French Toast and 3 R-s of Christian Universalism

As I was preparing French toast for hubby and I, I got to thinking of the process and how it reminded me of God’s great and wondrous creation and His Great Plan of Salvation.

I got out the grill and plugged it in so it would warm up and made my batter. And behold, thus far it was all good.

The grill will hold eight pieces of bread so I got eight pieces of (stale or toasted) bread, stacked them, and dipped each one in the batter, and then put each one on the grill.

I have applied just the right amount of heat to brown the bread. Though one half of the grill will brown more so than the other. But being a rational creature, hubby will have the darker, his preference, and me the lighter.

I then flip every piece over.

And brown the other side of each one.

Then I remove each piece from the grill.. when done.

Yes this reminded me of what I think of as 3 R’s of Christian Universalism.

All humans are born and are fully dipped into the Adam flawed nature and character.

Thus all persons die.

Revelation tells us that all persons will be resurrected (via the two resurrections).

Following that pattern of all, Christian Universalism (CU), also called Universal Reconciliation (UR), claims the plan outlined in the Bible, says all will ultimately repent and all be reconciled to God. He shall be “all in all”. “All things made new.” ...”All things in heaven and earth gathered into Jesus”, etc. etc..

3 R’s - all Resurrected, all will Repent, all will be Reconciled to God.

As cook, I knew enough to dip, cook and flip all pieces of bread. If I’d left some in the batter, and then I flipped only some.. what kind of cook would I be!? And what a mess I would make. There is no doubt in my mind that God is a far better God than I am cook (believe me! I have messed up plenty of French toast in my day!)

Epilogue - with my left over batter, I cube some bread, some ham slices, some pineapple and some onion and mix it all in the batter, pour it into an oiled baking dish and cover with cheese and aluminum foil and put it in the fridge or freezer for another breakfast.

Motto: waste not, want not! (batter or ppl)

I am an im-perfect cook, but I simply cannot fathom, that there is any possibility, that God could be an imperfect God.

The Apostle Peter and Christian Universalism

(Top o' the mornin'!)

I was thinking, after reading it this morning, that 2 Peter 1:1 - in the interlinear - is highly Christian Universalist.

Otherwise, it reads (NKJ for example):

- "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.."

In the interlinear, it reads:

- "Simon Peter a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ to those who equally precious with ours having obtained a faith through [the] righteousness of the God of us and Savior Jesus Christ" - http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-1.htm

The words, "[the] righteousness" is from #G1343 - "dikaiosuné: righteousness, justice" and "(usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness."

and "having obtained" is #G2975 - "lagchanó: to obtain by lot" (by a heavenly shake of the dice!)

- "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness/justice of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.."

Now if "ones salvation is/was obtained by lot", and all others perish horribly forever and ever (as the mistranslation goes) how is that reflecting the justice and (utter) right-ness of God our heavenly Father?

Truth Sets Free

We are rational creatures. That we are "made in the image of God" is most usually thought to mean that very thing.

Sooner or later, with thinking ability, comes the ability to make choices. Can you see how this is a virtual Pandora's box of much trouble? Yet, what is the other option?

It surely seems like He has engineered things in such a way that all are taking this strange journey through the land of learning good from evil, all at once. An unavoidable journey and lesson. Surely? If there's to be thinking ability.

Why all at once? Perhaps to get it over with, lest one choose something in thought, word or deed that differs from what He chooses - stepping upon that roadway of imperfection which is long and wide - one now, another later, and each one later and later, taking almost forever!

A world (or person, nation, etc.) on the road of imperfection can only crash and burn. For surely He, Great God Almighty is also Life. Life itself, the very force, breath, and spark of life -- without which, there is no life.

"Surely in the day (age) that you eat from the forbidden tree, shalt thou be dying".

Truth! Like an all encompassing flashing light. Flashing neon throughout man's ages. Huge letters saying "Forever! Go not that way!"

Written, etched, engraved deeply upon the heart (psyche/soul) of every rational creature.

He, being Life, lives through, experiences and suffers all sufferings which ever occur in this twilight zone of imperfection.

When Jesus returns, eventually He brings 100% - so to speak - Heaven with Him, for the very Throne and Presence of God will come to dwell (Tabernacle) with mankind upon Earth! Earth made new, in a universe made new. (Revelation 21 and 22.)

"The lion will eat straw like the ox, the bear will graze with the cow" Isaiah 11:7.

Yet, it's not we who make the choice for Him, or that is when the choice is made available - "each one in their own order/time, first 1-Christ the firstfruits, then 2-those that are His at His coming, then 3-comes the end when He delivers up the Kingdom to God the Father.. that God may be all in all" 1 Corinthians 15:23,24,28.

He chooses when for each one of us, and not because of merit "lest any should boast". If we are saved, it's a lucky shake of the cosmic dice?

"God is the savior of all" 1 Timothy 4:10.

"All the ends of the Earth will turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nation's will worship and rejoice before Him" Psalm 22:27.

This sets us free. We are free to plant seeds of truth where and when His Spirit leads. It's not something one must do upon the arm of the flesh and self 'strength', because people are in dire risk of forever perishing.

No, Jesus is "savior of the world". And God has done all things perfectly and the outcome can be nothing but -  perfect. "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:48.

"Wait.." for the mounting up on wings like an eagle.. [Not that we are anything.. HE is all. It's ALL about HIM.]

Love Does Not Ever Fail

1 Timothy 2: 3 - ...God our Savior, 4 Who will have all men to be saved..

Isaiah 46:10 - I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose.. 11 ...I have purposed it, and I will do it.
   
Matthew 19:26 - with God all things are possible.

1 Corinthians 13:8 - Love never fails.

Psalm 22 Prophecy To Be Fufilled

Verse one of Psalm 22, opens with the verse Jesus quoted when He was on the cross - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!"

And we've likely heard these following verses as fulfilled,
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”

12 Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.

Hebrews chapter 2 quotes verse 22, 11 ..Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says, I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praise. (Psalm 22:22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.)

And the verses (same psalm) to be yet fulfilled -

27 All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will worship before him..

29 ..all who go down to the dust will kneel before him —

Tracing Hell

Is it in the Scroll of God? The Bibles we read come from a long line. What once were scrolls written in Hebrew, and words spoken in Aramaic (the gospels) went through the Greek language and were likely Hellenized like most other things. Then there was the Latin. So the Hebrew "sheol" where there was "neither doing nor thought" became first "hades" (Greek) a "place of the dead" and then "inferno" (Roman). Then came Signor Dante with his entertaining tales (in the 1300's). This was after some Norse tribes had brought into the lands their slant on an afterlife, named Helheim, shortened to Hel. And then of course came along (1600's) good King James, whose heart was likely in the right place, it's just by then the culture was saturated with these other (nonbiblical) ideas.