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Q&A Home > S > Salvation Hebrews 9:27 talks about being appointed once to die and after this comes the Judgment. Jesus raised people from the dead. Paul and Peter raised people from the dead. Did these people have another chance at salvation? Could they have lost or gained salvation differently than their state before they died the first time. What am I missing here? I do think that God has a general way of doing things but sometimes He makes exceptions. What about people who have died? Can we pray for them and is it possible that our prayers help for God to make an exception and grant them forgiveness for sins after death? I know I am missing something here and I hope you can clear it up for me. "He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many" (Hebrew 9:26-28). St. Paul is explaining that Christ's sacrifice was needed to be offered for all humanity, but only once. Thus, He accepted life as Man and His death on the cross. Christ bore our sins and punishments. He also descended to Hades to release the captives who faithfully awaited His deliverance, to destroy the sting of death forever, to pave the way of salvation, and to open the gates of Paradise. This happened only once; thereafter, the gospel is preached. Jesus Christ is the Sacrifice that is above all the previous rituals of offering sacrifices.
The accounts mentioned in the Holy Scripture regarding the raising of the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ, St. Peter and St. Paul, as well as Elijah the prophet (1 Kings 17:17-24), and even the mere bones of Elisha the prophet which raised a man from the dead (2 Kings 13:21), reveal God's power over death. It is a second chance. We know that Lazarus continued in his faith and served as the bishop of Cyprus until his death forty years later (Synaxarion: Pashons 27, 1735; June 4, 2019). Dorcas (Tabitha) was a beloved servant in the Church (Acts 9:36-43). St. Peter's mother-in-law immediately began serving after she was healed (Matthew 8:14-15). The fate of some of the others mentioned is unknown if they continued to live a life of faith and repentance or not. Nonetheless, God desires that each one of us obtains salvation and inherits eternal life, but everyone must make the choice. We pray for those who have departed but prayers cannot change their fate (Luke 16:19-31). We ask and pray for God's mercy, which surpasses all human understanding. There is nothing more necessary or relevant than God's mercy.
Humans have a lifeline. There have been a few rare cases where one's life was restored, but there came a time that it ended. As long as a person is alive, there is a chance for salvation. Demas, the thief on the right, sought his salvation in his last few minutes while hanging on the cross, but the other criminal did not. Many people go to physicians in dire circumstances and incurable diseases and try new treatments, remedies, and medications to be healed. They are not thinking that healing is just an extension of life here on earth. If they exercised wisdom, they would conclude that their healing or extension of life is really a gift for another chance of salvation through faith, repentance, and mercy toward others. Thus, every second is a gift from God for salvation, but too many set this amazing grace aside thinking their wealth or health is sufficient for the day, but they really do not consider that time is a precious gift for salvation.
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