"How is God going to save the world?"

Fred R. Coulter - September 28, 2002

An atheist looks at the Bible and says, “I can’t understand how there can be a God Who claims to be a God of love, and yet He flooded the whole world, if that is true, during the days of Noah and killed all those people.” Another man will say, “I can’t worship God, because look at all of the people who have died in wars. And look at all of the innocent little children who have died because of war, and famine, and starvation, and because of the cruelty of adults to children.” Another one would say, “Well, how can there be a God, if He’s a God of salvation and He is not saving everyone? How can there be a God Who is a God of love Who has deliberately blinded people so they will not understand the Bible?”

Now let’s go to Isaiah 6 and let’s see. Sure enough, those are true statements, aren’t they? Yes they are. Isaiah 6 - before we go there, let’s go to 1 Samuel 15, and here’s another one that people look at and accuse God. Now here’s another example. 1 Samuel 15:1, “[And] Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel: now therefore hearken [listen] thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [in] wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Sam. 15:1-3). Now that’s a pretty severe sentence, isn’t it? What about the little infants who are innocent? They don’t know anything. Why would God kill them? And if God kills them, how can we say that God is a God of love? And in this, you see, people do not understand that God has a plan.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 6, and let’s see where God deliberately blinds the minds of people. It’s quite an interesting thing back there in Isaiah 6, because we will see that this also quoted in Matthew 13 in just a minute. But notice what God told Isaiah. Now let’s pick it up here, let’s just begin in verse 1. “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: and the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isa. 6:1-3).

So this is quite a scene, isn’t it? And Isaiah saw this. And I imagine when he saw it, like it says here in verse 5, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I [Isaiah said]; send me. And He said,...” Now notice, “...Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (vs. 5-10).

Now if God is trying to save people, why would He do all of these things? And it’s evident that He does it, right? There’s no saying, “Well, you know, God didn’t do it.” The question is, what is God going to do about it? And the question is, why did He do it in the first place? Why did God do this in the first place? Well, it all goes back to the sin of Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman. They set the pattern. God put them in the Garden of Eden. They chose by willful deliberation to go against God’s way. He set before them the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So they could have eaten of the tree of life. But they chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and as a result of that, cut themselves off from God. And God gave judgment to them, didn’t He? And in that judgment and in that sentence He said, to the woman, her sentence, that she would have sorrow and trouble in childbirth; that her husband would rule over her. He said to Adam, “You’re going to work by the sweat of your brow, and you are going to labor and toil until you die, for dust you are and unto dust you shall return.”

That’s pretty heavy sentence, isn’t it? Why? Because they worshipped Satan the devil and listened to him instead of God. And as a result of that, we find in the book of Romans that, what? God also, as part of His judgment against them, gave them a nature of sin and death. Now then, the human condition changed. And so God let man go his own way. And because of sin God had to destroy the world that was then in the days of Noah with a flood. And every time you look at all of the things in the Bible, you see that these disasters and these things, and wars, all take place because of sin. So when God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, came to this earth and taught human beings face-to-face as a man. From that time forward God was selective in whom He called.

Now let’s look at some more scriptures. Let’s come back here to Matthew 13, and let’s read where Jesus quoted that very, those very verses that we read in Isaiah 6. So you see, if God is not interested in saving all people now - or let’s put this way: If, because of the choice of mankind, which then God accepts because He’s not intervening to make people obey Him, then God is not saving those people. At least we can say, at this time. So let’s come here to Matthew 13. Now let’s begin in verse 10. And this is quite an explanation. “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speaketh Thou unto them [that is, the multitudes] in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matt. 13:10-11).

Now there is a change that takes place. Those whom God the Father and Jesus Christ call and repent and receive the Holy Spirit,through the word of God, and the Spirit of God, are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. And part of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven is to understand God’s plan. And God’s plan, as we have seen, is laid out in a step-by-step manner beginning with the Passover to the Last Great Day, which is this day. And we will see that this is truly the greatest day, because of what God is going to do and how He is going to do it.

Now let’s finish reading this section here, because this is very profound and it has an awful lot to do with our salvation; and then we will see later on, with the salvation of the rest of the people who, down through history, have not been given that opportunity. Now let’s read it here, verse 12, “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” So then, when we make choices the wrong way, then God even removes what we have from us, you see. And we’ve seen that happen too, haven’t we, down through the years. “Therefore speak I to them in parables:...” Now here He quotes Isaiah, “...because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;” (vs. 12-15).

Now you remember when the children of Israel were gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai. And God spoke to them the Ten Commandments. What was their response? “Oh! Moses! Don’t let God speak to us! You speak to God, and you tell us. Then we’ll do what God says.” So right in the presence of God, what did they do? They stopped their ears and they closed their eyes.

Now notice, “...and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Now you see, a lot of people are under the false and mistaken conclusion that God wants to save everybody now. We’re going to look at some scriptures which show that God wants to save everyone that’s possible to save. So then the question becomes, when and how is He going to do this? Now notice verse 16, and I want you to think about this in relationship to what you know from the word of God, in relationship to God’s Spirit being within you, and understanding the word of God, and understanding the plan of God, and knowing the things that you know. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (vs. 15-17). So that is an amazing thing, isn’t it?

Now let’s look at some scriptures which seem to contradict what we have said. Let’s come to John 3:16. And John 3:16 is the one that the whole Protestant world relies upon, correct? Let’s read it. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but [may] have everlasting life.” So therefore, if you just believe in the name of Jesus you are saved. But then there are false Christ’s, and there are false apostles, and there false teachings. So this kind of looks like that God wants everybody saved, right?

Let’s come to 2 Peter. Or 1 Peter, rather. I’ll let you know when we get there. 1 Peter 2, and this tells us something very important too, doesn’t it? 1 Peter 2, and let’s pick it up here - beg your pardon, that’s 2 Peter 3, and let’s pick it up here in verse 9. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Now there are two key things here. God is not willing that they perish, but come to repentance. Now that’s a key thing to understand, because repentance is something that has to come from God. Repentance then it is a two-way thing. We have to come to ourselves to recognize that we are sinners, and God has to grant us repentance. Now, since God hasn’t offered this to all people at the present time, when is it going to happen? Because He doesn’t want all to perish. He wants them all to come to the knowledge of the truth, as we will see. Now let’s come to 1 Timothy 2, and we will see that. And then we’ll begin to ask the question, how is God going to do this? If this is God’s desire, and we also have to say that God gives choice. So man’s choice is there. And when man chooses, that becomes his responsibility. If man chooses to follow God, that’s one proposition. If man chooses to go his own way and reject God, that’s another proposition. Either way, it doesn’t change God’s desire. But that’s how important choice is.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 4. 2 Timothy 2:4 - not 2 Timothy, 1 Timothy 2:4. I’ll get it right yet here. Notice, “…Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Now that’s a very important verse, isn’t it? How are they going to come to the knowledge of the truth, when they didn’t have the knowledge of the truth given to them? Now whose fault is that? Well, that’s God’s fault. Now what is God going to do about it? Is God going to be unfair?

Now let’s come here to Romans 2, and let’s see another statement that’s very important. Because if God calls some and not others, and if God gives eternal life to some and not others, is not God a respecter of persons? And if God is a respecter of persons, then does that not contradict the scriptures which say that God is not a respecter of persons? Let’s read it here. Romans 2:11, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” Now it would seem that God was a respecter of persons, wouldn’t it, if we put together the scriptures that we have covered? Now, there’s another thing that takes place besides man’s choice. Now we’ll come back this, because we will see that God is not a respecter of persons. But let’s look at some other things. Let’s come here to 2 Corinthians 3:14. There’s another factor out there, because when Adam and Eve chose to follow Satan the devil, it literally loosed Satan the devil upon this world. And he is the prince of the power of the air, we’re going to see. He is also the god of this world, as we saw on the Day of Atonement. And those who have their eyes blinded and their minds blinded have been blinded by Satan the devil. And who let him be there? God did.

2 Corinthians 3:14, “But their minds were blinded:...” That is talking about the children of Israel while they were there in the wilderness with Moses. Their minds were blinded. “...For until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.” Now then, let’s come over here to chapter 4 and verse 4, since it’s just across the margin here. 2 Corinthians 4:4, it’s says, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Now how is God going to solve this problem? How is God going to clear up this dilemma? Because it is. And it’s one that people look out there and see, and rightly see, that it is a difficulty.

Now let’s come to Romans 11 and let’s see how Paul talks about it here concerning Israel. Israel, the twelve tribes of Israel that God has chosen; and let’s see what happened to them. So here in Romans 11 we begin to understand how God is going to do it. Because you see, God closed the minds of the children of Israel. He cut off the rest of the world. He blinded their eyes, blinded their understanding. And He didn’t call them. So what is God going to do? How is God going to do it?

Now let’s pick it up here in Romans 11:7. “What then? Israel hath not obtained it that which he seeketh for; but the election...” That is, those that God called. And that means, “selected.” So you have in this world the selected, or election, and the un-elected, or the un-selected, you see. Notice, “…the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them: let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway” (Rom. 11:7-10). So after quoting that, now that’s a pretty harsh quote, isn’t it? Yes it is.

Now notice verse 11, what Paul is writing here about Israel; and this is something. “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?” (vs. 11-12).

Now let’s come over here to verse 25, and Paul begins to clarify it. He begins to see that God has in His plan a way to resolve it. And we will find through the scriptures that there is a way to resolve all of these things. Verse 25, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,...” And that’s why I say it is the answer, the mystery of the ages, because this is the mystery of God. “...Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Now verse 26, “And so all Israel shall be saved:...” The question is, when? How? Under what circumstances? And if they’ve already lived their lives and died, not having had an opportunity for salvation because God has cut them off, and God has given them blindness, how is He going to solve this? And how is He going to fill it here, verse 26, “so all Israel shall be saved”? “...As it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (vs. 25-26).

Now I tell you, it’s really something what God is going to do. And that’s why this Last Great Day is the great day. It is the great day of God. Because God is going to undo all of these things. Now let’s come down here to verse 31. No, verse 30. “For as ye in times past [he’s talking to the Gentiles] have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,...” Why? “...That He might have mercy upon all.” When? Now, Paul knew that it was going to come. But he didn’t know when. So he says here, verse 33, “O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompenced unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be the glory for ever. Amen” (vs. 30-36).

So Paul is literally saying here, “It’s in God’s hands, but He’s going to do it. He has promised. I know the Old Testament well enough to understand that God is going to do it.” Now we’re going to see how God is going to do it, when He’s going to do it. And that is the great treasureof the Last Great Day.

Now let’s look at some other things. Let’s continue here. Since we’re in the book of Romans let’s come to Romans 8, and let’s understand why God gave the creation over to these things, like we just described. Of what advantage is it to God to do so? Well, let’s put it this way: It is for their salvation in the end run. But since God gave free moral agency and free choice - and we are to choose. Every human being has to choose. And if they choose not to go God’s way, they are blinded, and they remain cut off from God. And so the question is, why did God do this, and how is he going to solve the problem?

Romans 8:20, “For the creature [or, the creation] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him Who hath subjected the same in hope,…” Well, what is their hope if they are dead and gone? What chance is there for salvation for them? Well, we’ll find out. “…Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20-21). So it’s going to be a future thing. Now we have seen down through the millennium how God is going to do it, right? We’ve seen that there are going to be literally billions come into the kingdom of God through the operation of salvation all during the millennium.

Now is the time to begin to understand. Let’s come here to Revelation 20 and let’s read this scripture, and let’s see something very important. And we will look at all, all of the things that God has had for us so that we can understand. Now we know about the first resurrection, don’t we? We know that when Christ returns, 1 Corinthians 15, all those who are Christ’s will be resurrected as firstfruits. That we know from Pentecost, and from the scriptures. Now here, a very important verse. Revelation 20:5, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Who are “the rest of the dead”? The rest of the dead has to include all of those who are not in the first resurrection. Because he clearly says here, this is the first resurrection. As we’ve read, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be [kings and] priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:5-6).

Alright. What else does this tell us? “The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years...” That means a resurrection, doesn’t it? If you’re dead and you live again you’ve been resurrected back to life, correct? Ok. When will this take place? Now let’s just come down a little further in Revelation 20 and we will see. Verse 11, “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” In other words, there were so many who are resurrected, the rest of the dead. Now how many can that be? Billions and billions down through the history of all of mankind. So this must have been quite a sight. Quite a sight. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;…” That’s quite a thing. So this occurs right after the millennium comes to an end. This is called the Great White Throne Judgment because it’s a period of judgment, and there is the great white throne.

Now then, let’s go back to Matthew 12 and let’s understand what Jesus said about this time. And we will see, we will see as we go along how this is going to be accomplished. Matthew 12, and let’s pick it up here in verse 31. He says, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Now this shows that there is a very narrow category of unforgivable sins: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. And as we have seen in the series of Hebrews, it is a deliberate, premeditated, willful rejection of God and Christ, and His word, and His Sabbath, and everything to do with God. It is that which is of such a nature that there is no remorse, no desire for forgiveness, no desire for repentance; but it is a willful, deliberate choice. Now there will be some who will choose that. And that is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Now verse 32, here Christ shows the difference. “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world [or that is, age], neither in the world to come.” Or the coming age. Now what do you mean, coming age? Well, we’ll see here in just a minute. That is the age that we’re talking about right now, the age of the Great White Throne Judgment. That is the age that is coming, which takes place after the millennium.

Now let’s come down here to verse 36. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,...” Now this is a broad general statement, isn’t it? “...They shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Because there is a day of judgment. Now we’re going to see that they’re - we’ve already covered what the unpardonable sin is. They are going to be resurrected, as we will see, to live a second time, to die a second time. Because God has ordained that all of the incorrigible wicked die twice. And their judgment comes all at once. Now what about this: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (vs. 36-37). Now then, the Jews wanted a sign, and Jesus said He wouldn’t give them a sign except the sign of Jonah.

Now let’s come down here to verse 41 of Matthew 12, because there are some very interesting things said in the next two verses, verses 41 and verse 42. “[For] the men of Nineveh shall rise [up] in [the] judgment with this generation,...” Now this gives us some understanding as to when this will be. Because there’s a difference of about nine hundred years to a thousand years between the time of Jonah and Nineveh, and the time of Christ and the men of that generation. But it says they “...shall rise [and that means, be resurrected], in [the] judgment with [that means, alongside], this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation [showing, at the same time], and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” So they’re going to be resurrected.

Now let’s come to Romans 2, and - no, let’s go first to John 5. Let’s see something very important. Because we know of the resurrection to eternal life, don’t we? Yes we do. Now we’ve seen the resurrection which is going to be in the Great White Throne Judgment. And these people are raised back to life. We saw that the incorrigible wicked are going to die twice. Now then, let’s read here in John 5, and let’s see what Jesus said. Let’s pick it up here in verse 25. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice,…” It’s says “all.” Now we’ve seen the two categories already, haven’t we? Those who are Christ’s at His coming, those at the end of the thousand years. So that’s all. It’s a matter of timing, and it’s a matter of God’s plan. “…And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;...” Be it spirit life or, as we will see, physical life, “...and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [judgment]” (John 5:25-29). Now that’s really quite a very profound thing for us to understand, and for us to realize here.

Now let’s come to Romans 2, and let’s read this. Because this is a verse that is misunderstood. This is a verse whereby some people say that, “It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you are. If you try and live a good life, you’ll receive eternal life, even the Gentiles who never had the word of God.” Let’s pick it up here in verse 14. “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:…” Now these are the, what you might call, good, sincere upright people in the world who are trying to live by the rule of law. Now they have the law of sin and death in them, in their nature, and they are trying to do what is right in their own eyes. Now they don’t understand God’s word, but they realize there needs to be morality to live. And that’s what Paul is talking about here.

Verse 15, “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)…” Now notice verse 16, “…In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Now, does this mean they’re going to receive the eternal life, having not known the law, having not known the gospel? Is God double-standard? No He isn’t. There’s one standard. There’s one way. And that’s through Christ. But what does this mean? This means - just as we read back in Matthew 12 - that they will be raised back to, as we will see here in just a minute, a physical life. Now, what form? Why back to physical life? Now we’ll see.

Let’s first answer the question, why be raised back to a physical life? What is the purpose in that? Let’s come to John 11:23. Here we have the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, who was dead for four days, right? Yes. Now this was before Jesus was ascended, right? This was before His crucifixion and all, this sort of thing. So what do we have? We have this: this shows the resurrection back to physical life for an opportunity for salvation. Now Jesus said, I won’t go through the whole thing here, but let’s pick it up here when Jesus comes to Mary - or, yes - comes to Martha, she comes out to Him. “Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha said unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Now does that mean they understood the meaning of the Last Great Day, or not? Don’t know. But, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:23-26). And He said, “ Do you believe that?” She said, “Yes.”