072 Will There Be A Second Chance?

“Altogether, these and many other scriptures make it very plain; That there is a day with the opportunity to believe and there's a door that stands open, but eventually it will close. And now today is the day of salvation.” - Pastor Jeff Cranston

Hello Kitchen Table Theology Family! In this episode, Pastor Jeff and Jen Denton continue in our series of The Doctrine of Hamartiology. So far in this series, we’ve covered The Lostness of Man, the Inevitable Results of Lostness, the Future Destiny of the Lost, and today we discuss and respond to a question that many people often wonder about.

[00:01] Is There Another Chance to Choose to Follow Christ After Death? 

• A second chance after death is a great incentive to be as wicked as possible in your earthly life 
• Christ clearly teaches there is no option for changing our eternal destiny in the afterlife (Luke 16)
• All people experience death once and then come into judgment (Hebrews 9:27)

 [07:19] What The Bible Says About Annihilationism and Purgatory

• Annihilationism: Unbelievers will be wiped out or annihilated sometime after their death
• Purgatory:  An area of limbo or transition, in which souls could dwell and then later, reach heaven. From the Roman Catholic tradition based on the extra-biblical book of 2 Maccabees
• In scripture we see 
  • How we cannot change our eternal destination (Luke 16: 19-31)
  • All creation, believers, and unbelievers will bow to Jesus at the end of time (Philippians 2:9-11)
  • All that remains for the unbeliever is judgment (Rev 20:14-15)
• God, in His abundant grace, has given us many second chances to respond to salvation in Christ

[12:36] The Kingdom of God Is At Hand

• Trust in Jesus that  if something is right and true, He would have told us in His Word
• There is an urgency and immediacy about entering God’s kingdom (Matt 4:17, Luke 13:24) 
• There is a day with the opportunity to believe and there's a door that stands open, but eventually, it will close
  • Today is the day of salvation
• In Luke 19:41-44, we see Jesus cry over Jerusalem, sheep without a shepherd, who didn’t recognize their day of visitation 

 [17:55] What Do We Do as Believers?    

• As Christians, we should have a sense of urgency about God's Kingdom. We are commanded to go to the ends of the earth to share the gospel
• Closing words

Key Quotes

“Our eternal destiny is determined by our earthly life. After this life, the only options that exist are eternity with Christ, or eternity apart from Christ.”  - Pastor Jeff Cranston 

“In fact, the Lord offers many of us many chances to accept salvation on this earth. And many people have been given and are being given multiple opportunities to respond to him. And when we understand that, our second chance is already here.”  - Pastor Jeff Cranston

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Remember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!