Love Never Fails

Universal Salvation. ...even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. Ro 5:18
All will be saved. [God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth. I Ti 2:4
The Reconciliation of all mankind. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself... Col 1:19-20
Good news to all men. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. Lu 2:10

These are still new ideas to me.  I casually live out my life, running my business, buying groceries, driving around the Southland, occasionally remembering that everyone will be won by our Lord.  I forget that the blood of Jesus now triumphs over the sin and debt of every man, woman, boy and girl.  I find myself surprised by the power of God's intervention in a person's life.  Not one will be left to wander in darkness.  God will leave the 99 to pursue the 1.  A lifetime of believing in the tradition of eternal torment for those who don't follow Christ in this life hinders my thinking.

I am not surprised that you, the reader, have a hard time taking in this "new" idea.  I can only guess at the emotions I would feel, the offense I would have taken five or ten years ago. All kinds of statements come to my mind concerning taking such a "heretical" path away from the tried and true course.  I remember many past judgments I have declared concerning the behavior and beliefs of other Christians.  I smile.  Now I am marginalized, I am the irrational thinker, I am the one reaping the scorn and derision.  And well I should be humbled, one always quick to contradict another's reason, often speaking before thinking, so full of "truth" and short on love.  I really enjoy God's humor in all this!

Inherent in all this is the love of God.  It has never changed.  I have changed and will change some more.  You have changed--your doctrine, your convictions.  We are not the idealists of yesterday nor will we remain as we are in years to come. 

When I consider how best to persuade you of the truth of God's promise of life for the world, I weigh the two extremes.  Should I show you how scripture gives consistent witness, how those proof texts for an eternal Hell are mistranslated and tradition is god for most Christians?  Or, should I show you that the character of God proves out our convictions?

Here in this blog we are trying to do both.  Scripture texts and the character of God revealed in scripture powerfully testify to God's desire to reconcile "all things (Col 1:19-20)." 

The crux of the traditional doctrine of Hell rests on God somehow taking a lobotomy at the end of this life.  His grace, love and power become harsh judgment, hate and powerlessness as he must now sentence most of his created beings to torment without end.  He is inexplicably unable to win them and save them.

I long for you to see that the God who never fails, the One with the keys of Hell and of Death, will accomplish what he has set out to do.  He will win them all!

For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:11-14

Bumper Sticker Theology

Pain is an illusion, you are eternal!

This is the quote I read stenciled across the window of someone's car recently. 

I thought, "No, pain is real and you can't give hope to people unless you recognize this first!"

Maybe you think our disagreement with the Doctrine of Eternal Hell means we don't believe in any "sharp edges."  That we have produced some "loving God" out of touch with the truths of the Bible.  On the contrary, the accuracy of the Bible and the immutability (unchanging character) of God is crucial to our hope! 

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
Gal 6:7

Men and Women across our nation daily reap what they have sown.  They face difficulty of all kinds.  In addition, many who we would consider upright suffer through incredible challenges, facing hardships from sickness to economical disaster.  Pain is real!  But so are the works of our creator, bringing judgment that leads us with love (Hosea 11:4), and refining trials that make us pure, (I Peter 1:6-7)...and expressing love that is stronger than death (Romans 8:35 & 36).

Into this nation, into this world of pain, we bring a God sized hope!  We point to Christ, His love and eternal purposes.  We offer this breath of life, this moment of joy to the hurting lost sheep (and the hurting "not so lost" sheep) who struggle to grasp or aggressively resist all truth.  We don't hold their lives by a thread over the fires of hell to try to scare it (that is, hell) out of them.  I suspect that many of them are already experiencing these fires right here!

Pain is real.  The blessed hope is real.

In some limited measure, we offer "heaven" right now, right here.  Correction: Jesus offers heaven.  The gift of God (Jesus!) is for all men, women and children right here, right now. 

Come to Jesus, He has a great healing ointment for that cut or bruise you've taken. 

Oh, Come on! How could the whole evangelical movement be wrong?

What? No eternal Hell?
Sounds ridiculous! Every christian knows there is an eternal Hell. What else are we saved from? We are the proclaimers of truth! We are the ones who know. We are the light of the world! This is just too fundamental, it's just too basic! How could all the seminarians miss this? If we could be wrong on this... what else could we have wrong? I don't want to try to rethink all the issues. I am sure that we all can't be wrong on this one. Besides I already know a couple of people who I think need to go to Hell forever. Maybe I just wouldn't want to share eternity with them. (Oh, that doesn't work too well with verses about christians being known by their love, and love your enemies, and if you don't forgive men then neither will I forgive you...)

If I started entertaining the belief that everyone will someday be saved, my christian friends would think I was heretical, and I would lose my close friendships... surely God wouldn't want that! Even my family members would reject me to a degree, maybe even cut off fellowship.

Do these thoughts ring true with you? They are sadly accurate, only I didn't realize this before I began sharing openly that I believed the huge conspiracy that began around the time of Augustine, causing the translations from Greek to Latin to English to become corrupted with the false doctrine which presents a false concept and image of our loving benevolent Father and His beautiful selfless Son.

Pr 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Isa 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Mt 11:25 ¶ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Lu 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

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.

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.


All that said, the severity of the changed relationships that I have experienced as a result of openly and honestly sharing what I believe to be "Good News" (gospel), has been intense, to say the least. I am not bitter, but I have felt and continue to feel the pain of lost fellowship, mainly with those who are scared by the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of all. I miss the respect I once had of those who can't see what I think I see so clearly, especially those in my own family, but I have confidence that this is part of God's good design and plan, and I appreciate the reality that pride is lessened and humility is increased. As a result of this experience, these two portions of Scripture have come alive with feeling and meaning for me:

Just after Jesus opened up and revealed essential truth for "eternal life" many couldn't understand or believe what He said, and this was the result: Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? I believe this was a painful experience that our Lord endured. I never noticed it, or felt the emotion of it until I had experienced brothers and sisters in our fellowship who walked away because the teaching I was sharing was too hard to receive.

The second passage is: Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I prayed this prayer for years, now and then, but it wasn't until so many in our fellowship walked away, that I began to experience fellowship with my Lord's sufferings in the moment when His disciples walked away.

When Jesus saw them walk away He said, "Joh 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." So Jesus rested in the sovereign will of His Father, and so I rest in the same. (When I'm thinking right.)

That I may know Him... knowing Jesus is life in this age and in the age to come. (aionios life).
And the power of His resurrection... not just powerful enough to raise a few, but powerful enough to raise EVERYONE!
And the fellowship of His sufferings... to experience the same sufferings for the same cause is possibly the deepest form of fellowship!
I still don't think I understand the last phrase...being made conformable unto his death, but I'm sure it will be good thing when it occurs.

God Made Man in His Own Image

Have we made God in our own image? Have we made God to be like us, when we are supposed to become like Him? What is His true image?

Are we 'all-merciful'? HE IS!

Jer 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

Are we spiritual? HE IS!

Ga 6:1 ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Are we Love? HE IS!

Pr 10:12 ¶ Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth ALL sins.

Are we perfect? Are we righteous in judgement? HE IS ALL THESE THINGS! AMEN?

I am none of these things.

If I was to IMAGE'n God to be like me, He surely could send multitudes to a state of permanent torment! I AM STUPID. I can't comprehend permanent torment, but God is wise, and He knows even our spirits could not endure that.

Isa 57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Why do we make God in the image of one who will be cruel to countless millions who have rejected Him and those who are yet to reject Him? Could it be because at one point in History, men who gained control over the Scriptures, felt it was expedient for men to fear more than they needed too, and so they promoted their image of God, and the myth of God's "eternal damnation" for the good of mankind and for political expediency? If this is the case, the men who did this would be Constantine and Augustine primarily. Before Augustine, the predominant view of the the Church was that held and taught by Paul, and also by Origen.

That's right! Paul never teaches eternal damnation! Now, this is especially amazing, since Paul made this claim:

"Ac 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

CAN ANYONE READING THIS BLOG SHOW ME ONE VERSE WHERE PAUL WARNS OF ETERNAL DAMNATION? PLEASE COMMENT.

WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, CAN ANYONE SHOW ME ONE VERSE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHERE GOD WARNED US OF THE PENALTY OF ETERNAL TORMENT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF BREAKING HIS LAW???

I EXPECT TO SEE IN THE COMMENTS THE VERSES WARNING MANKIND OF THE ETERNAL DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DIE IN THEIR SINS. IF THEY ARE THERE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH DOZENS OF THEM.

Why would God fail to sound the warning regarding this horrendous judgement upon millions upon millions of men, women and children who failed to keep the law? By the way, who has succeded in keeping the law? NO-ONE! NO NOT ONE!

Ps 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

And the wisest man in the world asked:

Ec 6:6 ... do not ALL go to one place?

Two observations:

1. If there is "Eternal Damnation", then nobody who lived before Jesus had a fair shot at escaping it, especially since they had no idea of the consequences of imperfection, since they clearly were taught that the biggest consequence they faced was death.
2. This one place that Solomon was referring to? Is it heaven or is it hell? Or is it neither. The place all go to is "the grave", also known as Sheol and Hades. Jesus conquered death and the grave! He will complete the ministry of reconciliation. He IS the Saviour of ALL men!

We are guilty of making God in our own image...yet another violation of the law. IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

God bless all who read this with the knowlege of who He is, regardless of my ideas!

A God Sized Hope

Could it be possible for the Christian Faith to be infiltrated by man's limited thinking and biased motivation?  Could our doctrines begin to reflect man's need for control, superiority, power wielding?  These are remarkably harsh words for such a "loving" blog.  I suggest them because the power of traditional doctrine can be so strong, little thought can be given to an alternate view.  Scriptures pointing unalterably to God's desire to save all are ignored in the face of the popular "Christian" club for only the few. 

The power of the resurrection (See Jack D.'s wonderful entry today), the testimony of scripture, the character of God (amply extolled through the scriptures) point to a God sized hope!  "The Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17) brought "good tidings of great joy which will be to all people." (Luke 2:10)

Good news.  God sized.

Resurrection Day!

Paul prayed, " That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" Php 3:10

Do we know the power of His resurrection? "Lord, open my eyes to see the power of your resurrection."

Most christians believe that it is powerful enough to rescue them from their own sin, and from the fate of eternal damnation. That it is powerful enough to rescue everyone from sin! I have no doubt it is powerful enough to raise everyone from the dead.

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.

Most christians also believe that God is omniscient.

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:

Why would God make His resurrection so powerful, if in fact He knew it would only need to be powerful enough to raise perhaps 20% of all people? On the surface, that seems inneficient, doesn't it. Of course, God is God and He can certainly do whatever he wants... right? Of course, right!

Has God told us what He wants?

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. 2Pe 3:9

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 1:11

The power of the resurrection includes:

Conquering death and hell.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Re 20:14

O death, where is thy sting? O grave (hades), where is thy victory? 1Co 15:55

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1Co 15:26

The Power Of His Resurrection is Complete! It is ALL inclusive! It is the end of death! Death has been conquered and will cease to exist! Death is swallowed in Victory so that God may be All and "in All".

Happy Resurrection Day.

... and ye shall be the children of the Highest

Perhaps you believe that God has given up on his enemies and has relegated those who don't love Him, to the worst consequence imaginable. Eternal damnation and torment. I used to think that way, but I have found so many passages of Scripture that contradict that belief, and the passages that supported it were unable to stand up under the scrutiny of deeper research into the original languages. The following passages teach us how God would have us to treat our enemies if we would be like Him.


Ro 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil... 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: ... 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

God is Love and Love never fails. We love Him because He first loved us.

Ga 6:1 ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness...

As weak and helpless as we are He commands us to restore anyone overtaken in a fault if we are spiritual? How much more is He qualified to follow this directive?
Mt 5:43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
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:

Just a chip off the old block...That's my boy... He's just like His dad... You can tell whose son he is!

for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Publicans reserve their love for those who return it... Not God! He loves us first and last, He is perfect!

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Lu 6:27 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 ¶ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

What God IS today, is what He always will be. HE NEVER CHANGES!