Was John The Baptist Saved?

 

Thoughts on Matthew 11:11

“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

I want to know why John the Baptist was worse than the least in the Kingdom of Heaven when Jesus just gave him kudos, saying that he was the greatest. I suppose it all has to do with the definition of being an active part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Is it different than being saved?

My mind goes back to Jesus speaking to Nicodemus in John 3:3 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” 

Seeing and entering the Kingdom then calls into question whether John the Baptist had been baptized and had entered the Kingdom. According to Matthew 3:14, he had not. “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” John had not yet entered the Kingdom of God because he had not been water baptized or received the Holy Spirit which happened on the Day of Pentecost. John knew the Kingdom of God was at hand, perhaps he could feel it, but John could not see it. John 3:2 John the Baptist preached, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

While he was in jail, John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask if he was the Messiah (Matthew 11:2-3). John didn’t know. 

John 1:33

John the Baptist said, “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” Why would God tell him about the Holy Ghost if He didn’t intend for John to be born of the Spirit? Keep reading to the end.

So if you don’t know for sure who Jesus is, you are not saved. John was eventually saved, but not born again. 

There is a difference. 

I think when John realized he didn’t know for sure, he asked. When he heard the answer, he became a believer and was saved. John the Baptist was beheaded and died without entering the Kingdom of God, and Jesus spake truth. 

I do not think John got left behind, because we read in Matthew 27:52 “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” I believe John earned his resurrection because he walked in faith just like so many others had in Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” 

Because of these scriptures, I believe John’s faith qualified him for a resurrection, he was counted among the faithful, rose and was baptized after Christ died on the cross, and received the Holy Ghost on or after the Day of Pentecost. John became a part of the Kingdom of God after his resurrection. 

The Bible kinda shows us that death is not an obstacle to God. 

Revelation 20:4

“ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”