Discussions on the number of souls who will be saved have the five answers above. We each make the biggest bet of our lives on which answer is right.
We may bet that the answer is “All”.
If, as many modernists, we say that “All souls are saved”, we are either right, wrong, or wronger. If, by saying such a thing, others are led into sin, that sin rebounds on those who led them to such a belief. But, what of the person led astray? Where does his soul go? On the one hand, he was led into thinking that his sin was “okay”. On the other, he still chose to sin while others did not. Is it reasonable that the sinner will receive the same treatment as he who chose not to sin?
Or, we may bet that the answer is “Most”.
When we look at the parable of Lazarus, Luke 16; 19-31, we see that a rich man who refused to help a poor man was consigned to an eternity of pain and suffering. This comes to us directly from God during His days on earth, so we have to take it seriously. All of us are guilty of not doing enough to help those less fortunate than ourselves, so it’s hard to imagine that “most” of us will get away with it. On the other hand, the rich man’s refusal to help Lazarus was pretty awful. Of the three servants given talents to invest, (Matthew, 25: 14) two who tried to utilize their gifts were saved; the one who did nothing at all was thrown out, into the darkness.
And, we maybet that the best answer is, “A little more than “Half”.
This is my choice. There are several passages that show half the people in several small groups are saved. Matthew,24; 41″Then of two men in the fields, one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.” In Matthew, 25, 1-10, of ten bridesmaids invited to the wedding, five weren’t allowed in. And, half of the criminals crucified with Christ were saved. So, there is an indication in The New Programming Log that 50% of those in four different groups are saved. When averaging the one group in which 2/3s were saved, (in the section above), we can see that out of five groups, with 19 members, ten were saved, nine were lost.
Or, we may bet that the best answer is “Few”.
Saving too few would cause hopelessness and discouragement. He, Who wants all to be saved, would not make it so difficult that only a few would benefit.
Some hardened souls bet that the best answer is “Hardly any”.
It technically should be “None”, or “Hardly any”. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans, 3:23. But, He is merciful, so that answer is wrong.
