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Evangelical Universalism Arguments for Evangelical Universalism
#21

Was just thinking recently, too, about all the scriptures that lead me to believe in UR. I’ve enjoyed reading everyone elses and agree with JeffA that the case for God reconciling all is strongest when we read everything put together. It’s overwhelming at times, if even doubts start to creep in.

I’d been thinking…I feel thankful for clues that God is love, loves all, has unfailing love, never stops searching, his love never fails,will wipe tears from all faces, his mercies are new every morning, he reconciles all things, atones for the sins of the whole world, his justification brings life to all men, in Christ shall all be made alive, where sin abounds grace abounds all the more, all created things will bow in worship, God will accomplish all his saving goals - even saving the impossible or worst of sinners, like Paul, our outcome does not depend on our effort, but his mercy, hearts are water in his hands, He is the savior of all men, men are not cast off forever, he does not repay evil for evil, forgives while we are enemies, not willing any should be lost, purposes to have mercy on all, in him all things hold together, God will be all in all.

#22

Yes Tom - beuatiful words there.

#23

Watch this video! (linking it again from another thread)

I just realized something rather obvious: when Paul says “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord” he is quoting Isaiah who says that “every knee will bow and every tongue swear allegiance.” Obviously Isaiah envisions everyone becoming aligned with God. But why then, did Paul change the quotation? (He also says in Romans that they’ll “acknowledge God”). Because he also says elsewhere something which seems to be a Christian creed - that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The link is obvious and intentional. In other words, the way that people will “swear allegiance” is by confessing Jesus as Lord.

#24

What is in the heart, comes out of the mouth. That Jesus is Lord comes out of their mouths at the end of days, swearing allegiance before Truth to Truth - Jesus as their Lord is in their hearts to be expressed out of their mouths to begin with. Indeed Jesus is in their heart, and because of that - they are saved.

#25

Hi stellar
Yes – I too find this convincing; yet another block in the structure of UR. The text is:

Romans 10:9-10 (New American Standard Bible)

Then go to Phil 2:11 for this prophecy:

(v 10 just prior is pretty cool as well! so that at the name of Jesus, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW!!!..)

Of course many like to insist that this confession is somehow “forced”. We’ve mentioned this on this site many times before, including here… Can the confession of Phil 2:11 be “forced”?

… I’m thinking that perhaps what’s happening is that this idea of being “forced” to confess somehow comes from the notion, from for example 1 Cor 15: 27 which says “For He has put all things in subjection under His feet…”
But this should fall apart pretty quickly it seems when we realize that this applies to the saved/redeemed as well and no one thinks of the saved as being “subjected” in this negative sense…

TotalVictory
Bobx3

#26

*Eph 1:9 having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,

Eph 1:10 in regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth – in him;

Eph 1:11 in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being foreordained according to the purpose of Him who the all things is working according to the counsel of His will, *

In my opinion this explains both God’s eonian (not eternal) master plan and election/predestination really well. God’s purpose is to gather together ALL things in Christ when all the eons have run their course. For this purpose He elected some people to be his co-workers in this eon, The Present Evil Eon, and the eon to come, The Millennial Kingdom. The non-elect are being used as “vessels of dishonor” right now. (Romans 8-9) In other words, the ecclesia are predestined to be with God. Everyone else is destined. Each in his/her own turn. :slight_smile:

#27

I also think I Tim 4:10 is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, text in support of the reconcilation of all people to God. “He is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.”

If “all” doesn’t mean “all” in this verse, as ET believers claim, the what is the “especially” about? We who do believe in the Reconciliation, see believers as having that special salvation which may not require them to receive correction in Gehenna, while those who do not believe, will surely receive correction.

#28

They say: He is the only appointed and available Savior for all, come to offer salvation to all, but He’s especially the savior of those who believe, because those are the ones who actually receive the offered salvation.

I find that rather weak, but that’s what they say.

To me the destruction of sin and death compelling–if death and the grave (Hades) are destroyed in the lake of fire, then the second death–the death of death–must result in the opposite: Life.

“I kill and I make alive” (Deut 32)

Sonia

#29

Yes, that’s what they say, Sonia. I agree that it’s weak. But that argument has been presented to me on forums several times.

#30

That all depends on your presupposition. God Bless! :slight_smile:

#31

Technically good sir, we do not for the majority of us pre-suppose anything. No more than you do for as much as you imply it.

But I’d rather say that we post-suppose, we have postsuppositions, after much study, much thought, much prayer, much experience with God, and many witnesses both scriptural (of many translations, including the Greek and Hebrew, and contextual study) as well as historical study.

In essence, my UR stance at the least, is not presupposed fancy. It is postsupposition after a great deal of study, prayer, research, and thought. :slight_smile:

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#32

The same can be said for the other side as well. We all bring our presuppositions to the table. If our presupposition is a real hell then we can see hell in the bible. If our presupposition is no hell then we can easily see no hell in the bible. God Bless! :slight_smile: