For The Love Of God !!!

--when I remember that such men have said such things, and that words like these have been approved by Christians, I can only fall down and pray that such a night may not return, and that where it yet weighs on men's hearts the Lord may scatter it.

For it is not unbelievers only that are hurt by such teaching. Those who believe it are even more injured. For our views of God re-act upon ourselves. By an eternal law, we must more or less be changed into the likeness of the God we worship. If we think Him hard, we become hard. If we think Him careless of men's bodies and souls, we shall be careless also. If we think Him love, we shall reflect something of His loving-kindness. God therefore gave us His image in His Only-Begotten Son, that “we with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, might be changed into the same image.” (2 Cor. iii. 18.) What that image was the Gospels tell. In word and deed they shew that “God is love;” “bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things; never failing,” (1 S. John iv. 8, 16; 1 Cor. xiii. 7.) when all around Him failed; to the end, as at the beginning, the life and hope of lost sinners. Oh blessed gospel—“He who was rich yet became poor, that we by His poverty might be rich.” (2 Cor. viii. 9.) He “who was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Phil. ii. 6, 7.) He came from life to death, from heaven to earth; “because we were in the flesh, He came in the flesh,” (Heb. ii. 14; 1 S. John iv. 3.) to bear our burden for us; to take our shame and curse and death, that He might break our bonds, and bring us back, in, and with, and for, Himself, to God's right hand for ever. How He did it, with what pity, truth, patience, tenderness, and love, no eye by God's yet sees fully. Our unlikeness to Him proves how little we have seen Him; for “we shall be like Him when we see Him as He is.” (1 S. John iii. 2.) Yet what some have seen has made them new creatures. Men who lived for self have “laid down their lives,” (1 S. John iii. 16.) yea have “wished themselves accursed for their brethren,” (Rom. ix. 3.) because His spirit possessed them, and therefore they could not but spend and be spent, like Him they loved, to save lost ones.

Will the coming glory change all this? Will Christ there be another Christ from what He was here? Can He there look on ruined souls without the will to save; or is it that in glory, though the will is there, the power to save is taken from Him? And will the glory change His members too,--change them back to love their neighbour as themselves no longer? Shall a glimpse of Christ now make us long to live and die for others; and when, by seeing Him as He is, we are made like Him, shall our willingness to die and suffer for the lost, be taken from us? 

Will this be being made like Him? If what is so generally taught is the truth,--and I can scarcely write it,--Christ there will be unlike Christ here: He will, if not unwilling, be yet unable, to save to the uttermost. Nay more,--so we are taught,--instead of weeping over the lost, as He wept here, He will feel no pang, while myriads of His creatures, if not His children, are in endless torment. Then at least He will not be “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” (Heb. xiii. 8.)

Is this blasphemy? Then who teaches it? Surely men cannot know what they are doing when they teach such doctrine. Do they not see how, because it is a lie, it hardens, and must harden, even converted souls who really believe it? For if with Christ in heaven it will be right to look on the torments of the lost unmoved, and to rest in our own joy, and thank God that we are not as other men, the same conduct and spirit cannot be evil now. Many shew they think so. The world is lost, and they are saved; but they can live now, as they hope one day to live with Christ, so rejoicing in their own salvation, that they have no pity for the crowds, who, if not yet in hell, are going thither all around them.

Even true believers are injured more than they are aware, just in proportion as they really believe in never-ending torments. If not almost hopeless about the removal of any very subtle or persistent form of error, they shew that they have little faith in the power of unwearying love to overcome it. Why should they not allow some evil to remain if the Lord of all permits it for ever in His universe; or how should they expect to overcome evil with good, when, according to their creed, God Himself either cannot or will not do so through ages of ages? Why should they not therefore after a few brief efforts leave the willful and erring to their fate, since the God of patience Himself, according to their gospel, will leave souls unchanged, unsaved, and unforgiven for ever? With their views they can only judge the evil: they do not believe that it can be overcome by good, or that those now captive to it can and must be delivered by unfailing love and truth and patience.

Even the very preaching of the gospel is affected by this view; for men are hurried by it into crude and hasty work and souls,--unlike Him who “stands at the door and knocks,” (Rev. iii. 20.)—by which they often prematurely excite and thus permanently injure the proper growth of that “new man,” whom they desire to bring forth. Blessed be God, His grace is over all; and He is better than His most loving children think Him; and our mistakes about Him, though they hurt His people and the world, can never change His blessed purpose. And His Word,--and men would see this if they searched it more,--in the “law of the first-fruits,” in the “purpose of the ages,” and in salvation through “the cross,” that is through dissolution; above all in the face of Jesus Christ, tells out the truth which solves the great riddle, and shews why man must suffer while he is in sin, that through such suffering and death he may be brought back in Christ to God, and be re-made in His likeness.

I conclude as I began. The question is, What saith the Scripture? If these hard views of God, which so many accept, are indeed the truth, let men not only believe them, but proclaim them ceaselessly. If they are, as I believe, only misconceptions of the truth, idols of man's mind, as false and contrary to the revelation God has made of Himself in Christ as the idols of stone and wood and gold and silver were to the law of Moses, may the Spirit of our God utterly destroy them everywhere, and change our darkness into perfect day. No question can be of greater moment, nor can any theology which blinks the question meet the cravings which are abroad, and which I cannot but believe are the work of God's Spirit.

The question is in fact, whether God, is for us or against us; and whether, being for us, He is stronger than our enemies. To this question I have given what I believe is God's answer. And my conviction is that the special opening of this truth, as it is now being opened by God Himself, everywhere, is an evident sign and witness of the passing away of present things, and of the very near and imminent judgment of apostate Christendom. A time of trial and conflict plainly is coming, between a godless spiritualism on the one hand, and on the other a so-called faith, which has lost all real experience of spirit-teaching and spirit-manifestations, whose professors therefore have nothing to fall back on but a letter of tradition, which, however true, will in carnal hands be a poor defence against a host of lying spirits. Alas for those who in such a trial, while calling themselves the Lord's, know nothing of hearing His inward voice or of being taught by His Spirit. But He yet says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith,” His grace, if sought, is still sufficient for us. May He more fully guide us into His own truth, and as a means open to us yet more of His Holy Scriptures, which, like the world around, contain unknown and undiscovered treasures, even the unsearchable riches of Christ, which are laid up for lost creatures.

I remain,

Yours most truly,

ANDREW JUKES.

Extract from -:

The Restitution of all Things

Andrew Jukes

http://www.tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

Preface and Contents

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Restitution%20of%20All%20Things/restofall.htm

Deliverance not from death; but OUT of death !!!

Deliverance not from death; but OUT of death !!!

To both the Greek and the Jew; the head and the heart; Christ the wisdom of God !!!

There is then the need to die to the flesh, the natural man and the coming alive to God in the spirit !!!

This is always the way in any area of our lives that we are struggling in as natural men !!!

In any area of darkness, confusion, fear; there is the need to die and the need of a resurrection !!!

The lie quickens death !!!

The Truth quickens Life !!!

The Law kills !!!

The Truth gives life !!!

The law kills that flesh that needs Death in Christ !!!

( I was alive once without the law; yet when the law came I died !!!)

The Law prepares the heart for God and for His seed!!!

The Truth quickens that which when dead receives Life !!!

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.”

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 KJV

http://bible.com/1/2co.4.10-12.kjv

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Restitution%20of%20All%20Things/restofall.htm

'God Works Backwards'

'God Works Backwards' 

(quoted from Ashley Evans, Sunday 24/1/16.)

For He has already completed all His works!!!

On this basis we have faith in His finished work!!!

On this basis we can enter into His rest.

“For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Hebrews 3:16-19 KJV

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:9-16 KJV

God has already painted the picture: not only of our own individual lives: but of the lives and destinies of all of His creation.

Like a finished artists masterpiece!!!

Is not His finished work perfect for all mankind???

Hasn't the potter/painter, power over the painting; what is painted: the finished product???

Many of us believe that Gid is some sort of mop up artist; who is playing catchup with His creation; that ultimately He does not have ultimate control!!!

Can the thing say, to that which formed it; why have you made me thus?

( We are talking of a God here Who is Love.)

Then we must know that God is in ultimate control: that this does not constitute dualism.

That, in giving man free will: as understood by that which must be infinite in choice, for good: ( those choosing the contrary, must suffer in the flesh, yet the spirit shall be saved, yet as by redemptive fire; here and in the near hereafter.

The Gospel Of The Hereafter

Author: J. Paterson-Smyth 

http://www.classicly.com/download-the-gospel-of-the-hereafter-pdf ) , God ; unlike some, who believe that God only gives us three choices; God's, ours and the devil's: limit the unlimitlessness of God; Who can give each of us billions of different choices, yet know the outcome of each one and have the ability, ( already built in, within His master plan/ painting); to lead and guide us, each one into his or her own unique destiny in Christ!

“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:22-39 KJV

So faith is simply believing that God has already gone before us and has everything under control.

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Revelation 13:8 KJV

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

1 Peter 1:18-20 KJV

“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Psalms 110:1 KJV

“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?”

Matthew 22:44 KJV

  “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”

Hebrews 10:12-13 KJV

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 45:18-23 KJV

“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Romans 14:1-11 KJV

We are all children of God, redeemed!

We all came out from God and to God we will all return!

We are all the sons of God by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

God calling those things that be not as though they were!!!

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Romans 4:13-25 KJV

It never was our works, our effort, our own righteousness: 

It is the free gift of God!!!

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:4-10 KJV

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 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. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:6-21 KJV

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

Acts 17:22-31 KJV

“Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”

Luke 3:38 KJV

Adam; even in the inspired words of Luke; was still called the son of God!!!

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

Luke 15:4-32 KJV

The prodigal, the lost coin, the lost sheep; did not cease to be what they were in value, from the beginning, when they became lost:

In fact they became of more infinite value simply because of the fact that they had become lost.

Their worth to the father of the two sons, the woman having ten pieces of silver, the man having one hundred sheep; did not diminish, in fact it increased; as in that which a man collects, is not complete until the missing item is purchased: any price usually, being willing to be paid, to bring into being the completeness if the whole!!!

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Luke 15:10 KJV

“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 KJV

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 3:16-17 KJV

( The below is quoted from -:

The Early Christian View of the Savior

By Gary Amirault

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/EarlyChristianView.html

' I am now going to list some of the Scriptures that the early Christians used to prove to the heathen that God really loved them and that He truly had the power and desire to "save the whole world" and that He gave that power to His Son, Jesus Christ. Fortunately, for the early Christians, they did not have to weed out mistranslations of Greek words like "aion," which should have been translated "eon" or "age," but translations such as the King James translated into "eternal," "forever," "evermore," "world," and "age."

' It is this kind of translation that makes the Bible say that the world has no end and at the same time say that it does have an end. The King James Bible translators were specifically told by King James not to remove the Latinisms that crept into the Bible. King James was a strong believer in the "Divine Right" of the King and he wanted to make sure that the Romish teaching remained in his Bible. Please forgive me for going off course for a moment--this subject is one I'm very familiar with and love to talk about, but it is another topic.

' It is because of some of the above mentioned confusions that many sincere seekers "give up on Christ." I believe this generation is going to dig like no other generation ever born, and we will rediscover what made the early Christians the wonder they were. They conformed to the image of their God--All Consuming Love. You will conform to the image of your God. Who is He? If your God is an "Eternal Tormentor," your life will reflect that belief. If He truly is the Savior of the whole world and He truly loves the whole world and has all power and authority, then your life should reflect that.

' At least some of you who are reading this believe that what I am writing is true. I am going to list scores of Scriptures that will confirm what the early Christians believed and lived. There are some who will clearly see this wonderful truth throughout the entire Bible--but that is no enough. Knowledge in the head will never bring forth Life. This Truth has to be buried deep in the heart and the Spirit of our Father has to nurture It to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. Those of you who now see this Truth, I beg you to ask your Father to plant It in your heart--that He would water and care for It. This Truth planted in the mind will only bring forth dogma and death. The Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth, not dogma and death. It is only then that you will know why you were created. It is only then that your knee will bend to your Lord to His glory and honor. It is only then that your heart can truly rejoice and praise the Creator, your Father.

1) 1Tim 2:4 God will have all to be saved. (KJV) Can His will be thwarted?

2) 1Tim 2:4 God desires all to come to the knowledge of truth Will His desire come to pass?

3) 1Tim 2:6 Salvation of all is testified in due time Are we judging God before due time?

4) Jn 12:47 Jesus came to save all Will He succeed?

5) Eph 1:11 God works all after the counsel of His will Can your will overcome His?

6) Jn 4:42 Jesus is Savior of the world Can He be Savior of all without saving all?

7) 1Jn 4:14 Jesus is Savior of the world Why don't we believe it?

8) Jn 12:32 Jesus will draw all mankind unto Himself To roast or to love?

9) Col 1:16 By Him all were created Will He lose a part of His creation?

10) Rm 5:15-21 In Adam all condemned, in Christ all live The same all?

11) 1Cor 15:22 In Adam all die, in Christ all live Again, the same all?

12) Eph 1:10 All come into Him at the fulness of times Are you getting tired of seeing the word, all?

13) Phl 2:9-11 Every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord Will the Holy Spirit be given to everyone?

14) 1 Cor 12:3 Cannot confess except by Holy Spirit See what I mean?

15) Rm 11:26 All Israel will be saved But most Jews don't believe yet!

16) Acts 3:20,21 Restitution of all How plain can you get?

17) Luke 2:10 Jesus will be joy to allpeople Is there joy is "hell"?

18) Heb 8:11,12 All will know God How long, O Lord?

19) Eph 2:7 His grace shown in the ages to come Have we judged Him before the time?

20) Titus 2:11 Grace has appeared to allExperientially or prophetically?

21) Rm 8:19-21 Creation set at liberty How much of creation?

22) Col 1:20 All reconciled unto God There's that word "all" again.

23) 1Cor 4:5 All will have praise of God What for?

24) Jms 5:11 End of the Lord is full of mercy Is "hell" mercy?

25) Rev 15:4 All nations worship when God's judgments are seen Could His judgment be mercy?

26) Rm 11:32 All subject to unbelief, mercy on all All?

27) Rm 11:36 All out of, through, and into Him All into Him?

28) Eph 4:10 Jesus will fill all things Including "hell?"

29) Rev 5:13 All creation seen praising God Including Satan?

30) 1Cor 15:28 God will be all in all What does that mean?

31) Rev 21:4,5 No more tears, all things made new "All" made new?

32) Jn 5:25 All dead who hear will live How many will hear?

33) Jn 5:28 All in the grave will hear & come forth How will the "righteous" judge?

34) 1 Cor 3:15 All saved, so as by fire How can fire save you?

35) Mk 9:49 Everyone shall be salted with fire Including you?

36) Rm 11:15 Reconciliation of the world Will fire save the world instead of destroy it?

37) 2Cor 5:15 Jesus died for all Did He die in vain?

38) Jn 8:29 Jesus always does what pleases His Father What pleases the Father? (1Tim 2:4)

39) Heb 1:2 Jesus is Heir of all things Does "things" include people?

40) Jn 17:2 Jesus gives eternal life to allthat His Father gave Him How many did the Father give Him?

41) Jn 3:35 The Father gave Him allthings (Repeated for emphasis) Study the word "things" in the Greek.

42) 1 Tim 4:9-11 Jesus is Savior of all!Jesus is Savior of all! Can't seem to get away from that word "all."

43) Heb. 7:25 Jesus is able to save to the uttermost How far is "uttermost?"

44) 1Cor 15:26 Last enemy, death, will be destroyed Including "lake of fire" which is "second death?"

45) Is 46:10 God will do all His pleasure Does Old Testament agree with the New?

46) Gen 12:3 All families of the earth will be blessed Here comes that word "all" again.

47) Dan 4:35 God's will done in heaven and earth What can defeat His will?

48) Ps 66:3,4 Enemies will submit to God Can any stay rebellious in "hell?"

49) Ps 90:3 God turns man to destruction, then says return How can one return from "destruction?"

50) Is 25:7 Will destroy veil spread over allnations All nations?

51) Deut 32:39 He kills and makes alive Kills to bring life?

52) Ps 33:15 God fashions all hearts "All" hearts, including men like "Hitler?"

53) Prv 16:9 Man devises, God directs his steps What about "free will?"

54) Prv 19:21 Man devises, but God's counsel stands So much for "free will."

55) La 3:31,32 God will not cast off forever Why does He cast off in the first place? (1 Cor 11)

56) Is 2:2 All nations shall flow to the Lord's house "All" nations?

57) Ps 86:9 All nations will worship Him "All" nations!

58) Is 45:23 All descendants of Israel justified Including the wicked ones?

59) Ps 138:4 All kings will praise God Are you catching on?

60) Ps 65:2-4 All flesh will come to God That sounds wondrous.

61) Ps 72:18 God only does wondrous things I wish we would believe that.

62) Is 19:14,15 Egypt & Assyria will be restored Really?

63) Ezk 16:55 Sodom will be restored to former estate Sounds impossible.

64) Jer 32:17 Nothing is too difficult for Him Nothing? No, nothing!

65) Ps 22:27 All ends of the earth will turn to Him For what purpose?

66) Ps 22:27 All families will worship before Him Praise His name!

67) Ps 145:9 He is good to all Including your worst enemies.

68) Ps 145:9 His mercies are over all his works Let's start believing that.

69) Ps 145:14 He raises all who fall Who hasn't fallen in sin?

70) Ps 145:10 All His works will praise Him For "eternal torment?"

71) Is 25:6 Lord makes a feast for allpeople And you are invited.

72) Jer 32:35 Never entered His mind to eternally torture his children with fire Came from man's mind.

73) Jn 6:44 No one can come to Him unless He draws them You can't "chose" to follow Him.

74) Jn 12:32 I will draw all mankind unto Myself Amen!!!

75) Ps 135:6 God does what pleases Him. If it pleases Him to save all that He might be iin all, are you upset?)

“But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

Hebrews 2:6-18 KJV

So what does the painting that God has finished look like for you, for your family, your friends, your world and the world at large?

When God made His creation in those six days and having finished; entered into His rest on the seventh day; He said it was good and very good!!!

Does universalism have a chance in hell of being true?

Does universalism have a chance in hell of being true? 

 

http://randalrauser.com/2011/02/does-universalism-have-a-chance-in-hell-of-being-true/

Thomas Talbott has pointed out that one can find evidence from scripture to support the following three incompatible claims:

(1) God wants to save everyone

(2) God can save everything 

(3) Not everyone will be saved

Since this is an inconsistent set, a person has to give up at least one of these propositions. And so Christians do.

The Calvinist gives up (1). Thus, according to Calvinism though God could have willed that all people be saved he instead chooses to damn some (either through an active or passive decree). And in doing so, it is claimed, God is glorified more fully than if he had saved all.

The Arminian rejects (2). God cannot save everyone because he has granted human beings libertarian free will and that includes the possibility that some creatures will reject God eternally.

Finally, the universalist rejects (3). Everyone will, in fact, be saved.

But hold on. How can the universalist argue this? One might ask the same of the Calvinist and Arminian. In each case, a person identifies certain scriptural passages and broader theological themes as their controls in interpreting other passages which would otherwise seem to count against their view. Thus the Calvinist interprets passages like 1 Timothy 2:4  against the control assumption that God does not will to save all. And the Arminian interprets passages like Romans 9:10-14 against the control assumption that God desires to save all. And the universalist interprets pasasges like Matthew 25:31-46 in light of the controlling assumption that God will save all.

But are there any verses that could be read in support of universalism? Sure. Here are some examples: John 1:29; Acts 3:21; Rom. 5:18; Rom. 14:11; 1 Cor. 15:22, Phil. 2:11-12 and Col. 1:20. This is not to say that Calvinists and Arminians cannot have their own interpretations of these passages in light of their control passages. Certainly they do. Rather, it is simply to point out that the most natural reading of these passages (or at least of many of them) is universal reconcilation in the same way that the most natural reading of 1 Timothy 2:4 is supportive of Arminianism and the most natural reading of Romans 9:10-14 is supportive of Calvinism.

But do these passages really support universalism? Or at least are they amenable on one natural reading to universalism? Let’s take a look at one of these passages, Colossians 1:20: 

“through him [Christ]  to reconcile to himself [God the Father] all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

This phrase concludes a passage (1:15-20) which describes in sweeping terms the impact of God sending Christ into the world. With that in mind let’s note three things:

First, all things (everything that exists in creation) are affected by the coming of Christ.

Second, as a result of Christ’s coming the impact on all things is their reconcilation to God the Father. The verb to reconcile” (apokatallasso) means “to bring back again” or “restore to a former state of harmony.”

Third, this universal reconcilation occurs through the peace (eirenopoieo: meaning the establishment of harmonious relations) made by the blood of Christ.

So to accommodate this verse to a traditional doctrine of hell one would have to propose either that Paul is speaking hyperbolically/symbolically (i.e. that not really all will be reconciled) or that it is consistent to say that some people are reconciled to God in virtue of being damned forever. (I actually heard this argued at a conference once.) The first suggestion strikes me as implausible, the second one as downright absurd. What is harmonious about eternal damnation? 

So at the very least a person should concede that there is a biblical case to be made for universalism. That case is even stronger when one considers broader theological and philosophical considerations. And this makes the widespread dismissal of the theory among contemporary evangelicals rather inexplicable.

What Christian Universalism Really Is ???

Is Christian Universalism Pluralism?

http://www.christianuniversalism.com/is-christian-universalism-pluralism/

Is Christian Universalism a form of pluralism?  This is an assumption many Christians make because of his misconceptions that have arisen around the term, says Kevin Miller in a recent blog post on his Hellbound site.  Often I have found that what people are rejecting is not what I am saying or meaning at all.  Below is a delineation of the views one may hold to within the label “universalist.”   There is one subset that could be defined as “pluralists” which would be those who believe that, “the way” has many roads to the same end.  These people would say that ‘God’ is happy to let us all define and choose to “live our own  truth.”

But true Christian Universalists desire to be called “Christian” because they have come to see that the great I AM who created the universe is the same God who was “in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” on the cross.  A Christian universalist believes what other Christians believe in terms of the historical creeds but differ only in their interpretation of the scope and magnitude of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  They believe all will be “saved by grace through faith” in Jesus Christ only.  All will see Him and love Him and bow and confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.  While the Calvinists and Arminians are split on whether God wants to save all or can save all, the Christian Universalist believes that both are true!   They embrace that God is both desiring to save all and is also able to do all that He desires!

Here is the entry of Kevin Miller’s discussion on the confusion over Christian universalism as pluralism.  Observe how easy it is to dismiss Christian Universalism simply on the grounds that we do not understand it.

A new study by Lifeway Research demonstrates how easily the discussion over universalism can become confused if we don’t define our terms properly.

For the study, Protestant pastors were asked to agree or disagree with the following statement: “If a person is sincerely seeking God, he/she can obtain eternal life through religions other than Christianity.” Not surprisingly, 84% of pastors disagreed with the statement. (They didn’t bother to mention how many pastors they actually surveyed.)

In their commentary, Lifeway says that the view that people can find salvation through religions other than [Christianity], “… is generally called ‘universalism’ or ‘pluralism’ (though technically not the same thing, they are often used interchangeably and relate to one another). So, based on this data, Protestant pastors are overwhelmingly not pluralist/universalist.”

This statement is somewhat frustrating, because right after admitting that “universalism” and “pluralism” should not be used interchangeably, Lifeway uses them as synonyms in the very next sentence! So perhaps a bit of disambiguation is in order.

As Robin Parry and Christopher Partridge point out in the introduction to their excellent book Universal Salvation?  The Current Debate, we can identify a typology of “universalisms,” at least one of which may actually be a synonym for pluralism. But Christian universalists rarely hold to such a belief. A brief summary of Parry and Partridge’s typology:

Multiracial universalism: In this sense, virtually all Christians can be considered universalists (except perhaps neo-Nazis) in that they believe the Gospel is for every kind of person, no matter their race or gender.

Arminian universalism: This is the belief that God desires to save all people, but that some people choose to opt out of his salvation plan. This should be contrasted with Calvinist or Reformed thinking, which holds the view that God only desires to save the elect.

Strong universalisms: This is actually a sub-family of views within the universalist camp. Like Arminian universalists, strong universalists believe that God wills the salvation of all. However, they are also convinced that God will actually be able pull it off. The point of disagreement arises over how God will do this. Hence, we find non-Christian versions of strong universalism arising within other religions. We also find pluralist universalism, which is the belief that all religions are different roads to the same destination. (This view is closest to the one rejected by the Protestant pastors in the survey.

Christian universalisms: Parry and Partridge include this family of views under the label “Strong universalisms,” but I thought I’d separate them out here to avoid further confusion. This is a family of views that is united around the idea that all people will ultimately be reconciled to God through Christ. They are most definitely not pluralists. But that’s typically where the agreement ends. Christian universalists are dialoguing about a number key questions, such as…

– Is universal salvation something Christians can reasonably hope for, or is it something of which we can be certain?

– Do the “hell texts” in the Bible explain merely a possible destiny or the real but temporary fate of the damned?

– Is universalism a possible Christian position among others or is it the only authentically Christian position?

– Is the New Testament consistently universalist or does it hold multiple views in tension?

– Must someone have conscious faith in Christ to be saved?

– Do humans have indeterministic freedom or not? In other words, what role does the will play in salvation?

– Is God’s punishment to be understood in retributive or restorative terms?

– Is God free not to love and save all, or, constrained by the very nature of his being, is God bound to love and save all?

And this doesn’t even begin to touch upon the many exegetical discussions regarding how certain passages of the Bible are to be interpreted.

So what does the Lifeway study actually show us? For one thing, it reveals that people are still pretty confused about what Christian universalism actually is, the diversity of views that fall under that umbrella, and the ongoing conversation that is happening among Christian universalists regarding the questions outlined above.

However, the study also reveals a significant divergence between pastors and lay people in terms of their views on this topic, with lay people far more open to the idea that salvation might be found through other religions. They also found a positive correlation between education and pluralist beliefs, with more educated pastors leaning toward pluralism.

But hopefully you can see, these findings really have nothing to do with what pastors and lay people believe about Christian universalism, because as far as I can tell, that topic wasn’t even part of the survey.

Please explore this website using the correct lens of Biblical or Christian Universalism which is:  faith in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ as the only redemption of mankind, the only means to reverse the curse and make “all things new.”

For The Love Of God !!!

Traditional teaching on hell as eternal punishment and not as age abiding correction; is an affront to God's will; His Fatherhood; His mercy, love and grace: biblically, scripturally, historically and logically and in every way, bankrupt!!!

The SECOND or LAST, is always much better than the FIRST, in God!!!

The SECOND or LAST, is always much better than the FIRST, in God!!!

The Second Veil !!!

The New Testament !!!

The New Wine !!!

The New Wineskin !!!

The Last Adam !!!

The Second Death !!!

The tendency of man is to create God in his own image!!!

Scriptural Confirmation Of God's Character And Will To Save All Mankind !!!

Scriptural Confirmation Of God's Character And Will To Save All Mankind !!!

Excerpted from -: 

The Early Christian View of the Savior

By Gary Amirault

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/EarlyChristianView.html

' At least some of you who are reading this believe that what I am writing is true. I am going to list scores of Scriptures that will confirm what the early Christians believed and lived. There are some who will clearly see this wonderful truth throughout the entire Bible--but that is no enough. Knowledge in the head will never bring forth Life. This Truth has to be buried deep in the heart and the Spirit of our Father has to nurture It to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. Those of you who now see this Truth, I beg you to ask your Father to plant It in your heart--that He would water and care for It. This Truth planted in the mind will only bring forth dogma and death. The Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth, not dogma and death. It is only then that you will know why you were created. It is only then that your knee will bend to your Lord to His glory and honor. It is only then that your heart can truly rejoice and praise the Creator, your Father.

1) 1Tim 2:4 God will have all to be saved. (KJV) Can His will be thwarted?

2) 1Tim 2:4 God desires all to come to the knowledge of truth Will His desire come to pass?

3) 1Tim 2:6 Salvation of all is testified in due time Are we judging God before due time?

4) Jn 12:47 Jesus came to save all Will He succeed?

5) Eph 1:11 God works all after the counsel of His will Can your will overcome His?

6) Jn 4:42 Jesus is Savior of the world Can He be Savior of all without saving all?

7) 1Jn 4:14 Jesus is Savior of the world Why don't we believe it?

8) Jn 12:32 Jesus will draw all mankind unto Himself To roast or to love?

9) Col 1:16 By Him all were created Will He lose a part of His creation?

10) Rm 5:15-21 In Adam all condemned, in Christ all live The same all?

11) 1Cor 15:22 In Adam all die, in Christ all live Again, the same all?

12) Eph 1:10 All come into Him at the fulness of times Are you getting tired of seeing the word, all?

13) Phl 2:9-11 Every tongue shall confess Jesus is Lord Will the Holy Spirit be given to everyone?

14) 1 Cor 12:3 Cannot confess except by Holy Spirit See what I mean?

15) Rm 11:26 All Israel will be saved But most Jews don't believe yet!

16) Acts 3:20,21 Restitution of all How plain can you get?

17) Luke 2:10 Jesus will be joy to allpeople Is there joy is "hell"?

18) Heb 8:11,12 All will know God How long, O Lord?

19) Eph 2:7 His grace shown in the ages to come Have we judged Him before the time?

20) Titus 2:11 Grace has appeared to allExperientially or prophetically?

21) Rm 8:19-21 Creation set at liberty How much of creation?

22) Col 1:20 All reconciled unto God There's that word "all" again.

23) 1Cor 4:5 All will have praise of God What for?

24) Jms 5:11 End of the Lord is full of mercy Is "hell" mercy?

25) Rev 15:4 All nations worship when God's judgments are seen Could His judgment be mercy?

26) Rm 11:32 All subject to unbelief, mercy on all All?

27) Rm 11:36 All out of, through, and into Him All into Him?

28) Eph 4:10 Jesus will fill all things Including "hell?"

29) Rev 5:13 All creation seen praising God Including Satan?

30) 1Cor 15:28 God will be all in all What does that mean?

31) Rev 21:4,5 No more tears, all things made new "All" made new?

32) Jn 5:25 All dead who hear will live How many will hear?

33) Jn 5:28 All in the grave will hear & come forth How will the "righteous" judge?

34) 1 Cor 3:15 All saved, so as by fire How can fire save you?

35) Mk 9:49 Everyone shall be salted with fire Including you?

36) Rm 11:15 Reconciliation of the world Will fire save the world instead of destroy it?

37) 2Cor 5:15 Jesus died for all Did He die in vain?

38) Jn 8:29 Jesus always does what pleases His Father What pleases the Father? (1Tim 2:4)

39) Heb 1:2 Jesus is Heir of all things Does "things" include people?

40) Jn 17:2 Jesus gives eternal life to allthat His Father gave Him How many did the Father give Him?

41) Jn 3:35 The Father gave Him allthings (Repeated for emphasis) Study the word "things" in the Greek.

42) 1 Tim 4:9-11 Jesus is Savior of all!Jesus is Savior of all! Can't seem to get away from that word "all."

43) Heb. 7:25 Jesus is able to save to the uttermost How far is "uttermost?"

44) 1Cor 15:26 Last enemy, death, will be destroyed Including "lake of fire" which is "second death?"

45) Is 46:10 God will do all His pleasure Does Old Testament agree with the New?

46) Gen 12:3 All families of the earth will be blessed Here comes that word "all" again.

47) Dan 4:35 God's will done in heaven and earth What can defeat His will?

48) Ps 66:3,4 Enemies will submit to God Can any stay rebellious in "hell?"

49) Ps 90:3 God turns man to destruction, then says return How can one return from "destruction?"

50) Is 25:7 Will destroy veil spread over allnations All nations?

51) Deut 32:39 He kills and makes alive Kills to bring life?

52) Ps 33:15 God fashions all hearts "All" hearts, including men like "Hitler?"

53) Prv 16:9 Man devises, God directs his steps What about "free will?"

54) Prv 19:21 Man devises, but God's counsel stands So much for "free will."

55) La 3:31,32 God will not cast off forever Why does He cast off in the first place? (1 Cor 11)

56) Is 2:2 All nations shall flow to the Lord's house "All" nations?

57) Ps 86:9 All nations will worship Him "All" nations!

58) Is 45:23 All descendants of Israel justified Including the wicked ones?

59) Ps 138:4 All kings will praise God Are you catching on?

60) Ps 65:2-4 All flesh will come to God That sounds wondrous.

61) Ps 72:18 God only does wondrous things I wish we would believe that.

62) Is 19:14,15 Egypt & Assyria will be restored Really?

63) Ezk 16:55 Sodom will be restored to former estate Sounds impossible.

64) Jer 32:17 Nothing is too difficult for Him Nothing? No, nothing!

65) Ps 22:27 All ends of the earth will turn to Him For what purpose?

66) Ps 22:27 All families will worship before Him Praise His name!

67) Ps 145:9 He is good to all Including your worst enemies.

68) Ps 145:9 His mercies are over all his works Let's start believing that.

69) Ps 145:14 He raises all who fall Who hasn't fallen in sin?

70) Ps 145:10 All His works will praise Him For "eternal torment?"

71) Is 25:6 Lord makes a feast for allpeople And you are invited.

72) Jer 32:35 Never entered His mind to eternally torture his children with fire Came from man's mind.

73) Jn 6:44 No one can come to Him unless He draws them You can't "chose" to follow Him.

74) Jn 12:32 I will draw all mankind unto Myself Amen!!!

75) Ps 135:6 God does what pleases Him. If it pleases Him to save all that He might be in all, are you upset?

The Early Creeds Of Christendom - No Eternal Damnation !!!

The Early Creeds Of Christendom  - No Eternal Damnation !!!

But Highlights Christ's Descent Into Hades !!!

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended into hell.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic and apostolic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

The Doctrine Of Reserve !!!

The Doctrine Of Reserve !!!

Excerpted from -:

The Early Christian View of the Savior

By Gary Amirault

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/EarlyChristianView.html

' Another problem that one has to overcome when trying to find out what the early Christians believed stems from what came to be called the "Doctrine of Reserve." It was often easier to use fear than love and patience to restrain the heathen, so very often fear was preached to the masses and the "Doctrine of the Restitution of All Things" was "reserved" for the more mature in Christ. Most of us do not realize that when Constantine made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire hundreds of thousands, or even perhaps millions, entered the church without a true conversion. Now the church was full of people who were heathen at heart but soon became leaders in the church due to the normal political processes of the Roman governmental system. The Church now had leaders and laity who were not truly converted, but rose to power through nepotism, deceit, popularity, and all the other ways the world raises its leaders.

' Since many now in the Church were really not converted, they had to be restrained by fear. It is at this point in church history that the writings and teachings began to take a turn away from the teachings of the previous 300 years. The church leaders felt that the "Doctrine of Reserve" was an effective way of keeping order among new members, many of which were still heathen in their hearts. In hindsight, it was the door to a flood of pagan doctrines that entered into the church which led her right into the Dark Ages.

' It was because of this doctrine that some of the writers in this period seem to contradict themselves. They said different things to different groups of people, and if you did not know that you would think they were contradicting themselves. In fact, they were contradicting themselves, but this "Doctrine of Reserve" was the cause of it.

' More difficult to overcome than the "Doctrine of Reserve" was the fact that many of the church leaders in this period of time felt that it was good to lie if it was to benefit religion. An example of this is Saint Hilary, who said, commenting on Psalm 15:2, "For a lie is very often necessary and sometimes falsehood is useful." The "Golden Mouthed" John Chrysostom also advocated lying for truth's sake. Cussiun, a friend of Chrysostom, is author of a collection of spiritual ideas; one of the chapter headings is entitled "Even the Apostles teach us that falsehood is very often permissible, and the truth hurtful!" (Coll. xvii 20) Saint Basil expressly commends fraud employed for a good end (Hom. in prin. prov.) There were many church leaders who advocated lying. More examples may be found in chapter four of the book Christ Triumphant by Thomas Allin, reprinted by Concordant Publishing Concern.

' By the fifth century so much paganism had already taken over the church that by then some of the earlier church fathers who advocated and practiced love were declared heretics and their writings were confiscated and burned. Since it was honorable to lie for the truth, many teachers who were great men of God were written into church history as heretics. The church began the practice of calling good, evil, and evil, good.

' There are many obstacles to overcome to get at the true teachings of the early church. Due to the fact that I am only writing an article and not a book, I will mention just one more--the tendency of man to create God in man's image. When one studies church history over the last two thousand years, today's Christian God looks very much like man--someone who cannot keep his promises, who cannot complete what he started, who lies for the truth's sake, who is a hypocrite. The modern Christian God says that His love will never fail and yet according to modern church theology most of mankind is going to suffer eternal torment by our God, whose mercy is supposed to endure forever. He says not to let the sun go down on your wrath, but His wrath, says the church, endures forever.

' He tells you to love your enemies, but the present church system says that God is going to eternally torment his enemies, many of whom do not even know He exists. He says to forgive seven times seventy, but according to most of modern church teaching, billions of human beings will never experience God's forgiveness. Is this what the early Christians believed? And if they did not, can we find out what they did believe? Fortunately for those who really want truth, one can dig it up, but it takes an open mind and a pure heart. It takes a willingness to smash one's idols of the heart and a desire to break the rules chains of the traditions of men. If this is you, then read on.

' In a most beautiful way the lie will reveal itself for what it is. An example of this comes from a true story of a Russian friend of mine who was schooled in absolute atheism. One day the thought occurred to him that if there was no God, why would the government spend millions of rubles and thousands of hours of time trying to prove that God does not exist? The very fact that so much effort and money went into this effort to deny God proved to him that there in fact must be a God. This led the young Russian on a search for God, and he soon was found by Jesus and was miraculously brought to the United States to declare His Glory through his testimony and music.

' By now, I am sure, you can tell that some of the teachings of the early Christians were very different from the doctrines claimed to be the truth by the modern church. One of the ways of breaking through propaganda is to listen carefully to those who are responsible for writing church history to make it conform to the present day church belief systems. If one lets them talk long enough, they will usually hang themselves with their own words and the truth will be revealed to those who want the truth. This article is for those who desire the truth no matter what it will cost them. It is for those who know that the truth will cost them everything they think they are and everything they think they have--and yet still have something rise up within themselves that says, "So be it, amen." If this is you, then please read on.

  

Quotes From Historians

'To my knowledge, all of the historians and theologians that I am about to quote taught the "Doctrine of Eternal Torment." Not one of them mentioned in their writings that they believed in the "Doctrine of the Restitution of All Things," or ultimate reconciliation. Unfortunately, most of you, because you were not taught to really study, will probably not know these historians and theologians I am about to quote. That is very unfortunate, because it is these men and others like them that run the seminaries and Bible colleges and write the textbooks and Sunday school manuals. I said earlier that if you let someone speak long enough they will usually give themselves away. Listen to some of the comments of the early Christians and then ask yourself, "Why are we not taught this today?" Also keep in mind that I will be quoting historians and theologians. They generally do not write for the understanding of the average person. They write for each other and use hard-to-understand English. Just read slowly and understand there will be a great reward for the effort.

' The great church historian Geisler writes: "The belief in the inalienable capability of improvement in all rational beings, and the limited duration of future punishment was so general, even in the West, and among the opponents of Origen, that it seems entirely independent of his system" (Eccles. Hist., 1-212).

' This statement is very significant because many modernists attribute to Origen's influence the fact that the vast majority of early Christians did not believe in eternal torment! Keep in mind these historians I am quoting do not embrace the "larger hope." What Geisler said in a nutshell was that the church believed in ultimate reconciliation, even many of those who opposed Origen.

' The German theologian and historian Johann Christoph Doerderlin (1829-1888) writes: "In proportion as any man was eminent in learning in Christian antiquity, the more did he cherish and defend the hope of the termination of future torments." Later on, as when we read some of the early Christian writings, we will find this statement to be true; the more learned a Christian was in the Scriptures in the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, the more likely he or she was to see the "Doctrine of the Restitution of All Things." Those such as Augustine, who said he hated the Greek language, who read only the Latin Vulgate translation, began to be prone toward the "Doctrine of Eternal Torment."

' One of several reasons for this was because the Greek word "aion," which meant "age," was translated into the Latin Vulgate as "aeternum" and "seculum." This was a serious mistake which also corrupted our English translations. This error was instrumental in changing the doctrine of the early Christians who believed that punishment was confined to "age." The Latin church, filled with unconverted pagans, separated themselves from the original languages and secluded themselves into the corrupted Latin Vulgate and began to teach what the pagan religions had taught for centuries--eternal torment. I have much information about this. If you want to learn, I'll be happy to send it to you.

' Professor and historian Henry Nutcomb Oxenham informs us that the, "Doctrine of endless punishment was not believed at all by some of the holiest and wisest of the Fathers, and was not taught as an integral part of the Christian faith by any even of those who believed it as an opinion."

' One of the ways of verifying this is to look at the earliest Christian creeds. None of them mention "eternal torment" as the final punishment of the wicked or unbelievers.

' Historian Pfaff says: "The ultimate restoration of the lost was an opinion held by very many Jewish teachers, and some of the Fathers" (frag. anec.).

' The famous Dietelmaier has this to say: "Universalism in the fourth century drove its roots down deeply, alike in the East and West, and had very many defenders."

' It should be mentioned that the "universalism" taught by the early Christians has nothing to do with modern universalism. To the early Christians, salvation was given to all of mankind through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is Christian universalism; something very different from New Age beliefs.

' Reuss writes, "The doctrine of a general restoration of all rational creatures has been recommended by very many of the greatest thinkers of the ancient church, and of modern times" (Hist. De la Theol. Apost.).

' The world renowned Neander has this to say: "From two theological schools there went forth an opposition to the doctrine of everlasting punishment."

' The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1908) by Schaff-Herzog says in volume 12, on page 96, "In the first five or six centuries of Christianity there were six theological schools, of which four (Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea, and Edessa, or Nisibis) were Universalist, one (Ephesus) accepted conditional immortality; one (Carthage or Rome) taught endless punishment of the wicked. Other theological schools are mentioned as founded by Universalists, but their actual doctrine on this subject is not known."

' The number of schools in the early church that taught ultimate reconciliation is an embarrassment to many modern church historians. Therefore, they often do whatever they can to hide these facts. I mention again that these ChristianUniversalists who were clearly the majority of the early Church, believed that all mankind through Christ would be restored. They believed and taught and many laid down their lives for the belief that Jesus Christ was truly the Savior of the whole world. Remember, these historians just quoted were not "Universalists." Also note that the school that taught "Eternal Torment" was in Rome, where the original Bible languages were abandoned and replaced with Latin. Those of you who are familiar with Daniel's image made up of four kingdoms are also probably aware that the legs of iron might speak of the Roman Empire. 

Are not all of God's truths veils ???

Are not all of God's truths veils ???

Ask !!!

Seek !!!

Knock !!!

All cleared up by faith!!!

Faith comes by hearing!!!

Law vs Gospel !!!

Flesh vs Truth !!!

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 2:7-16 KJV

For The Love Of God !!!

The Truth !!!

The Way !!!

The Life !!!

Comes as Love and as Love enters into mans realm!!!

Christ All In All !!!

Christ All In All !!!

( Nothing less, is worthy of Christ's sacrifice: to His standard of excellence: or beyond the unfathomable bounds of His Love!!!)

Love must be in the end, All: Love!!!

The Way must become the Way of all!!!

The Truth must become the Truth of all!!!

The Life must become the Life of all!!!

Then the end shall come!!!

*The apparent contradiction of and in scripture. ( Jukes - The two sides of scripture.

The Restitution of all Things

Andrew Jukes

http://www.tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Restitution%20of%20All%20Things/restofall.htm

Christ, the stumbling block to the disobedient and unbelieving.

Concluding all in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all!!!

Thus the denial and misrepresentation of scripture: rather than to go beyond; to enter into His rest.

To go beyond human reasoning; is not possible to the natural man.

No prophecy, ( the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy), shall be of any private interpretation!!!

1 Cor. 14 - All prophecy is given for edification, for encouragement, for comfort.

If any word of scripture seems to bring in the opposite to these, then we need to look for the revelation behind the veil!!!

For Truth, The Way, The Life, The Light, Wisdom, Love, Joy, Peace, Hope, Faith, Grace, The Blood, The Bread: are all of Him and we come to discover are Him!!!

Not By Works, But By Yes !!!

Not By Works, But By Yes !!!

The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. 

If we are found growing in these things; we are found growing more so, in Him.

For The Love Of God Quotes !!!

Though a fall has been permitted, evil shall have an end, and the creature through God's wondrous wisdom even by its fall be raised to a higher glory. Scripture distinctly teaches that, "the creature was made subject to vanity, not by its own will, but through Him who subjected the same in hope; because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."--Andrew Jukes, the Restitution of all Things, p 113

Not By Works, But By Yes !!!

The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. 

If we are found growing in these things; we are found growing more so, in Him.

The Gospel Of The Hereafter

The Gospel Of The Hereafter

Author: J. Paterson-Smyth 

http://www.classicly.com/download-the-gospel-of-the-hereafter-pdf

In The Philosophy Of Eternal (Pointless),Punishment In Hell

In The Philosophy Of Eternal (Pointless),Punishment In Hell 

Why do we argue for and protect a heavenly father who; if an earthly father was seen as such and his actions so horrible, immoral and wicked; in full knowledge of His intended plan: he would be arrested and locked up and his children taken into better care !!!

Does it not argue in obviousness, that just as heaven rejoices over one sinner that was lost and is found; the opposite: that the one sinner lost until found; is hoped and believed for by God and the heavenly host, by faith. 

And is sought after with much love and diligence, with all of heavens resources until found!!!

Do we not say amongst ourselves, that if I was the only sinner on earth, Christ would have come and died for me; a solitary sinner, lost, hopeless, helpless!!!

Do we assume then, that God would treat with such disdain, multitudes of sinners, each one unique, His creation, made in His image; to an eternal destiny of burning, tormenting, torturing, with vivisection; forever believed, proclaimed, into being lost, for all eternity, without hope or God !!!

The bottom line then is not doctrine; definitely not the cleverness, philosophy, reasonings and traditions of man; but the character of God: His very nature and intent: His Spirit seen, perceived, heard and acted upon!!!

One thing Paul urges us on to do, is to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!

To learn of Me, Jesus said !!!

To grow in this knowledge of grace, is to behold His face in the mirror; not as the word; reproved: to walk away in ignorance of who we are and of Whom we are of: but to look into that perfect law of Liberty and go free; seeing Him for Who He truly is and thus seeing ourselves made in His image: no longer in Adam!!!

These looking but not seeing, not perceiving; walk away unchanged in their Adamic thinking and thus their minds unrenewed by Love, to love; do not comprehend or know God, Who is Love and we His begotten children; created in His image; created in love.

They like to retain control over their minds and measure all things, including the word of God and the wisdom of God with their minds, what they can see, feel, touch, hear and taste.

These are natural and cannot discern the spirit, being babes, in need of milk, not being able to tolerate meat!

These also are represented by the first three types of ground, in the parable of the sower.

Although, this whole philosophy represents the cares of this world, which choke the true word and in their multitude fight for existence and the preeminence.

They see God as the hard taskmaster.

These are the ones who in this their view of God, hold on tightly to their salvation selfishly, as earned, and 

refuse to allow others to enter in to life, not entering in themselves.

For they have no intention of entering in, because of the one they should look up to, the one to emulate, the one whose word they neither tremble at, nor hear or heed, for lack of trust!

These others, firstly, see who they are, then as they grow from one degree of glory to another, being conformed into His image; they behold His face, His grace and are changed into the same image; love: by His love and by Him, Who is love and are set free as good ground, into the rest of God, into growth; into multiplication!!!

For The Love Of God !!!

To believe in the traditional view: there needs to be a removing of all those scriptures affirming the opposite: even though all know that God is love; that He will eternally seek to find and save that lost sheep: or call all those to come and help Him find that lost coin and then rejoice with all of heaven when that lost sheep; that lost coin; that prodigal, is found and comes home !!!

And all know and believe for that; in every good story, good always wins out over evil!!

Box office returns for these kind of endings always trump the films that depict evil as victorious: even when only a small amount of evil is allowed to survive until the end.

There is always a bad taste in the mouth and a deflated feeling at these kind of bad endings!!!

Mankind naturally want all things to turn out for the best in the end; it's our own natural inclination.

“Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 7:9-12 KJV

Our Heaven, Our Hell !!!

Do We Require A Hell Where Our Just Deserts On All Wrongs Perceived Received In This Life Are Repaid In Full For Eternity: Where Our Own Personal Enemies In This Life, Lightly Punished, Or Not Perceived To Have Been Punished At All; Receive An Overcompensation Of Damnation; That Our Justification Of Rights Is Avenged Eternally !!!

Then The Heaven We Require Is Far Worse Than The Hell We Assign Our Enemies To!!!

For To Live With Beings That Rejoice In The Perpetuity Of The Sufferings Of Their Perceived Enemies Is Infinitely A Far Worse Place Of Fellowship, Harmony, Peace, True Joy And Love!!! 

The Pseudo Philosophy Of Man's Heaven !!!

The Pseudo Philosophy Of Man's Heaven !!!

A Heaven Built On Hell!!!

No Hell; No Heaven !!!

If I Do Not Have A Hell For All Of My Enemies And All Things Repugnant; Then My Heaven Is Not My Heaven.

For My Heaven Is A Place Where I Can Rejoice That I Made It; That I Was At Least Good Enough And Better Than Those Dirty Rotten Sinners Of Whom I Was Never Like; Nor Shall Ever Be Like!!!

Where For Eternity I Can Rejoice At The Calamity Of Those Poor Unfortunates; Of Whom Are Not Worthy To Inherit All The Blessings We Have Earned For All Of Our Good Deeds !!!

We Shall Take Our Pleasure In The Destruction Of The Wicked, As We Sit And Watch Across That Great Divide; Warming Our Hearts And Our Hands As We Behold With Wonder Their Tortures And Sufferings; Listening To Their Screams Of Anguish With Glee; Rejoicing With God Our Saviour And Our Father At Their Torments: Knowing That God Has Rewarded Them According To Their Evil Deeds !!!

Begone From Our Presence You Unworthy Sinners To The Place Which Our Father In His Wisdom Has Prepared For All Such As Reject The Gift Of Salvation !!!

The old merciless teaching is still taught ; there yet remains in many a nursery, as well, alas, as in many a missionary school abroad, a well-known book called "Peep of Day." In this, little children are allowed to read such doggrel as the following: ---- 

"Now if I fight, or scratch, or bite, 

In passion fall, or bad names call, 

Full well I know where I shall go. 

Satan is glad when I am bad, 

And hopes that I with him shall lie, 

In fire and chains, and dreadful pains. 

All liars dwell with him in hell, 

And many more, who cursed and swore, 

And all who did what God forbid." 

Surely it is time that everyone who believes that the Everlasting Father lovingly, eternally, educates all His children should speak out plainly, and not be ashamed to confess with the Psalmist, "My trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever." -- EDNA LYALL, Eastbourne, 16th December, 1890 

It is better now for clearness sake, to define that popular view of future punishment, of which I shall often speak. It is briefly this: That the ungodly finally pass into a state of endless evil, of endless torments; that from this suffering there is no hope of escape; that of this evil there is no possible alleviation. That when imagination has called up a series of ages, in apparently endless succession, all these ages of sin and of agony, undergone by the lost, have diminished their cup of suffering by not so much as one single drop; their pain is then no nearer ending than before. Those who hold this terrible doctrine to be a part of the "glad tidings of great joy" to men from their Father in heaven, differ indeed as to the number of the finally lost: some make them to be a majority of mankind, some a minority, even a very small minority. This division of views is instructive, as illustrating the ceaseless revolt of the human heart and conscience against a cruel dogma. 

For the Bible is clearly against any such alleviation when read from their own standpoint. The texts on which they rely, if they teach the popular creed at all, teach, just as clearly, that the lost shall be the majority of men. "Many are called but few are chosen." "Fear not, little flock." "Narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it." These are our Lord's own words. They present no difficulty to those who grasp the true meaning of "life," and "death," and "election," the true working of the purpose of Redemption throughout the ages to come. 

They present an insuperable difficulty to that very common form of the traditional creed, which seeks to lighten the horror of endless evil by narrowing its range. Indeed, it seems perfectly clear that the popular view requires us to believe in the final loss of the vast majority of our race. For it is only the truly converted in this life (as it asserts), who reach heaven; and it is beyond all fair question, that of professing Christians only a small portion are truly converted; to say nothing of the myriad's and myriad's of those who have died in Paganism. But even waiving this point, the objections to the popular creed are in no way really lightened by our belief as to the relative numbers of the lost and the saved. The real difficulty consists in the infliction of any such penalty, and not in the number who are doomed to it. Nor need we forget how inconceivably vast must be that number, on the most lenient hypothesis. Take the lowest estimate; and when you remember the innumerable myriads of our race who have passed away - those now living - and those yet unborn - it becomes clear that the number of the lost must be something in its vastness defying all calculation; and of these, all, be it remembered, children of the great Parent - all made in His image - all redeemed by the life blood of His Son; and all shut up for ever and ever (words, of whose awful meaning no man has, or can have, the very faintest conception) in blackness of darkness, in despair, and in the company of devils. 

Let me next show what this hell of the popular creed really means, so far as human words can dimly convey its horrors, and for this purpose I subjoin the following extracts- 

"Little child, if you go to hell there will be a devil at your side to strike you. He will go on striking you every minute for ever and ever without stopping. The first stroke will make your body as bad as the body of Job, covered, from head to foot, with sores and ulcers. The second stroke will make your body twice as bad as the body of job. The third stroke will make your body three times as bad as the body of Job. The fourth stroke will make your body four times as bad as the body of Job. How, then, will your body be after the devil has been striking it every moment for a hundred million of years without stopping? Perhaps at this moment, seven o'clock in the evening, a child is just going into hell. Tomorrow evening, at seven o'clock, go and knock at the gates of hell and ask what the child is doing. The devils will go and look. They will come back again and say, the child is burning. Go in a week and ask what the child is doing; you will get the same answer, it is burning. Go in a year and ask, the same answer comes - it is burning. Go in a million of years and ask the same question, the answer is just the same - it is burning. So, if you go for ever and ever, you will always get the same answer - it is burning in the fire." The Sight of Hell. *** Rev. J. FURNISS, C.S.S.R. 

"The fifth dungeon is the red hot oven. The little child is in the red hot oven. Hear how it screams to come out; see how it turns and twists itself about in the fire. It beats its head against the roof of the oven. It stamps its little feet on the floor." - ib. "Gather in one, in your mind, an assembly of all those men or women, from whom, whether in history or in fiction, your memory most shrinks, gather in mind all that is most loathsome, most revolting * * * conceive the fierce, fiery eyes of hate, spite, frenzied rage, ever fixed on thee, looking thee through and through with hate *** hear those yells of blaspheming, concentrated hate, as they echo along the lurid vault of hell; everyone hating everyone *** Yet a fixedness in that state in which the hardened malignant sinner dies, involves, without any further retribution of God, this endless misery." Sermon by the Rev. E.B. Pusey DD. 

"When you die your soul will be tormented alone; that will be a hell for it: but at the day of judgment your body will join your soul, and then you wilt have twin hells, your soul sweating drops of blood, and your body suffused with agony. In fire, exactly like that we have on earth, your body will lie, asbestos like, for ever unconsumed, all your veins roads for the feet of pain to travel on, every nerve a string, on which the devil shall for ever play his diabolical tune of hell's unutterable lament." Sermon on the Resurrection of the Dead. *** Rev. C. H. SPURGEON. 

Awful as are these quotations, I must repeat that they give no adequate idea at all of the horrors of hell; for that which is the very sting of its terrors -their unendingness - is beyond our power really to conceive, even approximately, so totally incommensurable are the ideas of time and of endless duration. 

It will be said, "we no longer believe in a material hell - no longer teach a lake of real fire." I might well ask, on your theory of interpreting Scripture, what right have you so to teach? But let me rather welcome this change of creed, so far as it is a sign of an awakening moral sense. Yet this plea, in mitigation of the horror your doctrines inspire, cannot be admitted; for when you offer for acceptance a spiritual, rather than a material flame, who is there that cannot see that the real difficulty is the same, in either case. If evil in any form is perpetuated then the central difficulty of the traditional creed remains. 

Merely to state the traditional doctrine in any form, is to refute it for very many minds. So deeply does it wound what is best and holiest in us; indeed, as I shall try to show further on, it is, for all practical purposes, found incredible, even by those who honestly profess to believe it. This terrible difficulty, felt and acknowledged in all ages, has been largely met for the Roman Catholic, by the doctrine of Purgatory, which became developed as the belief in endless torment gradually supplanted that earlier and better faith, which alone finds expression in the two really catholic and ancient creeds, faith in Everlasting Life. How immense must have been the relief thus afforded, is evident, when we remember that the least sorrow, however imperfect, the very slightest desire for reconciliation with God, though deferred to the last moment of existence, was believed to free the dying sinner from the pains of hell, no matter how aggravated his sins may have been. Among the Reformed Communions this difficult y was met, no doubt, by a silent incredulity - often unconscious - yet ever increasing, on the part of the great majority: indeed, some divines, have at all times, both in England and on the Continent, openly avowed their disbelief in endless torments. This growing incredulity has found, in our day, open expression, in a remarkable theory, that of conditional immortality (itself a revival of an earlier belief). This doctrine, briefly stated, teaches that man is naturally mortal, that only in Jesus Christ is immortality conferred on the righteous - that the ungodly shall be judged, and, after due punishment, annihilated. 

Of this dogma I shall at once say, that, while it degrades man, it fails to vindicate God. "It is that most wretched and cowardly of all theories, which supposes the soul to be naturally mortal, and that God will resuscitate the wicked to torment them for a time, and then finally extinguish them. I can see no ground for this view in Scripture but in mistaken interpretations; and it does not meet the real difficulty at all, for it supposes that evil has in such cases finally triumphed, and that God had no resource but to punish and extinguish it: which is essentially the very difficulty felt by the skeptical mind. I have called it cowardly, for it surrenders the true nobility of man, his natural immortality, in a panic at an objection; and like all cowardice, fails in securing safety." Donellan Lectures, QUARRY. 

Further, let me reply thus; I believe in one God the Father Almighty, who “wills not the death of a sinner." If, then, even one sinner die finally, God's will is not done, i.e., God is so far defeated and evil victorious. Annihilation is the triumph of death over life: it is the very antithesis to the Gospel, which asserts the triumph of Christ over every form of death. It is strange indeed that able men, who write elaborate treatises advocating this view, should overlook the fact, that all schemes of partial salvation involve a compromise with evil on God's part. 

No less strange is the assertion that the moral sense is not shocked by God, who is absolutely free, yet forcing the gift of life on those whom He knows to be in fact destined to become the prey of evil so completely, that they either rot away of sheer wickedness; or, being hopelessly corrupt, are extinguished by their Father. 

Death nowhere in Holy Scripture implies annihilation, for earthly destruction is, especially in the case of the Old Testament, that which is denoted by the term, death: but as a rule this term has a wider significance, and one far deeper. Nay, as I hope to point out, (ch. vi. on death,) there is in Scriptural usage, especially in the New Testament, a deep spiritual connection between death and life; death becomes the path to, and the very condition of, life. 

Further, this theory wholly breaks down in practice. So far from "perishing" implying final ruin, Christ came specially to save that which has "perished," - to apololos, the "lost," "ruined," "destroyed ;" the original term is the same which is often translated "destroy," and on which the theory of annihilation is so largely built. The same word occurs in S. Luke xv., and there is applied to the Sheep, the Coin, the Prodigal Son - all of which are thus 'destroyed," "lost," and yet finally saved. In S. Matt.X 39, xvi. 25, to "lose" (destroy) one's life is stated as the condition of finding it. So Christ is sent to save the "lost" (destroyed) sheep of Israel . So Sodom and Gomorrha are destroyed, and yet have a special promise of restoration. - Ez. xv. 53:5 Take the Antediluvians. After they had "died" in their sins they were evangelized by Christ in person. - I S. Pet. iii. 19. Hence the unanswerable dilemma, either all these are annihilated, or you must give up that sense of "perishing" on which the theory is based. 

Probably I have said enough, but yet a very grave difficulty remains. This theory stands in hopeless conflict with the promises to restore all things, to reconcile all things through Christ, which abound in Scripture; nay, which form the very essence of its teaching when describing Christ's empire. It seems amazing that able men are found capable of maintaining that a reconciliation which is described as coextensive with all creation, Col. i. 15-20, can be equivalent to restoring some (or many) things, only after annihilating, as hopelessly evil, all the rest. 

Another view adopted by a number, probably extremely large, and increasing, differs altogether from that last stated. Those who hold it have had their eyes opened to the fact, that the New Testament contains very many, long neglected, texts which teach the salvation of all men. They have also learned enough to have their faith gravely shaken in the popular interpretation of the texts usually quoted in proof of endless pain. The theory of conditional immortality fails to satisfy such men. They see that it is altogether unsuccessful in meeting the real difficulty of the popular creed, i.e., the triumph of evil over good, of Satan over the Savior of man, and therefore over God. They perceive, too, the narrow and arbitrary basis on which it rests in appealing to Holy Scripture. And so they decline to entertain it as any solution of the question, and say, "We are not able definitely to accept any theory of the future of man, because we do not see that anything has been clearly revealed. Enough has been disclosed to show to us that God is love, and we are content to believe that, happen what will, all will ultimately be shown to be the result of love divine." 

It is impossible to avoid sympathy with much of this view at first sight, but only then; for when closely examined it is seen to be open to the charge of grave ambiguity, or far worse. It may mean that in the future God will act as a loving human parent would, and then, I reply, this is precisely the larger hope. Again, it may mean a very different and very dangerous thing. It may mean that at the last my ideas of right and wrong will undergo a complete change- that the things which I now pronounce with the fullest conviction to be cruel and vile, will at that day seem to be righteous and just, and that thus God will be fully justified though He inflict endless torment. But take this statement to pieces and see what it really means. It means, in effect, practical Skepticism. It means blank Agnosticism. This is easily shown. For what this view really tells me is that my deepest moral convictions are wholly worthless, because that which they declare to be cruel and revolting, is right and holy, and will so appear at the last. But if this be so, then I have lost my sole measure of right and wrong. What is truth or goodness, I know not. They cease to be realities; they are, for all I know, mere phantoms. Religion, therefore, is impossible. Conscience ceases to be a reliable guide. Revelation is a mere blank, for all revelation presupposes the trustworthiness of that moral sense to which it is addressed. Thus the above plea, plausible as it seems, is wholly ambiguous, and does in fact lead either to the larger hope, or to mere unbelief. 

In opposition to both these theories stand the views here advocated, which have been always held by some in the Catholic Church; nay, which represent, I believe, most nearly its primitive teaching. These views are, I know, now widely held by the learned, the devout, and the thoughtful in our own and in other communions. Briefly stated, they amount to this :-That we have ample warrant, alike from reason - from the observed facts and analogies of human life - from our best and truest moral instincts - from a great body of primitive teaching - and from Holy Scripture itself, to entertain a firm hope that God our Father's design and purpose is, and has ever been, to save every child of Adam's race. 

Therefore I have called this book, "Universalism Asserted." But let there be no mistake. I assert this not as a dogma, but AS A HOPE: as that which after many years of thought and study seems to me to be the true meaning of Holy Scripture, as it is certainly in harmony with our moral sense, and has been taught by so many saints in the early Church. 

The term, "Universalism," may not, indeed, commend itself to some, but I retain it advisedly. It seems to convey an essential truth. "The kingdom of Christ *** is in the fullest sense *** universal." - Lightfoot. 

It is an universal remedy to meet an universal evil. While sin is universal, and sorrow and pain universal, shall not our hope be universal too? Shall not life be as universal as death, and salvation as universal as sin? 

Can we even think of a divine life and a divine love as other than in their very essence universal? 

Reference -:

Christ Triumphant

or 

Universalism Asserted 

as the Hope of the Gospel on the Authority 

of Reason, the Fathers, and Holy Scripture 

by 

Thomas Allin 

Reprint of the Ninth Edition 

Published in cooperation with the Saviour of All Fellowship 

by the Concordant Publishing Concern 

Christ Triumphant by Thomas Allin Ebook PDF

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/ChristTriumphant.htm