Only 1% are saved?

Over the last few months, I have been asked the same question by very different people; "Will only 1% of people be saved?" Apparently, articles have been getting circulated that say 99.9% of people from all of history will go to hell. I tried looking for further information, but only found a paper from Australia in 2023 that pondered a quote from Charles Spurgeon. However, it's something that has raised concern and is an item I thought I would comment on.

First, the Bible does not give an exact number or reference on how many people God has, and will, save from hell. Revelation 7:4-8 does say 144,000 who will be receive God's seal, but keep reading. Verse nine says, "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands."

In the Old Testament, we read lists of numbers of people from different tribes. When David ordered a census of the nation, the total number of men able to go to war was over a million. This is to say that the inspired writers of Scripture were quite capable of counting and listing large numbers. While the number is large, we also know it won't be everyone who has ever lived.

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” Modern evangelism and some "churches" teach that all roads lead to Jesus and it doesn't matter if you follow Mohamed, Mary, or Marxism. This has produced many people who claim to be Christian, but don't give any adherence to God's law. Just a few verses later, Jesus said "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

Matthew 7 warns that people who claim to follow Christ and do things in His name are not following Him or known by Him. Therefore, everyone must carefully examine themselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) and follow the narrow road that leads to God (Matthew 7:13-14).

Therefore, does that give an answer? No, not at all. We need to be careful to not put limits or numbers on God when they don't exist. Only those that have repented of sin and trust in Christ alone for salvation will be saved. We will never know what the total is, at least in this life, and should be incentive to continue reaching out to preach the gospel.