Are There Second Chances After Death?

A few weeks ago, I was asked if the Bible taught anything about receiving second chances for salvation after one is deceased. While our fleshly desires may lead us to hope and believe that there are second chances after death, the Bible speaks openly about having only one life to live (Hebrews 9:27).

There are many reasons why some people ask this question. Sometimes people ask this question out of concern for themselves. They wish to live a long, fruitful life that pleases the Lord, yet putting away worldly lusts proves to be more difficult than it appears. Therefore, they are left hoping that God will be gracious toward them on the Day of Judgment since they have chosen to “sow their wild oats.”

Others might ask this question out of concern for those who have already passed on from this life.  When a loved one leaves this earth not right in the eyes of God, the family is left questioning whether they will have a second chance or not. It is disheartening to hear of these situations because of the spiritual state one has left this life.

Many in this world would love to hear that God gives us another opportunity to obey Him once we leave this carnal body. However, nowhere in the Bible does it teach that the gospel had been preached to the dead nor will be preached to the dead. The Scriptural evidence for this does not exist.

Some might believe that Peter taught the concept of second chances to the Dispersion in his first epistle.  However, Peter did not say that Jesus preached to those who were dead. In fact, the Scriptures make it clear that the preaching to those spirits in prison took place through Noah when he preached for approximately one hundred years (I Peter 3:18-20).

Peter said that we will have to give an account to the Lord who is ready to judge the living and the dead (I Peter 4:5). While we live, we are given the opportunity to take the gospel as an escape from our sins and live eternally with the Lord, or to refuse the gospel and suffer eternal destruction. The choice is ours. We must make the right choice before leaving this earth.

In this carnal life, we are given one purpose: “Fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). If we fail to act upon that purpose, we have no hope for eternal life.  The flippant attitude that many have concerning eternity will cost them a great price – eternal separation from God (II Thessalonians 1:9). Is it truly worth enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time (James 4:14)? Moses didn’t believe it was worth it (Hebrews 11:25-26), nor can I fathom being separated from God forever!

We must wake up and come to grips with reality.  Reality is truth. The truth is God’s Word (John 17:17). God’s Word says that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Our lives are not our own (Matthew 10:39). We exist to live for the Creator of this world; the one who has given us “life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25).  Life without God offers no hope of a life at all (Romans 6:23).

As humans, we were deserving of spiritual death.  Our sins caused grief, heartache, and separation in our relationship with God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Yet, God was gracious toward us to give us the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8; John 3:16; Titus 2:11-12).

Jesus made it very clear to His disciples that He “is the way, the truth, and the life.” Without Jesus the Christ, we have no hope of eternal life with God (John 14:6). It is in this life, physical life, that we have the opportunity to change our relationship status with God.

Without Christ, we are alienated, “having no hope and without God in the world.” But in Christ Jesus, we are “brought near [to Him] by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12-13). It is through baptism that we begin our relationship with God, through the blood of His Son (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-6; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 3:21–22).

It is NOW that God commands us to repent (Acts 17:30; II Corinthians 5:21)! Why must we repent in this life? The Bible speaks of a day that is appointed, where Jesus Christ will judge us (Acts 17:31a). The Judgment day is certain because God, who is in complete control, raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:31b).

Second chances are nice. However, the only opportunity we have to become sons of God (Galatians 3:26) is in this life, right now!

TEK