The Lord’s Prayer (Le Pater Noster), by James Tissot. Brooklyn Museum
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:17.18.
Various religions proclaim a place between heaven and earth where believers who have not entirely fulfilled the conditions for salvation are assembled for a period that God alone determines in order to remove the hindrance before they can enter paradise.
Now just who would need this second chance? Would unbelievers benefit from it? Which sins would be acceptable and which unforgivable? If I could bank on a second chance, could I risk certain delinquencies today? For whom would Jesus’ death be necessary and for which sins would it suffice? Who would devise such questions, other than someone doubting the Word of God?
Now the Bible, which is acknowledged by all Christians, nowhere mentions this “place of a second chance”, where we might round off our salvation. Instead you will find God’s grace being offered to all. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). The Bible proclaims and indeed assures us of a great, efficacious salvation that takes no account of our works, our endeavours or our piety. The only condition for benefiting from it is recognizing the sense of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. This salvation, which is offered freely and exclusively by God, is the only means of knowing and enjoying peace with Him.
Image: By James Tissot – Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum; Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2006, 00.159.167_PS1.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10904489