Hi jsendog,
Ray has done the study on this already, showing favor will not make the evil unrepentant heart righteous. Judgment in the world is what makes the Inhabitants learn Righteousness.
The preposition is that, when GOD'S Judgment are in the earth, then the inhabitants Will learn Righteousness.
Favor shown to the wicked does not change anything in the wicked.
Below is one example of Ray's papers on this.Excerpt from: http://bible-truths.com/email14.htmDear Dugan:
Thank you for your email and questions.
Why should it seem a thing impossible that God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth should be able to save a sinner? Why does that boggle the mind? Paul said that he was the greatest sinner that has ever lived (do we think he LIED?), and it took God about 3-4 SECONDS to save him. God saved him in one flash of light! Paul didn't WANT to be saved. Paul wanted to go to Damascus and PERSECUTE AND SLAUGHER CHRISTIANS--that's what Paul wanted to do. But God had other plans for Saul/Paul. And so first He converted Paul. That took about 3-4 seconds. Then He told Paul what he ABSOLUTE WOULD DO, and Paul immediately began to DO THEM.
Now then, why should it seem a thing impossible that God Almighty should save a puny wimp of a sinner like Hitler? Do you think this CHALLENGES God's power to ultimate? If ALL NATIONS are to God but "a drop in a bucket," what pray tell would you liken just ONE of the sinners from ONE of those nations to? And flea? An atom? We blaspheme the name of God and don't even realize what we are doing!
God sent [commissioned] His Son Jesus Christ "To be the SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD" (I John 4:14). Do you really think that Both God Almighty AND Jesus Christ thought for one second that this mission would end in the utter failure portrayed by Christendom? What a sick and disgusting gospel the Church is sending to the world today.
OF COURSE "None CAN come to Christ, except the Father draw [Gk: drag] them." (John 6:44). And that is precisely what God will do to ALL MANKIND. Every human on earth will repent, and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (Phil. 2:9-11). But who believes these Scriptures? Virtually no one. God is coming to JUDGE THIS WORLD. Have you never heard that before?
Well what happens when God comes to JUDGE THIS WORLD?
"Because He has appointed a day, in the which He shall JUDGE THE WORLD in righteousness by THAT MAN [Jesus Christ] Whom He has ordained; whereof He has given ASSURANCE UNTO ALL MEN ['all'--that would be EVERYONE, Dugan], in that He has raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).
Judgment Day will "give ASSURANCE TO ALL MEN," but who believes these Scriptures? Practically no one.
GOD JUDGES THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE DOES NOT TORTURE THE WORLD IN FIRE FOR ALL ETERNITY!
"For when Thy JUDGMENTS are in the earth the inhabitants OF THE WORLD WILL LEARN
RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Isa. 26:9).
But who believes these Scriptures and HUNDREDS just like them? Practically no one.
God is CALLING MANY, but CHOOSING FEW in this church age. When God sets His hand to CHOOSE THEM ALL, He will do just that. And then ALL MANKIND will be saved (I Tim. 2:4, 4:10, etc. etc.)
And God will be "ALL in All" (I Cor. 15:28). Not some in most or a little in a few, but "ALL in All." But who believes these Scriptures? Do you, Dugan? Are you not reading my Series on "The Lake of Fire?" You really should. You will learn more than in ten years of seminary.
God be with you,
Ray
george.