The other day, I had this revelation in the shower (that's when all the best thinking happens).
I know this should have been obvious to me, but for some reason I just wasn't getting the full meaning of these verses. Even after reading and rereading Ray's material for the last year.
1 Cor 3
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Here is how I had been reading these verses. I was looking at these 3 verses through the rosecolored (hell must be rosy because of all that fire) glasses of Christendom. Here is how I was reading it. Every man will be judged. And those that are saved (by Christ) will be saved by that fire.
Then, applying Ray's teaching on top, since the Christ's chosen are saved here by fire, it is reasonable to conclude that the lake of fire is the saving mechanism for the unbelievers (taking into account all other verses etc.).
Now, stop. What was the mistake I made? I thank God that he removed the rosecolored glasses. It is so obvious, these 3 verses should be the poster child for God saving all. Forget about any Lake of Fire references. Forget about 1 Tim 4:10, 2 Peter 3:9. People still 'weasel' a belief in hell out of those verses. But 1 Cor 3:13-15 says it clearly:
EVERY MAN SHALL BE SAVED BY FIRE!
See it? You all probably think I'm silly for pointing out the obvious, but I didn't see it until I stepped out of the shower last week!
Every man's work shall be judged by fire. But if any man's work is burnt up, he is still saved. The "any man's work" means EVERY man's work. Therfore these verses concisely say that everyone will be saved!
Kevin "pointing out the obvious" Legoman