I was asked recently: “Why is it that 'Christians' aka Born Agains think that they will be the only ones saved in the End Times? Don’t you have to be a good person as well as having faith to be saved?”
This question is fundamentally about matters eschatological, to use a fancy theological word,
relating to death, judgement, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind Wikipedia
Why there is so much variation in ideas
Since the very beginning the people called Christians first at Antioch (Acts 11:26) have been diverse in belief due to arguments over doctrine. Christ said this would be the case,
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Mat 24:24)
Paul warned,
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2Timothy 4:3-4)
And
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. (Hebrews 13:9)
Christ himself warned the congregations in his last Revelation to John:
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:14-16)
The apostle John wrote,
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1Jn 4:1-2)
Both John and Paul speak of those who have turned against their doctrine (3 Jn 1:9-10, 2 Cor 11:4013, 2 Tim 1:15). This was the state at the very beginning, and some 2,000 years of human traditions has not improved it.
As Christ points out, the majority are like sheep going astray or goats eating every bit of rubbish, so Christ tells us we will find the absolute majority are astray.
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:14-15)
If you find you are with an unthinking majority, likely they are not following Christ but 'diverse and strange doctrines' and are led by wolves.
Foundation of a State Religion vs the Protesters
The elevation of some Christians who held divisive ideas at the time of Constantine in 313AD to the political power of a kingdom led to their change in emphasis from looking forward to a kingdom to having already their kingdom. Others were persecuted to death and knew that this was not the kingdom God promised and waited for the day of the End Time of human kingdoms. Those persecuted knew that this would happen as their Lord told them:
She (Christ's servants likened to a bride) brought forth a man child (Constantine), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Rome the 'iron' kingdom of Daniel 2): and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne (political power as if a God). And the woman (Christ's servants) fled into the wilderness (far parts of the Empire), where she has a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days (1260 years). (Revelation 12:5-6)
For 1260 years those who had their political kingdom already and had persuaded a majority wished to scare their constituents into obedient behaviour and emphasised salvation by good works, whereas the persecuted minority sought day by day to see signs that their Lord's return was near, and emphasised that salvation was through faith in watching the milestones towards this return. Since the end of the political power of Constantine's Christianity in 1870 in Europe, there has been increasing diversity in Christianity, to the point now where not only are there increasing numbers of denominations, every denomination has significant variation in doctrine and practice. Into this environment comes the phenomena of rising political influence of those called 'Born Again' in America, who themselves are not by any means homogeneous.
This is why it is up to each individual to turn to the Bible, and why we will turn there to answer.
End Times
The Bible is unique among books in that contains a timeline. It is not a mere moral code, it is a history of events that point, though prophecy, to a specific future end.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (Revelation 10:6)
It is remarkable that travel and knowledge have increased remarkably since 1882. The clearest prophecy of the specific end time is the prophecy of nations in Daniel's explanation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the empires from Babylon to Rome and beyond to the nations of the modern world that ends with the Kingdom of God.
In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44-45)
Christ put it this way, after speaking of political events including the return of Jews to Jerusalem as a revived 'fig tree'
So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. (Luke 21:31-32)
Who is saved at the end times?
Let us begin with Christ's words;
Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:10-14)
This should make us pause - who is saved? Those who are hated. Who wants to be hated? Christ says it twice!
Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endured to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22)
If our hope is not hated by an absolute majority, it is possible that we are not a true servant of Christ .. let us look for the despised and hated. Christ explained the process of salvation to Nicodemus:
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
Later in more prosaic terms 'born again' is explained:
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15-16)
At the very least we need to be baptised, or be 'born again' in water (Romans 6:1-14), after we believe which is being 'born again' in our thinking. We may then ask, “What are we to believe?” Christ himself preaches
Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mat. 4:17)
The Kingdom of God
The focus of the whole Bible is a Kingdom. It was Christ's focus.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. (Matthew 5:3-11)
The kingdom of God is come when finally the meek and persecuted inherit the earth. The meek have not yet inherited the earth! The kingdom of God is founded in the matters of the Jewish law and the prophets.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
Those seeking the Kingdom of God cannot reject God's laws and covenants, but rather will hold them as precious.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matt. 6:9-10)
The Kingdom was embodied in Christ its King and was 'with' the Disciples of that day, but they were to pray for it to come as it was not yet in existence.
What is to be the Kingdom's greatest feature? That the Will of God the Father is done on earth, completely and totally.
When a centurion expressed confidence in Christ's power to heal, Christ says,
“Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8:10-11)
The kingdom was then still in the future. People in the future shall come to sit with a resurrected Abraham. The idea of a kingdom beginning at a future specific time is implied in Christ's words at his last passover meal.
For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. (Luke 22:16,18)
This Kingdom is clearly not some heavenly place in inhospitable space as people drink and eat there. The Apostles share Christ's understanding of the kingdom's earthly nature and imply it has an earthly history,
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. (Acts 1:6-7)
The kingdom is the revived kingdom of king David. We can know this as we are told it directly in the history of Christ. Christ was born hereditary king of the Jews. It was not hidden, as the birth of Christ was too remarkable to hide. It was public knowledge that Herod was seeking the child born king of the Jews and killing many children.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32-33)
Christ confesses his kingship to Pilate 'to this end was I born' (John 18:37). Pilate wrote as a witness in 3 languages over Christ that he was “the king of the Jews” (Luke 23:38). It is clear that there is no kingdom now, that the kingdom is to be sought and hoped for,
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24)
The kingdom has a beginning after the end of an era of time called the 'blindness of Israel'.
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, 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. And 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: (Romans 11:25-26)
In answering the question as to who is saved, we find that it is based on belief. We may hope our belief and our actions, based on our belief, are acceptable, but we are told we cannot know about others as there is a sliding scale based on ability:
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48)
Being a good person, what is good?
We know who cannot be saved due to evil habits, in a way of life that proudly rejects God's laws:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1Cor 6:9-10)
But when it comes to what actions make a 'good' person, we must go to the examples,
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? (James 2:21, 25)
Rahab was a harlot at the time…! The list of the works of those faithful in Hebrews 11 might not be as expected by human culture or humanism either. Samson's morals might not meet the standard expected of a leader, yet he is confirmed as a great man of faith (Heb 11:32). King Saul on the surface, when compared to King David lived a more humanistic 'morally' right life, kindly sparing his enemies. Saul's failure was that instead of having faith he envied and feared David's faith (1 Sam 18:8-9). What our Creator thinks is good may not match what humans think is good, and may be based in a context of a right faith.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)
Fundamentally a focus on our own good works leads to a focus on the guilt of sin and self righteousness, whereas a focus on God's works watching for the hand of God in events of the end time focuses on God's righteousness in action.
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:3)
Our Lord said seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt 6:33) Seeking God's righteousness results in the right kind of good deeds.
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: (Romans 2:6-10)
But all matters of deeds done under the sun come to a resolution at one point in time - the end time:
The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)
Watch and Pray
As there is a specific end time, a day of judgement, which heralds the beginning of the Kingdom of God, Christ for all time gave his followers a command to watch and pray!
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)
For 2000 years now each generation of faithful have watched. What have they watched? They have marked their place in unfolding Bible prophecy, seeing events before they occur in the patterns, seeking for the coming time of redemption from sin and to Glorify God. As Christ told us, we must watch for the “the signs of.. distress of nations” (Luke 21:25 cp Matt 16:3). We are to watch the signs in the nations as our Creator works out his unfolding plan to fill the earth with people reflecting His Ways and His Glory.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:35-37)
Introducing The Kingdom of God
