Can Someone Be Saved after the Rapture?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

The timing frame — a pre-tribulation rapture and a seven-year interim

• The question posed (in the host's frame): can a person be saved, after the Rapture? Or does that event signal the end, of all hope of being saved (the preview styles the stakes in its own words)? The host's question: one question that pops up frequently, is whether a person can be saved, after the Rapture. Now, I'm just speculating here. I think maybe the popularity of that question — the frequency of that question — is due to the popularity of that series of books (the question names its two authors): The Left Behind series. You're probably familiar with them. Now, in that series of novels, the central plot is: there's some people, who come to Faith in Jesus Christ, after the Rapture happens. And so I think that that has maybe spurred the interest, in that idea. Now, to be fair to the authors (the aside's letters garble the second name): they didn't invent it. As you know, the idea of Salvation after the Rapture — does the bible leave any possibility, of that happening? Of Salvation after the Rapture? Has it opened the door to that at all? Or, once the Rapture happens, is that the end of all hope, for a person? The answer: that's an interesting question. And to some extent, it depends on your view, of the timing of the rapture. So, as the Left Behind series indicates: it's based on a pre-tribulation Rapture view. Which I hold, as well. So the idea is: Jesus Christ is coming back, for his church. What is called the Rapture (the chapter as he gives it, in First Thessalonians). And then there will be the tribulation. This evil ruler, that we often call the Antichrist, will be revealed. He will attempt to control the Earth. There will be seven years of tribulation. And then the battle of Armageddon, Jesus Christ coming back to Earth. So there becomes a seven year period. Now, if you believe in a mid-tribulation Rapture, you would have probably a three and a half year period. If you believe in a post-tribulation Rapture, well, then this question may not be so significant. So the question will be: in that interim, between the Rapture of the church, and the coming of Jesus Christ to Earth, is there going to be any salvation?

Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4

Revelation's answer — sealed Jewish believers and martyrs

• So the answer would be, in Revelation. The Book of Revelation. So, in Revelation (the chapter as he gives it): you have this vision of Heaven, and the Saints of the ages, worshiping God. That seems to be the timing of the Rapture, from my read. Well, after that, the Book of Revelation talks about people — Jewish believers, who are sealed, and they're preserved from wrath. And it also talks about some Martyrs, who are killed, because they refuse to accept the mark of the beast. So it does indicate: there are some people on Earth, who are saved, during that tribulation period. However, it appears that these are primarily — if not exclusively — Jews. So they would be people, who didn't really know about Jesus Christ, or had minimal knowledge of Jesus. But after the Rapture, and when the events of Revelation begin to happen, it wakes them up, to realize what's going on. And they turn to God. And they seek God. And then, of course, they come to Faith in Jesus Christ. And they have an experience, with Jesus Christ, of a saving nature. So yes, I do believe that there could be people, in that tribulation period, who are saved. However, I don't offer that, as a hope for backsliders, or for people who heard the gospel. It seems that these will be primarily, or exclusively, Jews — if there are any others. And part of the reason, for their tribulation — is God is turning back to the Jews, to give them one last chance. As we see in Romans (the chapter as he gives it): there's going to be a time, where Israel will be saved. Israel, as a nation, will recognize their Messiah. And that's when Jesus comes back to Earth, at the end of the battle of Armageddon. So it seems, by Design, it's God's last reaching out, to the Jewish people.

Scriptures: Revelation 4; Revelation (book-only); Romans 11

No hope offered to rejectors — the strong delusion

• So that, to me, indicates: there's not much hope, for someone who heard the gospel. Or even experienced the gospel, and then rejected it. The idea that they would be saved, after the Rapture — I don't really find support for that. Now, God is Sovereign. And God is merciful. But as far as my read of scripture, it would be mistaken to hope, that people who had the gospel — or especially, even experienced the gospel — would somehow have a chance to be saved ('it would be be mistaken to hope', as the sentence's letters stand). And I find this in scripture, because second Thessalonians talks about this very thing: that when the Antichrist comes, he will come with deception and delusion. And that people, that didn't receive the love of the truth, would receive strong delusion, that they might be condemned. Well, that would be the case of someone, here and now: they hear the preaching of the Gospel. Or even if they have the witness of God, in a more General way, through creation and conscience, and just kind of ignore it. So they have some degree of Truth. Maybe not even the fullness of the apostolic faith. But it's not important to them. They don't love it. They don't care about it. They don't pursue it. They don't believe it. Or, if they believe it, they don't love it enough to obey it. Then how much more: people come into our churches, hear the gospel, but reject it. Or hear the gospel, initially are born again, but then fall away, because they don't love it. Well, it seems that, according to second Thessalonians, those very people are not going to wake up, the day after the Rapture, and say: oh, I missed it. Oh God, help me. No: they're going to believe strong delusion. They're going to go along. Oh, they're not going to say: oh, this is the Antichrist. This is the mark of the beast. They're going to say: you know, the world is so mixed up. And this man has the answers. He's amazing. And this plan works. And, you know, our economy is in shambles. We've got fraud. Well, this is going to be a way of preventing fraud. And we're going to have a secure economic system, where everybody will have their own number. And everybody will have — you know, we don't have to worry about being hacked. But, you know, we're going to have this wonderful system. And this man is going to solve all the problems of the world. And wars. And bring World Peace. So no, they're not going to be panicking: I missed the Rapture. They're going to be believing a lie. So yes, I do believe there will be — there will be some saved, in the will of God. Primarily, it seems, it will be Jewish people. And as I said: God is Sovereign. So he can save whom he wills ('he can say who he Wills', as heard). But I don't think we can offer hope, for anybody that has heard the gospel, or experienced the new birth, that, if they reject it, by going into a life of sin, before the Rapture: I can't offer them a hope, that they will suddenly be saved, after the Rapture.

Scriptures: 2 Thessalonians (book-only)

Scripture index: 1 Thessalonians 4; Revelation 4; Revelation (book-only); Romans 11; 2 Thessalonians (book-only).