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Universalism The Prevailing Doctrine Of The Christian Church During Its First Five Hundred Years
The author, J.W. Hanson wrote “The purpose of this book is to present the evidence of the prevalence in the early centuries of the Christian church, of the doctrine of the final holiness of all mankind. The author believes that the following pages show that Universal Restitution was the faith of the early Christians for at least the First Five Hundred Years of the Christian era. He has presented irrefragable proofs that the doctrine of Universal Salvation was the prevalent sentiment of the primitive Christian church.
The salient statements and facts in all which will be found in these pages show that the most and ablest of the early fathers found the deliverance of all mankind from sin and sorrow specifically revealed in the Christian Scriptures.” And they were reading the Bible in its original language.
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But one day you'll give an answer for the things you have chosen in your life to do......and those you have misled with the false teaching of universalism.
I would like to respond to your negative prediction by using the words of A.E. Knoch, who was probably the best known Christian Biblical Universalist during the last century.
A critic said "Mr. Knoch and his colleagues will yet have to answer to God for so defiantly opposing the plain teachings of God's holy word."
In reply A.E. Knoch wrote:
"Let me assure our brother, beloved by the Lord, that we fully expect to answer to God for all our acts, and will rejoice to see all that is not of God destroyed by the fiery test of that day. But such threats do not alarm us in the least. We know a God of transcendent grace. It is only natural for one who thinks Him capable of tormenting His own creatures eternally, to seek to follow His example, and torture His servants here and now. Indeed, it would be strange if it were not so.
The character of the God you worship will determine your ways and your words. We trust it will be so with us also, for we would delight to be like Him. Hence, we do not threaten you with His wrath, but commend you to His grace.
Perhaps no sin can be so great as to distort His words and defame His character. But His grace is superbly sufficient, His love is lavish in its long-suffering. It never lapses, but looks longingly for the reconciliation which is the justification and crown of all His ways with His creatures.
So, as we close with the absolute certainty of a reconciliation between us, we anticipate it on our part and throw all enmity aside. We are conciliated no matter what you do. We recall with joy and satisfaction the great truth that, by God's grace, it is impossible for you to enter into condemnation, no matter how much you may offend Him (Rom.8:1) and the still greater truth that we are saved for grace (Eph.2:8). While your words and ways have seemed to us to be offensively unlike His, this only gives greater ground for grace. This of itself justifies them, for grace must have a foil.
We close, then, with a prayer for such an outpouring of His grace on your own head as will force you to feel the affection which is found in Him for all the creatures of His hand and heart." A.E. Knoch
Last edited by rodgertutt; 09-18-2009 at 08:17 AM..
Reason: spelling
This post sounds very familiar to ones i have read on here before.
Oh well....pcamps! I am not here to please your flesh! People can say all they want. Because it is God whom I answer to! Not you, Mike, legoman, Rodger....
I never has been a popular thing to speak out against heresy!! And of course they that walk in the heresy are going to get very angry and agressive. They don't want to hear the truth....they want their itchy ears tickled. And I will not enable that!!
Oh well....pcamps! I am not here to please your flesh! People can say all they want. Because it is God whom I answer to! Not you, Mike, legoman, Rodger....
I never has been a popular thing to speak out against heresy!! And of course they that walk in the heresy are going to get very angry and agressive. They don't want to hear the truth....they want their itchy ears tickled. And I will not enable that!!
Latte Chic of cause you are not answerable to me .
That is not what i meant , what i was implying is whenever anyone disagrees with you they are being unloving, according to you . Very similar thing going on now with President Obama , everyone who disagrees with him is accused of being racist , when in actual fact it's his policies.
The character of the God you worship will determine your ways and your words. We trust it will be so with us also, for we would delight to be like Him. Hence, we do not threaten you with His wrath, but commend you to His grace.
Perhaps no sin can be so great as to distort His words and defame His character. But His grace is superbly sufficient, His love is lavish in its long-suffering. It never lapses, but looks longingly for the reconciliation which is the justification and crown of all His ways with His creatures.
My grandfather and father and uncles and various relatives were/are pastors and teachers and have believed and taught ET all their lives. It breaks my heart to think about the time they have full awareness of how wrong they were/are because I know their hearts will be broken. They love/d the Lord and serve/d Him with passion. So many people have been blessed through their work. Yet how devestating for them when they finally understand the destructive lies they unknowingly propagated through which the very people they intened to bless were harmed, and the very God they sought to glorify was villified. THANK GOD He is a God of abundant grace and THANK GOD He promises to fully comfort them and wipe the tears from their eyes. THANK GOD!
Latte Chic of cause you are not answerable to me .
That is not what i meant , what i was implying is whenever anyone disagrees with you they are being unloving, according to you . Very similar thing going on now with President Obama , everyone who disagrees with him is accused of being racist , when in actual fact it's his policies.
But it is true....pcamps, even you have been real nasty toward me in replying to my post!!! And I mean nasty, including a few other's. So I have come back just as nasty......
Yes, people take offense when you tell them that "YOU HAVE BEEN FORCED FED" or the Holy Spirit is distorting the word He is giving to you. And I have never said, people are being unloving to me.....I said, they are rude, nasty, condenscending, don't put words in my mouth!
They just don't like it because I won't put up with the mouths and accusations. I makes me mouthy.....!!
But it is true....pcamps, even you have been real nasty toward me in replying to my post!!! And I mean nasty, including a few other's. So I have come back just as nasty......
Yes, people take offense when you tell them that "YOU HAVE BEEN FORCED FED" or the Holy Spirit is distorting the word He is giving to you. And I have never said, people are being unloving to me.....I said, they are rude, nasty, condenscending, don't put words in my mouth!
They just don't like it because I won't put up with the mouths and accusations. I makes me mouthy.....!!
Being nasty is never right, that goes for me too. But you can't win an argument without doing the research on the other side of the argument. We have all been where you are. We understand how WE twisted or were fed twisted scripture. And you will find that it was our own study of the Word that brought us away from ET. I have been told I was going to hell simply because I believed no one would. Not on this board but by my own family.
It doesn't make me angry it makes me sad. I think people have forgotten what a great thing it is to have no chance of ever living perfectly but having been found perfect in the eyes of God... It moves you more than does the fear of Hellfire. I should know, I was taught ET from birth until about 30 years old. I had that teaching longer than I have known the truth, yet I realize now that I never really did believe ET, I only took it as truth because so many others agreed it was correct. To URers this is not a life or death issue for ALL will come to him but we would like everyone to have the peace we have found in the knowledge that God's nature is Love, not torment.
When I was in the ET crowd I could not truly say if I was included in the tormented ones or not. I wanted to believe I was not. But, there was always that voice that said what if I'm doing something wrong and don't know it... but I can say with certainty that I never doubt UR. God will have all he wishes and he wishes for all to come to him. Some think they can reject the blood of Christ but fortunately it is more like your skin than a pair of pants.
But it is true....pcamps, even you have been real nasty toward me in replying to my post!!! And I mean nasty, including a few other's. So I have come back just as nasty......
Yes, people take offense when you tell them that "YOU HAVE BEEN FORCED FED" or the Holy Spirit is distorting the word He is giving to you. And I have never said, people are being unloving to me.....I said, they are rude, nasty, condenscending, don't put words in my mouth!
They just don't like it because I won't put up with the mouths and accusations. I makes me mouthy.....!!
Nobody is putting words in your mouth , if someone disagrees with you and challenges you , you get upset.
First of all bring up any post where i have said anything of the sort , this is very easy to do just go to my profile and find once where i have slandered a person , if you think i am being nasty because i have no time for the organized christian church system ,then you are sadly missing it.
The fact of the matter is you have been called upon it at least a few times to my knowledge about accusing people of being nasty and unloving just because they disagree with you.
Read your own posts and see what you have referred Universalists and UR to be .
I'm straight John Bull when it comes to the organized church system.
You shouldn't give it unless you can take the same coming back at you.
To cap it all off you are one of a few who is always talking the love of God to be conditional , yet you have the nerve to call those who disagree with you unloving.
Being nasty is never right, that goes for me too. But you can't win an argument without doing the research on the other side of the argument. We have all been where you are. We understand how WE twisted or were fed twisted scripture. And you will find that it was our own study of the Word that brought us away from ET. I have been told I was going to hell simply because I believed no one would. Not on this board but by my own family.
It doesn't make me angry it makes me sad. I think people have forgotten what a great thing it is to have no chance of ever living perfectly but having been found perfect in the eyes of God... It moves you more than does the fear of Hellfire. I should know, I was taught ET from birth until about 30 years old. I had that teaching longer than I have known the truth, yet I realize now that I never really did believe ET, I only took it as truth because so many others agreed it was correct. To URers this is not a life or death issue for ALL will come to him but we would like everyone to have the peace we have found in the knowledge that God's nature is Love, not torment.
When I was in the ET crowd I could not truly say if I was included in the tormented ones or not. I wanted to believe I was not. But, there was always that voice that said what if I'm doing something wrong and don't know it... but I can say with certainty that I never doubt UR. God will have all he wishes and he wishes for all to come to him. Some think they can reject the blood of Christ but fortunately it is more like your skin than a pair of pants.
No nasty is never right....actually I came back to correct my post....because that is really not me...yes, I do get mouthy sometimes when I am provoke and angry. And am reminded we are not to repay evil with evil.
I understand what your saying....
I don't intently try to nasty to people, just sometimes my flesh gets so frustrated when other's come back with such awful things when your giving a testimony of the work of God in your life. And then yes, I lean toward getting mouthy.
I don't sit around thinking of eternal hell.....that is the last thing in my heart. But some seem to reply to our post that is what we do.... that is the furtherest thing from my heart. And never want to wish that upon another soul. But I am so tired of here lately that so many universalist accuses us of doing that very thing....
I do not fear hell....never have! I have always had the assurance of God in my heart. So I never dwell there! When I pray, I pray for that individuals salvation through Jesus Christ from the sin that is destroying them.
My prayers have never been "Oh, God save so and so from hell."
Yes, I believe it is the longing of God's heart that all come to Him. But I so tired of those who tell me that is not the longing of my heart, when they have no idea what is within my heart.
Thanks for your kindness.....that is what God's love is about!!
Blessings
No nasty is never right....actually I came back to correct my post....because that is really not me...yes, I do get mouthy sometimes when I am provoke and angry. And am reminded we are not to repay evil with evil.
I understand what your saying....
I don't intently try to nasty to people, just sometimes my flesh gets so frustrated when other's come back with such awful things when your giving a testimony of the work of God in your life. And then yes, I lean toward getting mouthy.
I don't sit around thinking of eternal hell.....that is the last thing in my heart. But some seem to reply to our post that is what we do.... that is the furtherest thing from my heart. And never want to wish that upon another soul. But I am so tired of here lately that so many universalist accuses us of doing that very thing....
I do not fear hell....never have! I have always had the assurance of God in my heart. So I never dwell there! When I pray, I pray for that individuals salvation through Jesus Christ from the sin that is destroying them.
My prayers have never been "Oh, God save so and so from hell."
Yes, I believe it is the longing of God's heart that all come to Him. But I so tired of those who tell me that is not the longing of my heart, when they have no idea what is within my heart.
Thanks for your kindness.....that is what God's love is about!!
Blessings
Blessings to you as well. I am glad you are not tormented by the thought of the existence of hell as I was. If that is the case, more power to you. We are all disabled when it comes to living in love. That is why we need God. On that I think we can both agree!!
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