There is a teaching current and apparently gaining ground, that after the Lord Jesus comes for His Church, some who in this dispensation have heard and refused it, may then be saved. This grave error is in principle the same as the Russellite heresy of "a second chance" after this "day of salvation," in which the gospel is proclaimed, has passed. It is a false and soul-destroying teaching to which we call our readers' attention, else we should spend neither time nor energy to combat it. But the watchmen are called to sound the alarm when the enemy comes with what shall act as an opiate on the sinner's conscience-a soporific that he may continue in his sins until Christ has come and "shut to the door."

Let us then see what Scripture says in relation to this subject, fraught with so great and eternal consequences. We shall first point to positive statements of Scripture, and then examine the arguments of those who uphold and teach the error.

2 Thess. chap. 2 speaks of the apostasy and "the man of sin " yet to appear in the world after the coming of the Lord for His saints. There is now a hindering power, a restraining influence preventing the premature manifestation of this coming "wicked one," the Antichrist. But when "he who now hinders " (the Holy Spirit in the Church, we believe), is "taken out of the way,'-' the deceiver has full sway; and it is "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a (the) lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (vers. 10-12).And who are these, but those of favored Christendom who received not the love of the truth, when it was presented to them, and are found unbelievers at Christ's coming ?They had opportunity to be saved, but they loved their sins and Satan's lie rather than the truth of God. They took no delight in the gospel, they cared not for Christ, but " had pleasure in unrighteousness." And for this cause God sends them-not another offer of salvation, but-"a strong delusion;" they are given up to believe the lie of the Antichrist, and the result is that they all shall come under God's righteous judgment. These are the unconverted in Christendom, in contrast with those referred to in the 13th verse whom God has "chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Is there any hint of hope here held out for those who shall be found Christ-rejectors at His coming ? There is absolutely none; but there is the terrible announcement of what shall come upon them "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." The same two classes are seen in i Thess. 5:3, 4:"For when they shall say, Peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them . . .and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that day should overtake you as a thief." Mark the "they" and the "ye;" for if at Christ's coming one does not belong to the "ye" (the "brethren") they shall be surely included in the foredoomed "they"-the unrepentant. Is there any hint of a class in Christendom to be saved after the arrival of that day ?" Read and re-read the passage carefully and "judge righteous judgment ? "

But there is refutation of this delusive doctrine in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25). The Bridegroom comes, and they that 'are ready (the saved) go "in with Him to the marriage; and the door was shut; " but the foolish, the unsaved of the self-styled " Christian nations," are shut out, and that forever-left without hope. The only answer given to their request for admission is the irrevocable, " I know you not." Is there any thing here to give rise to the idea of a later chance for those unconverted at the rapture? Rather, the reverse; all hope is cut off from the foolish, those not " wise unto salvation by faith which is in Christ Jesus' (2 Tim. 3:15).

In Luke 13:24-30 also we have what is of similar import. Here, too, the door is closed on those who had opportunity to be saved; they are shut out "when once the Master of the house has risen up." They plead that they had eaten and drunk in His presence, and that He had taught in their streets; but they had failed to profit by their privileges and the only answer to their knocking and their importunity is the soul-crushing command, "Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity."

But this is Jewish we shall be told. We may admit that it has a Jewish cast, but the principle applies to all who had opportunity to hear and receive the gospel, yet took no heed to it. They would not enter the open door of .salvation before the coming of the Lord closed it against them forever. Whether Jews or Gentiles they all shall share the same miserable fate; they are shut out from His presence, and branded as "workers of iniquity." Is there any shadow of hope held out in all this for those unsaved at Christ's coming again? None, alas, none! but there is the strongest proof that when Christ rises from His Father's throne to call away His blood-redeemed people, those unwashed from their sins are forever shut out.

They shall indeed "come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God"(ver. 29), but they are not those who now hear the gospel of God's grace, and refuse it; they shall be doubtless, from the now unevangelized tribes, and nations, who have never yet had presented to them the truth of God's salvation. They are probably the same as those referred to in Isa. 66:19, "that have not "heard Jehovah's fame " nor "seen His glory," together with the "brethren" of the remnant scattered among the Gentiles (ver. 20).

In further proof of the falsity of the view under examination, take the book of Revelation. After the period of the Church outlined through the present period of grace in chapters 2 and 3, where is there any record of any one repenting in Christendom while the fearful judgments of God are falling upon that most guilty portion of the earth ? On the contrary we are told repeatedly that, "They repented not," either of their deeds or to give God glory (see Rev. 9:20, 21 and 16:9, n). What then becomes of the seemingly plausible arguments of the advocates of this error, that the taking away of the Church will produce such consternation among those left behind, especially in the families of believers, that many of them will be awakened and repent and be saved ? Where is the scripture proof of this ? Will not the Spirit be withdrawn from such as have rejected Christ ? And does not Peter tell us that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, not willing that any should perish ? (2 Pet. 3:3-9). Does he not give this as a reason why the Lord does not immediately return ? And does not this argue that, when He does come, the scoffers (with all the unsaved) must "perish,"- the last opportunity of salvation forever gone ?

These smooth-tongued teachers try to comfort those who are grieving over unsaved loved ones, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, telling them that they may, and probably will, be saved even after the Lord has come. The shock, they say, of missing so many will likely arouse them, and prayer offered now for them may be answered. Oh, what a fallacy! Job's scathing words may well be applied to them:" Miserable comforters are ye all ! " Is it any comfort to believe what is untrue, however pleasing the falsehood? For of this be certain, my reader, this teaching is utterly without foundation in Scripture. If you are a Christian and wish to see your loved ones delivered from the coming wrath, urge them to be saved now, agonize in prayer for them now ; aye, cry to God for their salvation night and day; for be you sure of this, that once the Lord Jesus has come and taken His own away, they will not repent-all who turned away to their sins and pleasures, and refused God's great salvation.

The only scripture I ever heard cited in defense of this form of disbelief is Revelation 7:9-17. I had heard that a certain well-known Bible teacher was spreading (though quietly) this doctrine under review, but he being reputed a very godly man, I was loth to believe it of him; and in order not to misjudge or mistakenly report him, I took with me a friend for witness, and at the close of one of his Bible classes, we told him what we had heard concerning him, as to this, and wished to learn from himself if he really believed any such thing. He appeared embarrassed, and was evidently shy, if not suspicious, of us. He sought not to commit himself; but as we would not permit him to hedge, he reluctantly admitted that such was his belief. And when we asked him on what scripture he based his belief, he referred us to the passage given above (Rev. 7:9). It was neither the time nor the place to argue with him; but sadly turn away, grieved that one of his reputation for godliness and knowledge of the Bible should carry about a doctrine undoubtedly evil in itself and in its effects upon all who receive it. A deadening effect too it must have upon evangelistic zeal; for if there is hope and probable repentance for those left behind at Christ's coming, why "endure all things for the elect's sake!" (2 Tim. 2:10) why be "partakers of the afflictions of the gospel, that I might by all means save some" (i Cor. 9:22, 23).

Let us examine briefly the passage cited in Revelation 7. As perhaps most know, the 144,000 sealed in Rev. 7:1-8 are the Jewish remnant, kept by the power and grace of God through the great tribulation period. The number, no doubt, is symbolic; the tribe of Dan is omitted, either because they were the first to go deliberately and in a body into idolatry (see Judges 18), or because, as some think, the Antichrist is to come of that tribe (see Gen. 49:17; Lev. 24:n). John then sees "a great multitude, which no man could number (in contrast with the numbered ones of the preceding verses), out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, etc." These are Gentiles saved through the great tribulation. It is not our purpose here to show in detail who those composing this triumphant throng are; this has been ably and fully done by others. See the pamphlets, " Who will be saved in the Coming Period of Judgment? " and "What Saints will be in the Tribulation ? " to be had of the same publishers, postpaid, 10 cent. Our purpose is rather to demonstrate who they are not.

Because they are "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," it has been argued that some of these must have been saved from the nations of Christendom. But not necessarily so; for the vision shows them in their final triumph at the close of the tribulation, after the apostate nations of Christendom have been judged by the Lord, while these triumphant ones in John's vision are those left upon the earth after God had swept away the apostate peoples of the so-called Christian world. We may grant that children not arrived at the age of full accountability may pass through the tribulation period of seven or more years and be saved out of it, but this is quite a different thing than having heard and refused the gospel of God's grace.

God's word to the unsaved is, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:z), and "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts " (Heb. 4:7).

O professed Christian teacher, pastor or evangelist, will you, dare you, hold out to sinners who refuse Christ now, any hope of salvation in the age to come ? Oh, how cruel; and what a load of guilt shall be charged to your account in that day, before the judgment seat of Christ! Oh, warn them, exhort them, persuade them that " NOW is the accepted time, NOW is the day of salvation," and if they are not saved in this day of grace, "the acceptable year of the Lord," there remains for 'them only that terrible "Depart " in the coming "day of vengeance of our God." Make sure you are able to say at the last, with His servant Paul, "I am pure from the blood of all men " (Acts 20:26).
C. Knapp