"ETERNAL TORMENT"
FACT OR FIGMENTATION?
Why is it that although we find the words "ALL" and "EVERY" in many
unqualified passages of scripture, man in his carnal reasoning and
ungodly doubts, continues to try to limit and qualify God's beautiful truths
contained in the outline for the total plan of creation, redemption and
restoration by His amazing grace? We hear and read a lot of "ifs" and
"buts" in secular writings, which God did not add. These are but vain
attempts trying to limit, restrict, restrain, or modify plain statements and
principles in the Bible that do not in their pure, unqualified and
unadulterated forms, fit the preconceived ideas, molds and traditions of
men.
We list here for a comparative study, some scripture often presented in a
qualified and confined sense--to show how far from the fullness of truth
and how completely out of harmony to the total of God's written word...is
the belief of "eternal torment." We sincerely ask the proponents of this
belief to consider the following questions. Even though the scriptures
clearly say otherwise, WHY DO MEN DOGMATICALLY BELIEVE AND
INSIST IT TO BE TRUE THAT....
"God worketh [only SOME, not] ALL things after...His own will"? Eph.1:11;
Isa.46:10,11.
"Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are [only SOME, not] ALL things"?
Ro.11:36.
"God should taste death for [only SOME, not] EVERY man. For it became
Him for whom are [only SOME, not] ALL things, and by whom are [only
SOME, not] ALL things"? Heb.2:10.
"[only SOME, not ] ALL things are of God"? 2Cor.5:18; 1Cor.8:6.
"He might fill [only SOME, not] ALL things"? Eph.4:10.
"He is the Lord of [only SOME, not] ALL"? Ac.10:38.
"It is the same God which worketh [only some, not] ALL in [only SOME,
not] ALL"? 1Cor.12:6; Eph.1:23.
"[only SOME, not] "ALL things were created ...FOR HIM...that in [only
SOME, not] ALL things He might have the preeminence.....and having made
peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile [only SOME, not]
ALL things unto Himself...things in earth or things in heaven"? Col.1:16-20.
"In the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in
one [only SOME, not] ALL things in Christ...in heaven...on earth"?
Eph.1:10.
"And [only SOME,not] EVERY creature which is in heaven, and on the earth
and under the earth...and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing and
honor...be unto Him"? Rev.5:13.
"Thou hast created [only SOME, not] ALL things...FOR THY PLEASURE"?
Rev.4:11.
"It is written, as I live saith the Lord, [only SOME, not] EVERY knee shall
bow to me, and [only SOME, not] EVERY tongue shall confess to God. So
then [only SOME, not] EVERY one of us shall give account of himself to
God." Ro.14:11,12; Isa.45:23.
"At the name of Jesus [only some, not] EVERY knee should bow of things
in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that [only
SOME, not] EVERY tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of the Father."? Phil.2:11.
"God in [only SOME, not] ALL things may be glorified."? 1Ptr.4:11.
"The glory of the Lord should be revealed and [only some, not] ALL flesh
shall see it together."? Isa.40:5.
"As in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall [only SOME, not] ALL be made
alive. But [only SOME, not] EVERY man....He must reign till He hath put
[only SOME, not] ALL enemies under His feet...And when [only SOME, not]
ALL things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son...be subject unto
Him that put [only SOME, not] ALL things under Him, that God may be ALL
in [only SOME, not] ALL"? 1Cor.15:22-28.
"God hath concluded them [only SOME, not] ALL in unbelief that He might
have mercy upon [only SOME, not] ALL"? Ro.11:32; 5:18,19.
"By the offense of one, judgment came upon [only SOME, not] ALL men
unto condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One, the fee gift
comes upon [only SOME, not] ALL men unto justification of life.?
Ro.5:18,19.
"I, if I be lifted up...will draw [only SOME, not] ALL men unto me"?Jn.12:32.
"Unto thee shall [only SOME, not] ALL flesh come"? Psa.65:2.
"God quickeneth {only SOME, not] ALL things" (1Tim.6:13) and he will
have [only SOME, not ] ALL men to be saved and come unto...the
truth?"1Tim.2:4.
[only SOME, not] "ALL Israel shall be saved (Ro.11:26) and that He is "the
living God, who is the Saviour of [only SOME, not] ALL men, specially of
those that believe"?1Tim.4:10.
[only SOME, not] "ALL men through Him might believe" (Jn.1:7) for He is
"the true light which lighteth [only SOME, not] EVERY man that cometh
into the world?" Jn.1:9.
"They may [only SOME, not] ALL call upon the name of the Lord.?"Zep.3:9.
[only SOME, not] "ALL men should come to repentance" (Ac.17:30;
2Ptr.3:9) even though "He gave Himself a ransom for ALL to be testified in
due time"? 1Tim.2:6.
"They shall [only SOME, not] ALL know me from the least to the greatest of
them?" Jer.31:34; Heb.8:11.
"If we let Him thus alone, [only SOME, not] ALL men will believe on
Him"?Jn.11:48.
[only SOME, not] "ALL that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and come
forth"? Jn.5:28,29.
[only SOME, not] "ALL His works shall praise Him"? (Psa.145:9,10). [only
SOME, not] ALL the people"? Psa.67:3,5; 86:9.
[only SOME,not] "ALL dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Dan.7:27) and
"that [only SOME, not] ALL people, nations and languages, should serve
Him"? Dan.7:14; Rev.15:4.
"In thy seed shall [only SOME, not] ALL the kindreds of the earth be
blessed"? Ac.3:25; Gen.12:3.
[only SOME, not] "EVERY valley shall be filled, and [only SOME, not]
EVERY mountain shall be brought low...and [only SOME,not] ALL flesh
shall see the salvation of God."? Lk.3:6; Isa.25:6-8.
"Great joy...shall be to [only SOME, not] ALL people"? Lk.2:10.
"The lord hath made [only some, not] ALL things for Himself" (Prv.16:4)
and He will "make [only SOME, not] ALL things new"? Rev.21:5.
"He shall send Jesus...whom the heaven must receive until the times of
restitution of [only SOME, not] ALL THINGS"? Ac.3:21.
"He setteth an end to darkness and searcheth out [only SOME, not] ALL
perfection"? Jb.28:3.
"He is able to subdue [only SOME, not] ALL things unto Himself."?
Phil.3:21.
[only SOME, not] "ALL promises of God...are yea...and amen."? 2Cor.1:20;
Psa.111:7.
"In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto [only SOME, not] ALL
people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees...well refined. And
He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over [only
SOME, not] ALL the people, and the veil that is spread over [only SOME,
not] ALL nations. HE WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH IN VICTORY; and the
Lord God will wipe away tears from off [only SOME, not] ALL faces; and
the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off [only SOME, not] all
the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it" Isa.25:6-8.
"AND THIS IS IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S MERCIFUL PURPOSE FOR THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD WHEN THE TIMES ARE RIPE FOR IT. THE
PURPOSE WHICH HE HAS CHERISHED IN HIS OWN MIND OF RESTORING
THE WHOLE CREATION TO FIND ITS ONE HEAD IN CHRIST: YES, THINGS
IN HEAVEN AND THINGS ON EARTH, TO FIND THEIR ONE HEAD IN HIM."
Eph.1:9,10 [Weymouth].
Ro.8:19
"But now we see NOT YET ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIM"? Heb.2:8.A
"There are two major doctrinal hinderances in the Bible which prevent a lot
of Christians from seeing and believing the true doctrine of universal
salvation and the restitution of all things through Jesus Christ. One is the
doctrine of "eternal hellfire" or "everlasting punishment" which comes
about mainly from mistranslating and misinterpreting several original
Hebrew and Greek key words into English as well as other languages. The
other is the misconception that "the will of man" is an absolute will unto
itself. It is this latter aspect that we will touch on here. Sadly, we find
prominent today, many man made doctrines of salvation's grace, implying
in essence, that much of God's redemptive, creative, and directive activities
in the national and personal affairs of men, is to be perpetually restricted,
limited and nullified by something which is claimed can remain entirely
independent and forever resist Him. The something we speak of is the
relegated power of man's self will.
It is often taught that man has the sovereign capability in his own freedom
of choice...of remaining forever opposed to the Creator's desired will and
purpose in man's ultimate destiny. If this be true, then God is rendered a
helpless, sovereignless, and powerless being...a hapless victim of His own
creation of self-willed creatures. One would have to conclude the Creator
lacked something "upstairs", so to speak, in creating beings that would of
their own power be able to destroy His ultimate purposes for them. Either
that, or He somehow lacked knowledge and foresight of things to come.
Human salvation would be relegated to human choice and thus to mere
chance. But truthfully and thankfully, the scriptures do not contain a hint
of any such things.
It is clearly evident that our Almighty God, not by accident, left ample
provision as well as certain conditions in His divine designation of man's
"free will" and environme....conditions which, in their divinely created and
controlled circumstances, led to the misuse of man's God given natural
will...thereby introducing sin, suffering and all other forms of evil and lack
of perfection into the world.
Looking at it from the Creator's point of view, such was the necessary and
foreknown price, primarily ordained of God to carry out His progressive
plans and purposes in the creation, redemption and restoration of all
things, thus divinely fulfilling the counsel of His own absolute sovereign
will. In accordance with the Creator's nature, this course of action would
both necessitate and involve the manifesting of His providential
omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence in love and in reconciliatory
judgment towards all men. Salvation in general, can be seen as a form of
divine apololgy, sovereignly being executed as an essential part of the
Lord's plan of the ages.
God does not compel mankind into submission to His will by any kind of
physical, non-moral use of force. In actuality, choices men make in
exercising their own will, are really brought about by the strongest
influences, inwardly or outwardly present in their lives. In His own timing
and in His own way the Holy Spirit does sovereignly initiate, allow, limit,
over-rule and control all forms of good and evil in the earth. The scriptures
are full of such examples. The Holy Spirit brings to bear on man's natural
reasoning and conscience, circumstances, considerations and sanction all
designed to lead man to a seemingly self-determined change of mind or
attitude or direction.
Thus it is, that man, unknown to himself, man is willingly and ever
increasingly brought into a closer more desired co-operation with his God.
This is all part of God's method for the overcoming and eventual removal
of sin and evil from the world. In all of this process, there can be only one
irresistible sovereign will which rules overall and has its unhindered way in
the universe. That will does not belong to man! Otherwise it would not be
sovereign. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that man is really no more
than clay in the hands of a Potter.
In all of this, we cannot help but stand in awe as He sovereignly gives us to
discover the greatness of His omnipotent love and power...a power of love
and holy will which He has determined to share with all of His creation. He
alone, is the Almighty in the sense of universal governing and controlling,
able in His glorious majesty to oversee and over-rule all in order to
accomplish all that He has ever willed, spoken and purposed to do. He is
the "only Potentate"...the source of absolute power. There is no power but
of God. He is absolutely omnipotent in all His works, including those
involving human salvation. This theme is found throughout the scriptures.
He is well able to do far more abundantly than we ask or think toward the
full realization of both His immediate and His ultimate redemptive and
restorative purposes.
Like unto creation itself, the entire future of the universe and its
consummation depends not on man at all, but on God alone. Universal
salvation depends on the power and reliability of God to carry out His
work. He who is the author and finisher of all salvation, shall also be the
omega of all that He in His own determined counsel began. His death and
His resurrection grace is not only sufficient for all but shall be effected for
all as well. Who are we to attempt to restrict or limit the power in the blood
shed for us all at Calvary? Who are we to limit the words and purposes of
the absolute unlimited One? Who are we that we think we can hinder and
even prevent His working of all things after the counsel of His own
infallible will?
God's presence has ever been omnipresent in creation. He was in the
beginning, He is in the now, and he forever will be in the future. He dwells
simultaneously both in time and eternity. The presence of His power is
everywhere so that no distance nor circumstantial barrier can separate us
entirely from Himself. No one suffers alone. Nothing can disconnect us
from the power of God acting according to His own hidden counsel on our
behalf. Fear not. No place, circumstance nor condition can find us or our
loved ones forever outside the reach of the Almighty's power of mercy and
love. His loving arms forever embrace the universe. He is ever aware of
our helplessness, our lacks and our greatest needs and is well able to meet
them. It is simply a matter of time which is as the blink of an eye in the
realm of eternity. His great love and charity, cannot fail to accomplish
every jot and tittle of its grand universal purpose for who can hinder Him
from fulfilling it?
We find also in the scriptures, a revelation of His divine omniscience of
which a major characteristic is His foreknowledge. This knowledge
includes foreseeing every decision of human will and choice. It is
reasonable that this attribute is compatible with human freedom, in that the
results or consequences of any human choice and action may still be
always conditioned or controlled by the unseen sovereign activities of
God...for the eventual accomplishment of His own determined purposes. A
part of that determined purpose is of course, to save and deliver all men
from the condemnation of sin and death through the eternal life that is
found centered in Christ and the cross.
From the beginning, even before the fall of mankind, God determined the
work of His grace centered in the cross of Christ to be the basis of ultimate
salvation for all mankind. This grace, wrapped in the atonement, is found
throughout the ages in a supernatural impartation and in an ordained
human acceptance and retention of the unsolicited, undefiled,
transcendent love and faith of God. It is this divine love for all of mankind
that finds its expression in the grace of God bringing with it the gift of
salvation. This salvation has already appeared and shall continue to shine
more and more unto that perfect day in His redemptive works toward all
mankind. The scriptures are clear that man has no working part in
originating, initiating, contributing, or apprehending this salvation for
himself. There is absolutely no aspect of His divine salvation in which man
may truthfully boast, for every aspect of it originates with God.
Now, in reference to man's free will and to the omniscience of God, we
must ask this important question. Would our omniscient all-wise God,
plan, initiate, or create any kind of potential force or power such as that of
an absolute human free will which would ultimately result in His own
eternal failure to carry out to His fullest pleasure--His own desired will in
every determined purpose? In other words, has God the potential or the
capacity to make mistakes? Is there anything in His perfect nature or
perfect work that can err or can fail? Has He Himself eternally hindered,
inadvertently or unintentionally relegated to defeat, His own plan for the
perfection of mankind? Did He unwisely in the beginning, give man an
absolute power of free selfwill which He in His very nature of omniscience,
would have know would forever nullify and make void the fulfillment of His
own will? Could an omniscient God be so unwise?
If any of this be so, then we are left with a God of weakness, a God of
negligence, remissness and even dereliction who lacks perfection, not only
in foresight but also in works. Consequently, the law of the Spirit of Life in
Christ Jesus would be found far from perfect in its inability and its failure
to convert man's soul. But, thanks be to the Lord, this is not the case. We
are not left in the dark about this nor are we left alone to the blackness of
an eternal death.
There is a basic way found revealed in the scriptures, by which God
exercises His sovereignty in relation to free will, moral evil and sin. His
sovereign will is fundamentally exercised through divine judgment or just
condemnation. If the wrong course of action [in the opinion of God] is
persisted in, it can be made to reveal or betray itself in its own hurtful and
unfruitful consequence to which it leads. Divine intervention makes a
show of it openly in all its vain meanings and results. Thus, evil leads to
its own judgment and eventual destruction, not only by God but also at the
bar of man's own reason and conscience. In all of this, man's freedom of
will in the limited measure for which it was granted, does not at all destroy
the sovereignty of the Almighty's absolute freedom of will. There are
literally hundreds of scriptures in the Bible attesting to this.
In God's omnipotence, He oft times reveals to the self sufficient that
aspects of their lives are really not subject to their own control. In His
omniscience, he often shows men the true value of earthly possessions.
Because he is holy, He is able to reveal that man's good intentions are
corrupted by pride. And because He is truth, he is well able to expose
man's trust in false foundations.
In the light of all this, human will is thus correctly seen as a confined and
limited power in its carnal operations, oft times operating negatively under
a permissible yet divine revelatory influence--which influence contains
both visible and invisible, positive and negative aspects, yet ever working
towards the eventual good of all the creation. Human selfwill, in all its
inability's, limitations and weaknesses, actually operates in harmony and
compatibility, well within the vast scope of the omnipresent, omniscient
and omnipotent power of God's own sovereign will. The lower nature of
our own unwise and destructive will is predestined to fail because the
infinitely higher nature of His determined reconciliatory will is
predetermined in love to ultimately prevail. Oh how wonderful and
marvelous are the works and ways of the Lord Almighty!
Beloved, let us stand in awe of the Almighty's power, believing that
whatever has been determined of the Lord shall be done. "Known unto
God are ALL HIS WORKS from the beginning of the world." Ac.15:18. They
are all known unto Him even to the very end of the ages-Isa.46:9,10. All
things that are in existence originate directly or indirectly from Him, and He
is upholding all things by the word of His power that they might also be
consummated IN HIM-Ro.11:36; Jn.1:1,2; Col.1:16-20; Heb.1:2,3. Even
negatives and opposites are but divine agents essential in His plan to fulfill
all righteousness. All powers that exist "are ordained of God." Ro.13:1
And "God saw EVERYTHING that He had made, and behold, it was very
good." Gen.31:25. In God's great wisdom, the large part that the workings
of evil were to play in the planned order of His creation, was no exception.
The ultimate questionable purposes of God in evil shall eventually be
revealed in His light. Paradoxically, this fulfillment is destined to be found
in none other place that the ultimate purpose of God in good! Gen.50:20.
Let us look first at a few of the divine purposes in evil which God has
allowed us to understand according to the revelation of His written word.
Then we will look at the ULTIMATE END of all theodicial purposes towards
which the whole creation is being drawn through God--unto a glorious
designated fulfillment-Gen.1:26-28.
It must be understood, that though all sin is evil, it is not so that all evil is
sin. God cannot sin. Therefore, it is not hard to understand how that God
apart from sin, creates evil (Isa.45:7) in various forms and aspects of
operation. With the permission of evil and consequently sin, He also justly
provides for redemption and reconciliation. God alone, allows, upholds,
and sovereignly directs by His providence, the operations of its powers for
His own creative purposes. He uses them in many ways to teach mankind
useful lessons-Jer.18:11; 46:28. "By reason of Him" (Ro.8:20), all forms of
"wasters", "destroyers" and "spoilers" came into being. These opposites
or opposer's of the Lord's own nature are actually useful and needful
instruments of the Lord's ongoing works-Isa.54:16; Jer.51:53; 22:7 etc.
So, we can see how that "the deceived and the deceiver" are His to use in
whatsoever capacities or purposes He has determined-Jb.12:16; Dan.9:14.
"ALL are thy servants" (Psa.119:91), both good and evil (Prv.16:4), whether
they be "vessels of mercy" and honour or "vessels of wrath" and
dishonour-Ro.9:21-23. God has clearly chosen in His preordained
purposes to use the dimensions of evil as well as good in fulfilling every
jot and tittle of His will and His word-Psa.148:8; 2Chr.10:15; Rev.17:17.
Who can legitimately question His ways? Ro.9:19,20?
In its primary sense, evil is a condition or characteristic not a all isolated
nor autonomous from the power of God who is preparing to bring forth
true love and virtue in all mankind. Much like the destructive power of
electricity or fire it can also be utilized for man's benefit. In truth, evil has
all the capacities and ingredients to bring about forgiveness, repentance,
mercy compassion, patience and all the holy qualities found in true love. It
is this working of the "mystery of iniquity" (2Ths.2:7) which is seen
through the Spirit to be divinely working in its ordained manner even in
the very midst of the "mystery of Godliness"1Tim.3:16. For now, God does
lead mankind through this great and terrible wilderness of the earth,
wherein are fiery serpents and scorpions and drought. A primary purpose
in this, is that "He might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, TO DO
THEE GOOD AT THE LATTER END." Deut.8:15,16.
Does it not give us confidence and inspire humility when we experience
and realize the complete sovereignty of God in all things? But whether we
accept it or not, all evil that happens is ultimately working together for the
good of both the Creator and the created-Ro.8:20; Lk.9:25; Eccl.3:1:13;
Psa.39:6; Jer.2:19. Also, that we all might eventually turn only to Him
(Jer.31:18,19), having learned obedience through the things we have
suffered-Heb.5:8; Isa.26:9. Have you every considered that God might
suffer from men's sins as much or more than the sinner? Gen.6:5-7.
Man has become subject under the divine plan "to know [by experience]
good and evil" (Gen.3:22) in order to mature in love, wisdom and
humility--to become more like Christ in nature. His senses must be
"exercised to discern both good and evil" Heb.5:14. During the processing
of the ages, it is being given unto man to learn through both the flesh and
the Holy Spirit "the difference between the holy and the profane...and
discern between the clean and the unclean." Ezk.44:23. Even as God is
now teaching, we will one day together in unity with Him, learn how "to
overcome evil with good." Ro.12:21; Isa.7:15.
Our Creator is in the sure process of creating His sovereign work of
conforming man and his independent will into the completed likeness and
mature image of His own most holy and perfect will. The gates of hell shall
not prevail against Him. Spiritual death, hell and the lake of fire are
actually no more than intermediate remedial stages in the total redemptive
and restorative plans and purposes of God to burn up all evil works in the
all consuming, purifying fire of His holy Spirit of love-Heb.12:29; Jer.23:29;
1Jn.3:8. Once understood, the lake of fire can be seen to actually picture
hell's final destruction rather than its unending presence. It is there in the
presence of God's cleansing fire that every form of death and hell shall
utterly destroyed.
Now, let us take a brief look at some of the positively glorious, immutable
and ultimate purposes of God in good, wherein He alone shall be worthy to
receive all "glory and honour and power" from ALL His creation-Rev.4:11;
5:13. His ultimate satisfaction and pleasure, as well as ours, shall be found
only in the absolute consummation and total fulfillment of His ultimate will
which he has clearly revealed in His word-Isa.55:11.
Exactly what is this portion of God's will that we have constantly
proclaimed? The following is a scriptural list of ultimate purposes and
decrees, which upon their completion and fulfillment through the workings
of evil and good, God shall truly be magnified and made totally manifest in
all His attributes of power and great glory-Psa.138:2. Strong states: "by the
DECREES of God we mean...that eternal plan by which GOD HAS
RENDERED CERTAIN ALL THE EVENTS OF THE UNIVERSE, past, present
and future" Habk.2:3. Following, is the Lord's desire and will in a nutshell.
That which the Lord has decreed and purposed, He will not, and cannot fail
to do! Isa.46:11; Dan.11:36.
..."to deliver THE CREATION from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God." Ro.8:19. Shall he not do it?
...that He FILL "ALL IN ALL." Eph.1:23. Shall he not fill them?
...that God might be "ALL IN ALL." 1Cor.15:28. Will he fall short of this?
..."that He might FILL ALL THINGS" WITH HIMSELF-Eph.4:10. Will He fail?
..."to subdue [make willingly subject] ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF"
Phil.3:21 Shall he fail to do this?
"that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE shall bow...and EVERY TONGUE
should confess...Jesus...is Lord." Phil.2:10,ll; Ro.14:11; Isa.45:23. Shall it
fail to come to pass?
...to "present EVERY MAN PERFECT in Christ Jesus." Col.1:28. Will He
fail?
..."that ALL MEN should honour the Son." Jn.5:23. Will He fail to receive
all glory and honour and power?
...to have "ALL MEN TO BE SAVED and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth." 1Tim.2:4. Will He fail to do this?
...to "draw ALL MEN" unto Himself- Jn.12:32. Is His promise to be broken?
..."to seek and SAVE THOSE THAT ARE LOST."Lk.19:10; Matt.18:11. Will
He fail in His work or in His eternal plan and purpose?
..."that ALL MEN through Him might believe."Jn.1:7. Will he fall short of
this?
...to enlighten "EVERY MAN that cometh into the world." Jn.1:9. Will He
fail?
..."to save THE WORLD." Jn.12:47. Will He come up short?
...to "take away the sin of THE WORLD." Jn.1:29. Will He not do this?
..."to be a propitiation...for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD." 1Jn.2:2. Will
He "miss the mark" and thus become a sinner also?
..."that THE WORLD through Him might be saved."Jn.3:17. Will it not be?
... to be "the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially [manifest now] of those that
believe." 1Tim.4:10. Will He end up being he Saviour of some men only?
... to be "a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified [made evident] in due time."
1Tim.2:6. Will He not bring this to pass?
...to command "ALL MEN EVERYWHERE to repent." Ac.17:30. Will they
not?
..."that the wicked should turn from his ways and live." Ezk.18:23. Will he
leave them in death?
..."that ALL MEN should come to repentance." 2Ptr.3:9. Will He not ensure
it?
..."that by the obedience of one, shall [the] MANY [ALL excluding Christ] be
made righteous." Ro.5:19. Will He fail to do this?
...to save "ALL THE ENDS of the earth." Isa.45:22. Shall He fail in His
scope?
...to restore "ALL THINGS which God hath spoken of by the mouth of His
holy prophets." Ac.3:21. Shall He fail to keep His word?
..."to reconcile ALL THINGS unto Himself." Col.1:20 Will He fail to fulfill
this?
...that "ALL ISRAEL shall be saved." Ro.11:26. Shall He fail to save them
all?
...to bless "ALL THE KINDREDS of the earth." Ac.3:25. Will He fail in this?
...that "ALL families" (Gen.12:3), "ALL kindreds" (Psa.22:27), "ALL nations"
(Rev.15:4), "ALL PEOPLE" should worship God-Da.7:14. Shall only some?
...that "ALL HIS WORKS should praise Him." Psa.145:10. Will only SOME
praise Him?
...to "see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied." Isa.53:11. Will he be
satisfied in saving only the minority?
..."to put away sin" (Heb.9:26) and "slay the dragon." Isa.27:1. Will God
fail?
..."that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1Jn.3:8. Will He fail to do
so?
..."that death is swallowed up in victory." 1Cor.15:54. Will Christ be the
victor?
...to set "an END TO DARKNESS" and search "out ALL PERFECTION."
Jb.28:3. Will he fail to do this?
..."to ABOLISH DEATH " (2Tim.1:10) to "make ALL THINGS new." Rev.21:5.
Will His plan be thwarted?
..."that of ALL WHICH HE HATH GIVEN ME, I should lose nothing." Jn.6:39.
Will He fail in losing many?
... that mankind "be conformed to the image of His Son." Ro.8:29.
All these things and more are in the progressive revelation of God's
inspired word. IF THE LORD'S WILL IN EVEN ONE OF THESE DECREES
AND PURPOSES REMAINS UNFULFILLED, HE SHALL HAVE MISERABLY
FAILED AND THE GATES OF HELL TRIUMPHANTLY PREVAILED!
Oh ye brethren of little faith. Who hath beguiled you? Does not victory
belong unto the Lord? 1Chr.29:11. Why have you continued to disbelieve
ALL OF GOD'S DECREES that the prophets have spoken? Is it possible
that ANY ONE of these determined, expressed counsels, promises,
intentions and purposes of our Almighty's will can fail? The word declares
it is impossible. Who can really frustrate that which He has planned and
purposed? Isa.14:27. The workings of God's perfect love can never fail
(1Cor.3:8) because really, there is actually no wisdom, nor understanding,
nor counsel, working against the Lord (Prv.21:3)...not even man's refusal to
believe His infallible word. "Rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the
heathen? and in thy hand is there not power and might, so that NONE IS
ABLE TO WITHSTAND THEE?" 2Chr.20:6; 1Chr.29:12. There are none that
are not subject to Him-Heb.2:8.
Evil is working WITH HIM AND FOR HIM, as we have briefly shown. Hence,
"ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD." 2Cor.5:18. In truth and reality, "THERE IS NO
POWER BUT OF GOD." Ro.13:1. He is continuously working "ALL THINGS
[good and evil] AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL."Eph.1:11;
Dan.4:35. WHO CAN HINDER? Isa.43:13; 14:24. WHO CAN RESIST HIS
WILL? Ro.9:19; Psa.33:10,11. "NO PLAN OF GOD CAN BE THWARTED."
Jb.42:2 [Amplified; N.A.S.]. He performs what He purposes and
speaks-Jer.51:12; Ezk.12:25.
God has no pleasure in any eternal death of the wicked-Ezk.33:11. Let us
cast down our carnal doubt and have faith and confidence in His promises
that whatsoever pleases the Lord, that He shall do -Psa.135:6; Jb.23:13;
Isa.5310b. His counsel is absolutely immutable-Heb.6:17,18; Isa.46:10. His
word assures those who dare believe, "that THAT IS DETERMINED SHALL
BE DONE." Dan.11:36; Num.23:19.
God has determined in His heart to do all that we have mentioned. Not one
word of His clearly expressed will shall remain void or unfulfilled in its
determined and decreed purposes-Lk.1:20. His promises are "ordered in
ALL THINGS AND SURE." 2Sam.23:5. He is ever watching over all His word
to perform it (Jer.1:12; 31:28) and His corrective wrath shall continually go
forth, not returning unto mercy "UNTIL HE HAS DONE IT; AND UNTIL HE
HAS PERFORMED THE INTENTS OF HIS HEART." Jer.30:23.
"Will the Lord cast off forever? and will he be favorable no more? Is His
mercy clean gone forever? doth His promise fail for evermore?" Psa.77:7,8;
Lam.3:31. According to the doctrine of eternal torment the answer is yes.
According to the decrees of His own divine counsel and word, the answer
is a resounding no. Which do you prefer to believe? Who do you prefer
to believe?
I wonder how many sincere Christians pray for the Lord's will to be done
on earth as it is in heaven, yet have no idea of all that this will actually
encompasses? It is reasonably asked, "How can all this will and intention
of God be fulfilled if spiritual and physical death fixes the eternal condition
of all men...since ninety percent plus have evidently died apart from an
intended salvation which is the will of Christ? The simplest answer is
found in the fact that it is not any salvation of the physical body that
"saves" us, but rather the salvation of the spiritual body (spirit, soul),
where THE LAST ENEMY THAT SEPARATES MANKIND FROM GOD SHALL
BE DESTROYED." 1Cor.15:26; 54b; Isa.25:7,8; 27:1; Heb.2:14; Rev.20:14;
21:4, 5.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be [not merely
"can be" or "might be"] saved." Acts 4:12
"I exhort therefore,
that first of all, prayers, intercession,...be made for ALL MEN
for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour
["the Saviour of ALL MEN"1Tim.4:10]; WHO WILL HAVE [not
merely desires to have] ALL MEN TO BE SAVED and come
to the knowledge of the truth." 1Tim.2:1-6
"Through the greatness of Thy power shall thine enemies
submit themselves unto thee. ALL the earth shall worship
Thee and sing unto thee; they shall sing to Thy name."
Psa.66:3,4
"ALL THY WORKS SHALL PRAISE THEE, O LORD"
Psa.145:10
"PRAISE the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in
the heavens of His power!
Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the
abundance of His greatness!"
Psa.145:5,6; Deut.3:24
"LET EVERYTHING THAT HATH BREATH AND EVERY BREATH
OF LIFE praise the Lord! Praise you the Lord!- Hallelujah!"
Psa.150:1,2,6
"Give to the Lord, O kindreds of the peoples,
give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name."
1Chr.16:28,29
"FOR OF HIM [as the primary cause and source] and THROUGH HIM
[His oft unseen intermediate works] and TO HIM [ending in the glory of
whatever degree He determines] ARE ALL THINGS:
to whom be glory forever. Amen."
Ro.11:36; Heb.2:10a
K. Ross McKay
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