HAS THE GOSPEL MESSAGE LOST SOME OF ITS GLORY SINCE FIRST DELIVERED?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. And all was very good" [Gen 1:1, 27 and 31]. ("And won't He give the Spirit to them that ask Him?" Luke 11:13) ...God's rescue from the outcome of "missing the mark" sin "was finished from the foundation/creation of the world" [Heb 4:3]. "My word that goes out from my mouth will accomplish all I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" [Is 55:11]. Perfect, makes no mistakes. Can lose nothing. Ultimately all will repent.. there may even "be weeping and gnashing of teeth" in "outer darkness" but - "In Christ all will be made alive! Each in his own order - those who are Christ’s at His coming, then the end when Christ hands the kingdom over to God the Father.. that He may be all in all" [1 Cor 15:22-28].

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Versus Verses

I came across these verses as a list, believed, some for, some against, the idea of Christian Universalism (the belief that God will draw all to Himself and all to repentance). So of course I had to look them up, and do a rebuttal of the against verses.

For CU - Seem to Support 

Romans 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Colossians 1:20; Philippians 2:11

Against?:

Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelations 14:11; 20:10-15
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FOR:

Romans 5:18 (NIV)
"Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people."

1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV)
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

Colossians 1:20 (NKJV)
"and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

Philippians 2:11 (NKJV)

"and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AGAINST?

Matthew 25:46 (NKJV)
"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." {"everlasting" is the Greek word #166 - aiṓnios (an adjective, derived from 165 /aiṓn  - an age, properly, "age-like"} -- This verse is "the goats and sheep at His return"; The "tares" being "gathered" to Armageddon.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 (NKJV)
"6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." {aiṓnios (destruction/ruin) from aiṓn -- The tares are gathered to Armageddon and the wheat into His barn - at His return.}


Revelation 14:11 (NKJV)
11 "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 14:11 (Young's Literal Translation, YLT)

11 and the smoke of their torment doth go up to ages of ages; and they have no rest day and night, who are bowing before the beast and his image, also if any doth receive the mark of his name.

Previous Verse:

Revelation 14:10 (YLT)

10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, that hath been mingled unmixed in the cup of His anger, and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy messengers, and before the Lamb,

This occurs when Jesus returns. It's an earthly event, and actually is the culmination of man's doings, of which "wrath of God" is metaphor. And in the same spirit of symbolism, it's the smoke that rises (forever?) not the torment. As in, the memory of..

Revelation 20:10-15 (YLT)
10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages. {"To the ages, of the ages (to a certain age?); The beast and false prophet are institutions of man 'active' at the time of His return.}

11 And I saw a great white throne, and Him who is sitting upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven did flee away, and place was not found for them; {The second resurrection of all those not (yet) saved, one thousand years after the first resurrection, which was of all believers/followers.}

12 and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls -- according to their works; {They rise "still in their sins" - "But I tell you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” I.e. Judgment 'Day' lasts longer than a moment or two!}

13 and the sea did give up those dead in it, and death and hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works;

14 and death and hades were cast to the lake of the fire -- this [is] the second death; {"The last enemy to be abolished is death." - 1 Corinthians 15:26}

15 and if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire. {By end of judgment 'Day'? what does it require for one's name to be written in the Book of Life? To believe, and thus repent and be reconciled.}



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