The Mark 13:13 Question

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday July 21, 2009

Someone recently sent me an email asking about when salvation occurs. Some people say you can't know if you're saved until the judgement. They usually give Mark 13:13 as their reason for believing this:

Mark 13:1-14 (NIV)
1. As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" 2. "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
3. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4. "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"
5. Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6. Many will come in my name, claiming, `I am he,' and will deceive many. 7. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
8. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9. "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
10. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
11. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12. "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
13. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14. "When you see `the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Notice that Jesus was answering a question asked by Jews, who were not born again (nobody was yet). They were asking about when the temple would be destroyed, and what would would be the signs of that happening. (Verses 3,4)
The temple was still standing at that point (it was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans), but Jesus skipped ahead to the end times, when the rebuilt temple would be destroyed. In verse 9, Jesus referred to them as JEWS: "You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the SYNAGOGUES."

This helps us understand that Jesus was talking to Jews about the plight of the Jews. Daniel's prophecy tells us there were 490 years (seventy weeks of years) that were given for ISREAL. 483 have already been accounted for, and the 70th week is the 7 year tribulation period. This seven year period for the final dealing with the Jews happens AFTER the rapture of Christians (including saved Jews), and is referring to national Jews.

Jesus describes the tribulation period, which is for the nation of Israel. We know this because of his reference to the abomination that causes desolation, which the antichrist will set up during the tribulation. There will be a great revival and turning to the Lord among Jews during the tribulation, and in that context, Jesus explains in verse 13 that "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

The Greek word for "will be saved" in verse 13 is "sozo", which in this context means "delivered". The meanings of this word are: safe, to save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, do well. Jesus was referring to the mid-tribulation rapture mentioned in Revelation, where those who turned to Christ during the first three and a half years of the tribulation are delivered out of it and caught up to Heaven, thus being delivered from the misery the Jews will suffer during the last three and a half years of the tribulation.

It is clear from scripture that salvation happens at the same time as the new birth:

Romans 10:9,10 (NIV)
9. That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Notice that you are SAVED when you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead! We can see from Titus 3:5 that at the moment of salvation is when we are BORN AGAIN! It is our being born again that makes us saved and vice versa:

Titus 3:5 (NIV)
5. he (God) saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit

Notice that He SAVED us (past tense!) That salvation happened at the new birth, because we were saved by the washing of REBIRTH and renewal by the Holy Spirit!

Anyone who says salvation is in the future for Christians does not understand what happened to them when they got saved! We WERE (past tense) brought into the Kingdom Of God right then:

Colossians 1:13 (NIV)
For he HAS (past tense) rescued us from the dominion of darkness and BROUGHT us (past tense) into the kingdom of the Son he loves

PRAYER
Thank You Father for the new birth. Thank You for Your Word that tells us so much about our salvation. Help me to walk in Your Truth; confident of my salvation, and ready to carry out whatever orders You have for me.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

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