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Evangelical Universalism Arguments for Evangelical Universalism
#361

THOUGHTS ON THE DIVINE GOODNESS RELATIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MORAL AGENTS PARTICULARLY DISPLAYED IN FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS – FERDINAND OLIVER PETITPIERRE

“I am assured that goodness is the foundation, and happiness is the end of all the ways of God, to myself and every creature. Hope is the anchor of my soul, sure and steadfast; for though ‘His ways should be in the deep and His paths in the mighty waters;’ though I should experience every external evil; no affliction shall shake my confidence. Never will I dishonour by a moment’s distrust, a Being Who has in mercy commanded me to ‘cast all my care upon Him;’ because ‘He careth for me.’

I have in the whole of this treatise, in establishing the doctrine of perfect goodness, and following it in its consequences; constantly combated such erroneous opinions as represent the Creator of the human race as a Being Whose power will be employed in inflicting never ending torments on a portion of His creatures, and I have established the non-eternity of future torments.” 32

#362

HOPE BEYOND HELL – GERRY BEAUCHEMIN
(recently published and can be downloaded free, and read online)

”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.”

Believers in eternal torment will probably not want to have anything to do with this link, but others on this forum might.
Why not check it out?
Read the reviews first – just a suggestion.
hopebeyondhell.net/what-others-are-saying/

HOPE BEYOND HELL - GERRY BEAUCHEMIN
hopebeyondhell.net/
It can be downloaded free and read online.
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#363

AT THE END OF THE AGES THE ABOLITION OF HELL – BOB EVELY

“The culmination of God’s Word is found in 1Corinthian 15 when God become All in all.
The book of Revelation does not take us quite this far. Corruption is eliminated and our bodies are now incorruptible. The worst enemy of all, death, has been abolished.

The salvation of all has not meant the ignoring of sin. The lake of fire, the second death has accomplished its work. All men now recognize the wondrous ways of God and His grace as expressed through the work of Christ. The salvation of all does not negate or minimize the work of the cross. The work of Christ upon the cross and the power of God as displayed through the resurrection, were both very necessary.

But now at the end of the ages we see the true scope of God’s work. Despite the sin and rebellion of humanity, God has found a way to bring every soul to the point of acceptance. The ages have ended. The purpose of the eons has now been fulfilled; to reconcile all to God. Wickedness and evil are gone. Death is no more. God is love, and He is All in all. Eternal life in perfection has begun.” 34

#364

THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS OR A VINDICATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD TO BE MANIFESTED AT LAST IN THE RECOVERY OF HIS WHOLE CREATION OUT OF THEIR FALL – JEREMIAH WHITE

“It may be questioned whether we understand the terms ‘forever,’ ‘forever and ever,’ and ‘everlasting,’ aright, for these terms are used in divers places as things that have an end and are understood in a limited and qualified sense. These terms are too weak a foundation to build an assertion of everlasting hell upon, as concludes and shuts up God forever in wrath, never to come forth in the exercise of mercy. Whether or not there is an ending is not revealed by the use of these terms.

O my God, Thou art love and canst no more cease to be so than to be Thyself. Take Thy own methods with us, and submit us to them. Well may we do so in an assurance that the beginning, the way, and the end of them all is love. I must believe then that Thy grace will super-abound wherever sin hath most abounded.” 35

#365

THE GREAT DELVERANCE – GUY MARKS

“In 1Timothy 2: 5&6 we read, ‘For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all (the testimony in its own eras).’ This scripture defines the purpose of God through the name Jesus. Thus God exalts His Son, so at the name of Jesus, the name which means that He is salvation, ‘every knee shall be bowing and every tongue shall be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord.’ Philippians 2:9-11.

The name of Jesus must not be held in contempt. It must be exalted. How could those who bow the knee and acknowledge Him as Lord ever thus dishonour the name of Jesus, which they would be doing if they were lost? It was Jesus who died to save them as He gave His life a correspondent ransom for all. God will exalt that precious name as He transports us all into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” 36

#366

UNION – JAMES RELLY

In his book UNION, Relly presents scriptural texts for the view that universal salvation is assured. He argues that Jesus Christ’s union with all human beings, and His assumption of their guilt for their sins ensures that the entire human race will be saved.
He further argues that faith is the result, not the cause, of experiencing the saving power of God.

He wrote, “Man, being the vessel marred between the Potter’s hands is not rejected, but made into another and better vessel (Jeremiah 18:2).
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#367

THE UNIVERSAL RESTORATION – ELHANAN WINCHESTER

In the memoir of the author it is written, “He found no quietude, until, by a candid and prayerful examination of the Bible, he became fully satisfied that ‘God will have all men to be saved,’ and that ‘He doeth according to His will.’ His change of opinion was soon noised abroad, and produced a great disaffection in many of his former friends.

Here is a snippet from the book.
“The reason why I do not conceive that “forever and ever” doth intend endless duration is because I find the words as often used for times and periods that must have an end, as you find them used for the misery of the wicked. You bring three passages which are all that are to be found in the whole Bible where they are used in that sense; I shall now invalidate those evidences for endless damnation by bringing an equal number of texts where you will allow the words are used in a limited sense. Is. 30:8; Jer. 7:7; Jer. 25:5.
These passages are as many and as strongly expressed as those which you brought to prove endless misery; and yet nothing can be more evident than that they cannot intend endless duration. The words do not necessarily imply that the wicked shall never be delivered from their sins and consequent suffering.

Now if the words “forever and ever” signify without end, then there is a contradiction that cannot be reconciled, but only understand them as the ages of the ages, (as indeed they ought to be rendered), and the whole difficulty vanishes at once.”
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#368

THE JUST JUDGMENT OF GOD – JAMES CORAM

“The main point which we seek to impress upon our readers is to accept God’s declaration that, for those who are judged before the great white throne, the lake of fire is the second death, not a second lifetime.

While the ‘injury’ (literal translation) sustained by those who are cast into the lake if fire (in Revelation 20:14,15) will be fatal (since to these the lake of fire is the second death), it will not be permanent. We may be certain that this is the case, for, at the consummation, death will be abolished and all will be vivified, that God may be All in all. God is the Saviour of all mankind, and this includes all who enter the second death.” 39

#369

GRACIOUS GOSPEL BOOK FOUR – SHERWOOD MICHAEL

“From the beginning God was and always will be a God of all grace. He purposes to be All in all of His creation; but every man in his own foreordained and previously marked out order. No doctrine is of God that does not include, ‘Having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His own benevolent design, which He previously purposed in Himself: that in the fullness of the ages He will gather together in one all in Christ, both those who are in the heavens and those who are on earth, even in Him.’

It is wrong to teach that this age of grace will soon end. In our redeemed bodies we will be righteous, and in the ages to come we will be teaching the grace of God to others.” 40

#370

HOW TO KEEP 0N LIVING – DUSEAN BERKICH

“Christian tradition overlooks a key text that clearly quantifies the meaning of aion.
In 1Corinthians 15:24, Paul tells us that Jesus will be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father. That’s not an eternal reign in any possible context. The clear statement that Christ ‘gives up’ the kingdom defines what the Greek noun aion must mean. Jesus is God’s mediator with mankind Who reigns only until He gets the job done. That job is winning our conciliation with God.

Paul referred to Jesus as the eonian, not eternal God, and gave Jesus reign over specific time periods leading up to the conclusion of His reign. Clearly there is a progression of eons that have beginnings and endings. All eons end when Christ’s reign ends, after which what is eternal continues.” 41

#371

THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL – PAUL SIEGVOLCK

“Col. 1: 16-20 teaches us the extent of the reconciliation made by Christ, namely, that it extends itself over the whole creation. Therefore the fallen angels must also necessarily have their share in it, for they do incontestably belong to the invisible things created by Christ, and consequently to all things including the things in the heavens.

‘Jehovah is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.’ Psalm 145:9
In this passage we are plainly told that the mercy of God, or His tender love, does not only extend itself to men, but universally towards all creatures that have their being and stand in need of mercy; and consequently also towards the fallen angels; which tender love of God must necessarily at last effect or bring about the restoration of all corrupt creatures, for it is not a weak or faint, but an almighty love.” 42

#372

THE CHRISTIAN AGNOSTIC – LESLIE D. WEATHERHEAD

The following is my all-time favorite quote. I’ve had it memorized for many years and I quote it frequently. As a staunch universalist, Leslie Weatherhead meant it to include everyone without exception, after everyone who needs it experiences kolasis aionion, or age-during corrective chastisement.

“God’s purposes are so vast and glorious, beyond all guessing now, that when they are achieved and consummated, all our sufferings and sorrows of today, even the agonies that nearly break our faith, the disasters that well nigh overwhelm us, shall, seen from that fair country where God’s age long dreams come true, bulk as little as bulk now the pieces of a broken toy upon a nursery floor, over which, thinking that all our little world was in ruins, we cried ourselves to sleep.”

Dr. Leslie Weatherhead
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#373

TIME, ETERNITY AND GOD – REDEMPTION’S GLORY – RAY PRINZING

“Modern theology has so long circumvented our thinking and teaching to the biased idea that God will save only part of His creation and so limited His redemptive powers that we have forgotten that with God all things are possible and shall be wrought out in due time. God has a definite schedule for saving His creatures, and there is nothing that can withstand His purpose.

Sin was allowed for wise ends, and only after these have been secured will sin cease to exist. It is all a part of God’s purpose of the ages and redemption’s glory will only shine out the more after the plan’s execution. God never allows sin to go beyond His transforming power. God always has everything under perfect control.” 44

#374

THE MAGNITUDE OF REDEMPTION – RAY PRINZING

“ ‘And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.” 1John 4:14.
‘Who will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come into a knowledge of the truth’ 1Tim. 2:4.

This is not a pitting of man’s will against the will of God as some try to teach, with man’s will able to resist and hold out until God cannot change him, but must throw him into some eternal cesspool to be tormented. NAY – for we read that ‘He is working out all things after the counsel of His own will,’ and man cannot disannul that which HE has willed. It is God’s will that all shall come to Christ. He is the propitiation for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD. Why then shall we be so foolish as to dispute the immutability of His truth?” 45

#375

THE INTERPLAY OF GOOD AND EVIL – RAY PRINZING

“God is sovereign, and He controls all the interaction of evil and good, and causes all to redound to His own glory. It is not – what was lost by the fall was to be regained by redemption, BUT by the interaction of FALL AND REDEMPTION, God achieves greater, wiser, nobler, and higher goals than by the Adamic race remaining in its pristine state.

Evil and good are synchronized to accomplish God’s will and purpose, so that the ultimate goal shall reveal all evil transformed back into good, and all negation cancelled out by GOOD. Evil is allowed for wise ends, and when these are secured it must cease to exist, for God will restore all things into good. HE controls all the interaction between evil and good until His purpose of the ages is fulfilled. Then shall God be All in all.” 46

#376

DIVINE INWORKINGS – ALL IN ALL – RAY PRINZING

“We would not minimize the judgments of God, but the more the spirit of revelation unfolds the truth, the more we see God’s judgments in proper perspective, that they are remedial, corrective in their nature and used to bring forth a state of righteousness. They shall not be executed in unholy vengeance, for MERCY shall balance the score. God’s judgments are ever tempered with mercy, and when they have fulfilled their purpose, the judgments end. Mercy will outlast all the judgments, and will rejoice in the ultimate restoration of all that was perverted, corrupt, and evil.

Mercy can operate on the basis of justice because Christ has gathered the whole into His own heart, and suffered to reconcile all to Himself.” 47

#377

THE UNENDING TRIUMPH OF JESUS CHRIST – ED GREGORY

“Today every warden in the U.S. endorses the ideal of rehabilitation. Shall we say then that God is less reasonable than His creatures? No! God’s punishments exist not for vindictive suffering, but rather for remedy! Praise His Holy Name!

God works with a glorious end in view. We have viewed the judgments of God against sin and unrighteousness as the end, when in reality they are only a means to an end. The revelation of scriptural truth does not view God’s judgments in the ages to come as vindictive, as if to say that God is vengeful, implacable, and hateful against men (as all too often those who profess His Name appear to be!), This insight into God’s purposes in judgment rather declares that these judgments are remedial, that they exist to effect a positive divine end for everyone.

Christ died “to reconcile all unto Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross” Colossians 1:20. The all saving Cross of Christ will never give up its redeeming power till sin and sinner have no more a name among the creatures of God.”
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#378

THE TRUE BASIS OF REDEMPTION – A.P. ADAMS

“God says He will reconcile all; the whole creation shall ultimately be delivered, and every created thing shall finally praise God (Revelation 5:13).

The point that I wish the reader especially to note is that the final accomplishment of this purpose of God depends on Himself, and not on man. The creature may fail, the Creator never fails; and no amount of blunders, mistakes, failures or perversions of the creature shall disarrange or thwart the plans of the Creator. This is the true basis of redemption.” 49

#379

THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MANKIND - JOSEPH KIRK, WILLIAM C. REBMANN, DEAN HOUGH, AND JAMES CORAM

“To know the true and living God ‘out of Whom all is’ 1Cor. 8:6, is to recognize that His purpose for His creatures can only be loving, wise, righteous, and good.
To know Jesus Christ, ‘through Whom all is’ 1Cor. 8:8, is to know that God’s purpose cannot fail. Shall we who know Him and have had ours eyes opened to the glorious triumph of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ sit idly by and let reproach be heaped upon His Name without protesting?

Think how the teaching of endless punishment slanders God and Jesus Christ! We know Christ died for all (1Tim. 2:6). Does God lack the goodness, the power, the love, the grace to save all? God declares that judgment is eonian; man says it is everlasting. Let us believe God and not man.”
Joseph Kirk 50

#380

SAVIOUR OF ALL MANKIND - JOSEPH KIRK, WILLIAM C. REBMANN, DEAN HOUGH, AND JAMES CORAM

“Regarding the argument that if the punishment of the unbelievers has an end, then the life of the believers has an end also at the end of the ages.

But life cannot end at that time because death is abolished (1Cor. 15:26). The life of the eons ends when all are vivified at the end or consummation of the eons (1Cor. 15:24).
Life itself, however, continues on interminably.”

“Regarding the argument that in 2Cor. 4:18 eonian must mean eternal because it is set in contrast with the word temporal meaning enduring for time as opposed to eternity.

But the Greek word translated temporal has no connection with the word for time; it is literally ‘toward season,’ and means temporary or for the era. In this passage eonian is used in contrast between our afflictions which last for a brief season, and our promised long enduring eonian glory, which lasts until all opens out into the glorious consummation when God become All in all.”
William C. Rebman 51