“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:3,4) These verses indicate that God has a far-reaching plan for the salvation of humanity. The center of this plan is the work of Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all. This truth is to be testified (made known) in due (the right) time. (I Timothy 2:6).
God's remedy for those who have never heard His word is to raise them, and all mankind, from the dead. Everyone’s resurrection was secured by the death of Christ. When the perfect man Jesus took Adam’s penalty upon himself, mankind was guaranteed a release from the grave. “For in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:22)
In due time (or God’s time), Adam’s debt will be fully canceled and mankind will be released from the grave. This will fulfill the words of our Lord, “the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth.” (John 5:28)
In the resurrection time, mankind will be given the true knowledge of God, “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9) The time is coming when “no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34 (ESV).
This giving of knowledge is also spoken of as turning to the people a pure language. (Zephaniah 3:9) It will be a time when the word of God is made clear and understandable to all that dwell on earth.
In Revelation 20:12, we see a general raising of the dead. Afterward, we read, “the books were open”– mankind given the true knowledge of God. This will be the due time and opportunity when “the rest of mankind may seek the Lord.” (Acts 15:17) It will be a time when each individual will have a fair trial of judgment and a opportunity to get his or her name written in the book of life. Those who choose to oppose righteousness will die the second death. But the great majority of mankind will rejoice to live in human perfection on earth in God’s holy kingdom. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
