NOW IS “A” DAY OF SALVATION
(not “the” day of salvation)
auburn.edu/~allenkc/today.html
DEATH SHALL BE ABOLISHED - 1 Cor. 15:20-28
Argument:
“This only means that believers will never die again.”
RESPONSES
Bob Evely
I would simply suggest that these folks are ignoring the context of the 1 Corinthians 15 passage (ALL in Adam … ALL in Christ, etc) and the many other ALL passages in Scripture. It is a case where their minds are made up that only believers will ever be saved; so they find it necessary to place limitations on what the Scriptures actually say, lest their doctrines fall apart.
Tony Nungesser
Death is abolished for the believer AT HIS PRESENCE. In 1 Cor.15:25 death is abolished AFTER Christ hands over the kingdom to God and all sovereignty, authority and power are done away. Then the rest of mankind will have death abolished for them and only then.
Kenneth Larsen
For me, 1 Cor. 15:20-28 is where the abolition of death is best detailed. And the subject is clearly all mankind. Plus, it says plainly that it is the LAST enemy, clearly detailing the subjection of all which must occur BEFORE. And there are clearly still kings during the New Jerusalem eon, so human authorities have yet to be nullified; Christ’s mission isn’t complete. Rev. 21:24. Death will be abolished for all mankind in three stages -1 Cor. 15:22-24. Then there are verses like Romans 5:18, 19.
“For this was the Son of God manifested, that He should be annulling the acts of the Adversary.” 1 John 3:8b (CLV) That includes the act of leading Adam and Eve into the knowledge of good and evil. Christ was manifested to annul not only sin, but also death. For the second death to be endless would mean that the acts of the Adversary would never be annulled.
If only believers never die again, then death would be abolished when Christ returns, wouldn’t it? That would be the consummation or “end.” Why then is there the 1,000 years? Isn’t Satan an enemy? Yet the Bible says that death is the last enemy. Satan is still rebellious after the 1,000 years.
I would ask them, “When do you think death will be abolished?”
If they say, “When Christ returns”, I would ask, “And the events of
Rev. 20:7-15, do they occur after or before Christ’s second coming?”
If they say, “After”, I would ask them if they had read 1 Cor. 15:20-28 lately. I would encourage them to do so and to notice that death will be the last enemy, and God will abolish it. If they agree with that, I would ask them, how can death be abolished when Christ returns if Satan will later attack the saints; wouldn’t that mean that there are still enemies besides death in existence? Wouldn’t the fact that the nations will be deceived and join Satan in opposing God prove that God will still have many enemies at that time? I would point out that 1 Cor. 15:24-27 shows that Christ will give up His kingdom to God
the Father once all enemies are subjected and death is abolished. And I would mention one of the parallel passages in Mk. 12:36, which shows that Christ will be at God’s right hand UNTIL a certain point in time, which is detailed in 1 Cor. 15. Then I would point out how Rev. 22:1-3 shows clearly that the consummation of 1 Cor. 15:24, when Christ will surrender the throne to His Father, will not yet have arrived during the New Jerusalem eon.
My POV is that God would not name the lake of fire the second death, make that death permanent, and yet claim that death had been abolished. It simply doesn’t make sense to me. To argue that death being abolished only means that believers will never die again is
similar to saying that slums being abolished only means no new slums will be created, leaving the existing slums unchanged.
James Coram
The context has in view all mankind (not simply believers):
Death was long ago instituted (“to die, you shall be dying”); and yet
this institution which, at present, is very much still in effect, one
day, will be abolished.
Martin Zender
A snippet from The Really Bad Thing About Free Will (2006), pages
66-67, by Martin Zender:
“God is now conciliated to all mankind (II Corinthians 5:19). This
blessing has come to us through the blood of Christ’s cross
(Colossians 1:20). God no longer holds men’s offenses against them (II
Corinthians 5:19). This same blood will reconcile all to Himself, both
that in the heavens and that on earth (Colossians 1:20).
The cross saves everyone, but not all at once (I Corinthians
15:22-23). Jesus Christ is a ransom for all, but the testimony of it
will not be seen until the eras designated to show it (I Timothy 2:6).
God will one day be all and in all (I Corinthians 15:28). How can He
be that if billions of the all remain dead or tortured?
Paul speaks of a time called the consummation, when death is to be
abolished (I Corinthians 15:26; II Timothy 1:10). If there will one
day be no more death, then the time is coming when even the second
death will cease to be. At this time, those formerly captured by it
will be delivered into the life won for them by Christ on the cross.
With no more death, nothing remains but life. Some come to Christ
sooner, some come later. But eventually, all come.”
When is the Consummation?
Does Christ abolish death at His second coming? Definitely not, and
here’s the evidence:
“For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies
under His feet. The last enemy is being abolished: death.” 1 Cor.
15:25, 26. Yet we know that death is cast into the lake of fire 1,000
years after Christ’s second coming. Rev. 20:14. And the lake of fire
is the second death. So to claim that death is abolished at the second
coming is untenable. First, Christ must be reigning until all His
enemies are subjected; then death will be abolished. Yet we know that
Satan will still be in rebellion against God at the end of the 1,000
years. Rev. 20:7-10. We’re also told that Christ will be reigning
until “He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever
He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power.
For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies
under His feet.” 1 Cor. 15:24, 25. Yet we know that there will be
kings on the new earth, after the 1,000 years have ended- Rev. 21:24;
22:5. So it is obvious that all sovereignty and all authority will not
yet have been nullified, nor will death have been abolished. Rev.
21:8. 1 Cor 15:22-25: “For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also,
in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the
Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence;
thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom
to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all
sovereignty and all authority and power.” All are dying in Adam, or
through Adam, in his act of disobedience at the tree of knowledge. All
are vivified (made immortal) in Christ, or through Christ, in His act
of obedience- the death of the tree or cross. But mankind isn’t all
vivified at once; we’re divided into classes. The first class is
Christ, when He rose from the dead. The second class is “those who are
Christ’s in His presence”. “Thereafter the consummation” of
vivification, for the third class remains; those who are not Christ’s
at His presence. They also died in Adam, and they are included in
vivification, as Paul clearly states in Ro. 5:18, 19. So we know there
will be kings on the new earth; all authority will not yet have been
nullified. We also know that the second death will still exist at that
time; death will not yet have been abolished. “And the Adversary who
is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where
the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be
tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.” Rev. 20:10. So the
Adversary will obviously still live up to his title long after Christ
returns; he will still be in torment in the final eon, that of the new
earth. And death is not abolished until all is subject to Christ- 1
Cor. 15:25-27. From Rev. 2:26, 27 and 12:5 we know that Christ will be
shepherding all the nations with an iron club. This will occur after
His second coming- Rev. 19:15. When Christ returns, loud voices in
heaven will say, “The kingdom of this world became our Lord’s and His
Christ’s, and He shall be reigning for the eons of the eons!” Rev.
11:15. Therefore it is impossible that the second coming be “the
consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and
Father” 1 Cor. 15:24; Rev. 22:1-3. The consummation can only occur
after “the complement of the eras” described in Eph. 1:8-11; after the
eons of the eons; that is, after the 1,000 years and the final eon on
the new earth. Only then will death be abolished. Col. 1:20.
el•lip•sis
noun, grammar:
The omission from a sentence or other construction of one or more
words that would complete or clarify the construction.
Let’s examine two instances in the Bible where an ellipsis is used
with the Greek “eita” (thereafter).
In 1 Tim. 2:13 “for Adam was first molded, thereafter (eita) Eve…”
(ellipsis- “was molded”)
In 1 Cor. 15:22-24 “For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in
Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the
Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence;
thereafter (eita) the consummation…” (ellipsis- “of the vivification
of all mankind”)
The “classes” or “orders” of vivification:
First, who is the subject; who will be vivified? 1 Cor. 15:22 “For
even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be
vivified.” The Greek and the English are clear; just as all are mortal
in, or through, Adam, so also, all will be immortal in, or through,
Christ. The subject of 1 Cor. 15:22 is all mankind.
Second, what is vivification? Galatians 3:21 confirms the link between
vivification and righteousness. Resurrection need not include
vivification. Jn. 5:21. To be raised to mortality is not vivification.
Third, the classes of vivification. The Greek for “class” is Strong’s
5001, tagma; from tasso 5021; something orderly in arrangement (a
troop), i.e. (figuratively) a series or succession: -order.
sacrednamebible.com/kjvstrongs/STRGRK50.htm
Class one of vivification: “the Firstfruit, Christ”. This occurred
when Christ rose from among the dead.
Class two of vivification: “thereupon (epeita) those who are Christ’s
in His presence”. This occurs at Christ’s second coming, and may
include multiple resurrections occurring around the end of the present
eon and the commencement of the impending eon (the “millennium”).
There are also those who will be vivified without being resurrected,
having never tasted death- 1 Thes. 4:17. This is further evidence that
resurrection is not the equivalent of vivification; virtually all
Christians agree that all believers will be vivified.
The Greek New Testament does not have punctuation. Many versions place
a period at the end of verse 23. In contrast, the Concordant version
places a semicolon, for the train of thought continues into verse 24:
“thereafter the consummation…”. The consummation or “end” of what?- of
the vivification of all mankind. Just as in Romans 5:18, 19, Paul’s
subject here is all mankind. And the final class remains; those who
are not Christ’s in His presence. They will be subject to judgments
and many will have their part in the lake of fire, which for them will
be the second death. Nevertheless, all God’s enemies will be subjected
to Christ, and then Christ will be subjected to God, that the Father
may be “All in all”. 1 Cor. 15:20-28. The final enemy to be abolished
is death, and God describes the lake of fire as “the second death”.
Therefore, we end our study with:
Class three of vivification: “our Savior, Christ Jesus, indeed,
abolishes death”. 2 Tim. 1:10. This occurs at the end of the eons.
“Now God is He, not of the dead, but of the living, for all, to Him,
are living.” Luke 20:38. (See also Ro. 4:17; 1 Tim. 6:13; Phil.
2:9-11; Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim. 4:9-11 and 2:1-6.) In Luke 20:38, God
displays a sort of “ellipsis”; He barely mentions the sin and judgment
of the eons to focus prophetically on His goal, to be All in all.
THE TEACHING THAT COMES FROM DEMONS
THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE
Doctrine of Endless Punishment
BY THOMAS B. THAYER
tentmaker.org/books/OriginandHistory.html
THE REAL GOSPEL (GOOD NEWS) – BERT BAUMAN
“Our popular English Bible carries the name of an earthly monarch and so bears mute testimony to the influence the English King had over the translators. His directive to ‘do nothing that will disturb the tranquility of the church’, appears to have been taken very seriously by the translators since they often chose to interpret certain Greek words to support then current church doctrine, rather than render a faithful and consistent translation of the original.
I must confess to the admiration I feel for the absolute brilliance of Satan’s cunning and strategy. He has effectively polluted the entire fountain of truth from which Christians drink by causing confusion in the meaning of the single word aion, and its adjective aionios. It does not seem that this single word could be so important as to produce calamitous results, but it is just here that we see the utter genius of our adversary. Perhaps no other word, erroneously translated, could cause such widespread confusion and distortion of the truth. Practically all Christian doctrine is affected: the purposes of God, the nature of God, judgment, man’s destiny, and salvation – to say nothing of its effect upon our concept of the very God we worship and the way we treat one another as Christians, and the world at large.”
EDITOR’S ADDITION
AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.html
BERT BAUMAN continues, “The doctrine of eternal torment is not found in the Scripture but the teaching of judgment certainly is. But why judgment? Is it a matter of God’s vengeance only? The scriptures suggest that God’s judgments are desirable but not necessarily enjoyable. It is never pleasant to be judged, but the fruit of judgment is desirable. Correction produces righteousness which yields the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, while the chastening is unpleasant, the results are a blessing. Out of love for His creatures, God chastens, and corrects. He judges His creatures for their own good.
Did not Jesus teach us to love and do good even to our enemies? And while He admonishes us to be perfect even as our heavenly Father, would our Father be less than we are expected to be? Can love pour out vengeance for its own gratification, or judge to satisfy its own sense of justice? The result of God’s judgments must ultimately be profitable and beneficial to the one being punished, ‘for the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them’ (Luke 9:56).”
DENY
Some people think that Matt. 10:33 means that deniers will never be saved.
But Peter denied Christ three times, Matt. 26:75, and so will all other deniers repent in due time.
WILL JESUS TORTURE BILLIONS FOREVER?
It is absurd to say that Jesus would not be doing it !!!
godfire.net/eby/circularity.html
“Forever and Ever”-- A Poor Translation
tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter5.html
(Rev. 20:10) They shall be tormented for a limited period of time. Here is the proof.
tentmaker.org/FAQ/forever_eternity.html
Until the time of Augustine most Christians believed in the salvation of everyone.
A COMMON ARGUMENT ADDRESSED
Dr. Edwin Abbott, headmaster of the City of London School, wrote in his Cambridge Sermons -
QUOTE: “An argument was introduced by Augustine, and since his day incessantly repeated, that if aionios kolasis does not mean “endless punishment,” then there is no security for the believer that aionios zoe means “endless life,” and that he will enjoy the promise of endless happiness. But Matt. 25:46 shows the “eonian chastisement” and “eonian life” are of the same duration-lasting during the eons, and when the eons end, as Scripture states they will (1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 9:26), the time called “eonian” is past and the life called “eonian” is finished, but life continues beyond the eons, as Paul teaches at 1 Cor. 15:26: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (which must refer to the lake of fire which is the second death, for the first death cannot be the last enemy). That is, the last, the final one in order. How will it be destroyed? First Corinthians 15:22 gives the answer: “For as IN ADAM ALL are dying, even so IN CHRIST ALL shall be made alive.” Death is destroyed when ALL have been made alive, IN CHRIST.”
– Dr. Edwin Abbott
Note God’s wording
In Christ all shall be made alive
not
All who are in Christ shall be made alive
THE AGES COLLECTIVELY COME TO AN END WITH EVERYONE SAVED
Click on See More and open the link
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
DRAW / DRAG?
In John 12:32, in signifying by what death He was about to be dying (v.33), Jesus said, ‘And I, if I should be exalted out of the earth, shall be drawing all to Myself.’
It is not that “draw” means “drag;” it is rather that an agency which draws, is equally as effective as an agency which drags. When a man is dragged, he is moved contrary to his will; when a man is drawn, he is moved in correspondence to his will, according to the influences which cause him to choose as he does. Agencies which drag, determine the body; agencies which draw, determine the heart, from which spring the outflowings of life (Prov.4:23).
When one is “drawn in” to doing something, he is still caused to act as he does; he must still do what he, even if gently, is “drawn” to do–as much so as if he were “dragged” (“kicking and screaming”) into so doing. It is simply that an agency which “draws,” engages the will and instills the voluntary behavior which follows, in contradistinction to a power that merely compels outward acts–“dragging” them forth–without gaining the acquiescence of the will.
Thus we rejoice to know that while no one can come to Christ if ever the Father Who sends Him should not be drawing him (John 6:44), in due time, under God, Christ “shall be drawing all to Himself” (John 12:32). James Coram
It would be good to answer this question: When will Christ draw to Himself the multiplied millions who die without having once heard about the one true God? (This would include hundreds of millions of small children.) - Kenneth Larsen
Is God a Failure? - Eleanor Garrod
Now that’s a pretty poignant question. Or is it an insinuation? An inference? Or implication? Or is it truth, as many would have you believe? Have you ever heard a sermon by that title? I doubt if you have. But I’m certain you have heard many a sermon which has been riddled with such implications.
Allow me to rephrase the question: Have you ever heard a sermon stating that if you don’t accept Jesus, you’ll burn forever in hell? Ah, I knew I’d touch a raw nerve. You have, haven’t you? If you heard that God is going to lose so much as one individual to the devil forever, then God is a failure.
If you have heard that the heathen (who have never had an opportunity to hear of Jesus) will be tormented forever for not believing in Him, then you’ve heard that God is a failure. If you’ve heard that man’s puny will can withstand the omnipotent will of God, and that man’s will can paralyze God’s will, then you have heard that God is a failure.
If you’ve heard that the Adversary outsmarted God in the garden of Eden, if you’ve heard that God did not want Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, then you’ve heard that God is a failure.
If you’ve ever heard anyone affirm that God will lose 95% of His created beings that He’s placed on planet earth, and will torment them forever, then you’ve clearly heard that God is a failure.
If the Good Shepherd is not willing that any should perish, and yet gets weary and gives up before He finds the last sheep that’s lost, then you know that God is a failure.
If no one can come to Jesus except the Father draws him, and if the Father - eventually - does not draw every single person, then God is a failure.
What is the response of your heart to the poised question: Is God a failure? Ah, my heart says, “Nay, a billion nays.” My heart has fallen in love with a God who does all things perfectly, and one day all will be made plain, and in the end He will become ‘All in All’ and for that day my heart does wait and meanwhile I rejoice and endure because I see Him, the invisible One.
By faith I see a Master Plan for the ages and beyond, and I know I am part of that plan, and for this I whisper, “Thank you, Jesus.” I sing a song to my Beloved, Hallelujah!
In Love with Him, Eleanor Garrod
GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html
The death and resurrection of Jesus guarantees the eventual salvation of everyone.
ELECTION
Eventually everyone will be saved.
Because men have failed to see and understand the doctrine of election, it has propagated false ideas of salvation. Many seek to limit it to believers, but they overlook the significance of the double statement.
"In 1Tim. 4:9-11 we are told that the living God is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of those who believe,' and with this 1Tim. 2: 4-6 concurs. Many seek to limit it to believers, but they overlook the significance of the double statement. That there is a special salvation for believers is plainly stated, but this does not limit the other part of the statement, rather does it emphasize it. The salvation of believers is a special work; they are a special class in theall mankind.’ God’s will for mankind is salvation, not as an experimental salvation toying with the will and choice of men, but as their Disposer – God.
My dear brethren, let us embrace this glorious truth which God has revealed for us. Let it so become a part of us that our lives will be reflecting it. Let it fill our hearts with the love of God and His glorious Son. Let us be rendering praise to the living God, the universal Creator and Reconciler, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
`To Him be glory for the eons! Amen!’ " - E.G.Jones
REDEMPTION IN TWO PARTS - J. Preston Eby
godfire.net/eby/allinall.html
tentmaker.org/articles/savio … in-all.htm
At the present time salvation is enjoyed only by those who believe; the balance of mankind will be saved at the consummation. A savior is one who actually saves. God is the savior of all mankind, not just the ‘potential’ savior. When the truth concerning the eons displaces the error about eternity, judgment and grace are seen to work harmoniously together till each reaches its predestined goal. All the threats of punishment to follow the judgment of the wicked can be accepted at their full, dreadful value without doing violence to our innate sense of justice, and without denying the predictions of a final victory of grace.
Don Bast
THE GOSPEL OF GRACE – CHARLES W. WELLER
“Love conquers all, for it is the love of God that allows humanity to see its frailty that in the bitter dregs it may choose life. I thank the Lord that the plan of redemption wasn’t a stop gap measure but a well thought out plan that in the fullness of time, all will have Christ as their head. Victory in Jesus!
Before creation there was no time. Since creation there has been time. But with the consummation of things and God becoming All in all, time will end, and sin, which is limited by time shall end. Yet, God and creation shall go on.
If God cannot surmount the evil in the world and turn it all into good, then there is a power equal and opposite to Him. But sin isn’t eternal. The cross of Calvary isn’t a ‘hope so’ move by God, but rather, a well conceived thought out solution to the problem of sin. There is an end to sin and to the death it causes. All shall be swallowed up into victory. Some, God has planned to accept Him now. Others, like Pharaoh, He hardens their heart. But being a righteous Judge He will show wrath on those who need it to cleanse them of their fallen nature.
The plan of God is such that His grace, that unmerited favor, will cause man and all of creation to be restored The mercy and love of God is to be so revealed that Jesus shall be All in all.
The purpose for the present is to save some. The purpose for the future is to save all. Because men have failed to see and understand the doctrine of election, it has propagated false ideas of salvation. Even he who dies in sin shall be saved as by fire. Victorious grace covers a larger redemption than many would consider.”
ESPECIALLY
GOD JUSTIFIES, VIVIFIES, SAVES AND RECONCILES ALL – E.G. JONES
“In 1Tim. 4:9-11 we are told that the living God ‘is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of those who believe,’ and with this 1Tim. 2: 4-6 concurs. Many seek to limit it to believers, but they overlook the significance of the double statement. That there is a special salvation for believers is plainly stated, but this does not limit the other part of the statement, rather does it emphasize it. The salvation of believers is a special work; they are a special class in the ‘all mankind.’ God’s will for mankind is salvation, not as an experimental salvation toying with the will and choice of men, but as their Disposer – God.
My dear brethren, let us embrace this glorious truth which God has revealed for us. Let it so become a part of us that our lives will be reflecting it. Let it fill our hearts with the love of God and His glorious Son. Let us be rendering praise to the living God, the universal Creator and Reconciler, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
‘To Him be glory for the eons! Amen!’ ”
“eternal damnation”
The meaning of words that have been translated as “eternal”, “forever”, “incurable” in the scriptures
Sodom’s fiery judgment is “eternal” (Jude
7)–until–God “will restore the fortunes of Sodom”
Ez.16:53-55).
Israel’s “affliction is incurable” (Jer.
30:12)-until–the Lord “will restore health” and heal
her wounds (Jer. 30:17).
The sin of Samaria “is incurable” (Mic. 1:9)-until–
Lord “will restore … the fortunes of Samaria.” (Ez.
16:53).
An Ammonite or Moabite is forbidden to enter the
Lord’s congregation “forever”-until–the tenth
generation (Deut. 23:3):
Habakkuk tells us of mountains that were
“everlasting”, that is -until-- they “were shattered”
Hab. 3 3:6).
The Aaronic Priesthood was to be an “everlasting”
priesthood (Ex. 40:15), that is-until-it was
superceded by the Melchizedek Priesthood (Hebrews
7:14-18).
Many translations of the Bible inform us that God
would dwell in Solomon’s Temple “forever” (1 Kings
8:13), that is,–until the Temple was destroyed.
The Law of Moses was to be an “everlasting covenant”
(Leviticus 24:8) yet we read in the New Covenant the
first was “done away” and “abolished” (2 Corinthians
3:11,13), and God “made the first old” (Hebrews 8:13).
God’s waves of wrath roll over Jonah
“forever”-until–the Lord delivers him from the large
fish’s belly on the third day (Jonah 2:6,10; 1: 17);
Egypt and Elam will “rise no more” (Jer.
25:27)-until–the Lord will “restore the fortunes of
Egypt” (Ez. 29:14) and “restore the fortunes of Elam”
(Jer. 49:39).
“Moab is destroyed” (Jer. 48:4, 42)-until–the Lord
“will restore the fortunes of Moab” (Jer. 48:47).
Israel’s judgment lasts “forever”-until–the Spirit is
poured out and God restores it (Isa. 32:13-15).
So, narrow is the way to life and few find it-until–
His church confiscates the “strong man’s” booty,
setting the captives free so God becomes all in all
(Isa. 61, Luke 11:21-22, Matt. 7:13; 16:18, 1 Cor.
15:24-28).
The King James Bible, as well as many others, tells us
that a bondslave was to serve his master “forever”
(Exodus 21:6), that is,–until–his death.
A snippet from
Etymology of the Word “Damn”
The words “damn” and “Hell” are among favorite words spoken by theologians of the “hell-fire” type.
Let us look into the etymology of this word “damn.” We may find some interesting surprises.
tentmaker.org/Dew/Dew7/D7-Et … dDamn.html
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW - James Coram
“Does the subjection of all under Christ’s feet involve forced submission? 1 Cor. 15:20-28. Not at all; first, we see that Christ will subject Himself to His Father. The same word is used because the same action is described; willing and worshipful submission. This is underscored in Phil. 2:9-11, where all bow IN the name of Jesus, a name meaning “God saves”. How is it that every tongue will be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord? No one is able to say ‘Jesus is Lord” except by Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:3. So it is apparent that their hearts are susceptible to God’s spirit.
“For the Son of Mankind came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10.
How many will He seek? “And I, if I should be exalted out of the earth, shall be drawing all to myself.” John 12:32. The word ‘men’ is not in the Greek; this is universal.
If we read Phil. 3:21, we see the use of the Greek word “kata” (“in accord with/ according to”); see Matt. 9:29 for another example. We are told that the operation which enables Christ to subject all to Himself is in accord with the transfiguration of the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory. Nothing could be farther from forced subjugation than this!
Paul reveals a wondrous truth in Romans 5:19, and it relates to all mankind: “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.” Reconciliation is a willing and mutual agreement; one-sided conciliation or forced submission doesn’t correspond with God’s plan as described in Colossians 1:15-20.
“Yahweh, our Elohim, You are the Setter of welfare on the hearthstones for us, for, moreover, all our doings You do contrive for us.” Is. 26:12. See 2 Chronicles 30:12; Rev. 17:17”
Some ask, Why does it say “the many” instead of “all” in Roman 5:19?
This is because the one disobedient man (Adam), and the One righteous Man (Christ) are put in a class by themselves. They are in contrast with “the many.”
We may put it as follows:
The one disobedient man plus “the many” equals all mankind made sinners.
The One obedient Man plus “the many” equals all mankind made righteous.
That “the one” plus “the many” made sinners includes all mankind no one will deny.
Even so, “the One” plus “the many” made righteous is all-inclusive and guarantees the salvation of all mankind.
EVIL
THE “EVIL” FROM THE LORD – MICHAEL KILLIAN
“All men will be saved. But God isn’t trying to redeem everyone in this age, only that chosen generation that Paul spoke of.
Believing that the evil in this world has its purpose for good will bring much peace to your heart. And then to realize that God in someway, somehow, will eventually use evil to bring about good for everyone, will further add to your peace. As this revelation of the Prince of Peace is unfolded to your turbulent, battle-weary heart, you will start to more continuously abide in His love.
God not only ‘allows’ evil in this present world, but rather ordains it. No more, and no less evil than God Himself determines, will happen to anyone during any certain day.”
THE FEET MINISTRY – DON BRUCE
“The mission of Christ was to destroy the enemy and to set the prisoners free. Now this word ‘destroy’ does not mean to annihilate. In the Greek it means to make of no effect. When Christ took the keys from the prison keeper he, Satan, lost all power and authority. Christ made his office of no effect (Heb. 2:14&15).
While prophets of doom forecast calamity and destruction, the mind of Christ speaks and lights our world with the vision of universal restoration and reconciliation.
Paul told of a great victory where every knee would bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Paul did not say that only a small number will bow and confess, but he said every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. And no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Spirit. What a glorious day that will be when every foot steps forth in the river of life up to the ankle, and from the ankle up to the knee. Every knee shall bow!
We are not an accident! We are not a mistake! No one has been overlooked by the Creator. All of us are His jewels, the apple of His eye, His purpose, reason and will.
When we see God in all things, and realize that all things are in His hands for the eventual good of everyone, then our lives will flow as peacefully as a river.”
FUNDAMENTALS OR BASIS OF BELIEF – Thomas Griffith
"We will get good out of evil. Our gracious Educator does evolve for us out of corruption, temptation and sin, new purposes, new skill, new triumphs.
Beyond the overruling of intermediate evil into subserviency to a higher good, what has been superinduced as a transition state of things is therefore seen to be necessary only for a time. It will pass away with the functions which it is made to fulfill. It will at last be superseded by the highest good for everyone."
JUSTIFICATION – DONALD G. HAYTER
“Although God introduced sin through the agency of His creatures, yet He did not sin in so doing. For it was no mistake, no failure of His. It was in accord with His intention, and it will be justified by the beneficial results obtained through its agency.
God is justified in all He does, for His final intention to glorify Himself and bless all of His creatures is the dominating purpose which adds luster to all His eonian operations. In the brilliant glory of His ultimate, the most somber and gloomy features of earth’s history are transformed into a brilliant display of His power, wisdom, and love.
During the final eons, every creature in the heavens, and on earth, and under the earth, will have learned of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the depths of the Father’s love revealed in them. And every knee will bow to Him Who died, acclaiming Him Lord, for the glory of God the Father. Very feebly we can enter into the joy, the satisfaction, the thankfulness that will be His as He views the vast potentials of love and adoration that will be pulsing within the heart of everyone.
Thus will all ultimately be justified. God’s matchless wisdom, serving in the cause of His love, has produced a method of salvation that calls forth the adoring wonder of our hearts. What a God we have!”
THE EPICURIAN – Thomas Moore
“The God of benevolence, in Whose hands sin and death are but instruments of everlasting good, and Who, bringing all things ‘out of darkness into His marvelous light,’ proceeds watchfully, and unchangingly to the great, final object of His providence, the restoration of the whole human race to purity and happiness.”
THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S WILL – GUY MARKS
“God prearranged it all, from the fall of man to the glory of the consummation. Not one thing was left to chance. All was founded on His wisdom.
To some, evil is never to cease. God is never able, as they see it, to bring about so much good that all evil will vanish. They try to justify God with the false teaching that man is a free moral agent, whereas the only freedom of man which the scriptures affirm is the freedom of deliverance we find alone in Christ Jesus.”
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.”
CONVERSATIONS ON THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT – Theophilus Lindsey
“The doctrine of eternal torments is a millstone that Christians hang around the neck of the Gospel. The words translated ‘eternal,’ ‘everlasting,’ ‘forever,’ and the like, generally signify limited periods of duration.
Everything is from God, and for the good of all. All things, good as well as what we call evil, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom and Benevolence, for the wisest and most gracious purposes for everyone.”
THE PURPOSE OF EVIL – GUY MARKS
“Evil begins with God and is a necessary part of His plan. It is the method He uses to accomplish His purpose. Usually when man works evil he sins because His motives are wrong, but this is not true of God for His motive is always to produce good. God uses the forces of evil to bring about good.
The teaching that sin and death are eternal is a travesty of God’s character, for it presents God standing by in complacency while Satan introduces an evil that all but destroys the human race.
The purpose of evil is to establish a background for a display of God’s love and grace which we could never know apart from the experience of sin. Evil is a necessary part of God’s purpose to mold us and to fashion us in the image of His beloved Son. Evil is a problem only to those who fail to see God’s purpose in it and who refuse to believe that God will bring blessings to all mankind through His dealings with evil and sin. The forces of evil cannot continue beyond the circumference of God’s purpose in it. God always has control over the forces of evil and evil never has any power apart from the authority of God. God has complete control over Satan and all of his activities.
The teaching that sin is to continue eternally blinds our minds to an understanding of the purpose of evil. Those who have made the greatest progress in seeking out the revelation of the cross no longer consider evil to be a problem, for the cross of Christ will turn all the evil of sin into infinite good. God will do infinitely more than repudiate sin and abolish death. He will not simply restore the human race to the status of Adam in the garden.
God’s grace differs from Adam’s offence because it will accomplish far more than Adam lost. Then too that which resulted from Adam’s offense is temporary but the results of grace will be permanent. Grace more than meets the need for it exceeds the need by far. It is enough and to spare for it is a superabundance. And this proves conclusively that the ruin caused by Adam’s sin is overcome and more by the superabundance of grace.
Before the eons, before there was any evil, before there was any sin, God designated all the events that would make sure that not one would be trapped in the forces of evil, but that all would be delivered from death and sin. God prearranged it all, from the fall of man to the glory of the consummation. Not one thing was left to chance. All was founded on His wisdom.
To some evil will never cease, or so they believe. God is never able, or at least He never tries to bring about so much good that all evil will vanish. They try to justify God with the false teaching that man is a free moral agent. But the only freedom of man that the scriptures present is the freedom that comes through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus.”
THE STRANGER IN LOWELL – John Greenleaf Whittier
“Through discords of sin and sorrow, pain and wrong, truth rises, a deathless melody whose notes of wailing are hereafter to be changed to those of triumph as they blend with the great harmony of a reconciled universe.”
THE PEOPLE’S OWN BOOK – F. De La Mennais (1782-1854)
“If suffering was eternal, we should be compelled to conceive of it as independent, as subsisting by itself, or to admit something still more monstrous, for if it was not self-existent, if it was dependant on the divine will, God would be the direct author of eternal suffering.
But what Christ said is now and ever will be true:- ‘Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ And one day all will come unto Him. The world, deluged with light, and feeling within itself, with the revival of hope, the revival also of faith and love, shall salute that day with songs of joy.”
Fear
by Walter Lanyon
Fear can manifest only because of a belief in separation. As long as you are something apart from God you will experience, in one form or another, fear. It is subtle and hidden like a poisonous serpent coiled in the grass, liable to strike at any time–at the most unguarded moment, when least expected.
Its only power is given to it by thought, and it can be swollen by thought from a serpent into a dragon. All thoughts of evil are like toy balloons in that they are enlarged until finally the capacity is overtaxed and they burst. Sooner or later a fear will explode itself, however much or little damage it has done.
The panacea for all fear is your union with God.
The moment you are separated from ME and wander into the thought world (the vacuum of separation), you are subject to the laws of fear. The one who is filled with fear sees the ‘‘ten thousand fall at your right hand,’’ and is so convinced of the reality and power of evil that he fails to notice the one who passes through unscathed.
‘‘Stand and see the salvation of the Lord’’ has a definite, positive value to you NOW. For you are beginning to sense-see the power of being one instead of two. You are beginning to appropriate the instantaneous relief felt from this ONENESS.
This sudden appropriation of ONENESS is accompanied by the consciousness of how to eliminate the object of, or the belief in, fear. There are different ‘‘cities’’ of refuge into which you may run for every differing degree of fear; yet all are the same God. This ‘‘running’’ into God is not as symbolical as it appears. It is an actual fusing of you with the Father within you, and from that moment you are a majority, and you will know the NOTHINGNESS of the fear belief.
We arrive finally at the point, which is so full of the acceptance of God that it can and does say, ‘‘Even if You slay me, yet I will say You are God’’—and the last stand is taken. Even if You slay me—yet will I acknowledge this One and Only Power.
interiorcoveringsministry.or … geid=37154
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THE FOOL OF QUALITY – Henry Brooke
“And thus, on the grand and final consummation, when every will shall be subdued to the will of good to all, our Jesus will take in hand the resigned chordage of our hearts. He will tune them as so many instruments, and will touch them with the finger of His own divine feelings. Then shall the wisdom, the might, the goodness of our God, become the wisdom, might and goodness of all His intelligent creatures. The happiness of each shall multiply and overflow in the wishes and participation of the happiness of all. The universe shall begin to sound with the song of congratulation, and all voices shall break forth in an eternal hallelujah of praise transcending praise, and glory transcending glory to God and the Lamb.”
Wikipedia says
“John Wesley was so fond of The Fool of Quality, in which Brooke declares his belief in universal salvation that he sought to have a copy of it given out to all new Methodist churches.”
“Forever and Ever”–A Poor Translation
tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter5.html
The smoke of their torment rises for a limited period of time. Here is the proof.
tentmaker.org/FAQ/forever_eternity.html
FOUR VIEWS OF GOD’S SALVATION
BIBLICAL UNIVERSAL SALVATION EXPOUNDED
ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE IN JESUS CHRIST – by Charles Slagle
richardwaynegarganta.com/4Vi … vation.htm
“FREE WILL”
A will in bondage to an enslaved mind is only “free” to choose what they prefer which is summed up in Romans 3:10-18. Until God intervenes and causes Jesus to be choice in their heart like He did for Saul of Tarsus, the sinner will always choose their own way rather than God’s way unless they happen to coinside.
Gerry Beauchemin wrote
”Tradition has taught that God will not save a person against their will. I agree. However He has the power to orchestrate whatever circumstances are necessary to effect one’s will to change.
Once a full revelation of God is received in the ages to come (Eph. 2:7), men will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord just as Isaiah and Paul prophesied (Is. 45:21-25; Rom. 4:11; Ph. 2:9-11). Who would want to continue in active and persistent rebellion knowing God only wants what is best for them? Knowing the great goodness and love of God, along with the Holy Spirit working in their hearts, these hardened hearts must melt before His glorious being.
It is impossible that an omnipotent God can fail in His purpose so that some would forever resist unconditional love opting for everlasting pain. This would be totally irrational. And even if one were that irrational, such resistance would not arise out of a ‘free’ will, but an ‘enslaved’ will, a will in bondage to an enslaved mind.”
GERRY BEAUCHEMIN
Here is a helpful article on the subject.
MAN IS NOT A FREE MORAL AGENT
godfire.net/eby/saviour_of_the_world.html
In the conclusion of THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL, Martin Luther wrote
“There can be no “Free-will”—in man,—in angel,—or in any creature!”
truecovenanter.com/trueluthe … .html#conc