> General Discussions
UNIVERSAL SALVATION
Dean Peterman:
Dear friends,
Now that I have finally seen the truth regarding hell and the immortal soul I intend to do a study on salvation. I know Ray talks about this but I think my mind was so preoccupied with trying to understand the truth about hell and the immortal soul that I could not absorb a lot of the teaching on salvation. Does anyone know where in his articles Rays discusses universal salvation? Does anyone know the verses that are used for this? Also, are the subject of free will and universal salvation connected? Could God save everyone if we had free will?
Sincerely,
Dean
hillsbororiver:
Hi Dean,
Here is a bit from the John Hagee letter, it is a great start, a careful read of all the articles will lay texture and depth to this wonderful Truth!
http://bible-truths.com/hagee1.htm
MORE SCRIPTURAL PROOF FOR THE SALVATION OF ALL
After all of God's punishments and chastisements are meted out, all will be reconciled to God. Death will be abolished (I Cor. 15:26), and all will be vivified and given immortality never to be subject to pain, heartache, or death again. The Scriptures fully substantiate this grand truth.
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is One God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave Himself a ransom for ALL to be testified in due time" (I Tim. 2:3-4).
"I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL [Gk. "the" all] men unto me" (John 12:32).
"That in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father" (Phil. 2:10-11).
Comment: It wouldn't be "to the glory of God" if it were a forced acclimation. Besides I Cor. 12:3 plainly says, " ... no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy spirit." To "acclaim" carries the connotation of an heartfelt, voluntary expression.
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified" (I Cor. 15:22).
Comment: "vivified" is from the Greek: Zoopoieo = LIVE-DO, "giving life beyond the reach of death, conferring immortality." The same "all" who are dying in Adam (which includes everyone) is the same "all" who are vivified in Christ (which of necessity includes everyone). Also notice that the "all" are vivified "in" Christ not "out" of Christ, and it's not, "all in Christ are vivified," but rather, "in Christ ... ALL are vivified." The order of words makes a giant difference.
"Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life's justifying. For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just" (Rom. 5:19).
Comment: This is not a difficult verse to understand. One offense brought condemnation on all mankind and all are constituted sinners. In the same manner ("thus also") through the obedience of the One [Christ] the same "many" are constituted just!
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus [sorry, no trinity here-or anywhere] who gave Himself a ransom for ALL to be testified in due time" (I Tim. 2:5-6).
"For in Him [Christ] the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him to reconcile ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens" (Col. 1:20).
"If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire" (I Cor. 3:15).
" ... we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially [but not exclusively] believers. These things be charging and teaching" (I Tim. 4:11).
"For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him" (John 3:17).
" ... God, Who saves us and calls us with a holy calling, not in accord with our acts, but in accord with His own purpose and the grace which is given to us in Christ Jesus before times eonian [before the world began-Authorized]" (II Tim. 1:9).
Comment: Man's salvation was assured before God ever created him. He knew all men would sin. That's why He provided a Saviour. We are saved by "grace" not by anything we do.
"No one can come to Me if ever the Father Who sends Me should not be drawing him. And I shall be raising him in the last day" (John 6:44).
Comment: It is not up to us or anyone to come to Christ. God does the choosing, calling, drawing, etc. " ... the kindness of God is leading you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4).
" ... having this same confidence, that He Who undertakes a good work among you, will be performing it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).
"Now to Him Who is ABLE to guard you from tripping, and to stand you flawless in sight of His glory ... " (Jude 24).
" ... if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died" (II Cor. 5:14).
Comment: God applies Christ's death and sacrifice to "all men." "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for EVERY man" (Heb. 2:9).
"And he [Christ] is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD" (I John 2:2).
Comment: Christ IS the propitiation for the sins of the whole world! How can you doubt it? How can you teach contrary to it? He isn't "potentially" the propitiation for the sins of the world. He IS the propitiation for the sins of the world.
"Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation" (II Cor. 5:18-19).
Comment: This Scripture is clear. God through Christ's sacrifice (Christ's sacrifice carries a whole lot more weight than you ever give Him credit for) is conciliating the whole world to Himself. Do you know what that means? God is "at peace" with mankind. Yes, there are future chastisements and punishments, but the end result has already been accomplished. What the world must yet go through is for their good. But God already knows the end result. All will be saved! However, only "we" have been given this word of reconciliation (that is any of us "we" who believe it).
Notice that God is "not reckoning their offenses to them." Then who is God "reckoning offenses" to? It is to Jesus Christ His Son that He is reckoning the sins of the world. Ver. 21: "For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be SIN for us ... "
Look at this again. This is the Word of God. God is "NOT reckoning their [the whole world] offenses to them" (Ver. 19)! He is not doing that. But He IS making His Son Jesus Christ "to BE sin for us." How could God consign the vast majority of humanity to the eternal flames of torture in Hell if He no longer reckons that they have any sins? Of what value is Christ's sacrifice FOR them if they still have to pay their own penalty for all eternity? This verse is talking about the WHOLE WORLD. The sins of the WHOLE WORLD.
But what if all these sinners of the world reject Christ? Of course most people do reject Christ, but they won't always do so. God has not given them belief yet. Remember "every knee will bow and every tongue will acclaim ... to the Glory of God." Of course most don't will to believe God now, but they all will later. " ... for it is GOD Who is operating in you to WILL as well as to work for the sake of His delight" (Phil. 2:13).
"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the savior of all men" (I Tim. 4:10).
Comment: God is not the "potential" or "possible" saviour of all men. He is the saviour of all men! I believe Him. I think you should too.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
Dean Peterman:
Thank you Joe,
You gave me alot to read and study. I greatly appreciate your kindness in sharing all of this with me.
Sincerely,
Dean
Kat:
Hi Dean,
I looked through the articles and found a few segments that should help in your study.
Here are the links to the articles and the subheadings in the articles.
http://bible-truths.com/lazarus.html
-GOD IS OPERATING ALL
http://bible-truths.com/lake4.html
-THE THREE FESTIVALS AND THE SALVATION OF ALL
http://bible-truths.com/lake6.html
-THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, SPECIALLY BELIEVERS
http://bible-truths.com/lake10.html
-SATAN’S ROLE IN SALVATION
-A FEW OF THE EVILS THAT GOD USES IN SAVING THE WORLD
http://bible-truths.com/lake12.html
-HOPE AND BLESSED ASSURANCE IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
-THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD
http://bible-truths.com/lake15.html
-GOD WILL SAVE ALL OF HIS "POTS"
http://bible-truths.com/lake15-C.html
-JUDGED NOW OR JUDGED LATER
http://bible-truths.com/rapture.htm
-ALL PEOPLES ARE SAVED BY THE SAME FORMULA
josh:
Dean,
I'd like to make a suggestion to you... when I first stumbled on Bible-Truths, nearly two years ago now, I didn't realize that there was a forum that I could join and discuss the things that I was learning. I began close to the top of the page and began reading every article one by one... to tell you the truth, coming face to face with these new truths was a little earth shattering for me. Suddenly everything that I had based my life on seemed to be a lie.
I had spent the last several years pursuing a degree at a bible school, interning at several churches as well as being a full time youth pastor... and now, I felt the guilt and shame of knowing that my life and my ministry up until that point was all based on lies and my own laziness when it came to knowing God and His word.
I worked through the articles, slowly... sometimes taking a couple of weeks to go over just one, with a bible in hand... checking each verse to make sure I wasn't being duped.
I studied for nearly 9 months before I applied for membership here at the forum. Even after studying for nine months, I had plenty of questions... and I still do... I for one am glad that you are a member here and feel that you will not only benefit from your membership, but that your being here will also benefit the body of believers that fellowship here.
I say all that to say this... slow down, take your time to read through the articles on the front page of www.bible-truths.com. Unfortunately there are no short cuts to understanding the mysteries of God's plan for man. He will reveal the truth to you in His perfect timing.
May God grant you the patience and spiritual wisdom necessary to not only know His word, but also to love and accept it.
God's Peace.
Josh
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version