What One Sin Keeps People Out of Heaven?

This would be the sin of unbelief!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Who gives faith?

Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Where else does faith come from?

Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing, can everyone hear?

Mt 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Jesus indicates that some have ears to hear and some don’t. The question arises, if some do have ears to hear, how did they get them and if some don’t, how did this come to be? The answer is given in Ex 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? This is true for physical and spiritual deafness and blindness.)

Speaking to the disciples about the spiritual deafness of the Pharisees Jesus said, Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Who gives it to the disciples? Who does not give it to the Pharisees? In each case God is the one choosing who can hear and who cannot.)

Can we choose to hear if we are deaf? Can we choose to receive if it is not given? Can we enter into the Kingdom of our own choice?

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (Jesus has to escort us in, we cannot come in on our own.)

In a discussion regarding who could be saved Jesus taught:
Mr 10:26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (Notice the sequence here! No man can come to Jesus! Period! Unless they meet the exception which is to come to Jesus the Father must draw them . . . followed by, “and I WILL raise them up at the last day”. Who did Jesus say He would raise up? Those who the Father draws! No exceptions! Jesus here establishes that He and God the Father are solely responsible for everyone who does or does not come to Him. If anyone could choose not to come to Jesus when the Father draws them, then Jesus couldn’t have declared in truth that He absolutely will raise them up!)

Lu 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

1Co 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then SHALL EVERY MAN have praise of God.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER from another? and WHAT hast thou that thou DIDST NOT RECEIVE? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

In the above passages we find that God chooses who to give faith to. We find the Pharisees in a state where it is not given them to understand. We also find that man cannot choose to come to God, but Jesus has to get them. We see that by default, no one can know God or the Son unless God delivers them to the Son and the Son then reveals God to them. Lu 10;22 We observe that faith is given by God and without it, it is impossible to please God. We find that being saved is impossible for man, and that NOTHING is impossible with God. Is it possible for man to choose to be saved? Absolutely not, unless God gives it to him to hear and to believe. Is it possible for God to cause a person to be blind to the obvious, and then to give sight to that blind man. Absolutely, nothing is impossible for God. Is it possible for God to cause every single human He created to be saved? Absolutely! Nothing is impossible with God unless He doesn’t want to. Does God want to save every human sinner? Does He want to save the ungodly?

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Ro 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

I think it is interesting that those who claim to know the gospel today, preach a powerless Christ who is unable to save whoever He wants, and preach that people have more power over their own salvation than Jesus does.
This is not the teaching of the Bible. The Christian church today, very closely resembles the religious establishment of Jesus day. Full of divisions, full of meaningless traditions, having a form of godliness but denying the power of Christ, the power of His resurrection and glorifying man instead. The leaders are still collecting tithes and enjoying the exalted positions of spiritual leadership, while many are still making their followers two times the children of hell that they themselves are.

I have good news! Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, has come to set all men free from the burdens that have been laid on them.
Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Are you a church leader? This good news is for you too. You don’t need to stay in the bondage of religion. Let God set you free. You know what I’m talking about. In your religion you are not allowed to believe differently than your creed. No doubt you do, in some areas, yet you cannot say so. Do not worry about what you will eat, or what you will wear or where you will sleep for your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. He feeds the birds, He will feed you, oh ye of little faith. Come out from among them. Pr 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

To bring this full circle, I include a few more verses. I encourage you to note the word “all”. You see, in the above verses it is established that God alone controls if and when we are saved. The following verses indicate how many will be saved by the end of time. If God is revealing His mystery to you through this, praise Him.

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men unto me.
1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of ALL men, SPECIALLY of those that believe.
1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ SHALL ALL be made alive.
Ro 5:18 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.

Since we know that faith is given by God to ALL MEN as God see’s fit, and Jesus will draw all men to himself. We also see that all will come to him and be raised with Him on the last day.
Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Like was pointed out above: NO man CAN come to Jesus! . . . UNLESS . . . the Father draws him . . .and those whom the Father draws, Jesus WILL raise up at the last day.
Ro 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Ro 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the FULNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN. 26 And so ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
(Both are saved, all Israel, and all the Gentiles. That's everyone.)

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (Who is NOT a sinner?)

Ro 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Who did Jesus come to save?)
Ro 5:12 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:

Jesus came into the world to save sinners and He cannot fail! He is the Word and it is prophesied that the Word will accomplish ALL that it was sent to do. Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Ro 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

This is the true Good News of Great Joy which shall be to all people! The false tradition of “eternal’ damnation is a demonic affront to the Glory and Power of Jesus’ resurrection.
Lu 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY, which SHALL BE to ALL PEOPLE.
Eternal hell can only bring anguish to all people for all will be affected. If one person is in eternal hell, since we are all one in Adam, that would be the same as having one of your body parts being in extreme irritation, without hope of healing. Ever had a broken toe? Or finger? Or any ailment such as a headache or stomach ache? The whole body can be incapacitated by a single part in pain. In Adam we are all one, and to have one part in agony we all suffer and are affected. If Christ doesn’t save all of Adam, then we all will forever bear the consequences. As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Ro 8:21 Because the creature itself also SHALL BE delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Need Fire Insurance?

Recipe for Faith:
Conviction of Sin
Hope of Eternal Life
Fear of Eternal Hell?

Does this sum up the Christian Life? 

When I tell people that I believe that God will ultimately win every man, woman and child to himself, they often ask, "Then what's the point?"

I know what they mean.  They think that the most prominent ingredient for Christianity is the fear of eternal Hell.  With out the "anti-carrot", the ultimate punishment, the hard line of demarcation--what would move someone to follow Christ?  Of course this presumes several interesting ideas:

1. Membership services are a crucial responsibility of the Believer (How will they hear, etc, if we don't tell them?)
2. Not going to Hell is the most important goal of the Believer.
3. God is love, except when it comes to those who don't follow Him.

I'm going to stop right there.  I learned some time ago that unbelievers, though considered blind to a multitude of spiritual things, have an expert knack in recognizing hypocrisy.  If you've ever talked to a telemarketer or walked the sales tables at a county fair, you know what I'm talking about.  If an unbeliever hears that God loves them, but only if they buy the product, why are we surprised when they treat it as a load of Kansas cow waste?

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  I believe this (and every other truth in the Bible).  Genuine judgment, difficulty, pain and despair follow poor choices.  Resisting God, rebelling against His will and fighting His kingdom plans can lead to incredibly complicated lives.  However, the other end of wisdom is that "perfect love casts out fear."  Fear is designed to lead us to God.  An "eternal Hell" is neither necessary nor helpful in leading people to know Jesus.

A few years ago the World Wide Church of God faced a major transition.  The leaders at that time wanted to move away from some of the Church's long held tenants.  One of those tenants was a mandatory 20% tithe.  Immediately following this change the Church faced financial crisis.  It seems that such giving was never "from the heart" in the first place.

It is interesting that many believers in Jesus are afraid to remove the "eternal Hell" clause for the same reason.  Would many find church unnecessary if they knew they didn't need "fire insurance?"  What genuine faith is taking place in such hearts?  Can they really know and enjoy Jesus in this synthetic salesman environment?

I am confident that more, not less, unbelievers would pursue the Lord should the Gospel be accurately preached.  Like many ideas that man handles, they begin to look more like man than God.  Is it not man's control and sense of judgment that this "eternal Hell" reflects most?

Confident that God will win every soul, whether in this age or the next,

Tim

Note:  This post is a challenge to the tradition of eternal Hell.  I personally believe tradition has influenced Christians more than scripture on this topic.  However, you will find plenty of posts here investigating the scriptural foundation for Judgment and Hell as well.

FAITH

God's Word has so much to say on this incredible topic.

God controls the measure of faith that each person receives, and the measure ranges from great or abundant to none.

Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

There is no other source of faith, each person is "dealt THE measure of faith" that he begins life with.

1Co 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

So now, knowing faith comes from God alone, and is given to every person at His discretion, and in the quantity He decides, we can observe:

De 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

As we see here, to some of His children, He gave no faith, that it might "be seen" what their end shall be. . . and next we will see that without faith we can't please God.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

For God to deny them faith is to hide His face from them. This is how He demonstrates what the results are to people who have no faith. These become a living example of faithlessness because God chose them to be without faith.

To others He gave great faith:

Mt 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

This man became a living example of the result of God’s blessing one with great faith.

Faith is only received when it is given by God yet, it can be increased and decreased at God’s discretion.

Mt 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

He gives, He increases faith in those He gave it to, and those He gave little to, He takes away even what they had. All this for a higher purpose which we shall see.

In this we find faith to be like a fire in that when it is little, it diminishes and goes out, but when it is big enough, it begins spreading and increasing. The Bible teaches about a fire that will some day increase until it consumes everything including the earth and heaven. (2Pet 3:9-18) I believe this is a picture of faith. Someday those whose faith is great will ignite all those who are around them, even those who had small faith that became extinguished, it will be rekindled in the overwhelming heat generated by those who have been blessed with great faith. We find that the faith of others was all that was needed to heal a paralyzed man. (Mark 2:1-12) We have other indicators in God’s word that the end of the earth will be filled with all believing. Mt 13:31,32; Mt 13:33; Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14; Rev 5:13 to name a few. (But this is another study.)

Speaking of hearing, (He who has ears, let him hear.) we find:

Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is significant that the Greek word translated word in this verse, is rhema. Rhema, as opposed to other words translated word, means "utterance" or “something spoken”. This is more than just reading words on a page, this is hearing the Lord speak to us personally. When we hear Jesus speak to us personally, our faith is increased. Combine this with what Jesus said:

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

These verses are illuminating the concept that God gives faith to the ones He chooses to speak to. The ones He has given ears to hear to.

Ro 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

This concept cannot be received by many. It is not given them to comprehend. Those who would be classified as Calvinist, are able to receive this much, yet, since they believe in eternal damnation, they are forced to conclude that God has created many only to subject them to His wrath endlessly.

Those who believe in eternal damnation, yet cannot accept that God would be so cruel as to create people for eternal torment all on His own, not giving them any escape route have accepted a free will illusion that gives God an excuse for His drastic and immeasurably cruel action, by saying (falsely) that man, by rejecting Jesus, chooses this destination for himself, therefore God is not responsible for their terrible fate.

I believe the truth is found when God opens our eyes to reject the false ideas we have collected through the traditions of men, through Greek mythology and through biased translations, regarding Hell, damnation, and eternal separation, yet I understand that it has to be given us to understand this. If God does not give it to you, you will not, indeed, you cannot see it.

Ro 14:23 . . . for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

If whatsoever is not of faith is sin, and God gave to everyman the measure of faith each possesses, then God takes full responsibility for our sin. He has made us, He can do what He pleases, He can make me with faith, or without faith.

He can tell me sin is NOT good, and yet place me in a situation where I must taste it for myself.

I agree with Him, sin is not good. It is yuck! I don't want to step in it. I trust Him, in His wisdom, to know when to take me out of this world, so that I won't have to step in it anymore! Until then, every time I find myself soiled, I will thank Him (1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.) and trust Him to deliver me when He sees best.(1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification).

I know some who don't believe that sin is yuck. They want to roll in it!

He has not given them the faith to understand yet. In time, they will change their minds, as all sin leads to death, this too, is in God's hand. With man it is impossible to be saved but not with God, with God all things are possible. God can restore every single created being no matter how long they have been dead, no mattter how many bits they have been blown up into, no matter how badly they have been burned or crushed or dismembered. No matter how completely they have destroyed their souls. He has conquered death! He restoreth my soul!

De 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

He purchased the whole world, we were all servants to sin. Slaves! He purchased us all. (1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.) Nobody is able to deliver His purchased possession out of His hand. Slaves cannot choose not to be purchased, and we are powerless to escape from Jesus, our new owner.

We are truly, "fearfully and wonderfully made". While some of us are vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction, and others are objects of mercy, we all fulfill the role He has created us to fulfill. In addition, we are created with the capacity to learn, to change, to think differently. I am convinced that those who are hardened now, will be super strong in Christ when we are gathered to worship Him and to bow our knees professing Him as our Lord. Didn't Jesus tell us?


Mr 10:31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. And . . .

He who has been forgiven much, loves more than he who has been forgiven little. (Luke 7:40-50)

It is my desire to impart faith, hope, and love to the people God places around me. If you have ears to hear, you will no doubt increase in faith, hope and love. Those who have not yet been given, may have their faith ignited by those around them, that's why we are told to proclaim the good news.

As opposed to knowledge, which is imperfect, and which will pass away. May our lives be marked by faith.

Faith is true belief in God. When we truly believe, we always act in harmony with that belief. When we say we believe but we get upset, (like I did when the previous final draft of this post got lost in cyberspace), we prove that our belief is not faith, but theory. God controls everything! God works all things for good for those who love Him. God is building His church. When we fail to love anyone, we prove our belief is not complete, for He has commanded us to love. When we think we have done anything to help Him save us, we demonstrate our pride and belief that He alone is not able to save.

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

That He is doing this work according to His plan is evident in that He began it in each of us before we were conceived.

Ps 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Jesus is the Author, (the one who conceived and wrote your faith) and Finisher (The one who brings your faith to the conclusion of perfection in Him. Your salvation is a free gift, and you will be happy to accept it as will every last person He has created, because His love will draw us all into His sinless perfection, and we will all be perfect, sin proofed, educated. It will be impossible for us to choose to go against His will because we won't want to and we will have power to do all our will.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;


It's time that we who think we know the Lord, think differently. If we know Him, let us prove it by loving others more than ourselves. By accepting and forgiving others even as we want to be forgiven.


Mt 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Christians! You Did Not Choose Jesus . . .

Most Christians today believe that they are saved because they made the right choice. Salvation is presented as a result of a prayer in which we willfully choose to accept Jesus. We are taught that to lead others in such a prayer is to get them saved. This idea is not in harmony with lot’s of Scripture verses.

Like:

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,

How can this be? The requirement to receive Him by an active choice places the burden of our salvation on us and removes it from the Lord Jesus. It is a burden we are not fit to carry, nor did God expect us to ever carry such a burden as a prerequisite to salvation. Our ultimate deliverance is sure, but our immediate deliverance is what’s not guaranteed. From many, it is withheld. If we believe, it is special, it is a gift, it is not by our wisdom but by God’s mercy and grace. We don’t believe by our choice but because we are chosen.

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,

The mistaken idea that we “receive” as an act of our will is contrary to the word of God. How did you receive your life? Were you born by an act of your will? How did you receive your physical characteristics? Did you will yourself to be a certain height? Did you choose your type of hair or the shape of your face? You "received" these things (and everything about yourself and your circumstances that you can’t change), without any say in the matter.

1Co 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Receiving Jesus is not something we do, but something we have done to us by God. If you are one who has been privileged to believe in God, rejoice! Don’t boast as if you did something. For by grace are ye saved and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Eph 2:8. And when you meet someone who doesn’t believe, don’t expect them to be able to see just because you explain the good news to them. Don’t assume they are stubborn, but be gentle and loving and patient. God is not yet opening their eyes. When He does, they will see. When He gives it to them, they will receive salvation, For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 1Ti 4:10

We are taught by Jesus that not all will enter into this rest in this lifetime, in fact most will not!

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, (Notice it doesn't say "eternal life") and few there be that find it. (Jesus is the Door.)

Nevertheless, Jesus has conquered death and hades, and will ultimately deliver everyone to the Father. For it is not the Father’s will that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance, and the Son came to do the will of the Father. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 1Jo 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Some are saved now, in this life time, some in the ages to come, but others will be delivered at the end of time.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end . . .

And again . . . Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

The Father wills it this way, that some come to Jesus now, but all come at the last day and so He says:

Mt 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Now isn’t this real good news?

Has He given you the grace to believe in Him yet?

Below you will find a list of verses which illuminate the giving of God.

Mt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Lu 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Ro 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Ro 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. (Not forever, just unto this day.)

Ro 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1Co 2:12 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.

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

To recap, God has given to you such as you have. He has created you such as you are. God will give you the will and the ability to believe when He determines it best. When He does, (or did), you begin to believe and begin to know Him. To know Him is to Love Him because He first loved you. To know Him is life and that more abundant than you could ever achieve without Him. You were created to know Him and Jesus loves you as much as the Father loves Him. We are admonished in Scripture to be increasing in the knowledge of Him. We were created for His pleasure, and nothing pleases Him more than when we draw near to Him and trust Him and receive His word from Him that we might bear fruit. If we think we can claim any credit for what we’ve been given? That is pride! God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1Pe 5:5

This grace allows it’s recipients to abide in Christ, to fellowship with Him continually, to hear His voice, to receive His words, to know Him better and better, and also to have power in prayer.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Joh 15:7

If we do not abide in Him, we can do nothing.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (Notice men cast them into this fire? That's because it is not eternal fire.) It is so much better to abide in Jesus! The alternative is living death. Mt 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Therefore,

If God has given you life, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.Mt 5:16

God says Jesus will Successfully Save the Whole World

Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I SENT it.


Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Jo 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father SENT the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Ro 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Isa 55:11 So shall my WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I SENT it.

Are You Keeping Anyone Out of God's Kingdom?

by Jack

Mt 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples . . .
Mt 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Ouch! I wouldn't want to be a scribe or Pharisee on this occasion!

Because they were beloved, they also were disciplined. Such is the way of God.

We can learn from their ordeal, too. Notice that Jesus is speaking in the present tense . . . you shut up the kingdom of heaven, you don't go in, you don't allow those entering to go in. Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven in terms of the present and He talks as if the scribes and Pharisees are actually preventing people from entering it! How could it be possible for anyone to prevent anyone from entering into the kingdom of heaven? How is it that Jesus credits the scribes and Pharisees with actually preventing some who were entering from actually getting in?

If the kingdom of heaven is the place we go after we die, (if we die in Christ), what could the Pharisees possibly do to keep anyone out, and why would Jesus say they have already done it? What sense does it make for Jesus to tell the Pharisees and scribes that they are not entering either, unless the kingdom of heaven is something we are supposed to enter while still living?

Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Here we have a definition from scripture of the kingdom: "Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Let's replace the phrase, "kingdom of heaven" with the definition and see how it works.

Mt 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit against men: for ye neither have righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to attain it.

Could this be what Jesus was referring too? Speaking of the scribes and Pharisees to the multitudes Jesus said, "Mt 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

What were these grievous burdens that the scribes and Pharisees were placing on the men they taught? Why, they taught that unless men kept the law, they would be eternally condemned, and that there was no hope for those who were not Jews.

Try carrying that burden through life. Too heavy?

Many are carrying that burden, or a similar burden, doubting their own salvation, or perhaps worse, having no hope.

Jesus didn't come to burden us.

Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus encourages us to learn of Him! When we know Him we enjoy life in His kingdom . . .

Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Joh 17:3 And in this consists the Life of the Ages--in knowing Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. (WNT)

We enter the kingdom by knowing the Savior!

Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

When we teach salvation has "ANYTHING" to do with our works, we are shutting out people from the kingdom and not entering in ourselves. When we teach we must receive and believe, we are putting the cart before the horse. God saves, then we believe and recieve. While we were yet sinners. . . Christ died for the ungodly . . . when we were enemies . . . Christ died for us. We are not saved by our will, or by our choice, we choose because He has saved us.

Come to Him now, he will in no wise cast you out. Come to Him later, His grace is sufficient.
It is better to come to Him now because life is hell apart from Him. There is no real peace, no lasting joy, no righteousness apart from Him. To die without Him is to go to judgment, to die with Him is to go to Life, but after the judgment, all will turn to Him, gratefully and joyfully.

This is the patience of the saints. We are not as those who have no hope, but we have the ultimate hope in the final perfection and reconciliation of all to one another and to God.

Are your belief's keeping you from living in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit? Do you teach others that their salvation depends on them? Are you keeping anyone out of the kingdom?

Sound Financial Advice

Ec 5:13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail...

Ec 6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

God's blessings are not measured by numbers on a ledger sheet! Though we do have more than we need, there is room for lots of want. Choose to want what you have and be content with just that, because your Father in heaven has promised to meet all your needs according to His riches in glory!

BE CAREFUL to serve God and not money. Money is a harsh god who will work you to the bone while robbing you of love; peace; righteousness; joy and every form of good health.

Be diligent in business, SERVING THE LORD, not money. (Rom. 12:11,13)

Ps 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

WHAT DID JESUS MEAN? I WILL DRAW ALL TO MYSELF?

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

LOGIC, WE COULD SAY, is the study of If-then sentences.
If a number is divisible by 10, then it is divisible by 2.
The clause introduced by If --
A number is divisible by 10
-- is called the hypothesis. It is what we are given, or what we may assume.
The clause introduced by then --
It is divisible by 2
-- is called the conclusion. It is the statement that "follows" from the hypothesis. Or, given the hypothesis, it is the statement that we must prove.
When the If-then sentence is true, we say that the hypothesis is a sufficient condition for the conclusion. Thus it is sufficient to know that a number is divisible by 10 -- in order to conclude that it is divisible by 2.
The conclusion is then called a necessary condition of that hypothesis. For, if a number is divisible by 10, it necessarily follows that it will be divisible by 2. (Taken from www.themathpage.com/abooki/logic.htm)

Jesus professed, “IF I be lifted up, THEN I will draw all unto myself.”
Logic says, IF the if part of the equation is accomplished, THEN (in order for the statement to be true), the second part of the equation,( the then part) must also be accomplished.

It hardly needs to be noted that the first part of the equation is truly fulfilled for in the very next verse it affirms: Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. And again,
Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

So Jesus clearly was lifted up, therefore we can conclude that He also will draw ALL unto himself.

In this equation, it might be speculated that the word “draw” simply means to create an attraction, or an appeal, something that may be resisted by some of the all it has been directed towards. For example, “Bob’s charismatic personality draws all the girls in his class to him.”
Of course, they don’t all become united to Bob, they are merely attracted but not compelled to move, like the draw of a magnet, perhaps, where a magnet exerts a drawing force on all iron, but only the iron that is loose or light enough actually moves to the magnet.

IF this can be shown to be the meaning of “draw” here in this verse, THEN those who believe Jesus will ultimately bring all to Himself can NOT appeal to this verse for support.

In such a case the verse would merely mean Jesus will attract all, some of which will respond and some who will not. The IF/THEN logic would remain intact and the sentence would be true if this is the sense of the word "draw" as found in the various Scripture verses that employ it even though many people do not actually get moved unto Jesus.

However, if it can be shown that “draw” means to successfully relocate an object even against the will of the object, even in the face of resistance, then the verse would have to have a totally different conclusion, one which becomes a very strong support for the ultimate reconciliation of all. So let's see how "draw" is used in Scripture.

The Greek word translated “draw” is “helkuo”. It is found eight times in the New Testament. Join with me as I search out exactly what meaning it has . I believe the absolute best way to discover the meaning God intended when He inspired the original writers to choose the words they used, is to examine the different verses any particular word is used in. As I mentioned, “helkuo” is only found eight times, so it is relatively easy to check it out. Before we do this, Let's consult “Strong’s Concordance” for its definition of this Greek word.

helkuo, hel-koo'-o
or helko hel'-ko; probably akin to 138; to drag (literally or figuratively):-KJV-draw.

The sense that the scholars who compiled “Strong’s Concordance” attributed to the word “helkuo” is “to drag”.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will “drag” all unto myself.

Of course, these scholars were not perfect, and they could have, for one reason or another, ascribed an incorrect sense to the word “helkuo” so it is important for us to look at the different times it is used in order to see if we can discern the true sense of the word.

The first verse I would like to examine is Joh 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

In this verse we find Peter exercising the power of helkuo over his own sword. The sword, being inanimate, could not choose one way or another, yet if some mechanical jam had occurred, and Peter was unable to draw the sword as a result, scripture would have to say, Peter tried to draw his sword but he could not! The useage here indicates a definite relocation through pulling.

That’s just one verse which indicates, “draw” (helkuo) means more than “create an attraction” or “ become appealing” . Let’s see how the next verse uses helkuo.

Joh 21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were NOT ABLE TO DRAW it for the multitude of fishes.

In this verse we find that even though they had the fish in a net, the net next to their boat and their hands firmly grasping the net, they were unable to "helkuo" the load of fish. These were strong fishermen, experienced at their trade. The fish had been attracted to the boat somehow but they were unable to draw the net full of fish because the catch was simply too large. If draw simply meant “attract” then it might have been said that Jesus “drew” the fish into the disciples net, but the way John used the word “helkuo”, (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit), clearly shows that the idea of anything less than accomplishing the process of transplanting, in this case fish from water to the land, or to the boat, is NOT helkuo’ing. They were “NOT ABLE TO DRAW”.

Okay, two of the seven verses we checked, have a clear useage. In both verses we see that the idea helkuo carries is the changing of position of an object with a pulling motion as opposed to a repelling motion and definitely not referring to mere attraction. Let’s look at a third verse.

Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

This verse is completely consistent in it’s use of “draw” or “helkuo” with the previous two verses. Again a net full of fish is the object being “drawn” only in this case, the operation was successful and the net didn’t even break under the load of one hundred and fifty three fish. The net full of fish was drawn from the water to the land. Let’s move on to the fourth verse that uses the Greek word “helkuo”, remember, Jesus said He would "helkuo" all unto Himself", so if the meaning in Scripture remains consistent, then we have a sure promise, but if it can be shown that there are two uses, then we can't be so sure which one Jesus meant.

Ac 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, AND DREW THEM into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates…

I don’t know how enthusiastic Paul and Silas were about going to the marketplace with these men but the idea that they had to be “caught”(vs.19) and "brought"(vs. 20), indicates they may have been a bit hesitant about being “drawn” into the marketplace. The sense is that Paul and Silas didn’t go into the marketplace of their own free will here. “Caught and drew” seems to fit with “Strong’s” definition – “to drag” more than with the idea of “alluring by attraction”, and again we see that the objects of “helkuo” ended up in another location, by the will of the one “drawing” not of themselves.

So far, “helkuo” has always been used as a force applied by one, causing another object to move to a new location, in other words, the object has never provided the energy to move itself, but rather seems to resist the move and the force is provided by the one “drawing”.
Only three more verses. What will we find?

Verse number five is Acts 21:30, but let’s look at a few surrounding verses for background and clarity.

Ac 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Ac 21:30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and DREW HIM OUT OF THE TEMPLE: and forthwith the doors were shut.

The story continues:
31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

The intensity of the situation is level red. Word had gotten out that Paul had defiled the temple by bringing Greek men inside, an offence punishable by death.

The point is, Paul, most obviously was not intending to leave the temple at the moment they “drew” him out. They didn’t stand outside and cook delicious smelling food and tempt him to join them. They forcibly removed him from the temple and began beating him with the intention of killing him. Not likely something Paul had given them permission to do.

So far, the useage is very consistent. Let’s move to the next verse.

Jas 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Attendance at these hearings was compelled, non optional and often guaranteed by escorts. These readers of James letter were not allured to stand before the judgment seats by promises of good things but were forced to stop what they were doing, and go where they would have not otherwise gone except for the power that was exerted over them to draw "helkuo" them.

Other than the verse we are searching out, Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. There is only one verse left, which uses the word “helkuo” and I saved it for last because when you understand the force of “helkuo” you will appreciate so much more the meaning of this verse:

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The saving power is ALL God’s! He begins it and He finishes it!

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ro 8:29 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. (Who did God not foreknow? He created everyone, so he had to foreknow everyone.) 30 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.

Mt 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Do you believe it is “POSSIBLE” for God to save all men? Jesus did.

Do you believe it is possible for any man to save himself? Jesus didn’t.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This passage has been a source of confusion for many. They read the first part, verse 12, as if it means receiving and believing causes them to be born of God, but if you look carefully, you will see that the receiving and believing are the result not the cause. It is found in the very next verse. The birth was not of their will, but of God… Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God dragged them in to the new birth, therefore they receive and believe. Or more directly, God drew us into the new birth, therefore we received and believed. He is the beginning and the end.

This brings us full circle. When Jesus said:

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

He wasn’t suggesting that He would attempt to become an attractive force to all men, but that He would relocate all men from where they are in the world, to himself in His glorious kingdom. Total victory over sin and death. There is nothing in this verse which would qualify ALL to be less than ALL, and it would be completely inconsistent with the use of “draw” to suggest that it means anything less than a total relocation powered by Jesus Himself and not requiring any cooperation on the part of those being drawn. The evidence that it has occurred is that the objects of His mercy receive and believe.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father...

true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

On the list of things we should think about, according to Paul,
how does the doctrine of eternal damnation fair?
Supposing for a moment, that it is true, and honest and just, is it pure? Perhaps there is pureness to writhing cursing vile despondent creatures agonizing without hope and without respite, but it’s a bit hard to verify. How about lovely? I’d have to say lovely is out! Of good report? No. Is there any virtue? Well, they will never improve, or benefit. It would be difficult to ascribe virtue to this situation would it not? Certainly nothing I’d like to take part in. Any praise? You decide.
So even if the doctrine of Eternal Damnation is true, we are commanded not to think about it.

Lu 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

This is something we can think on. First of all it’s true! Completely true! Good tidings of great joy which SHALL be to ALL people. Yeah! Unto you is born a savior which is Christ the Lord!

Whoo hoo!

It’s true and honest, it is just, and pure…. Most definitely lovely and it is the best report, not lacking in virtue and worthy of endless praise!

How is it that the gospel of today includes the damnation of most of mankind? No one, according to this “gospel” will be untouched by the eternal torment which if escaped personally, will certainly capture and destroy some of those who are loved by those who escape. Why did the angel say it is good news of great joy which shall be to all people? Those who teach eternal damnation would have to agree that it isn’t good news of great joy for some. In fact it isn’t good news of great joy for the myriads who are getting swallowed up in judgment, and for the remainder, who escape but are bereaved of so many that they love, it would surely be less than joyful to see the horrendous fate that their less fortunate loved ones are being subjected to. Bad news of unutterable terror and grief would better describe it.

So being objective, I either have to rule out the truth part of the angels proclamation and therby rule out the proclamation as something I can think about, or rule out the truth part of the doctrine of eternal damnation, which then makes it even less qualified to think about according to Php 4:8.

How shall I deal with this dilemma?

Dr. Jones' Entry from 11/04/2009

How Eternal is Eternal?--Part 2

There are many scholars who tell us that no ancient language had a direct expression of "eternity" as we know it today. The Hebrew olam literally means "obscurity" and expresses the idea of an indefinite or an unknown period of time. Other languages follow similar patterns.
The Hebrew Old Testament began to be translated into Greek around 280 B.C., that is, about 40+ years after the death of Alexander the Great. His conquests made Greek the common and commercial language from Italy to the Euphrates. In the first century, Paul wrote a letter to the saints in Rome using the Greek language, knowing that it was the common language used there, which all would understand. There were many Latin dialects in Italy and North Africa, but Greek was the language that most of them had in common.
Alexander the Great built the city of Alexandria in Egypt and invited Jews to immigrate there. Many did, and within a generation many of them no longer spoke Hebrew. This created a need for a Greek translation of Scripture. Hence the Septuagint was produced by 70 Hebrew scholars.
When they came to the Hebrew word olam, they rendered it by the Greek equivalent, aion and aionian. So technically, it matters little how the Greeks actually used aion. What really matters is how the Hebrews used olam. The Greek term was only the closest word they could find to express a Hebrew concept. So even if one was speaking or reading Greek, it was necessary to think Hebrew.
Even so, aion was used by the Greeks to mean an eon, or age, a period of time that might vary widely, but in the end it was a limited period of time.
As Rome consolidated its empire, Greek remained the language of culture for a long time. Even so, there were many local Latin dialects throughout Italy and North Africa. In particular, the Latin spoken in North Africa was quite different from that spoken in Italy. The first Latin translation of Scripture (into "Old Latin") was of the "African" type, largely free of Greek influence.
From about 190-220 A.D., Tertullian of Carthage, who was a Roman lawyer, used this Old Latin version, which is how we even know of its existence. When it was introduced into Italy, its grammar broke many of the rules of more refined Latin and its roughness grated on their nerves. And so many took it upon themselves to make corrections and refinements. Soon there were a multitude of Latin translations, and it was said that there were as many translations as there were manuscripts!
This was the situation in the fifth century when Jerome decided to produce a standard Latin translation of the Bible. Up to that time, the Septuagint had been the most widely used version, but the need for a Latin translation was by this time quite apparent. So he spent considerable time learning Hebrew from the rabbis.
In the course of translation, Jerome had to translate the Hebrew olam and the Greek aion into Latin. Essentially, he had two Latin words to choose from, each being used in the various Latin dialects. These were seculum and aeternum.
Seculum, as defined in Latin dictionaries, meant a generation, an age, the world, the times, the spirit of the times, and a period of a hundred years (being the outer limits of a man's life span).
The more important question is how Jerome viewed the meaning of the word aeternum. Being fluent in Greek, Jerome certainly knew the meaning of aionian. He must have known that the Latin word aevum, which (letter for letter) was almost identical to aion, was used to denote "lifetime, life, an age." According to Alexander Thomson's book, Whence Eternity?, page 20, "Aevum is never found in Latin standing for endless time."
On page 17, Thomson writes,
"Farrar says that even the Latin Fathers who had a competent knowledge of Greek knew that aeternum was used in the same loose way, for an indefinite period, in Latin writers, as aionion was used in Greek."
Jerome appears to have compromised by using both seculum and aeternum interchangeably. Out of 130 occurrences of aion in the New Testament, Jerome translated it seculum 101 times and aeternum 27 times.
A thousand years later, when the Reformers began translating the Bible into the common languages of the people, they generally followed Jerome's lead. Where Jerome used seculum, the English translators used "world." Where Jerome used aeternum, Tyndale particularly used "for ever."
In the 16th century, Phavorinus' Etymologicum Magnum states with a certain irony,
"Aion is the imperceptible (aidios) and the unending (ateleutetos), as it seems to the theologian."
In other words, theologians were equating aion with other Greek words that were used in the New Testament to express the idea of unending time. Phavorinus decided not to contradict established Roman doctrine, but he softly registered his protest.
He knew, of course, that a thousand years earlier, the Emperor Justinian had taken it upon himself to extend the meaning of aionian in Church doctrine to indicate unending time. Justinian wrote a letter (about a century after Jerome's time), in which he says,
"The holy church of Christ teaches an endless eonian (ateleutetos aionios) life for the just, and endless (ateleutetos) punishment for the wicked."
It is obvious that Justinian had to add a word to aionios to make it truly mean "eternal." He is the emperor who called for the Church Council of Constantinople (548), where Origen and others were anathematized for the first time. Justinian objected to the long-held view of the Restoration of All Things and wanted to ban it officially. Even so, the Church Council merely condemned Origen's view that Satan and his angels would be saved in the end, without referencing the ultimate reconciliation of all men.
Universal Reconciliation was not actually condemned by a Church Council until 696 A.D.
The idea of never-ending torture for most of humanity came primarily out of the Latin Fathers: Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. Their view was that evil was a force apart from God. Mankind was conspersis damnata, massa perditionis, "one damned batch and mass of perdition," and only a few would be saved out of it. With such a view, it is not surprising that they would have extended the meaning of aeternus to infinite time.
In the end, however, it does not really matter what the Latin words originally meant or how these words have changed in meaning over the years. All that really matters is what the Greek words meant when the New Testament writers used them. And more importantly, what matters is not what the Greek word means but what its Hebrew equivalent means (olam). The Septuagint had used Greek words to express Hebrew thought. Though the Greek meanings were usually near to the Hebrew thought patterns, certain words like hades did not adequately express the Hebrew concept of sheol.
In the case of olam, however, the Greek word aion was a near equivalent. Neither expressed the idea of endless time, but obscure or indefinite time. The Latin aeternum started out as a proper translation, but later it was extended to mean "eternity" as we know it today.

How Did the Jews of Jesus Day Who Wrote in Greek Use Aionios?

Following is an excerpt from the book, Aion and Aionios by John Wesley Hanson:

Those Jews who were contemporary with Christ, but who wrote in Greek, will teach us how they understood the word. Of course when Jesus used it, he employed it as they understood it.
Josephus(50) applies the word to the imprisonment to which John the tyrant was condemned by the Romans; to the reputation of Herod; to the everlasting memorial erected in re-building the temple, already destroyed, when he wrote; to the everlasting worship in the temple which, in the same sentence he says was destroyed; and he styles the time between the promulgation of the law and his writing a long aión. To accuse him of attaching any other meaning than that of indefinite duration to the word, is to accuse him of stultifying himself. But when he writes to describe endless duration he employs other, and less equivocal terms. Alluding to the Pharisees, he says:

"They believe that the wicked are detained in an everlasting prison [eirgmon aidion] subject to eternal punishment" [aidios timoria]; and the Essenes [another Jewish sect] "allotted to bad souls a dark, tempestuous place, full of never-ceasing punishment [timoria adialeipton], where they suffer a deathless punishment, [athanaton timorian]."

It is true he sometimes applies aiónion to punishment, but this is not his usual custom, and he seems to have done this as one might use the word great to denote eternal duration, that is an indefinite term to describe infinity. But aidion and athanaton are his favorite terms. These are unequivocal. Were only aiónion used to define the Jewish idea of the duration of future punishment, we should have no proof that it was supposed to be endless.

Philo, who was contemporary with Christ, generally used aidion to denote endless, and always used aiónion to describe temporary duration. Dr. Mangey, in his edition of Philo, says he never used aiónion to interminable duration. He uses the exact phraseology of Matthew, xxv:46, precisely as Christ used it. "It is better not to promise than not to give prompt assistance, for no blame follows in the former case, but in the latter there is dissatisfaction from the weaker class, and a deep hatred and everlasting punishment [kolasis aiónios] from such as are more powerful." Here we have the exact terms employed by out Lord, to show that aiónion did not mean endless but did mean limited duration in the time of Christ.
Philo always uses athanaton, ateleuteton or aidion to denote endless, and aiónion for temporary duration.

Stephens, in his Thesaurus, quotes from a Jewish work, [Solom. Parab.] "These they called aiónios, hearing that they had performed the sacred rites for three entire generations." This shows conclusively that the expression "three generations" was then one full equivalent of aiónion. Now these eminent scholars were Jews who wrote in Greek, and who certainly knew the meaning of the words they employed, and they give to the aionian words the meaning that we are contending for, indefinite duration, to be determined by the subject.

Thus the Jews of our Savior's time avoided using the word aiónion to denote endless duration, for applied all through the Bible to temporary affairs, it would not teach it. If Jesus intended to teach the doctrine held by the jews, would he not have used the terms they used? Assuredly; but he did not. He threatened age-lasting, or long-enduring discipline to the believers in endless punishment.Aiónion was his word while theirs was aidion, adialeipton, or athanaton, -- thus rejecting their doctrines by not only not employing their phraseology, but by using always and only those words connected with punishment, that denote limited suffering.
And, still further to show that he had no sympathy with those cruel men who procured his death, Jesus said to his disciples: "Take heed and beware of the leaven [doctrine] of the Pharisees and the Sadducees" [believers in endless misery and believers in destruction].

Had aiónion been the strongest word, especially had it denoted endless duration, who does not see that it would have been in general use as applied to punishment, by the Jewish Greeks of nineteen centuries ago?

For Alfred Only

Alfred, following are six versions of the same passage using the word “aionios”. I’ve noted where the word is found. It seems that almost no translators were willing to find it to mean eternal in this instance.
Ro 16:25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages (aionios)26 but is now disclosed,…NRSV

Ro 16:25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past (aionios),26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—NIV

Ro 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,(aionios)26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, [leading] to obedience of faith; NASB

Ro 16:25 Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my glad tidings and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to [the] revelation of [the] mystery, as to which silence has been kept in [the] times of the ages (aionios),26 but [which] has now been made manifest, and by prophetic scriptures, according to commandment of the eternal God, made known for obedience of faith to all the nations—DARBY

Ro 16:25 To Him who has it in His power to make you strong, as declared in the Good News which I am spreading, and the proclamation concerning Jesus Christ, in harmony with the unveiling of the Truth which in the periods of past Ages (aionios) remained unuttered,26 but has now been brought fully to light, and by the command of the God of the Ages has been made known by the writings of the Prophets among all the Gentiles to win them to obedience to the faith— WEYMOUTH

Ro 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,(aionios)26 But now is made manifest, KJV

Here are more than a few Greek scholars who disagree with you regarding your understanding of aion and aionios.

Scarlett: "That aiónion, does not mean endless or eternal, may appear from considering that no adjective can have a greater force than the noun from which it is derived. If aión means age (which none either will or can deny) then aiónion must mean age-lasting, or duration through the age or ages to which the thing spoken of relates."
Maclaine, in his Mosheim: Aión or æon among the ancients, was used to signify the age of man, or the duration of human life."
Cruden: "The words eternal, everlasting, forever, are sometimes taken for a long time, and are not always to be understood strictly, for example, 'Thou shalt be our guide from this time forth, even forever,' that is, during our whole life."
Alex. Campbell: "ITS RADICAL IDEA IS INDEFINITE DURATION."
Whitby: "Nothing is more common and familiar in Scripture than to render a thorough and irreparable vastation, whose effects and signs should be still remaining, by the word aiónios, which we render eternal."Hammond, Benson, and Gilpin, in notes on Jude 7, say the same. Liddell and Scott also give to aión, in the poets the sense of life and lifetime, as also an age or generation.
Pearce (in Matt. vii:33) says: "The Greek word aión, seems to signify age here, as it often does in the New Testament, and according to its most proper signification." Clarke, Wakefield, Boothroyd, Simpson, Lindsey, Mardon, Acton, agree. So do Locke, Hammond, Le Clerc, Beausobre, Lenfant, Dodridge, Paulus, Kenrick and Olshausen.
T. Southwood Smith: "Sometimes it signifies the term of human life; at other times an age, or dispensation of Providence. Its most common signification is that of age or dispensation."
Even Professor Stuart is obliged to say: "The most common and appropriate meaning of aión in the New Testament, and the one which corresponds with the Hebrew word olam, and which therefore deserves the first rank in regard to order, I put down first: an indefinite period of time; time without limitation; ever, forever, time without end, eternity, all in relation to future time. The different shades by which the word is rendered, depend on the object with which aiónios is associated, or to which it has relation, rather than to any difference in the real meaning of the word."
J. W. Haley *says: "The Hebrew word 'olam' rendered 'forever,' does not imply the metaphysical idea of absolute endlessness, but a period of indefinite length, as Rambach says, a very long time, the end of which is hidden from us." Olam or olim is the Hebrew equivalent of aión.
Dr. Edward Beecher(11) remarks, "It commonly means merely continuity of action . . . all attempts to set forth eternity as the original and primary sense of aión are at war with the facts of the Greek language for five centuries, in which it denoted life and its derivative senses, and the sense eternity was unknown." And he also says what is the undoubted fact, "that the original sense of aión is not eternity. . . . It is conceded on all hands that this (life) was originally the general use of the word. In the Paris edition of Henry Stephens' Lexicon it is affirmed emphatically "that life, or the space of life, is the primitive sense of the word, and that it is always so used by Homer, Hesiod, and the old poets; also by Pindar and the tragic writers, as well as by Herodotus and Xenophon." "Pertaining to the world to come," is the sense given to "These shall go away into everlasting punishment," by Prof. Tayler Lewis, who adds(12) "The preacher in contending with the Universalist and the Restorationist, would commit an error, and it may be suffer a failure in his argument, should he lay the whole stress of it on the etymological or historical significance of the words aión, aiónios, and attempt to prove that of themselves they necessarily carry the meaning of endless duration. 'These shall go away into the restraint, imprisonment of the world to come,' is all we can etymologically or exegetically make of the word in this passage." [from John Wesley Hanson's Aion and Aionios]

As for Plato’s usage of the word, you base your dogmatic statement on a modern translation which is subject to the bias of the more recent definition. I have shown you that lexicographers didn’t apply the idea of eternity to aionios until long after the early church fathers were all dead in previous posts so I will not repeat that information here.

Finding it [aionios] in Plato, Mr. Goodwin thinks that Plato coined it, and it had not come into general use, for even Socrates, the teacher of Plato, does not use it. Aidios is the classic word for endless duration.
Plato uses aión eight times, aiónios five, diaiónios once, and makraión twice. Of course if he regarded aión as meaning eternity he would not prefix the word meaning long, to add duration to it.
In all the ... (Writers of the Greek Classics) extending more than six hundred years, the word is never found. Of course it must mean the same as the noun that is its source. It having clearly appeared that the noun is uniformly used to denote limited duration, and never to signify eternity, it is equally apparent that the adjective must mean the same. The noun sweetness gives its flavor to its adjective, sweet. The adjective long means precisely the same as the noun length. When sweet stands for acidity, and long represents brevity, aiónios can properly mean eternal, derived from aión, which represents limited duration. To say that Plato, the inventor of the word, has used the adjective to mean eternal, when neither he nor any of his predecessors ever used the noun to denote eternity, would be to charge one of the wisest of men with etymological stupidity. Has he been guilty of such folly? How does he use the word?
PLATO'S USAGE.
1. He employs the noun as his predecessors did. I give an illustration*- "Leading a life (aióna) involved in troubles."
2. The Adjective.(30) Referring to certain souls in Hades, he describes them as in aiónion intoxication. But that he does not use the word in the sense of endless is evident from the Phædon, where he says, "It is a very ancient opinion that souls quitting this world, repair to the infernal regions, and return after that, to live in this world." After the aiónion intoxication is over, they return to earth, which demonstrates that the word was not used by him as meaning endless. Again,(31) he speaks of that which is indestructible, (anolethron) and not aiónion. He places the two words in contrast, whereas, had he intended to use aiónion as meaning endless, he would have said indestructible and aiónion.
Once more,(32) Plato quotes four instances of aión, and three of aiónios, and one of diaiónios in a single passage, in contrast with aidios (eternal.) The gods he calls eternal, (aidios) but the soul and the corporeal nature, he says, are aiónios, belonging to time, and "all these," he says, "are part of time." And he calls Time [Kronos] an aiónios image of Aiónos. Exactly what so obscure an author may mean here is not apparent, but one thing is perfectly clear, he cannot mean eternity and eternal by aiónios and aiónion, for nothing is wider from the fact than that fluctuating, changing Time, beginning and ending, and full of mutations, is an image of Eternity. It is in every possible particular its exact opposite.
In De Mundo,(33) Aristotle says: "Which of these things separately can be compared with the order of the heaven, and the relation of the stars, sun, and also the moon moving in most perfect measures from one aión to another aión,"- ex aiónos eis eteron aióna. Now even if Aristotle had said that the word was at first derived from two words that signify always being, his own use of it demonstrates that it had not that meaning then [B.C. 350.] Again,(34) he says of the earth, "All these things seem to be done for her good, in order to maintain safety during her aiónos," duration, or life. And still more to the purpose is this quotation concerning God's existence.(35) Life and an aion CONTINUOUS AND ETERNAL, "zoe kai aión, sunekes kai aidios, etc." Here the word aidios, [eternal] is employed to qualify aión and impart to it what it had not of itself, the sense of eternal. Aristotle could be guilty of no such language as "an eternal eternity." Had the word aión contained the idea of eternity in his time, or in his mind, he would not have added aidios. "For the limit enclosing the time of the life of every man, . . . is called his continuous existence, aión. On the same principle, the limit of the whole heaven, and the limit enclosing the universal system, is the divine and immortal ever-existing aión, deriving the name aión from ever-existing [aei ón.]"(36) In eleven out of twelve instances in the works of Aristotle, aión is used either doubtfully, or in a manner similar to the instance above cited, [from one aión to another, that is, from one age to another,] but in this last instance it is perfectly clear that an aión is only without end when it is described by an adjective like aidios, whose meaning is endless. Nobody cares how the word originated, after hearing from Aristotle himself that created objects exist from one aión to another, and that the existence of the eternal God is not described by a word so feeble, but by the addition of another that expresses endless duration. Here aión only obtains the force of eternal duration by being reinforced by the word immortal. If it meant eternity, the addition of immortal is like adding gilding to refined gold, and daubing paint on the petal of the lily.
In most of these the word is enlarged by descriptive adjectives. Æschylus calls Jupiter "king of the never-ceasing aión," and Aristotle expressly states in one case that the aión of heaven "has neither beginning nor end," and in another instance he calls man's life his aión, and the aión of heaven "immortal." If aión denotes eternity, why add "neither beginning nor end," or "immortal," to describe its meaning? These quotations unanswerable show that aión in the Classics, never means eternity unless a qualifying word or subject connected with it add to its intrinsic value.
Says Dr. Beecher: In Rome there were certain periodical games known as the secular games, from the Latin seculum, a period, or age. The historian, Herodian, writing in Greek, calls these aiónian games, that is, periodical, occurring at the end of a seculum. It would be singular, indeed, to call them eternal or everlasting games. Cremer, in his masterly Lexicon of New Testament Greek, states the general meaning of the word to be 'Belonging to the aión.'" Herodotus, Isocrates, Xenophon, Sophocles, Diodorus Siculus use the word in precisely the same way. Diodorus Siculus says ton apéiron aióna, "indefinite time." [from John Wesley Hanson's Aion and Aionios]


So I hope this helps you see that the arguments in favor of aion and aionios being translated as Age and ‘pertaining to age” are far from baseless imaginations, but are well supported in history, lexicography and philology. If Plato meant aionios to be eternal in the poem you gave me, then he was apparently very inconsistent in his usage of the word at best.

As I have meticulously explained elsewhere - and you have still to respond…

I wish you truly were looking forward to my response with a hungry heart for truth instead of with the attitude of …”I got you here!”

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . how often WOULD I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and YE WOULD NOT! “ (Matthew 23:37)

How do you reconcile the “Jerusalem, Jerusalem verse with this?

Ro 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
In this passage of Scripture, I wish to point out several things, in case you missed them.
1. Verse 8 – “spirit of slumber” slumber is not permanent. “unto this day” again a reference to something that has an end.
2. Verse 11 – “have they stumbled that they should fall?” “God forbid.” (that would mean “no”.)
3. The purpose of this judgment is that the FULLNESS of the Gentiles might come in. (That’s everyone who isn’t a Jew.)
4. Verse 12 – “how much more their fullness?” Paul is expecting their full return to the Lord.
5. Verse (15- 24)-branches can be broken and replaced.
6. Ro 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Blindness is until…)


7. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (ALL Israel includes those that will need to be grafted back in. Which includes those in Jerusalem, Jerusalem. Jesus mourned that they had to go the hard way. He sympathized with the difficulty of their plight. He was subject to the Father’s will in this as well as to the Father's will regarding His own path which was not easy.)(For this is my covenant “when” I “shall” take away their sins. Not “if” but when I shall.)
8. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (Here we have confirmation of exactly who this Israel is that Paul is speaking of. Not the spiritual Israel of God but the enemies of the gospel, those who are Israel by physical birth, and even though they crucified God’s son Jesus, He still loves them and they are still elect. All Israel shall be saved.

This should answer your challenge adequately. Just because Jesus, in time, lamented the stubbornness of Israel, did not mean that He would not have His way with them, and His way is the way of life. He still loves them and He always will. Thank God that He has also promised to bring the fullness of the rest of us unto Himself too, for if He doesn’t bring us solely by His power then you can be sure we will not make it at all.

11. Christian Union.
12. Lange's Ecclesiastes.
30. De Repub. Lib. ii.
31. De Leg., Lib. x.
32. Timæus.
33. Cap. 5, p. 609 C.
34. Cap. 5, p. 610 A.
35. Metaph., Lib. xiv, cap. 7.
36. De Cælo., i, 9.

An Interesting Perspective (posted by Jack)

The following is my attempt to put Tom Talbott’s thoughts (Universalism, Calvinism, and Arminianism: ) into my own words and then to expand on it a bit.

(1) It is God's redemptive purpose for the world (and therefore his will) to reconcile all sinners to himself;

Some verses that support the above proposition:

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Ro 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

(2) It is within God's power to achieve his redemptive purpose for the world;

Some verses that support the second proposition:

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Ps 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
1Co 15:27 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. 28 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.
Mt 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mr 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Mr 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself;
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

(3) Some sinners will never be reconciled to God, and God will therefore either consign them to a place of eternal punishment, from which there will be no hope of escape, or (as a few would say) put them out of existence altogether.

Some verses that support the third proposition:

Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Mr 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Three propositions, each one seemingly backed by Scripture, cannot all be true. It is possible to believe any two of them, but one must be rejected as inconsistent or as a contradiction to the other two. For example:

If God will’s all to be saved (1) and anyone is eternally damned (3), then God does not accomplish His will.(2)

If God accomplishes all His will (2) and anyone is eternally lost (3), then it wasn’t God’s will for all to be saved. (1)

If God will’s all to be saved(1), and God will accomplish all His will,(2) then no one can be lost for eternity.(3)

Some Bible students reject the first proposition (God wills all to be saved), accepting the second (God accomplishes His will in everything), and third, (Some are eternally damned), these must ignore or attempt to explain away the verses clearly stating that God wills all to be saved. We say they are Calvinist. (And they often claim that “all” means only all the elect.)

Other Bible students reject the second proposition, (God accomplishes His will in everything), accepting the first and third, (God wills all to be saved and some are eternally damned), these must attempt to explain away the verses stating that God will accomplish all His will. They are called Arminian or “Free Willers”. (They might reason, God can save everyone but He chooses to allow them to reject Him forever, and so honoring their will He lets them suffer forever in torment just because they didn't want to accept Jesus before they died.)

While still other Bible believers reject the third proposition, accepting both the first and second, thereby agreeing in part with both the Calvinists and the Arminians. They explain away the “eternality” of wrath and punishment and Hell by pointing to translation problems in the verses that teach “eternal torment”.

The first two groups have serious issues with being absolutely confident in their own eternal security, and believe that many people they know, will not receive the inheritance of Eternal Salvation.

The first group, (Calvinist’s) believe that only those whom God has elected, can and will be saved, and of course, if one is of the elect, he can not lose that election, but the problem is knowing for sure if they are truly elect. It is possible to think you are saved and find out you aren’t.

1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

And Mt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So for these believers, there is no way to know for sure they are saved.

The second group, the Arminian’s or Free will doctrine believers, can not be sure they are saved unless they ignore a bunch of verses such as…

Mt 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (What if persecution gets really nasty? Can we endure? Peter thought he could but alas…)

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Re 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (So those that don’t overcome might have their name blotted out?)

Re 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Yet we have this testimony from Scripture:

1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

The way we know we have eternal life, is when God gives us the capacity to love everyone, even our enemies. Those who believe in Universal Reconciliation have a tremendous edge over those who believe many will be lost forever. The U.R. believer seeing each person as an object of God’s love and mercy, in various stages of perfection, realizes that we are all going to be together for eternity and recognizes that each one is being used by God to refine those around them as well as being refined by God. It becomes a hundred times easier to love them when we see them through the light of this truth.

1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Mt 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:

Another reason, perhaps more obvious, that U.R. believers can be sure they are not eternally lost, is because they understand that nobody is eternally lost, but we will all be sought until we are found by The Good Shepherd.

Lu 15:4 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?

If anyone is desiring to lean towards the first two understandings, the two which include eternal torment, then it is not enough to assert the eternal torment verses alone, but it is necessary also to show how either the verses stating God’s will is to save all are not true, or the verses stating God will accomplish His will are not true. Until this has been accomplished, these would do well to accept those holding the view of Universal Reconciliation as fellow believers in the teachings of the Bible. While it is true that at least two of the three groups mentioned are incorrect, it may not necessarily mean that they are heretics to be rejected. Rather in humility, let us love one another, acknowledging that we have a discrepancy in our understanding of the teachings of Scripture.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.