against Universalism, you"][An EU says, ] Colossians 1:20 It says all things will be reconciled to God.Amen!
against Universalism, you"]God begins saving people from before they were born, a process that ends in reconciliation with God.For sure, reconciliation wasn’t an after thought, it was the purpose of Creation.
against Universalism, you"]This verse either means that everything is either subject to or with God.Doesn’t it have to mean both?? It doesn’t say all things are subjugated, but all things are reconciled
"]*]Restore friendly relations between
she wanted to be reconciled with her father
the news reconciled us/*]
*]Cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible
a landscape in which inner and outer vision were reconciled
you may have to adjust your ideal to reconcile it with reality/*]
*]Make (one account) consistent with another, esp. by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed
it is not necessary to reconcile the cost accounts to the financial accounts/*]
*]Settle (a disagreement)
advice on how to reconcile the conflict/*]
*]Make someone accept (a disagreeable or unwelcome thing)
he could not reconcile himself to the thought of his mother stocking shelves
he was reconciled to leaving/*]I see no mention of subjugation, quite the opposite. It seems to be mutual restoration of relationships.
against Universalism, you"]Traditional theology argues while everything is subject to God, not everything is with God, namely evil beings and permanently rebellious people.I realise that’s the traditional position, but what is their justification for that position, as it seems to completely contradict this verse?
“…found only in Christian writers…reconcile everything in his own person, i.e. the universe is to form a unity, which has its goal in Christ Col 1:20…” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament & Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG), 3rd edition, 2000, p.112).
TDNT is one of the most highly accredited Greek lexicons available. It says re the remedy for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit:
“It denotes the conscious and wicked rejection of the saving power and grace of God towards man. Only the man who sets himself against forgiveness is excluded from it. In such cases the only remedy is to deliver up to Satan that he may learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim 1:20)” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, TDNT, ed. Kittel, Vol.1, p.624, by Beyer).
And regarding Col.1:20:
“ἀποκαταλλάσσω is found in the NT only in Col. and Eph., where καταλλάσσω does not occur. Since it is never found prior to Paul, it is perhaps coined by him…In men [it] is preceded by alienation and enmity (Col.1:22)…Col.1:20 speaks of the gracious purpose which God had demonstrated…to reconcile the whole world to Himself; it does not speak of a reconciliation of the world already concluded. ἀποκαταλλάξαι cannot refer merely to the removal of a relationship of guilt by God, since it is plainly expounded as a conclusion of peace in Col.1:20 and Eph.2:15. Hence it is not something one-sided. It embraces the total life situation of man. It does not refer merely to his guilt before God. In Eph.2:16 reconciliation to God also brings reconciliation to Jews and Gentiles, and in Col.1:20 the reconciliation of men to God also carries with it that of supraterrestrial beings” (The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT), Vol.1, p.258-259, Friedrich Buschel, ed. Gerhard Kittel, 1st printing 1964, 2006).
“…Jesus existed before all things, He created all things, He holds together all things, and He will reconcile all things. And what does it mean for God to “reconcile to himself all things”? It is clear that the word reconcile means more than squashing opposition. It means a full restoration of peace and harmony.”
“…The “all things” of verse 20 is as extensive as the “all things” of verse 16. So just as God created everything and everybody through Christ, so He will reconcile everything and everybody through Christ (not everything except most of humanity!). The universe will be completely restored to its original perfection and peace. No one will be at enmity with God or with one another. He will completely fulfill “the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure”—“to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). Going from the depths of mankind’s depravity to the total reconciliation of everyone to God and to each other will be more glorious than if we had never fallen in the first place. The restoration of every single relationship to perfect harmony through the work of reconciliation on the cross will be the most spectacular demonstration imaginable of the grace and justice and wisdom and power and love of God.” http://blogs.christianpost.com/ambassador-of-reconciliation/reconciliation-the-heart-of-gods-grand-plan-for-creation-7138/
"Just as His glories in creation take us back to the very beginning, so the greater glories of reconciliation take us to the very consummation. The universal reconciliation cannot be fully accomplished till the close of the eonian times, when all sovereignty and authority and power and even death are rendered inoperative (1Cor.15:24-27)…(Concordant Commentary, AE Knoch, 1968, Col.1:20, p.303).
Co.1:16 For by Him ALL was created that are in HEAVEN and that are on EARTH, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All was created through Him and for Him.
20 and by Him to reconcile ALL to Himself, by Him, whether on EARTH or in HEAVEN, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
The context shows that verses 21-23 are a different topic from verses 16-20 in which the parallel of verses 16 & 20 occur. In v.21-23 the subject is not all creation as in v.16,20, but instead the Colossians, the saints. Paul says they will be presented “holy in His sight” (v.22) if they continue in the faith, clearly a reference to a specific time, the time when they meet the Lord, which for these saints would have been when they died, & for others when He returns. So v.22-23 refer to a time no later than the second coming & tell us nothing about reconciliation possibilities for “all” beyond that time. So verses 22-23 in no way limit the parallel of verses 16 & 20 from being a future universal reconciliation of created beings in the ages to come after the Lord’s return, such as in the millennial age or in the ages of the new heavens & new earth. Nowhere does Paul say of those who don’t continue in the faith that they are excluded from the “all” of verse 20. Therefore your specious argument fails.
It’s quite astonishing that many insist that the parallel of aionios in Mt.25:46 means the word must be of the same meaning & duration in both instances, but they don’t apply the same reasoning to other passages with parallels, such as Col.1:20 above and these:
Rom 5:18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for ALL MANKIND for condemnation, thus also it is through one just act for ALL MANKIND for life’s justifying."
Rom 5:19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, THE MANY were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, THE MANY shall be constituted just."
1 Cor.15:22 AS in Adam ALL die - so also - in Christ shall ALL be made alive.
1 Cor.15:28 And when ALL shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put ALL under him, that God may be all in ALL.