined by the response subsequent to hearing the voice, not by deeds done before the voice is heard. All the "spiritually dead" hear the same voice regardless whether alive or physically dead and those who obey will live. Therefore, the translation of the aorist participles in John 5:29 as "have done" is inaccurate, the context requires the translation "did":

Many commentators minimize the subsequent (following) use of the aorist participle. Even such scholars as Robertson and Moulton, who recognize that the participle is not time-bound, resist this category of usage. But there are a number of examples in biblical and extra-biblical Greek where an aorist participle is used to refer to an action occurring after the action of the main verb. In virtually all of these examples, the aorist participle is placed after the main verb in syntactical order.-Porter, S. E. (1999). Idioms of the Greek New Testament (p. 189). JSOT.

Judgment pivots on the Dead's response to Christ's voice: "They that do" (ποιήσαντες 4160 ποιέω poieo) good (obeying the voice) rise unto the resurrection of life, and they that "continue to do" (πράξαντες 4238 πράσσω prasso) evil (not obeying the voice) rise unto a resurrection of damnation.

What about Jesus' parable?

To begin with, its more than a parable. The key difference Commentaries cite is the appearance of the personal name of Lazarus'. Rather than a parable, it seems like an "Old Testament prophetic warning" (2 Sam. 12:1-7) the mocking Pharisees would end up in Hades. Christ would send the risen Lazarus and the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) will not listen to Lazarus (John 12:9-11) just as they don't heed Moses and the prophets and their testimony about Christ's authority, especially over their riches (Luke 16:29-31). Contrary to their tradition Abraham would prevent a circumcised Israelite descending into Torment, its people like Lazarus they despise who are saved and while they end up in Hades. As it can't be classified a "parable", the symbolism should be taken as genuine revelation about the Afterlife.

A "second chance" doesn't require crossing over from hell to heaven. Rather, the repentant spirit is saved in the "Day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:5) when the Death and Hell are emptied out and those who "done good" upon obediently hearing Christ's voice (1 Peter 4:6) rise to a resurrection of life (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:13-14).

Hades as a place of eternal torment is "a self-contradiction" [5]. Hades is emptied on Judgment Day (Rev. 20:13-14) therefore, the Rich Man was only temporarily in Hades and could not be suffering eternal punishment.

Other facts indicate the Rich Man was not irredeemable, that the gifts and calling of God were not revoked in his case (Romans 11:26-32).

1.) Rather than a self-absorbed man who curses both Abraham and God for his plight, the Rich Man shows selfless concern for his family (Luke 16:27).

2.) Abraham affectionately calls the Rich Man "son" (Luke 16:25). It is impossible Abraham would speak affectionately if the Rich Man were an irredeemable enemy of God: "Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate you? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?" (Psalm 139:21).

3.) Abraham and others wanted to comfort the Rich Man, but an impassible chasm prevented them (Luke 16:26). It is impossible the redeemed would rebelliously want to subvert God's punishment of the wicked (Rev. 15:3-4). Therefore, the scene does not depict God's punishment.

4.) When the Rich Man cried "I am tormented (3600 ὀδυνάω odunao) in this flame (5395 φλόξ phlox)", the symbolism implies a process commentators miss. The Rich Man is in "sorrow" (cp. Acts 20:38 3600 ὀδυνάω odunao) for his sins, for the first time he is 100% aware how badly he missed the mark of God's perfection. The tormenting flame that brings truth to the surface, symbolizes God's inspection. God is revealed in the "flame" (Ex. 3:2; Judges 13:20; Isa. 66:15 LXX; Acts 7:30; 2 Thess. 1:8). His "eyes like a flame of fire" are bringing every dark secret and sin to the light, all self-delusion is purged. Just as it is written: The Lord has washed away the filth… and purged the blood of Jerusalem…by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:4 NKJ).

Christ's prophecy to the Pharisees revealed even the children of Abraham(Matthew 3:9-10) like the Rich Man, if they die enemies of the gospel rejecting His authority, they will be chastised in Hades contrary to their belief Abraham would not permit an Israelite enter Hades: “In the world to come Abraham sits at the gate of Gehenna, permitting none to enter who bears the seal of the covenant” (Genesis Rabbah xlviii). Paul touches on this subject declaring "the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable". All Israel will be saved even if they must suffer the torments of hell first (Romans 11:26-33).

Those who have not committed eternal sins will be purged of all that subverts their ability to make the free will confession Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and have life in His Name (John 20:28-31). All addiction to sin and self-delusion is burned away by the torment (931 βάσανος basano) of God's inspection, revealing the truth of the individual, who he really is. Once liberated and fully able to make a free will choice the gospel of Christ is preached, for belief or non-belief in Christ are the only grounds for judgment (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; John 3:16-18; 5:24; 14:6; 20:31; Acts 4:11-12;1 Peter 2:6-8). Therefore, only after a definite and formal presentment of the Gospel of Christ is made to a soul fully capable of making an informed and free judgment will God judge the conscious and deliberate acceptance or rejection of Christ.

For more on this go to
www.EndTimeNews.Net

[JehovahsWitness]

There are a number of misconceptions in the OP, not least that of an "afterlife"; the only thing after life is ...death (non existence).

As for a "second change" astute bible readers can deduce that many people that lived lives contrary to Gods will will have the opportunity to be brought back to life here on earth. Thus they will be given a chance to learn about Christ (many for the first time) and decide if they wish to submit to his rulership or not.





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