“For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.”
Questions=
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What does imprisoned mean?
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What is the scope of “everyone”?
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How many of the imprisoned everyone can expect mercy?
“And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
What is the foundation of “free will”?
“Free will” folly is believing that faith in the Gospel is a matter of personal choice unrelated to the work of God in the heart.
It believes that nothing is required to cause faith in the Gospel other than a person’s choice to believe.
All men (& women) are born in Adam1 enslaved prisoners of sin, by no choice of their own!
Our arrogant pride nature assumes, and prefers to believe that our decisions pay a part in a salvation that begins in God & ends in God. We did not, we cannot, follow the Lord as prisoners of incarceration, His love and grace must reach for us by HIS drawing power!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world , that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will , to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. "
I would state that a little bit differently: ‘free will’ is the God-given glory of our ability to work together with Him.
$.02
Our God takes full responsibility for the situation all of us are in as sinners.
ou hekon= “not willingly”
We have been subjected to futility/mataiotés, not willingly.
He has seen fit to hupotasso His creation to futility. That subjection for which He takes COMPLETE responsibility!
With that responsibility He takes control of the final outcome>>>>>
The whole of created life shall be delivered/set free.
“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
Note = The Emphasis
Koine = eklego
Acts 15:7
“…Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.”
1 Cor 1:27,28
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are"
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him?
Eph. 1:4
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”
Koine = haireo >>>>
2 Thes. 2:13
"But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Deut. 7:6
“For you are an holy people unto the LORD your God: the LORD your God has chosen you to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
Whose will prevails?
”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-
Word for today=
boulema
boulema=
A deliberate design/ that which is purposed.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
The key word in that 1 Timothy 2:4 verse is thelo, which means, among other things, “to desire, to wish, to be resolved or determined, to purpose.” But when that word is used in the New Testament and the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint) to refer to God, it always follows that what is willed, desired, wished, or purposed (or some similar verb) will come to pass. So, if He desires (thelo) all people be saved, all people will be saved. That’s solid evidence in support of Universalism.
Yes, that seems to be the case. Sometimes that power may consist of so-called “hitting one upside the head,” perhaps as in the cases of Saul of Tarsus and Jonah.
Dear Lancia: Thelo is a powerful word. Our Father most assuredly cherishes restoring His broken wrecks back to Himself to complete what He began before we had any idea of who we are or why we are here. My God, the entire picture is overwhelming!
Jesus Christ declares He will draw all mankind unto Himself. That is a fact, every last broken wreck is coming Home.
I will draw, drag off in power, impel all mankind unto Me.
And yes, Lancia, the scope is far more! Phil. 2 indicates all dimensions of the heavens, earth, and underworld will bow and worship IN/EN the Name in willing submission of worship. This worship is NOT in perfunctory genuflections at the sound of His mighty Name, but in union with all that being IN Christ Jesus means!
I love Him a bunch!!!
Yes, Philippians 2:11 uses the word exomologeo for “confess.” When that Greek word is used to mean “confess,” as it does in Philippians 2:11, it never conveys a begrudging acknowledgment (contrary to what some naysayers claim). It always is used in an uplifting, heartfelt way that indeed brings glory to God the Father. (Unfortunately, while an earlier NIV edition I checked translates exomologeo in this verse to “confess,” at least one newer edition translates it to “acknowledge.”)
Philippians 2, verses10-11, strongly support Universalism.
Dear Lancia: You better run as fast as you can (LOL). We are on the same page! I have great regards for A.T. Robertson and his Word Pictures of the N.T.
This is his comment>>>
Verse 10
That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow ( ινα εν τωι ονοματι Ιησου παν γονυ καμπσηι — hina en tōi onomati Iēsou pan gonu kampsēi ). First aorist active subjunctive of καμπτω — kamptō old verb, to bend, to bow, in purpose clause with ινα — hina Not perfunctory genuflections whenever the name of Jesus is mentioned, but universal acknowledgment of the majesty and power of Jesus who carries his human name and nature to heaven. This universal homage to Jesus is seen in Romans 8:22; Ephesians 1:20-22 and in particular Revelation 5:13.
Under the earth ( καταχτονιων — katachthoniōn ). Homeric adjective for departed souls, subterranean, simply the dead. Here only in the N.T.
Robertson Word Pictures