By Ralph Fudge

It is quite grievous to consider how many people are skeptical of Christian doctrine today. Many are outright unbelievers in Christ. Too many no longer think that God exists. Satan, full of lies and tricks, has been very successful at deceiving the masses, even those in our own society. He has persuaded millions that theology is all myth and that this life is all there is.

I have to wonder in amazement just what skeptics and unbelievers are thinking. I have to suppose that most people do not think about or even believe in an afterlife. Any intelligent person who stops to actually think must be a little concerned when he realizes that life is short and that he, himself, will not live physically forever.

The Bible makes this fact clear. It tells us, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Every person should be very concerned that Christianity just might be true; and, if it is, he is in deep trouble. Instead, most people just rush through life accumulating money and things that will all pass away. Even they will pass away too soon.

We worry about unbelievers because some may be people we love. Most families have at least one skeptic or even atheist. We believe in Heaven but know that all unbelievers will never see Heaven unless they repent and become Christians. However, this is not possible unless they have been elected by God, in which case the Holy Spirit initiates their belief.

Theologian Karl Barth claimed, “Lost in sin, man cannot even begin to move in the direction of faith. No, it must be God who breaks into man’s indolent sinfulness to confront him with the Word of God.” People often protest belief by claiming a lack of understanding. As St. Augustine asserted, one must first believe before he can know. Again, the Holy Spirit must prompt the unbeliever to consider the truth.

Some will argue that witnessing for the Lord is useless and that preaching the Gospel is futile, since God has already chosen whom He will save. My answer is that our witnessing for Christ could very well be part of the plan and way of God to reach some people. Besides, though it is an incomprehensible paradox to our limited minds, God not only has chosen all who will be saved, He also still gives everyone the choice to repent and be saved. The Apostle Peter tells us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The caveat is that every person only has the opportunity to be saved for Heaven while living on the Earth. Death ends all opportunity, and no one knows when he will die and, tragically, lose his opportunity forever to be saved and see Heaven and his believing loved ones who have preceded him.