Ephesians 4:7-13

Ephesians 4:7-13 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

1 Peter 4:1-6 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do — living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

God desires that all men should be saved. Yet we know that some reject the "good news" and count the cross of Christ as nothing. Others die without any awareness of the gospel. They either died before Christ's death and resurrection or they were not aware of God's salvation plan. How are they saved if Christ is the door to God? What happens to those who have tried to live a good life on Earth but never heard of Jesus of Nazarath? And what happens to those who heard of Jesus Christ but blatantly rejected him as Savior? Will they have a second chance? Some believe the above scriptures indicate that Jesus while in the grave appeared to the dead to offer them the chance of accepting him. My own grandfather told several stories of people who accepted Christ in the last moments of life, indicating the mercy of God to give a dying person a chance for salvation.

In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, angels carried Lazarus to his place of bliss after death, but the rich man faced torment. The rich man had lived a life of ease and unrighteousness, but Lazarus had endured pain and hopelessness. God delivered Lazarus to the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man found himself in Hades. However, neither man could gain access to the family of God without Christ. Will Christ reveal himself to people in the afterlife? Is there a second chance for those who die without the knowledge of Christ? Probably, because God is just, but I do not know. Faced with the rich man's pleas for his family, Abraham said their wicked lifestyles and the hardness of their hearts would not allow them to believe in their brother's afterlife experience even if someone came back from the dead to tell them. Jesus did rise from the dead, and his church spread the gospel message. Only God knows if there is a second chance for those who have gone before us in ignorance or unbelief, but we know He is gracious.

I may not know the answer to such hard questions, but I do know that while it is yet day, we should live and work for the Lord. He has shown us his life, and it is not one of debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. We who are alive in Christ are accountable to his Word. We are to embrace his commandments and forsake all sin and waywardness. What are those commandments? First, we are to love God completely with all our strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus expands these expectations to include loving our enemies. If we fulfill these commandments there is no need for other laws, for we will do what is right in all things pertaining to life and human relationships. We are to love the world as Jesus loved the world, and we not to live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The deeds of the flesh are evil, but the deeds of the Spirit lead to hope and eternal life IN CHRIST.

Those who are IN CHRIST receive the rich and bountiful Spirit of God. The Spirit manifests special giftings in each of us for God's glory. He makes us apostles, prophets, ministers, teachers, helpers, administrators, encouragers, and the like for his purposes. Through his power and authority we are the mighty church of the living God. We are not waiting for a second chance to find God or hoping to experience a last minute conversion as the thief on the cross did. No, we accept and obey him now, serving as his redeeming instruments, his light, his salt. As his ambassadors, we have the privilege of carrying his salvation message to a lost and dying world. My friends if you have not given your life to Christ, if you have not fully committed to him as your personal savior, turn to him today, and you will live a rich and bountiful life. You will know the joy and the freedom of the Lord, and you will experience his mercy and grace every day. As mature sons and daughters, live and work for him, for He is good.