Will Non-believers be in the 1st Resurrection?
Short Answer: --YES--
Long Answer: --Look at the Sanctuary (plan of redemption laid out)
1) Paul tells us -
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood;
and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:22
a) What was this "blood" for?
For this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26:28
b) Almost? (How without the "blood"?)
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:
They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts,
for their own conscience and
thoughts either accuse them
or tell them they are doing right.
Romans 2:14,15
Allow me to explain----- in the Sanctuary the blood sacrifice was required for the forgiveness of sins. But there was a small opening, through mercy, for those too poor to afford a lamb or turtle dove for the blood offering.
They could bring flour. Hence, Paul is referring to that with the word "ALMOST all things" when referring to the blood sacrifice. In other words, there is an opening for a few, who never believing on the blood sacrifice of Christ (because they hadn't the chance to hear) could be judged based upon the law God implants in our conscience. But this would be very rare, as was the flour sacrifice.
2) Paul also informs us -
Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
So in other words, no one (via the "flour" route in the Sanctuary) will be saved because they followed their pagan religion faithfully. Another way to say it--God does NOT believe in pluralism for salvation. A person who might be in the 1st resurrection, but never heard the name of Christ, won't be there because they were a good Hindu, Buddhist, etc. Their pagan religion has NOTHING to do with their salvation.
3) What does this show?
This shows the atheists, who like to mock Christians with the taunt of "What kind of God would destroy people who never got a chance to hear of Him"? ...that God left open one last avenue for the lost, though a small one, albeit an opening none the less. One last drop of MERCY.
...for God is love.
1 John 4:8
EXAMPLE from HISTORY:
Nezahualcoyotl
**Now keep in mind, only God knows if this person will even be brought up for judgment & whether
or not he passes his judgment. I'm just using this person to illustrate the point.**
or not he passes his judgment. I'm just using this person to illustrate the point.**
Nezahualcoyotl was an Aztec king among the Triple Alliance in central Mexico in the 1400's.
He eventually began to worship the "unknown god, the creator of all things."
He built a temple to this god which stood 10 stories high. At the top was an altar which was bloodless. He also allowed no idols in this temple. Upon the altar he would sacrifice to this unknown god, flowers. Although he still allowed the human sacrifices in his kingdom to take place, he himself quit going to them.
........a bit of a poem the king wrote to this unknown god & creator still survives:
Your heart will be troubled only for a short time,
we will be near You and at Your side
Only You change things as You well know;
no one is at His side
to be famous, to rule the earth.
Nezahualcoyotl went on to be known for codifying a law for his people based on justice. All were to be
equal under the law. Both royalty & peasants. He was also known for going out in disguise among his people to find out how they were really doing.
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| Nezahualcoyotl from Codex Ixtlilxochitl |
He also would provide for the widows, the war-maimed & orphans.
One story of him that comes down through the centuries--is that one time, while in disguise, he met a woodcutter who complained about the luxury the king lived in while he had nothing. The man was brought before Nezahualcoyotl in his palace. The king said to the terrified man, "So you are angry because the king has riches? Do you think I carry no burden of responsibility for all the people of this land?" He then gave the man cotton mantles & cocoa and sent him away telling him not to speak ill of the king again. Warlords of the Ancient Americas Peter Tsours p.68
----Only GOD knows whether Nezahuacoyotl will be in the 1st or 2nd resurrection---