Thank you for your comments of Saturday, December 19, 1998 regarding my internet article entitled “American Idolatry.” Following are some additional thoughts for your consideration.
You cited Rev. 7:9 regarding a multitude in heaven which no man could number. You concluded that in order for such a large number to be in heaven that God must choose souls from among all those who claim to be Christians, irrespective of what they believe or practice.
First, your solution is not the lone remedy for what you suppose is a mathematical dilemma. Souls in that number will include those who have lived since creation through the end of time. Billions of souls will comprise the vast host of living souls from which the “multitude” in heaven will be drawn. As such, then, members of that heavenly multitude are not even limited to the Christian Age, but include souls who lived under Patriarchy and Judaism.
Further, it is possible to worship God in vain (Matt. 15:9) or be disobedient to the Gospel for which God will dispense punishment instead of reward (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Rather, those souls who obey God’s law under which they live (for us the Gospel) will be saved eternally (Heb. 5:8-9).
Finally, Scripture clearly indicates that the majority of mankind will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14). The only confidence anyone can entertain regarding an eternity in heaven is compliance with God’s stated will for mankind. God’s grace and mercy are not operative on our behalf in the face of rebellion against his will. Denominationalism stands at odds with biblical directive regarding redemption, worship, service and doctrine.
Jesus promised to build one church (Matt. 16:18), to which he adds the saved (Acts 2:47). The New Testament ascribes saving qualities to faith (John 8:24), repenting of sins (Acts 17:30), professing Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins (Col. 2:12; Acts 22:16; 2:38), and faithfulness (Rev. 2:10). God has not promised to save mankind despite his failure to comply with his will, worship him in God-appointed ways, etc., but to the contrary has promised that disobedient souls will not be in heaven.
