Is there a second chance after death?

W2L

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If no one is righteous and all needing saved, is it possible for an unbeliever to see Christ at the throne at judgment time and bend his knee and confess Jesus as Lord? Could that save him? Am i overstepping my bounds by asking this question?
 

chevyontheriver

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If no one is righteous and all needing saved, is it possible for an unbeliever to see Christ at the throne at judgment time and bend his knee and confess Jesus as Lord? Could that save him? Am i overstepping my bounds by asking this question?
The unbeliever better do it on or before their last dying breath. Otherwise it is too late.
 
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W2L

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The unbeliever better do it on or before their last dying breath. Otherwise it is too late.
Why is it too late? If you committed a sin right before you die are you unforgiven? what about the prayers of Christ and Stephen who prayed that God forgive those who were killing them? If there is hope for these unbelievers why not all unbelievers?
 
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TheSeabass

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Is there a second chance after death?

I would say no.

Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

In whatever state with whatever kind of deeds one dies with is how he will be judge, Romans 2:6-11.

There are parables and admonitions about being unprepared as Matthew 25:1-13. The Lord will come as a thief in the night, 1 Thessalonians 5:2. One does not know when the thief will come else he would prepare for the thief's coming, Matthew 24:42-44.

So one had always better be prepared for one does not know when Christ will return or when one may die.
 
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childeye 2

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The unbeliever better do it on or before their last dying breath. Otherwise it is too late.
Scripture says the Gospel was preached to the dead by the Christ when he was absent from his body for three days and three nights. But I assume this is before any judgment.
 
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chevyontheriver

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Why is it too late? If you committed a sin right before you die are you unforgiven? what about the prayers of Christ and Stephen who prayed that God forgive those who were killing them? If there is hope for these unbelievers why not all unbelievers?
Stephen was praying for those people as HE was dying, not after THEY had died. The person who commits a sin while dying had better repent before he is all the way dead. That's the conclusion of normal historical Christianity. If you want to believe something else, go ahead and try it out for yourself, but don't give others an unfounded hope that they can repent of everything after death when they reach the judgment. That's the time for judgment, not plea bargaining. You can plea bargain now, as long as Jesus is heading up your legal team.
 
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W2L

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Scripture says the Gospel was preached to the dead by the Christ when he was absent from his body for three days and three nights. But I assume this is before any judgment.
Surely for judgment as we all will face, but what about mercy?
 
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W2L

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Stephen was praying for those people as HE was dying, not after THEY had died. The person who commits a sin while dying had better repent before he is all the way dead. That's the conclusion of normal historical Christianity. If you want to believe something else, go ahead and try it out for yourself, but don't give others an unfounded hope that they can repent of everything after death when they reach the judgment. That's the time for judgment, not plea bargaining. You can plea bargain now, as long as Jesus is heading up your legal team.
I know stephen prayed for people who were alive, that wasnt my point. My point was that he prayed forgiveness for unbelievers. Why cant we?

Also, its my hope that any unbeliever might feel Gods grace via this message, and turn to God now. However, it may be a foolish question, i dont know

Lastly its not about bargaining its about kneeling before Christ and declaring him Lord. Can an unbeliever do that at judgment and will it save him?
 
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childeye 2

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Surely for judgment as we all will face, but what about mercy?
I believe God is merciful, but not so much with the merciless. I tend to doubt that the merciless can believe the Gospel nor even understand it. I don't think anyone can call Jesus Lord without the Holy Spirit and mean it. God would see right through any lip service. Perhaps you should qualify the word confess in the OP with truly confess, to eliminate this discrepancy.
 
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chevyontheriver

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I know stephen prayed for people who were alive, that wasnt my point. My point was that he prayed forgiveness for unbelievers. Why cant we?

Also, its my hope that any unbeliever might feel Gods grace via this message, and turn to God now. However, it may be a foolish question, i dont know

Lastly its not about bargaining its about kneeling before Christ and declaring him Lord. Can an unbeliever do that at judgment and will it save him?
We can and should intercede for unbelievers. I hope you are doing that. That is normal original Christianity. We pray for unbelievers that they be forgiven and come to faith. St. John Chrysostom made that very point but had to also point out that the time to make this prayer is while the people are still alive. It doesn't work to pray for forgiveness and faith once the person has died. Too late. Pray for them while they are still alive.

The unbeliever has until they stop breathing, until their brain stops, until they are dead.

Can Lucifer decide to come back to God?
 
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W2L

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I believe God is merciful, but not so much with the merciless. I tend to doubt that the merciless can believe the Gospel nor even understand it. I don't think anyone can call Jesus Lord without the Holy Spirit and mean it. God would see right through any lip service. Perhaps you should qualify the word confess in the OP with truly confess, to eliminate this discrepancy.
Can our prayers save such people? Forgive them because they know not what they do?
 
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W2L

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We can and should intercede for unbelievers. I hope you are doing that. That is normal original Christianity. We pray for unbelievers that they be forgiven and come to faith. St. John Chrysostom made that very point but had to also point out that the time to make this prayer is while the people are still alive. It doesn't work to pray for forgiveness and faith once the person has died. Too late. Pray for them while they are still alive.

The unbeliever has until they stop breathing, until their brain stops, until they are dead.

Can Lucifer decide to come back to God?
Perhaps im foolish but i cant help but pray for every human both past, present and future.. I have nothing to boast in, im humbled and cant help but desire mercy for all because im better than no one. But is this right thinking?
 
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bcbsr

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If no one is righteous and all needing saved, is it possible for an unbeliever to see Christ at the throne at judgment time and bend his knee and confess Jesus as Lord? Could that save him? Am i overstepping my bounds by asking this question?
It kind of gets at the question as to whether it's ever too late. Seems to me Jesus speaks to his in the parable of the 10 virgins of Mt 25 "While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Most assuredly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." Likewise of the Rich man and Lazarus of Luke 16. Regret for the consequences of his sins didn't buy him release from hell, despite the fact the he wanted to warn his brothers. If there was a second chance, he would have no such concern as he would have figured they'll get a second chance after they die. Likewise is implied of Heb 9:27 "Everyone must die once and after that comes judgement". Can't think of any indications anywhere in scripture of there being a second chance after a person dies.

Mt 7:22,23 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" Apparently no second chance there!
 
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chevyontheriver

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Perhaps im foolish but i cant help but pray for every human both past, present and future.. I have nothing to boast in, im humbled and cant help but desire mercy for all because im better than no one. But is this right thinking?
I'm sure your prayer is not wasted in the economy of God's mercy, but all the normal explanations are that you have the time before you die. As I said, if you want to try repenting after you are dead, at the judgment, go ahead and try that. But don't go suggesting it for others who should repent while they have breath. It's good that you pray for others. That part IS right thinking. Pray for them while they still live.

If you want to pray for those in purgatory, that too is a noble thing. Maybe that is what your urges to pray for those in the past is leading you to do. But they have already been saved before they died. They didn't get a second chance at judgment, like you are proposing. They are saved and are being cleaned up to be ready to join the perpetual wedding feast. They are unsavable because they were already saved when they died. So our prayers are not that they repent and believe because they already did that.
 
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childeye 2

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Can our prayers save such people? Forgive them because they know not what they do?
Respectfully, the problem for me with the Op is you specifically portray the unbeliever as seeing Jesus at the throne at the time of judgment and then confessing Jesus as Lord. Where in the Op is praying for these people of any significant value when they are portrayed as confessing Jesus as Lord? Are you praying for someone that God would make them confess?

Another issue to address is when is it inappropriate to ask God for mercy, as if He doesn't know better than us? That's always a question I struggle with.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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If no one is righteous and all needing saved, is it possible for an unbeliever to see Christ at the throne at judgment time and bend his knee and confess Jesus as Lord? Could that save him? Am i overstepping my bounds by asking this question?
That is exactly was is described in scripture.

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth also describes what happens next.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:42 For I was hungry, and you gave me no food: I was thirsty, and you gave me nodrink:
43I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we you hungry, or thirsty or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto you?45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Since you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.


There is no chance when a person "sins unto death" to redeem themselves. They will suffer the second death.
 
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PROPHECYKID

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Scripture says the Gospel was preached to the dead by the Christ when he was absent from his body for three days and three nights. But I assume this is before any judgment.
The bible really does not say this, that is how you interpret the verse.
 
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Hank77

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Can our prayers save such people? Forgive them because they know not what they do?
You can ask for them to be forgiven but that doesn't mean they will be. We should pray for them to be reconciled to God through Christ.

Stephen said that they didn't know they were doing, stoning a true servant of God. The Jewish religious leaders were teaching against the followers of Christ, so these people thought they were doing what was right.
Jesus called those leaders 'whitewashed tombs' and 'vipers'.
 
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