The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Imprisoned in disobedience

“For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.” -Romans 11:32-

Disobedience=

apeitheia =

Literally, “the condition of being unpersuadable”

apeitheia — ap-i’-thi-ah )

lit., “the condition of being unpersuadable” (a, negative, peitho, “to persuade”), denotes “obstinacy, obstinate rejection of the will of God;” hence, “disobedience;” [Ephesians 2:2]

Imprisoned=

phulakizo

“to imprison,” akin to phulax, “a guard, a keeper,” and phulasso, “to guard,”

Dear Ronald: You state “To Universalists who strain to include all mankind into God’s Eternal Kingdom…”

The strain= “All mankind is imprisoned in disobedience.”

Yes, Ronald that is the radical pas!

What is the outcome of this incarceration?

Mercy upon all.

The same radical pas imprisoned in disobedience= the radical pas experiencing mercy.

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out.

Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice?

Everything comes from him;
Everything happens through him;
Everything ends up in him.

Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.

“Whole”=

Constituting the total sum or undiminished entirety.

“God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.”

"For God hath shut up all together, in a refusal to yield, in order that, upon all, he may bestow mercy. " -Rotherham Emphasized-

“For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy.” F. W. Weymouth

For God encloses, shuts up and locks all men (everyone; the all [pl.]) into uncompliance (disobedience; stubbornness), to the end that He may mercy all men (may make everyone, the all, recipients of mercy)! -Jonathan Mitchell N.T.

Sin=

https://biblehub.com/greek/266.htm

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which were disobedient , when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was in preparation, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water…Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

Karl Barth

God has mercy on us. He says ‘yes’ to us, he wills to be on our side, to be our God against all odds. Indeed against all odds, because we do not deserve this mercy, because, as we rightly suppose, he should say ‘no’ to us all. But he does not say ‘no’; he says ‘yes’. He is not against us; he is for us. This is God’s mercy.

Below>>>>

http://www.mercyuponall.org/2018/07/08/karl-barth-god-has-mercy-on-us-sermon-from-the-basel-prison/

Whose will prevails?

”Tradition has taught that God will not save a person against their will. I agree. However He has the power to orchestrate whatever circumstances are necessary to effect one’s will to change.

Once a full revelation of God is received in the ages to come (Eph. 2:7), men will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord just as Isaiah and Paul prophesied (Is. 45:21-25; Rom. 4:11; Ph. 2:9-11). Who would want to continue in active and persistent rebellion knowing God only wants what is best for them? Knowing the great goodness and love of God, along with the Holy Spirit working in their hearts, these hardened hearts must melt before His glorious being.

It is impossible that an omnipotent God can fail in His purpose so that some would forever resist unconditional love opting for everlasting pain. This would be totally irrational. And even if one were that irrational, such resistance would not arise out of a ‘free’ will, but an ‘enslaved’ will, a will in bondage to an enslaved mind.” -Gerry Beauchemin-

Word for today=

boulema

boulema=

A deliberate design/ that which is purposed

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”