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' The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1908) by Schaff-Herzog: "In the first five or six centuries of Christianity there were six theological schools, of which four were Universalist, one accepted conditional immortality; one taught endless punishment of the wicked. Other theological schools are mentioned as founded by Universalists, but their actual doctrine on this subject is not known..The number of schools in the early church that taught ultimate reconciliation is an embarrassment to many modern church historians. Therefore, they often do whatever they can to hide these facts...Christian Universalists who were clearly the majority of the early Church, believed that all mankind through Christ would be restored. They believed and taught and many laid down their lives for the belief that Jesus Christ was truly the Savior of the whole world. Also note that the school that taught "Eternal Torment" was in Rome, where the original Bible languages were abandoned and replaced with Latin." The Early Christian View of the Savior
Paul tells us that Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all.
1 Timothy 2
2 I exhort, then, first of all, there be made supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, for all men:
2 for kings, and all who are in authority, that a quiet and peaceable life we may lead in all piety and gravity,
3 for this [is] right and acceptable before God our Saviour,
4 who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;
5 for one [is] God, one also [is] mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who did give himself a ransom for all -- the testimony in its own times --
Isaiah 35:10
10 And the ransomed of Jehovah return, And have entered Zion with singing. And joy age-during on their head, Joy and gladness they attain, And fled away have sorrow and sighing! (Young's Literal)
Jesus gave His life for all people and it will not be in vain. He died for all and He deserves all. The belief in the eventual restoration of all to God maintains that that He will get all. God bless.
Gospel= good news, glad tidings. The good news is for all people. Jesus died for the sins of the world and will redeem all from sin, death, the grave. He has purchased all with the blood of His cross and will one day obtain the love, worship, and allegiance of all for whom He died.
Isaiah 45
“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God, and there is no other.
23
“I have sworn by Myself,
The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
And will not turn back,
That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.
24
“They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’
Men will come to Him,
And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
swear allegiance=Shaba= to confirm with an oath, to pledge allegiance to God with an oath
The Scriptures are patently and unequivocally clear. There will be a Day of Judgment when all people will face God. Those who are not covered by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross will be cast out into hell where they will undergo eternal punishment.
End of story. Read the Scripture, it speaks of this important choice over and over an over again. To remain blind to the truth is simply mind-boggling. One cannot read any portion of the Scripture and come to a doctrine of universal salvation.
Hi JJ_ Maxx, there are many believers who believe that the scriptures teach that everyone is covered by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. He is not only the propitiation for our sins but for the sins of the world. (1 John 2)
No, it is not the end of the story. Many believers have come to the realization that all are to be restored to God, based on scriptural teaching. Many in the very early church understood this and many have understood this down through time. God bless.
A Day Judgment, yes, JJ_Maxx. God is a just God. He does not torment people for all of eternity. An eternal hell does not go with agape love, justice, and mercy. Very many scriptures reveal God's plan to restore all to Himself.
"God is just. In the OT, the punishment was always in proportion to the offense committed according to the law. Infinite suffering is not in proportion to finite sin.
"The Bible everywhere declares that God will render a just recompense to the transgressor, that he will punish sinners according to their sins, will reward every man according to his works. [see note]
[NOTE: Matt 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 2 Tim. 4:14. Rev. 2:23, 20:12, 22:12. See also Psalm 62:12. Prov. 24:12, 29. Jer. 1:29. Hosea, 12:2, &c.]
And infinite woe is not according to finite sin. If a sin were to reach in its consequences every inhabitant of earth, yet there would be a, limit to the number injured. If it were to blast the happiness of the whole race through every year and moment of their life on earth, still there would be a limit in time as well in numbers. Count, therefore, the evil of sin as you will, it, cannot be added up to the infinite, either in quantity, quality or time ; and if not,, then infinite endless punishment is not according to the transgression—and Justice, therefore, which demands equity and fair dealing, repudiates it, and calls for a punishment proportionate to the wrong. The Justice of God
"As the old saying goes, to the victor go the spoils. And lost human beings are Jesus Christ's prize. As Abraham Lincoln once said: Do I not destroy my enemies when I make friends with them? Make no mistake about this: the victory is not accomplished by men, but in Jesus Christ. Men either serve Him in His victory, or if they oppose, their opposition will be put down soon enough. Either way, Jesus will emerge the victor over all things. He is the Lamb who has overcome the world. It happened on the cross and will be made manifest to all men in due time."
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (NASB)
5 for one [is] God, one also [is] mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who did give himself a ransom for all -- the testimony in its own times --
7 in regard to which I was set a preacher and apostle -- truth I say in Christ, I do not lie -- a teacher of nations, in faith and truth. (Young's Literal)
"As the old saying goes, to the victor go the spoils. And lost human beings are Jesus Christ's prize. As Abraham Lincoln once said: Do I not destroy my enemies when I make friends with them? Make no mistake about this: the victory is not accomplished by men, but in Jesus Christ. Men either serve Him in His victory, or if they oppose, their opposition will be put down soon enough. Either way, Jesus will emerge the victor over all things. He is the Lamb who has overcome the world. It happened on the cross and will be made manifest to all men in due time."
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (NASB)
5 for one [is] God, one also [is] mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who did give himself a ransom for all -- the testimony in its own times --
7 in regard to which I was set a preacher and apostle -- truth I say in Christ, I do not lie -- a teacher of nations, in faith and truth. (Young's Literal)
Shana -
Your posts have blessed me. They offer life and hope. Peace be with you.
Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property.
Psalm 2:8
On the reuniting of all things in Jesus Christ. All things were made for Him and He has been made heir of all things.
Epheisians 1:9
having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,
10 in regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to *bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth -- in him;
11 in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being foreordained according to the purpose of Him who the all things is working according to the counsel of His will,
(Young's Literal)
It is believed that God's plan is to reunite all things in Christ, both things in the heavens and things on the earth.
to bring into one=anakephalaioomai=to be reduced to a head or sum total. In the mid voice-to gather together again in one, to reunite under one head (as in Ephesians 1:10) source-Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible
In Ephesians 1:10 God is said ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τά πάντα ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, to bring together again for himself (note the middle) all things and beings (hitherto disunited by sin) into one combined state of fellowship in Christ, the universal bond (cf. Meyer or Ellicott on Ephesians, the passage cited); (Protevangelium Jacobi 13εἰς ἐμέ ἀνεκεφαλαιώθη ἡ ἱστορία Ἀδάμ, where cf. Thilo).
14 in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of the sins,
15 who is the image of the invisible God, first-born of all creation,
16 because in him were the all things created, those in the heavens, and those upon the earth, those visible, and those invisible, whether thrones, whether lordships, whether principalities, whether authorities; all things through him, and for him, have been created,
17 and himself is before all, and the all things in him have consisted.
18 And himself is the head of the body -- the assembly -- who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all [things] -- himself -- first,
19 because in him it did please all the fulness to tabernacle, 20 and through him to reconcile the all things to himself -- having made peace through the blood of his cross -- through him, whether the things upon the earth, whether the things in the heavens.
Notes:
. It pleased the Father, by his son Jesus, "TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven". (Co. 1:19-20) This is a similar periphrasis to that spoken of by Professor Stuart, [see section 78] which signifies the universe. The phrase, "all things", as Archbishop Newcome observes, signifies all intelligent beings. It is God's pleasure "to reconcile all things unto himself", -- an irrefutable argument in proof of the final holiness and happiness of all men.
God bless.
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