Having Rejected The Gospel, Can They Be Saved?

Q

I thoroughly enjoy your website. It is a blessing to me. My question is if people hear the gospel and reject it before the rapture, will they be able to change their mind and accept Christ after the rapture? I have read commentaries that say it will be too late for them, and only those who have never heard the gospel will be able to get saved. What scriptures do you have to back up your belief?

A

In 2 Thes. 2:9-11 Paul wrote that when the anti-Christ is revealed, Satan will empower him to do all kinds of counterfeit miracles. These miracles will deceive those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved.

To me this means that those who have heard the gospel and willfully rejected it will not be able to reverse their position at that time. God knows the motives of everyone’s heart so He knows those who have hardened their hearts against the gospel. Verse 11 says that He will send them a powerful delusion so that having rejected the truth they will believe the lie.

But I don’t think that includes the millions of “fence-sitters” who have heard the gospel but neither said yes or no to it. I believe they will still have a chance to give their lives to the Lord. I think many will do so right after the Rapture, and while they won’t be part of the Church, they will have changed their eternal destiny from death to life.

Remember, God wants all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). If the door to a person’s heart is open even a crack, He will keep knocking until they let Him in.