5 reasons you can believe in the final salvation of all mankind

(from 150 Reasons for believing in the final salvation of mankind, by Erasmus Manford 1849)

Seeing how 150 reasons take a long time to read, here are 5 that stood out to me. All the reasons are important and scriptural. You can find Manford's full writing here: 150 Reasons!

(Note: I have numbered these 1-5, but they are really numbered differently in Manford’s paper as noted)

In brief here are the 5:

Reason #1 God is Love, is infinitely good.

Reason #2 God is Omnipotent.

Reason #3 It is the will of God that all shall be saved.

Reason #4 No power can defeat his will.

Reason #5 God is the Savior of all men.

Now investigate why Mr. Manford believes these reasons are important:

Reason # 1 (Manford's #3) God is love, is infinitely good. “There is none good but one, that is God.” Mark 10:18. On the words “God is love,” Dr. A. Clarke, the celebrated Methodist Commentator, writes as follows: An infinite Fountain of benevolence and beneficence to every human being. He hates nothing that he has made. He cannot hate, because he is love. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good; and sends his rain on the just and the unjust. He has made no human being for perdition. It has been well observed that although God is holy, just, righteous, etc., he is never called Holiness, Justice, etc. in the abstract, as he is here called Love. This seems to be the essence of the Divine nature, and all other attributes to be only modifications of this.” God, then, never created a soul knowing it would be miserable forever.

Reason #2 (Manford's # 4) God is Omnipotent. “The Lord Omnipotent reigneth.” Rev. 19:6. Therefore, nothing is too mighty for him to do. He can save the world. Where is the Christian who would not redeem all mankind, had he the power? God possesses the power, and will he not do it? Is the creature better than the Creator? God forbid any should think so.

Reason #3 (Manford's #12) It is the will of God that all shall be saved. “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” I Tim. 2:4. Of course, as ‘God is love,’ it must be his will that mankind should be saved. An infinitely good being could have no other will. And as he is infinite in knowledge he could not so will unless he knew all would be saved. He could not will that that should take place which he knew never would.

Reason #4 (Manford's #13) No power can defeat his will. “Thy will be done.” Matt. 6:10. “He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Dan. 4:35. “He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Eph. 1:11. The will of God, then, will be done. No power can defeat it. It is certainly a doctrine of revelation that our God will save all men.

Reason #5 (Manford's # 19) God is the Savior of all men. “We both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” I Tim. 4:10. God is called the Savior of all men, because it is his will and purpose that all shall be saved, and because all necessary means are provided for its accomplishment.