The Evangelical Universalist Forum

SNIPPETS FROM MY HARD COPY UR LIBRARY

Evangelical Universalism Arguments for Evangelical Universalism
#1301

ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTE
Quoted from A SOUTHERN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH HISTORY

“I used to think that it took the smartest kind of man to preach and defend Universalism; I now think entirely differently. It is the easiest faith to preach that I have ever heard. There is more proof in its favor than in any other doctrine I have ever heard. I have a suit in court here tomorrow and if I had as much proof in its favor as there is in Universalism, I would go home, and leave my student to take charge of it, and I should feel perfectly certain that he would gain it.” Abraham Lincoln

According to Google quotes Abraham Lincoln also said, “The best way to destroy an enemy is to make them your friend.”
God always does things “the best way.”

ANOTHER QUOTE FOR THOSE WHO DON’T THINK LINCOLN’S ARGUMENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE BIBLE: Mr. Lincoln’s deep knowledge of the scriptures could not have come without regularly reading them. As Lincoln scholar Paul Angle noted: “There was one book which left its mark on much of what he wrote. That was the Bible. Upon a familiarity which extended back to his youth he could always depend.” Historian Michael Nelson wrote: “Lincoln was consumed by religion as a subject, as well as by the Bible, a book that all of his biographers agree he had read and studied assiduously since his youth.
”Quoted from William J. Wolf, A Study of the Religion of Abraham Lincoln

#1302

AGNOSTIC

I would rather live out my life as an agnostic, trying to treat other people the same way that I would like to treated by them and hope for the best after I die, than to put my trust in a book that teaches that God will allow anyone to choose themselves into an inescapable state of everlasting suffering. Rodger Tutt
godfire.net/eby/circularity.html

Writer Somerset Maugham, after his parents’ deaths, spent a few stultifying years in his uncle’s vicarage. Later, in his teens at a boarding-school, having lost his belief in the existence of God said: “The whole horrible structure, based not on the love of God, but on the fear of eternal hell, tumbled down like a house of cards.” Quote source: The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham by Selina Hastings

We are so constituted that we believe the most incredible things; and, once they are engraved upon the memory, woe to him who would endeavor to erase them. Goethe

There is a germ of religion in human nature so strong that whenever an order of men can persuade the people by flattery or terror that they have salvation at their disposal, there can be no end to fraud, violence or usurpation. John Adams

#1303

AION – AIONIOS

HOW ETERNITY SLIPPED IN
thetencommandmentsministry.us/mi … e_eternity

In the first three chapters of Ephesians, (a key book regarding God’s plan for man relative to the fullness of the times) aion is used seven times. And out of those seven, the KJV has chosen five different English words (“ages,” “course,” “end,” “eternal,” and “world.”) to translate this one word.

And to add to this confusion, it translates the Greek word genea (generation), a totally different word, twice as “ages.”

Talk about confusion compounded!

Is it any wonder the church has been blinded from God’s truth about the purpose of His judgments and His eonian plan to save all fallen creatures?!

Simply put, the Scriptures do not take up the philosophical concept of eternity, but rather speak of eons and that which pertains to them. Of course God’s glory exceeds the eons, but His glory is reflected by His Son during the eons as they are presented in Scripture.

No two words in the history of man have been so torturing as aion and aionion. No two words in the history of man, mishandled by man, have contributed more to the physical, emotional and spiritual harm of so many, than these. You may think I must be exaggerating. But I am not. It is the mistranslation of these two words that has foisted the false and destructive doctrine of eternal torment upon the church and the world.

Mistranslation of the Greek words “aion” and “aionion” is a master stroke of diabolical genius. No other words erroneously translated, could more effectively pervert man’s image of God and cause such widespread confusion. The following work by Joseph E. Kirk is offered in the hope that the serious seeker after scriptural truth will be aided in their quest.
CHART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

Also see
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS
tentmaker.org/books/asw/index.html
(especially note the quotes by the many Greek scholars in chapters three and twelve)

#1304

AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.html
See the first item under APPENDIX
AIDIOS – AN IMPORTANT WORD CONSIDERED
A SNIPPET FROM THE GREEK WORD AION – AIONIOS TRANSLATED EVERLASTING – ETERNAL IN THE HOLY BIBLE SHOWN TO DENOTE LIMITED DURATION – JOHN WESLEY HANSON

“The word aidios (not aionios) was in universal use among the non-Christian Greek Jews of our Savior’s day, to convey the idea of eternal duration, and was used by them to teach endless punishment.

Jesus never allowed himself to use it in connection with punishment, nor did any of His disciples but one, and he but once, and then carefully and expressly limited its meaning. Can demonstration go further than this to show that Jesus carefully avoided the phraseology by which His contemporaries described the doctrine of endless punishment? Jesus never adopted the language of His day on this subject. Their language was aidios timoria, endless torment. His language was aionion kolasin, age-lasting correction. They described unending ruin, He, discipline, resulting in reformation.”
AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.html
See the first item under APPENDIX
AIDIOS – AN IMPORTANT WORD CONSIDERED

#1305

Kenneth Larsen

2 Thes. 1:
7 and to you who are being afflicted, ease, with us, at the unveiling of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful messengers, 8 in flaming fire, dealing out vengeance to those who are not acquainted with God and those who are not obeying the evangel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9 who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength 10 whenever He may be coming to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at in all who believe (seeing that our testimony to you was believed) in that day.
(Concordant Literal Version)

To me, this clearly refers to the Second Coming, and it clearly refers to eonian extermination, not eternal. We know the vessels of indignation will be judged at the Great White throne, so they won’t cease to exist 1,000 yrs earlier. In Jude 7 we read that Sodom experienced eonian fire, which no longer burns.

1 Corinthians 2:7 (CLV)
but we are speaking God’s wisdom in a secret, wisdom which has been concealed, which God designates before - before the eons, for our glory,

Ephesians 3:11 (CLV)
in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord;

Colossians 1:26 (CLV)
the secret which has been concealed from the eons and from the generations, yet now was made manifest to His saints,

Hebrews 1:2 (CLV)
in the last of these days speaks to us in a Son, Whom He appoints enjoyer of the allotment of all, through Whom He also makes the eons;

Ephesians 1:21 (CLV)
up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this eon, but also in that which is impending:

1 Corinthians 10:11 (CLV)
Now all this befalls them typically. Yet it was written for our admonition, to whom the consummations of the eons have attained.

Hebrews 9:26 (CLV)
since then He must often be suffering from the disruption of the world, yet now, once, at the conclusion of the eons, for the repudiation of sin through His sacrifice, is He manifest.

These last two verses are somewhat “symbolic” if that’s the correct word, but they do demonstrate that the eons end; they are limited periods of time, not endless time.

After the present eon, there are two more, the eons of the eons, before God completes His plan. (end quote)

While believers are enjoying life eonian, unbelievers will experience kolasis eonian which means age-during corrective chastisement. When the corrective chastisement has been achieved in everyone who needs it, then both life eonian and chastisement eonian will come to an end and eternity will continue with everyone saved from everything from which they need to be saved, including their stubborn will.

The uniform translation of aion and its adjective form aionios solves many inconsistencies in Scripture study. Jesus came to give life eonian, a quality of relationship with the Father through Himself, a life that is only the earnest of much more to come when we put on immortality (1Cor. 15:53-57).

#1306

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
“During the present wicked eon (Gal.1:4), Sin reigns, Satan who is said to be “the god of this eon” (2 Cor.4:4) blinds and deceives mankind, and death swallows up the race (1 Cor.15:22). But notwithstanding, God is over all and is in supreme control. He is the eonian God. In due time He will deliver the entire creation and bring good out of all the suffering mankind is called upon to endure (Rom.8;18-23).”

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

Many Greek scholars agree with John Wesley Hanson
AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.html

SEE

THE SCHOLAR’S CORNER FOR THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL UNIVERSALISM
tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

#1307

THE GREAT REVELATION OR GOD’S LOVE, PURPOSE AND PLAN – JOHN H. PATON

“Some say that if it can be proved that the punishment of the wicked will have an end, the same argument will prove that the life of the righteous will also end. But this is too much to take for granted on such a premise. Aionios does not of itself indicate either the limited or unlimited duration of anything, but its duration in each case depends on the nature of that to which it is applied.

#1308

CHRIST TRIUMPHANT – THOMAS ALLIN

It is true that aionios may be applied as an epithet to things that are endless, but the idea of endlessness in all such cases comes not from the epithet, but only because it is inherent in the object to which the epithet is applied, as in the case of God.

‘This is life eternal’ should be ‘the life of the ages,’ i.e. peculiar to those ages in which the scheme of salvation is being worked out. The ‘eternal covenant’ is the ‘covenant of the ages,’ the covenant peculiar to the ages of redemption. The ‘eternal purpose’ is really the purpose of ‘the ages,’ i.e. developed and worked out in ‘the ages.’

We who teach the larger hope believe that not in this brief life only, but through future ages, Christ’s work shall go on till the last straying sheep shall have been found by the Good Shepherd. Then, at the expiry of these ages ‘cometh the end’ when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, and God shall be All in all (1Cor. 15:28).

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

#1309

AIONIOS

Although there are at least fifteen translations that translate aion/aionios literally instead of interpretively, the most popular versions are translated interpretively.

Why did God allow the most popular versions of His written word to be interpretively translated instead of literally translated?

In my opinion the reason is the same reason why God allows all other evils to temporarily prevail, and that is because He is eventually going to make it better for everyone that He did so.

Probably, God could not have allowed a better foil of contrast of evil versus good than to let His written word be mistranslated. Against the black background of the theological false doctrines of never ending suffering or annihilation God will paint His glorious masterpiece of universal transformation using the paint brushes of His love that can never fail, and His grace that cannot be defeated.

WHAT MOST OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS BELIEVED
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

Universalism:
The Prevailing Doctrine Of the Christian Church During Its First Five-Hundred Years
tentmaker.org/books/Prevailing.html
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

Greek scholar William Barclay wrote concerning kolasis aionion (age-during corrective chastisement) in Matthew 25:46
“The Greek word for punishment is kolasis, which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better. There is no instance in Greek secular literature where kolasis does not mean remedial punishment. It is a simple fact that in Greek kolasis always means remedial punishment. God’s punishment is always for man’s cure.”

Also see what other Greek scholars say about it
An Analytical Study of Words
tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter11.html

Fifteen literally translated (not interpretively translated) Bibles that reveal what God will do with the sinners in Matthew 25:46
Concordant Literal, Young’s literal, Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott, Rotherham’s Emphasized, Scarlett’s, J.W. Hanson’s New Covenant, Twentieth Century, Ferrar Fenton, The Western New Testament, Weymouth’s (unedited), Clementson’s, The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed, The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, Bullinger’s Companion Bible margins, Jonathan Mitchell’s translation (2010).

Regarding the meaning of aionios, Dean Hough, director of THE SAVIOUR OF ALL FELLOWSHIP wrote
“In THE VOCABULARY OF THE GREEK TESTAMENT (edited by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan) Concerning aionios we read, “In general, the word depicts that of which the horizon is not in view . . .” (p.16). If the horizon of the extermination spoken of by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 is simply not in view, then we can see that what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:22 can truly occur. The same all who are dying in Adam, which includes some who incur eonian extermination, can indeed eventually be vivified in Christ.
The Bible, in fact, does not speak of judgment and condemnation, death and destruction, hades and Gehenna, or any of these serious consequences of sin, as unending. It may refer to them as not having the end in view, but none of these fearful works of God can keep Him from achieving His will (1Tim.2:4); reconciling all through the blood of Christ’s cross (Col.1:20, and becoming All in all (1 Cor.15:28).”.
Dean Hough

WHAT MOST OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS BELIEVED
Universalism:
The Prevailing Doctrine Of the Christian Church During Its First Five-Hundred Years
tentmaker.org/books/Prevailing.html
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

#1310

ALL IN ALL – A.E. Knoch

A.E. Knoch’s book ALL IN ALL
Richard Condon’s detailed rebuttal of Don Hewey’s criticisms of A.E Knoch’s ALL IN ALL can be read at
tentmaker.org/contending.htm
They are the very same arguments Don used against A. C. Thomas and E. H. Lake.

Regarding the book ALL IN ALL by A.E. Knoch. In spite of the claim that there are contradictions in it, and in spite of “cult-buster” Don Hewey’s other attempts to discredit it, (arguments to which Richard Condon has responded), ALL IN ALL remains, in my opinion, one of the best of all the many books that I have read in support of the Bible teaching universal transformation.

Don Hewey is a believer in the inspiration of the King James Version. When he accuses A.E. Knoch of “contradicting the Bible,” in many cases what he really means is that A.E. Knoch contradicts the KJV, because the Concordant Translation does not rely on the Received Text from which the KJV was translated. Don Hewey therefore also attacks the RSV, the NIV, and other modern translations. For this reason much of what Don writes just doesn’t make any sense.

As far as Knoch calling the life that Lazarus will be raised to as it being eonian and unending, it is both. Lazarus will have unending life and that life will allow him to live through the oncoming eons which is called '“eonian life.”

But even if Don Hewey’s criticisms had any merit, (and Richard Condon proves they don’t), they would still not detract from the fact that this book proves that the Bible teaches universal salvation, not eternal torment, or even annihilation.

Richard Condon’s detailed rebuttal of Don Hewey’s criticisms of ALL IN ALL can be read at
tentmaker.org/contending.htm
They are the very same arguments he used against A. C. Thomas and E. H. Lake.

ALL IN ALL by A.E. Knoch (222 pages)
Concordant Publishing Concern
concordant.org/
The entire book on the subject of the Bible teaching universal salvation can be read here
lighthouselibrary.com/read.p … or=||KNOCH, ADOLPH E||&type=&what=author

Introduction:
The blood of Christ is the basis of all blessing. The purpose of God determines human destiny. It does not depend on our deserts. The plan or process of God during the eons or ages must be distinguished from His purpose which will not be fully accomplished until the eons are past. Herein lies the difference between the teaching of the Scriptures and the accepted creeds of Christendom.

The believer suffers in the current era because of sin, but will be released in the resurrection at the presence of Christ. The unbeliever will have affliction and anguish for his sins in the judgment, but he also becomes reconciled to God at the consummation, through the blood of Christ’s cross. (Col.1-20).

Universal reconciliation is the glorious goal toward which all leads. All of God’s purpose is achieved through Him Who is the Alpha and the Omega (Rev.1:8). “In Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him [God delights] to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens” (Col.1:19,20)

The terms translated “forever” and “everlasting” and “never” are human perversions which could never have deceived us if they had been consistently rendered. They denote definite divisions of time called ages or eons. All together they form a distinct portion of time called eonian times. Much in our common creeds is true if confined within the eons, but it is most malignant error when forced beyond the eons.

Since judgment is not eternal, but eonian, we may accept all the solemn threats of death and condemnation without reservation, while happily exulting in God’s grand goal to which all His labors lead: that God may be All in All (1Cor.15:28).

ALL IN ALL can be read on the internet here

Copy and paste the following url into the server address bar or click on

lighthouselibrary.com/read.p … or=||KNOCH, ADOLPH E||&type=&what=author

#1311

“ALL THINGS” – Just a thought

All things work together for good “TO” those who love God.
Notice that it doesn’t say all things work together for good “for” those who love God.
In other words it is those who love the real God (not a hideous caricature of God) who can see that all things eventually work together for good for everyone.

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 for everyone 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.”

THE AGES COLLECTIVELY COME TO AN END WITH EVERYONE SAVED

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
“During the present wicked eon (Gal.1:4), Sin reigns, Satan who is said to be “the god of this eon” (2 Cor.4:4) blinds and deceives mankind, and death swallows up the race (1 Cor.15:22). But notwithstanding, God is over all and is in supreme control. He is the eonian God. In due time He will deliver the entire creation and bring good out of all the suffering mankind is called upon to endure (Rom.8;18-23).”

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

#1312

ALL

A snippet from The Inescapable Love of God, Pages 59, 60, by Thomas Talbott:
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (Romans 5:18).
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all (Romans 11:32).
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (I Corinthians 15:22).

In each of these texts, we encounter a contrast between two universal statements, and in each case the first “all” seems to determine the scope of the second. Accordingly, when Paul asserts in Romans 5:18 that Christ’s one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all, he evidently has in mind every descendant of Adam who stands under the judgment of condemnation; when he insists in Romans 11:32 that God is merciful to all, he has in mind every human being whom God has “shut up” to, or has “imprisoned” in, disobedience; and finally, when he asserts in I Corinthians 15:22 that “all shall be made alive” in Christ, he has in mind everyone who has died in Adam. The grammatical evidence here seems utterly decisive; you can reject it only if you are prepared to reject what is right before your eyes.”

Does “All” mean “All”?
hopebeyondhell.org/ 4

#1313

ANATHEMA
tentmaker.org/Biblematters/condemned.htm

Regarding the word “anathema,” I repeat NO other English translation had the nerve to put “eternally” into these phrases in Galatians. Why? Because there is no word in these two sentences that remotely refers to eternity. The NIV translators simply took the liberty of injecting their own beliefs in eternal damnation into this passage without a shred of support from the Greek.
Does the Aramaic word “anathema” carry behind it the idea of people being endlessly tortured and separated from God? In Acts 23:14 a group of Jews put themselves under a curse; they would eat no food until they killed Paul. Do you really think these men, asked to be eternally tortured and estranged from God forever if they failed to kill Paul? Hardly! When Paul wished that he himself was accursed for the sake of his kinsmen after the flesh, do you really think he would allow himself to burn in a Hell forever if it would save his kinsmen? That’s ridiculous. Paul taught no such thing. The apostle to the nations, never used any of the words some translations translated Hell.
(Since the writing of this article, it has been pointed out to me, the Amplified Bible has also chosen to put “doomed to eternal punishment” in Galatians 1:8. I repeat, in the Greek text behind this verse there is no word that means “eternal” in this verse. It is added by the translators of these two Bible translations.)

THE MYSTERY OF GOD – Gerard Winstanley
“Christ Jesus will deliver all mankind out of bondage. This I see to be a truth by testimony of Scripture, as God is pleased to teach me. But this mystery of God is not to be done all at once, but in several dispensations, some whereof are past, some are in being, and some are yet to come. The whole creation of mankind, which is God’s work, shall be delivered from corruption, bondage, death, and pain. Mankind shall be by Christ reconciled to his Maker and be made one in spirit with Him; i.e. the curse shall be removed, and the power of it killed and consumed.
Truly this is according to the current of the whole Scriptures, that everyone shall be made of one heart and one spirit, i.e. that all shall be brought to obey the Father, walk humbly before Him, and live in peace and love in Him. This is the doctrine of Christ and the gospel. This is glad tidings to hear of. When you are made to enjoy this doctrine as yours, then you shall know what it is to know the Son, and what it is to be set free by the Son.”

THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS – ANDREW JUKES
The word which in Matt. 25:46 we translate punishment, in its primary sense means ‘pruning’ and is always used for corrective discipline which is for the improvement of him who suffers it. Even those who hold the common view of the endlessness of punishment are obliged to confess this; and this of itself proves that their doctrine is untenable; for any punishment, be it for a longer or shorter time would not be corrective discipline, but quite another thing if it left those who were so corrected unimproved and lost forever. But from the fall till now the changeless way of the Lord is to make even the curse a blessing.”

#1314

ANNE BRONTE

You may rejoice to think yourselves secure;
You may be grateful for the gift divine –
That grace unsought, which made your black hearts pure,
And fits your earth-born souls in Heaven to shine.
But, is it sweet to look around, and view
Thousands excluded from that happiness,
Which they deserved, at least, as much as you, –
Their faults not greater, nor their virtues less?

And, wherefore should you love your God the more,
Because to you alone his smiles are given;
Because he chose to pass the many o’er,
And only bring the favoured few to Heaven?

And, wherefore should your hearts more grateful prove,
Because for ALL the Saviour did not die?
Is yours the God of justice and of love
And are your bosoms warm with charity?

Say, does your heart expand to all mankind?
And, would you ever to your neighbour do –
The weak, the strong, the enlightened, and the blind -
As you would have your neighbour do to you?

And, when you, looking on your fellow-men,
Behold them doomed to endless misery,
How can you talk of joy and rapture then? –
May God withhold such cruel joy from me!

That none deserve eternal bliss I know;
Unmerited the grace in mercy given:
But, none shall sink to everlasting woe,
That have not well deserved the wrath of Heaven.

And, Oh! there lives within my heart
A hope, long nursed by me;
(And, should its cheering ray depart,
How dark my soul would be!)

That as in Adam all have died,
In Christ shall all men live;
And ever round his throne abide,
Eternal praise to give.

That even the wicked shall at last
Be fitted for the skies;
And, when their dreadful doom is past,
To life and light arise.

I ask not, how remote the day,
Nor what the sinner’s woe,
Before their dross is purged away;
Enough for me, to know

That when the cup of wrath is drained,
The metal purified,
They’ll cling to what they once disdained,
And live by Him that died.

#1315

ANNIHILATION

Eternal Death (Conditional Immortality, Annihilation):
A writing by Gary Amirault specifically refuting the arguments that seemingly support the idea that the Bible teaches annihilation and showing that the Bible teaches universal salvation instead.

One Step Out of Hell; One Step Short of Glory
ETERNAL DEATH ANNIHILATION?
tentmaker.org/books/EternalDeath.html
INTRODUCTION
When it comes to the final destination of the wicked, or unrighteous, Christians over the past two millenniums have divided themselves into three beliefs: 1. Eternal Torment, 2. Eternal Death (Annihilationism), and 3. Salvation of the whole world through Jesus Christ. Each of these views can be supported with Scriptures. Having been in all three groups, I know that there are sincere Bible centered believers in all of them. Obviously, all three cannot be true. Two of them have to be false.

#1316

SOONER OR LATER GOD ALL IN ALL - Anthony J. Borrello

“As hostile and objectionable our dear brethren may be, there are answers and explanations for every argument and/or insinuation presented against the undeniable fact, That God indeed is a God ‘Who will have all men to be saved, and come into a knowledge of the truth (1Tim. 2:4). As greatly as man and their religious attempt to fight this utterly dynamic evangel (good news), God shall eventually be All in all (1Cor. 15:28)."

“But God is in no hurry. He has specific eons, and administrations within the eons, to fulfill His universal purpose and intention of universal reconciliation. All came out of Christ, including Adam. Consequently all shall be restored by and through Christ, ‘yet each in his own class’ (1Cor. 15:23).”

When clouds of confusion gather regarding God’s plan for mankind, and despair come showering down upon our studies, turn to God’s word originally rendered, then, like a searchlight in the darkness of night, His love, and His light of understanding will surely beam forth. God will not allow any to be eternally lost. He is a loving Creator, working out His purpose for the universe, Who will get love from all in return, so that He can and will be ‘ALL in all,’ to all, ‘later.’”

Having read several books against the Bible teaching universal salvation it is my observation that the authors simply could not accept God’s plan for the ages of time as revealed in a literally (not interpretively) translated Bible.

THE AGES COLLECTIVELY COME TO AN END WITH EVERYONE SAVED

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
“During the present wicked eon (Gal.1:4), Sin reigns, Satan who is said to be “the god of this eon” (2 Cor.4:4) blinds and deceives mankind, and death swallows up the race (1 Cor.15:22). But notwithstanding, God is over all and is in supreme control. He is the eonian God. In due time He will deliver the entire creation and bring good out of all the suffering mankind is called upon to endure (Rom.8;18-23).”

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

#1317

APOLLUMI

apollumi, FROM-WHOLE-LOOSE, lose, destroy, perish

The concept of finality is by no means inherent in apollumi. Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Mankind came to seek and to save the apollumi”. Romans 9:21, 18:

Mt 2:13 seeking the little Boy to destroy Him."
5:29 that one of your members should perish
:30 that one of your members should perish
8:25 “Lord! Save us! we are perishing!”
9:17 the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are destroyed
10:6 yet rather be going to the lost sheep of the house
:28 able to destroy both the soul and the body in Gehenna
:39 who is finding his soul will be destroying it, and he who destroys his soul on My account
will be finding it.
:42 should by no means be losing his wages."
12:14 so that they should be destroying Him.
15:24 for the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
16:25 should be wanting to save his soul will be destroying it. Yet whoever should be
destroying it
18:14 of these little ones should be perishing.
21:41 Evilly will he be destroying them.
22:7 destroys those murderers and
26:52 shall be destroyed by the sword.
27:20 yet should be destroying Jesus.
Mk 1:24 Did you come to destroy us?
2:22 wine skins will be destroyed—
3:6 that they should be destroying Him.
4:38 Carest Thou not that we are perishing?"
8:35 save his own soul, will be destroying it, yet whoever shall be destroying his soul
9:22 into waters, that it should be destroying him
:41 no means be losing his wages.
11:18 how they should be destroying Him.
12: 9 coming and destroying the farmers
Lu 4:34 Did you come to destroy us?
5:37 wine skins will be destroyed.
6:9 to save a soul or to destroy?"
8:24 “Doctor! Doctor! we are perishing!”
9:24 save his soul shall be destroying it, yet whoever should be destroying his soul
:25 yet destroying or forfeiting himself.
11:51 who perished between the altar and the house.
13:3 you will all be perishing likewise
:5 you will all be perishing similarly
:33 that a prophet be destroyed outside
15:4 sheep, and losing one of them
:4 after that which is lost,
:6 my sheep that was lost!"
:8 if she should be losing one drachma,
:9 I found the drachma which I lose!’
:17 yet I am perishing here of famine!
:24 he was lost and was found.’
:32 and was lost and was found.’ "
17:27 the deluge came and destroys them all.
:29 from heaven and destroys them all.
:33 preserve his soul will be destroying it.
:33 yet whoever should be destroying it
19:10 to save that which is lost."
:47 people sought to destroy Him.
20:16 be coming and destroying these farmers.
21:18 your head should by no means perish.
Jn 3:15 Him should not be perishing
:16 into Him should not be perishing,
6:12 that nothing should be lost."
:27 the food which is perishing,
:39 these I should be losing none,
10:10 should be standing and sacrificing and destroying.
:28 should by no means be destroyed for the eon,
11:50 nation should not be destroyed."
12:25 fond of his soul is destroying it,
17:12 and not one of them was destroyed
18: 9 of them I lose not one."
Ac 5:37 and he was destroyed,
Ro 2:12 shall be lost without law.
14:15 destroying that one for whose sake Christ died.
1C 1:18 to those who are being destroyed,
:19 be destroying the wisdom of the wise,
8:11 weak one is being destroyed
10:9 and were destroyed by serpents.
:10 and were destroyed by the exterminator,
15:18 reposing in Christ, were lost
2C 2:15 and in those who are being lost.
4:3 it is covered in those who are lost,
:9 cast down but not destroyed
2Th 2:10 injustice among those who are being destroyed.
Hb 1:11 They shall be destroyed, yet Thou art continuing,
Ja 1:11 the comeliness of its aspect was destroyed.
4:12 is able to save and to destroy.
1P 1:7 than gold which is perishing,
2P 3:6 being deluged by water, was destroyed.
:9 not intending any to be destroyed,
2J 8 should be destroying your work
Ju 5 secondly destroys those who believe not.
11 and they were destroyed in the contradiction of Korah.

#1318

ARGUMENTS

I believe that a literally (not interpretively) translated Bible teaches that sooner or later God is going to save everyone from everything from which they need to be saved, including their stubborn will.

Everyone will choose to believe whatever they are convinced is the truth about what the Bible teaches.

I’m just so glad that I learned about the following information because it enabled me to recover from a twelve year nervous breakdown (1966-78).
I’m 76 years old now.

People who can love an “eternal torment” or “annihilationist” god will not be interested in the following information
Will Jesus Torture Billions Forever?
godfire.net/eby/circularity.html

But people who cannot love an “eternal torment” or “annihilationist” god will discover that all of the arguments against the Bible teaching universal salvation have been refuted in the following links.

THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD
godfire.net/eby/saviour_of_the_world.html

ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST
sigler.org/slagle/absolute.htm

BIBLE THREATENINGS EXPLAINED
tentmaker.org/books/BibleThr … ained.html

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
tentmaker.org/FAQ/index.html

INFORMATION ON HELL AND UNIVERSAL SALVATION
tentmaker.org/bloglinks.htm

UNIVERSAL SALVATION UNIVERSITY
richardwaynegarganta.com/universalsalvation.htm

AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS
tentmaker.org/books/asw/index.html

THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

THE SCHOLARS CORNER THE CENTER FOR BIBLE STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSALISM
tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

Also Google up TENTMAKER, and at the top of the front page type a key word or phrase from any argument or scripture passage into the search engine. Ten articles will come up refuting the claim that the Bible teaches eternal torment or annihilation. Then click to the next page and ten more articles will come up, and so on and so on for many pages.
The link to TENTMAKER is
tentmaker.org/

#1319

ARMINIAN BELIEF VERSUS CALVINIST BELIEF VERSUS UNIVERSAL SALVATION BELIEF

ARMINIAN BELIEF - It’s as if God says
“Unless you are lucky enough to find out about my Son during this lifetime, and even if you are that lucky, if you don’t have the good sense to cooperate with my Son properly before you die, then I am going to raise you from the dead and I will either annihilate you, or sustain you alive in an inescapable state of eternal torment.”

Christ’s apparent mission: To save from annihilation or eternal torment only those who are lucky enough to hear about Jesus before they die, and also have enough good sense to properly cooperate with Him before they die.

CALVINIST BELIEF - It’s as if God says
“Since there is nothing you can do about it because you are totally depraved and you are not one of the elect, it is obvious that I created most of you for the purpose of either annihilating you or letting you suffer eternal torment. However, I am going to unconditionally choose a few of you to go to heaven where you will be happy forever.”

Christ’s apparent mission: To let everyone be annihilated, or suffer eternal torment except the unconditionally elected few that He rescues by His irresistible grace.

UNIVERSAL RECONCILIATION BELIEF (mine) – God says
“Sooner or later, because of what Christ accomplished by His death and resurrection, I am going to save all of you from everything from which you need to be saved, including your stubborn will.”

Christ’s scriptural mission: ‘And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world’ (1John 4:14).

I worship a Jesus Who will be completely successful in accomplishing the reason why His Father sent Him.

Christ was prophesied to take away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29), so how then can a sinless world suffer everlasting punishment?! How absurd! Christ is the Saviour of the world (Jn. 4:42; 1Jn. 4:14), and He will save it!"

THE AGES COLLECTIVELY COME TO AN END WITH EVERYONE SAVED

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
“During the present wicked eon (Gal.1:4), Sin reigns, Satan who is said to be “the god of this eon” (2 Cor.4:4) blinds and deceives mankind, and death swallows up the race (1 Cor.15:22). But notwithstanding, God is over all and is in supreme control. He is the eonian God. In due time He will deliver the entire creation and bring good out of all the suffering mankind is called upon to endure (Rom.8;18-23).”

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html

#1320

Augustine and Matthew 25:46
Augustine gave a couple of reasons why he believed it was in vain that some, indeed very many, in his day, believed there was no eternal punishment:

“It is quite in vain, then, that some–indeed very many–yield to merely human feelings and deplore the notion of the eternal punishment of the damned and their interminable and perpetual misery. They do not believe that such things will be. Not that they would go counter to divine Scripture–but, yielding to their own human feelings, they soften what seems harsh and give a milder emphasis to statements they believe are meant more to terrify than to express the literal truth. “ ‘God will not forget,’ ” they say, “ ‘to show mercy, nor in his anger will he shut up his mercy.’ ” This is, in fact, the text of a holy psalm. But there is no doubt that it is to be interpreted to refer to those who are called “vessels of mercy,” those who are freed from misery not by their own merits but through God's mercy. Even so, if they suppose that the text applies to all men, there is no ground for them further to suppose that there can be an end for those of whom it is said, “ ‘Thus these shall go into everlasting punishment.’ ” Otherwise, it can as well be thought that there will also be an end to the happiness of those of whom the antithesis was said: “ ‘But the righteous into life eternal.’ ”

(end quote)
It may be that many of the early believers in Augustine’s day did “deplore the notion of eternal punishment” by yielding to “human feelings” and reliance upon God’s mercy. But, was Augustine correct to quote Matthew 25:46 to support the notion of “eternal punishment of the damned and their interminable and perpetual misery’’? I say No, he was not.
He is saying that if punishment is temporary then it logically follows that the life for the righteous is temporary as well. But is Matthew 25:31-46 really saying this is about the fate of “damned” vs. the righteous for all eternity? No! This judgment takes place when Christ comes back and sets up His 1000 year kingdom (see also Revelation 20). When Christ comes back (Matt.25:31) He will call the nations to this judgment. They will be judged as to how Christ’s brethren were treated. Having faith in Christ or lack thereof is not what they are being judged for. Christ never calls the sheep nations His brothers but He does tell them that they treated His brethren correctly.
Secondly, the “kolasin aionion” or “chastening eonian” which the goat nations must endure is equal in length to the life (zoe aionion/life eonian) in the kingdom which the sheep nations enjoy. When the 1000 year eon ends, both the chastening of the goat nations and the life of the sheep nations end. Then all must appear before the great white throne. The earth is destroyed and I’m sure that some from both groups of the goat and sheep nations will enter into the lake of fire.
But this is not their “eternal” lot, for, one day, death, (the second death) which the lake of fire is called, will be abolished, all will be made alive (be vivified or given immortality), subjected to Christ and God will be All in all, not All in some (see 1 Cor.15:22-28).
Augustine, for all his brilliance, was not given to see certain truths in the Scriptures. While he may have been correct to state that the given psalm was meant to pertain to the vessels of mercy, It is too bad that he did not see the truth of Romans 11:32 how that God should be merciful in the future to those who are enemies to the evangel and stubborn now.
Tony Nungesser
saviourofall.org/2003Newslet … stine.html