The Evangelical Universalist Forum

SNIPPETS FROM MY HARD COPY UR LIBRARY

Evangelical Universalism Arguments for Evangelical Universalism
#1682

WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED? – KENNETH BRIX

“That salvation is of man and HIS works is shared by many of us who are Christians. We’ve portrayed God as having done all He could do to save mankind more than 2000 years ago. So now, supposedly, it’s up to mankind to perform the remaining essential of exercising the good work of faith, or else suffer everlasting consequences.

We have looked upon salvation as a joint effort between man and God, and as primarily what WE do for Him. With this teaching MAN is exalted, self righteousness flourishes, and God is stripped of His sovereignty! But our salvation ‘is not of him that willeth’ (any decision we make of ourselves), ‘nor of him that runneth’ (any effort we put forth of ourselves), BUT OF GOD Who showeth mercy! (Romans 9:16)

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

#1683

Why did Christ have to die such a horrific death? That question was posed to me by an on-line reader of The Glory Road over ten years ago now. I gave it my best shot as did Harry Fox and John Gavazzoni. The reader wasn’t convinced, but I want to share Harry’s one sentence answer to the man: “Crucifixion,” or its equivalent, is INTRINSIC to the kind of love in which God forgave and continues to forgive us, His enemies, who nailed Jesus to a cross (cf. Rom. 5:6-10; Col. 1:21-22). Romans 5:10, asks this question: “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life ?” The verse in Col. 1:21 shows the scope of that love: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Jan Antonsson

#1684

By William Barclay (well known Bible expositor)
“I am a convinced universalist. I believe that in the end all men will be gathered into the love of God. The only victory love can enjoy is the day when its offer of love is answered by the return of love. The only possible final triumph is a universe loved by and in love with God.”
[Quoted from William Barclay: A Spiritual Autobiography, William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1977.]

The writings of several dozens of other “convinced universalists.”
theheraldofgodsgrace.org/Library.htm

#1685

WILLIAM BARCLAY

Everyone who is cast into the lake of fire which is the second death will be saved out of it.

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.”

See what other Greek scholars say about it too.
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, many Greek scholars agree with John Wesley Hanson.
AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.shtml

SEE

THE SCHOLARS CORNER THE CENTER FOR BIBLE STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSALISM
Scholar’s Corner: The Center for Bible studies in Christian Universalism
tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

“Moulton and Milligan in “Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament” write concerning aionios that “In general the word depicts that of which the horizon is not in view, whether the horizon be at an infinite distance, or whether it lies no farther than the span of Caesar’s life.” New Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines “kolasis” as “CORRECTION, punishment, penalty”. It is a linguistically possible to replace “eternal punishment” with “CORRECTION FOR THE AGES.” Let us exercise caution to interpret the “aionian” Punishment passages individually in the light of the immediate context, and the larger context of The Common Salvation Message within Scripture. Rather than narrowly imposing the dogmatic and extreme concept of “Eternal” punishment as the only definition to be used, let us be reasonable, cautious, and prudent in our interpretations.” William Barclay.

#1686

YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID – Kenneth Larsen

“You hear that it was declared, ‘You shall be loving your associate’ and you shall be hating your enemy. Yet I am saying to you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who are persecuting you, so that you may become sons of your Father Who is in the heavens, for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust. For if ever you should love those who are loving you, what wages have you? Are not the tribute collectors also doing the same? And if ever you should greet your brothers only, what are you doing that is excessive? Are not those of the nations also doing the same? You, then, shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:43-48.

You have heard that it was said, “God hates those people so much He’s going to torment them in the flames.”
But God says, “To no one render evil for evil; rather, conquer evil with good. In doing this, you will be heaping embers of fire on his head.” Ro. 12:17-21.

You have heard that it was said, “God offers salvation to all mankind, but only saves those who believe before they die.”
But God says, “I AM the living God, the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:10, 11.

You have heard that it was said, “Some people are impossible to save; their stubborn will is just too strong!”
But God says, “With Me nothing is impossible; no one is stronger than Me!” Matt. 19:25, 26; 1 Cor. 10:22.

You have heard that it was said, “God wishes He could reconcile all the estranged on earth and in the heavens, but He has to have cooperation from those on earth; He can’t do it alone. As for those estranged in the heavens, they’re hopeless.”
But God says, “Through Christ I will reconcile all to Myself (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.” Colossians 1:20, 21.

You have heard that it was said, “For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, all those who are in Christ shall be vivified.”
But God says, “For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified.” 1 Cor. 15:22.

You have heard that it was said, “Seek God and you’ll be saved. Your salvation depends on how you exercise your free will. If you’re lost, it will be your own fault.”
But God says, “No one is seeking Me. All avoid Me. Consequently, then, it is not of him who is willing, nor of him who is racing, but of My mercy.” Romans 3:11, 12; 9:16.

You have heard that it was said, “The second death will be eternal; there’s no escaping the lake of fire.”
But God says, “The last enemy is being abolished: death.” 1 Corinthians 15:26.

You have heard that it was said, “When God doesn’t give the person the chance to hear the Gospel, it’s because He knows they would have rejected it anyway.”
But God says, “My saving grace makes its advent to all humanity. Jesus enlightens every soul who enters the world, and He will draw all to Himself.” Titus 2:11; Jn. 1:9; 12:32.

You have heard that it was said, “The subjection of all to Christ will, in many cases, involve compulsion, rather than the reception of a body of glory.”
But God says, “Christ will transfigure the body of humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself. Every tongue will acclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, by Holy Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:3; Phil. 2:9-11; 3:21.

You have heard that it was said, “All mankind is condemned in Adam, but only some of them will receive justification in Christ.”
But God says, “Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying. 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.” Romans 5:18, 19.

You have heard that it was said, “God wills all mankind be saved, but that’s really just wishful thinking.”
But God says, “The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world, annulling the acts of the Adversary! My will is to save all, and I operate all in accord with the counsel of My will.” John 1:29; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Eph. 1:11.

You have heard that it was said, “God expects something from us (to exercise our free will) before His grace will be of any benefit to us. God loves His enemies, and will give the most ungrateful and wicked among them the wages of sin (death) forever.”
But God says, “And if you are loving those loving you, what thanks [grace] is it to you? For sinners also are loving those loving them. And if you should be doing good to those doing good to you, what thanks [grace] is it to you? For sinners also are doing the same. And if you should ever be lending to those from whom you are expecting to get back, what thanks [grace] is it to you? For sinners also are lending to sinners, that they may get back the equivalent. Moreover, be loving your enemies, and be doing good, and be lending, expecting nothing from them, and your wages will be vast in the heavens, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” Luke 6:32-35.

#1687

ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTE
Quoted from A SOUTHERN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH HISTORY
Be sure to click on “See More” and read the whole quote. …
“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

#1688

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

#1689

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.

  • Gerry Beauchemin

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)

#1690

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

#1691

AIONIOS
“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

#1692

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)

#1693

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).

A snippet from
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

#1694

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.

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

#1695

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!

#1696

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/

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).

#1697

Very interesting. I’ll have to take a look at that Concordant version - is it offered in paperback, or leather or what options?

#1698

Dave, you can find out about the Concordant literal translation at the Concordant link on my last post.

#1699

“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

#1700

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/

#1701

It’s ALL good :smiley: