George Zeller wrote an excellent response to the question, "Can people be saved after the Rapture?" The question was asked in light of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, which many take to support an answer of "No!" Zeller gave seven reasons as to why the answer should be "Yes." Here is my take on his view.
1) The context of 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 is during the Tribulation, not prior to the Rapture of the Church. The Antichrist has been revealed, which could mean the seven year "treaty" exposed his identity, or it could mean at the eye-opening event called the Abomination of Desolation occurring three and a half years after the beginning of the Tribulation (Dan. 9:27).
2) The "deceivableness" and "delusion" mentioned (2 Thes. 2:10-11), involve "the signs and lying wonders" (v. 9) done by the Antichrist and False Prophet during the Tribulation (Rev. 13:13).
3) There is not a time in the entire Word of God that states a man cannot be saved. However, during the Tribulation, there is a group, a majority, who will by choice, receive the mark of the Beast (Rev. 14:9-11).
4) Those who willing take the mark during the Tribulation, have rejected the witness of the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:3 - the first half of the Tribulation), of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4 - the first half of the Tribulation), and by an angel (Rev. 14:6 - even after the mid-point of the Tribulation).
5) It is God, during the Tribulation, who finally closes the door to salvation for those who have rejected His witnesses, and who, by accepting the mark, have made a final commitment to oppose Him and submit to the Antichrist (Rev. 14:9-11).
6) It is during the Tribulation that those receiving the mark will, by rejecting the witness of God's agents, will be the final generation to believe the lie that Satan, which he has told from the very beginning; denying the Father (Gen. 3:5); denying the Son (Matt. 16:23); and denying the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).
7) Zeller concludes by saying that those who reject the Gospel before the Rapture of the Church, will continue to reject it during the Tribulation.
I would add that I believe that many of those in today's church, the Church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22), a group that professes to be Christians prior to the Rapture, will be left behind, but will realize they need to be saved and receive Him as their Lord during the Tribulation. They will have to "overcome" Satan by the Blood of the Lamb (faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ - 1 Cor. 15:1-4), by word of their testimony (confessing Christ - Rom. 10:9-10), and they will be willing to die for Him (Rev. 12:11).
1) The context of 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 is during the Tribulation, not prior to the Rapture of the Church. The Antichrist has been revealed, which could mean the seven year "treaty" exposed his identity, or it could mean at the eye-opening event called the Abomination of Desolation occurring three and a half years after the beginning of the Tribulation (Dan. 9:27).
2) The "deceivableness" and "delusion" mentioned (2 Thes. 2:10-11), involve "the signs and lying wonders" (v. 9) done by the Antichrist and False Prophet during the Tribulation (Rev. 13:13).
3) There is not a time in the entire Word of God that states a man cannot be saved. However, during the Tribulation, there is a group, a majority, who will by choice, receive the mark of the Beast (Rev. 14:9-11).
4) Those who willing take the mark during the Tribulation, have rejected the witness of the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:3 - the first half of the Tribulation), of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4 - the first half of the Tribulation), and by an angel (Rev. 14:6 - even after the mid-point of the Tribulation).
5) It is God, during the Tribulation, who finally closes the door to salvation for those who have rejected His witnesses, and who, by accepting the mark, have made a final commitment to oppose Him and submit to the Antichrist (Rev. 14:9-11).
6) It is during the Tribulation that those receiving the mark will, by rejecting the witness of God's agents, will be the final generation to believe the lie that Satan, which he has told from the very beginning; denying the Father (Gen. 3:5); denying the Son (Matt. 16:23); and denying the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31-32).
7) Zeller concludes by saying that those who reject the Gospel before the Rapture of the Church, will continue to reject it during the Tribulation.
I would add that I believe that many of those in today's church, the Church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22), a group that professes to be Christians prior to the Rapture, will be left behind, but will realize they need to be saved and receive Him as their Lord during the Tribulation. They will have to "overcome" Satan by the Blood of the Lamb (faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ - 1 Cor. 15:1-4), by word of their testimony (confessing Christ - Rom. 10:9-10), and they will be willing to die for Him (Rev. 12:11).
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