Greetings in the Savior's Name:

Appreciate your confidence in asking my view on your questions.  I will answer them in the order you listed them and to the best of my abilities and knowledge. Given the nature of the questions, some can be answered from Scripture, others are based on various factors, and thus subject to variance in the basis of intelligent rationale.  When we get into opinion everything is up for grabs because we do not always see through the same pair of glasses, or as the Apostle Paul said, "through a glass darkly".   In the case of opinion, I will provide the basis for what I believe in that regard.  I appreciate your candor because all too often people are not serious but are all about baiting the situation looking for an argument. 

#1.  Yes, I do believe that everyone who "believes" Jesus is Savior and thus owns that promise as their own.  I have no doubts that they will be Raptured before the Tribulation.  Two of my posts from last week actually addressed this question but from two different perspectives - "Where Does It Say In The Bible That Believers Will Go Through The Tribulation?" and "All Christians Sin, but NO Christians Live In Sin". 

The primary passages of Scripture concerning salvation is John 3:16-18 and Ephesians 2:8-9.  There are NO passages in the New Testament that disqualifies a believer from salvation, lest it be the unpardonable sin, which is nothing more than rejecting the gift of God.  The chief message of the Gospel of John deals with belief and matters of faith.  The Gospel message is not complicated in and of itself. 

Unfortunately, so often is the case that our fellow man, for many insidious reasons chooses to complicate the basic message by attaching clauses, contingencies, and requirements that are not there at all.  The most common attachment men love to add is the extras that put a person under works righteousness.  They always want to add to God's Gift of Grace.  Its like going to a car dealership and telling the salesman you just want basic transportation, no extras.  He will walk away from the customer because there is nothing to be made in the sale.  Now adays the manufacturers load the dealers with cars loaded to the gills.  A stripped down new car is impossible to buy. 

They will add if's, and's, and but's to something that merely repackages the gift to a merit-based reward.  They will co-mingle grace with plus the Mosaic Law or grace plus something extra.  They take the simple "gift" of God into something that you have to earn or work for to get.  Grace is a simple gift, no attachments, or it wouldn't be a gift.  Grace + anything else, be it baptism, church membership, tithing, legalism, Sabbath observance, dietary observances, etc. is simply to put man back under the Law, which Scripture is quite clear on in the writings of the Apostle Paul. 

Chapter 3 of the Gospel of John repeats the basic concept repeatedly by John.  Chapter 3 of John is referred to as a "Gimel" chapter, which in Hebrew represents "loving kindness and culmination".  What does a "gift" represent, but "loving kindness" and in this case, the gift of God's Grace.  Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. 

#2.  Baptism is not a clear cut black or white issue that pleases everyone's thinking.  I will do my best to answer it intelligently and rationally.  I do not believe it to be an essential aspect of salvation.  While Jesus told the disciples to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of Jesus, He Himself did not baptize.  The fact of my stance on this is predicated upon the repentant thief on the cross, in Luke 23:39-43, where Jesus told the thief on the cross beside Him that he would be in Paradise that same day with the Lord.  We have absolutely no reason to believe the thief in the crucifixion account was anything more than an outcast of his day, and thus unlikely to have heard the Gospel.

The issue of baptism has been a hot potato for centuries, even as far back as the 2nd century Church.  Baptism is an outward sign of an inward commitment.  To be effective or meaningful, it had to be accompanied by an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life, i.e., the Holy Spirit.  John said that Jesus Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

The issue of baptism is strictly between the individual and God.  The effiaciousness nature of water baptism is contingent on how one's life is changed respective to the act itself.  Looking at the topic of baptism from the opposite position in Scripture, and asking the question, does the absence of baptism disqualify the believer or discredit a believer's salvation or rewards?  I don't think so, nor can I find anything in the Bible that says because one is not baptized, they will be cast aside in the end of days.  There is nothing in the New Testament to the effect that says or infers a believer will lose anything by not being baptized.

As to the method, the Didache, (an early church worship manual) embraced all three methods of baptism:  sprinkling, pouring, and immersion.  For example, in the United Methodist Church, in Kentucky where I served for eight years, many UMC local church sanctuaries have baptistries built into the floor, with removal floor panels when they celebrate a baptism, or others have them in the pulpit platform area.  I know of two that have baptistries beneath the floor area of the church just inside the entrance lobby.  I have seen a variety of different applications used by UMC churches in the south.  This is virtually unheard of in UMC churches in the northern region of the country.  Infant baptism is not as common today in the UMC, it is usually a "dedication" of babies rather than called a baptism per se. 

While this is an issue that divides denominations, it is unlikely anytime soon to be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.  As long as I have been a preacher of the Gospel, it has been controversial.  When I encounter a situation that is irreconcilable, I try to look at the reverse position to see if I can find any negating circumstances or connotations or implications.  I ask the question, does absence of believer baptism in any way affect one's salvation?  Are there any words or passages to the effect that one can lose their salvation if they are not baptized.
When Scripture does not offer a clear cut position, I try to take an approach, what if one is not baptized?  Some times taking the flip side of the issue and looking at Scripture through a different angle may bring greater clarity.
It doesn't always work but it is worth exploring in delicate issues.  In the case of baptism, I cannot find any passages that offers a hopeless outcome.  I always come back to the thief on the cross, to whom Jesus addressed and was assured that he would be present with Jesus in Paradise that very day.

#3.  The judgment of the sheep and goats is a metaphorical reference to nations defined as "sheep" or "goats" in how they related to Israel.  They will be judged at the close of the Tribulation for their treatment of Israel and based upon their dealings with Israel as a nation. 

In reading your question, you mention about the sheep hearing His voice, and I'm immediately thinking of the parable of the good shepherd.  This is a different mention of sheep hearing His voice.  The parable is in figurative language.  Sheep respond only to their master's voice or shepherd in the case of Biblical times.  Sheep do not respond to strangers.  I learned this from farm members in my rural church pastorates that raised sheep.  The Biblical "theme" of sheep is a fascinating study.  In my interest as a college student pastor, I endeavored to learn as much as possible about the raising of sheep, their characteristics, etc. 

The larger reference of the parable of the good shepherd in John 10:16, is to the fact that believers are compared to sheep.  Sheep know their master's voice or their shepherd's voice.  Believer's respond to the voice of their spiritual shepherd through the written word, or through other means God chooses to communicate, such as a dream or vision.  In over fifty years of ministry, I have been awaken many a Sunday morning at 4 am, with a clear, inaudible voice to change my message and to preach on a specific passage text, or make a special pastoral call on someone.  Whether it was intuition, God speaking to me through my spirit, I had to learn to listen to the Spirit's leading and direction.  I had a strong predisposition to "left-brain" thinking and spent years learning to tap into "right-brain" thinking.  I believed that I discussed months ago the subject of how male babies are brain-damaged at birth by the bombarding of the male brain with Prothrombin and Vitamin K, a coagulating agent, that is essential in male circumcision.  This physiological event takes place on the 8th day of birth, when Jewish male babies are circumcised.  As Psalm 139:14 states, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

#4.  The deciding factor would have to be the "New Birth" - again see John 3:3; 3:6; 3:7; 3:36; 1st Peter 1:23.  In fact, the entire third chapter of John relates to this issue of seeing and hearing.

#5.  The significance of hearing His voice really relates to our relationship with Christ Jesus.  As a believer you know and sense His presence in your life, in a spiritual way.  Its a conscious awareness of His closeness.  One has a deep abiding awareness of being "in Christ".  There is a sense of "I know because I know because I know."
God speaks to his family through a number of ways:  through our mind, our heart, intuition, His Word, audibly where specifically needed, often we are not listening, even when God is speaking.  The better we get to know Him, as John 10:14 teaches, the more clearer becomes His voice.  Human pride becomes an obstacle that undermines our ability to hearing the voice of God.

#6.  You are referring to Matthew 7:14, I am assuming.  Jesus, in describing the narrow gate and the narrow road to life, made as strong a contrast as possible with the wide gate and the broad road that leads to eternal loss in what the Bible calls the second death, the lake of fire.  Because the gate is narrow it does not seem an obvious choice to the sinners of this world.  No one drifts through the narrow gate by accident or by chance.  They seek it and find it only when they hear the command of Christ Jesus and respond to His Word.

Even when the choice is presented to them, many refuse the narrow gate because the narrow road is restricted.  "Narrow" implies persecution, affliction, distress, and pressure.  Christ Jesus' followers must have the courage to separate themselves from the crowds who by and large reject Him.  Believers must expect to be subjected from time to time to persecution and pressure from the world and afflictions from Satan who tries to make them turn back and take the broad road.

The one thing that will keep Christians on the narrow road - is to keep the end of the road in view.  It leads to life, the life Christ is preparing for believers in the place He has chosen for them.  There is plenty of room in the place He is preparing.  Furthermore, though it is a difficult road at times, it is never easy it is also full of blessings because of the presence of the Lord.  False teachers say there are many ways and it does not matter which one a person takes.  But the Bible makes it clear that there is only one way to God, the way of salvation by grace through faith in our crucified and risen Savior.

#7.  Again this I presume is referring to Matthew 7:14.  I believe that I have answered this in question number #6 just above.  Jesus use of figurative language is normally straight forward (no pun intended), and leaving no doubt as to what He meant.  The correct term is "straight" the way, or straight the path, or the straight course,  The Master was a gifted expositor, and His use of syntax is such that it transcends the meanings of words from Biblical times to the present.  His use of figurative speech, word pictures, object lessons, that is conveyed in an endless and seamless.  While as believers we are blessed, but before we became believers, we were presented with the idea of choice of "free will" as an option.  He contrasted the idea that there are only two paths to choose from.  A groom will never force his wife to love him.  In my post series on "The Theme of the Bride", I noted the pertinent particulars that dealt with both our identity as the Bride and how it is our choice to marry the Bridegroom.   The passages in Hebrews 3:7; 3:15, and 4:7 present or communicate a sense of urgency to listen to His Voice.   

#8.  There are four references to this phrase about hearing His Voice:  John 10:3; Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 3:15; and Hebrews 4:7.  In context, they all present a sense of urgency as to our need to be listening to His Voice.  Your question presents an interesting thought that I have given some consideration to the idea of being given advanced warning.  There is nothing that I have come across in the Bible to rule either way on this question.  That aside, it is my belief it could be a probable possibility.  I say this because God does speak to people in advance or before calling them home in physical death.  I have done approximately 150 funerals, and in at least two-thirds of them, I knew the deceased when they were alive.  Many shared with me words in confidence to the effect they were told by God when they would be taken.  In one situation, a lady was wanting to see her son for one last time.  Her son lived in Texas and it would take nearly three days for him to get home.  She said the Lord appeared to her at the foot of her bed and said she would be permitted to see John, her only son one last time.  Maxine was her name and she had been my church organist before being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  He left Dallas on Wednesday and arrived on Friday evening and they had their last moments together.  I received a call from her husband the next morning that she had passed away.  My own father told me a week before he died that he knew the day of his imminent passing.  While I can't prove the point, I anticipate that we will be hearing His Voice, as Revelation 4:1 says, "Come up hither," 

#9.  I don't think so, and this is just my opinion.  Jesus alluded to those seeking signs when he said they refused to believe Moses, and that why should he expect them to believe Him.  Quite a few times in Matthew and Mark, Jesus simply responded by citing the sign of Jonas the prophet. 

#10.  Yes I do believe that N.D.E.'s are real.  I do not see them as demonic.  I have kept in touch with the reporting of N.D.E.'s events since about 1993, when I read news reports of a case not far from where I lived.  I knew the pastor who had a N.D.E. with one of his Sunday School class members, who was just 6 years of age.  I knew of a case where a doctor, had a heart attack while taking a physical stress test and had a N.D.E.  Can I prove N.D.E.'s happen?  I wouldn't know how to begin to prove it.  it's a matter of faith. The genuineness of an N.D.E. is best understood by the change that it brings in the person's life.   I had hoped you would have asked if I believe in visiting angels.  That I can testify to as a reality.

#11.  This is strictly my opinion, however, the people I believe God will say I knew you not, will be the Health, Wealth, & Prosperity movement, like Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyers.

#12.  I may be facetious, and say does it really matter?  The reference is to Matthew 7:23.  The phrase "I never knew you" was used by rabbis in excommunication matters.  It did not mean, therefore, that Jesus did not see through the false prophets; rather, it indicates that they were strangers to Him, outsiders who would be excluded from the kingdom of God, confirmed in Matthew 25:12.  Jesus rejected them and cited Psalm 6:8 in that connection.

While I was being facetious, I believe this will take place at the Bema Seat Judgment, and for the following reasons:

1.  Doctrinal and the degree of intellectual honesty or dishonesty exhibited by a person when deciding their beliefs.
2.  Conduct and attitude toward other people. 
3.  Carnal traits and behavior.
4.  Every word that is spoken.
5.  Behavior traits towards others, such as slander, idle words, quarrels, foolishness, dishonesty, broken promises, wrong doings, etc.
6.  Personal characteristics, including lost or neglected opportunities, wasted talents, loose living, etc.
7.  Their fruit bearing from their ministry or its absence as well.

I took a couple days to reflect on your questions as a means of letting them be absorbed and spiritually discerned before I wrote my reply and I hope that you find my answers to them helpful.  I'm honored to be able to reply to your insightful questions.

God bless,

Pastor Bob