“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

Years ago I watched I news documentary which showed adults and children in Africa who pretty much lived from day to day without hope…fleeing from evil men…starving with no place to go…sick and dying along the way to nowhere.

And a few hours later a television evangelist came on the TV and said that “all people who do not repent and accept Jesus as personal Savior will die and be eternally separated from God and suffer in the eternal flames of hell”. My thoughts immediately went to those starving people in the documentary.

I broke…my whole being and all that I am revolted from such a thing…and I just could not help but be angry. At first I thought I was angry at God, assuming the evangelist was correct and that these starving people would not only suffer in this life but for ever and ever thereafter…in my mind I was shouting at God -- how could you do such a thing!?

And then I realized…I was not mad at God at all. I did not believe that about God and never had, I had just accepted the dogma that my church taught. I was mad at that evangelist and all like him, and those that invite them to speak…I still am.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

If hell is in the doctrine where you meet…get the heck OUT and INTO the Bible. God wins…people are changed…evil will be past…good does triumph...the blessings in the next life will drown out all the suffering in this life.

Sooo practice being good to your families and share the good news of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God who grew up and saved the world!

“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44:22)

If God truly is “no respecter of persons” then it seems to me that the above includes not only Israel but all mankind. But I only know of a few who would entertain this thought. I am reminded of what the philosopher Aristotle once said…

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

I am not a great fan of Aristotle, or any secular philosopher, but sometimes they say stuff that I like, meditate on, and can appreciate. My experience is that religious folks will not entertain new thoughts for fear that we might accept them…so they refuse to entertain any thought opposed to those that were put into their minds from childhood.

But if we Christians trust God then we should not fear entertaining views which are opposed to our own…heck we might just get educated and learn that Jesus will actually do FOR ALL that which we are certain he has promised to do for us!

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

"Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth.” Tacitus

It appears to me that fearing God is not bad...it has its place in the quest for the truth about God. In fact it is the beginning of this wisdom...

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10)

However, when fear enslaves us, we never move on to seek the truth and find the liberty that comes when we find the truth. Thomas Paine once said...

"The slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.” Rights of Man, 1791

When men think and reason about God....and discover the truth...their fear of God 's wrath becomes love for God's Grace....but few seem to find it...that is sad to me.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

"..the truth will make you free." – Jesus

To most secular Philosophers, faith in God is opposed to reason. He or she apparently knows nothing of biblical faith. Biblical faith rests on the sure foundation of perfect reason...reasoning with the Creator of all things.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

When I observe the wonder of creation and learn some of the science of how it all works together I cannot help but see the beauty, wisdom and reason of the one behind the creation...like King David says

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 1:1-4)

The Creator says it is reasonable to believe that when the God who created all is finished with sinners they shall be white as snow and wool.

William Blake once said… “When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.”

That pretty well sums up why I post what I believe to be the truth of the Reconciliation and Salvation of all…and repudiate any doctrine that limits that truth. There are many who reason it must be true of a loving God, yet do not feel equipped to challenge the yoke of tradition. Yet the truth is far more glorious than traditions of men…

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

God sent His Son Jesus into the world to save it…the journey grieved him and he prayed for another way if possible, yet yielded to the will of his Father…

"My Father, if it be possible, remove this cup from me…if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." (Matthew 26:36-46)

The best and greatest man who ever lived was found on his knees in prayer only this one time and sweated greet drops of blood…then stood up, submitted himself to the cross, and saved the world!

For Religions of men to limit this salvation to just a few who join their assemblies is to me heretical. I agree with the Samaritans who heard about Jesus from a women with many husbands, and when they met him they said…

"It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

AND HE IS!

The Bible tells us of some specific things that God may GIVE us…


GRACE: “…the grace of God given to you by Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:4)


SALVATION: “For by grace you have been saved…it is a gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9)


PEACE: “My peace I give to you…” (John 14:27)


ETERNAL LIFE: “…and I give them eternal life…the free gift of God is Eternal Life…” (John 10:28: Romans 6:23b)


HELPER: “…and He will give you another helper…” (John 14:16)


KNOWLEDGE OF GOD: “…may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him…” (Ephesians 1:17)


KINGDOM OF GOD: “…it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom…” (Luke 12:32)

Everything good thing we receive from God is a GIFT. In other words it is not a reward for good behavior…He does not owe us anything.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17)
 
And He gives out of a Father’s LOVE, which of course is His very nature for…

“…God is love” (1 John 4:8)

And of course a Father’s love requires disciplining his children on occasion. This IS a result of our behavior. But it is always remedial and balanced and is a Blessing…

"Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17)

"He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have." Socrates

Sometimes even Philosophers get it right.

"...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." (Philippians 4:11)

"For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting..." (Psalm 100:5)

"Doublethink" means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them” - George Orwell

Like the Doctrines of Mercy and Eternal Torment...it appears to me.

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)

This “word of His GRACE” is not the same Word as the Word concerning the Kingdom. The word of His Grace is for all mankind and sets forth the Salvation of mankind by God’s grace. The word concerning the Kingdom has to do with Israel and God’s promises to them alone. Both are good news (gospels) but are completely separate. Following is how I understand and distinguish the two gospels…

THE GOSPEL (Word) OF THE KINGDOM: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". It was first preached to ISRAEL only by John the Baptist, then Jesus Himself and his 12 chosen Jewish disciples. It will also be preached again during the Great Tribulation (Day of the Lord) just before Jesus returns. It was directed ONLY to the Nation of Israel (God's CHOSEN nation) and to Gentile proselytes (like Cornelius). It focused on Jesus being the Jewish Messiah. It was preached by Peter, James, John and Paul to the Circumcision/Israel until blindness came to the nation of Israel at the close of the book of Acts. When the 70th week of Daniel begins, the blindness will be lifted God and God will again focus His attention on Israel's national repentance, and "ALL Israel will be saved"(Romans 3:25-32). The book of Revelation gives the conclusion to the Word of the Kingdom promised to Israel and details the Tribulation period otherwise known as the 70th week of Daniel, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and the Day of the Lord.

THE GOSPEL (Word) OF GRACE: "Christ died for the sins of all mankind, he was buried, and rose again according to Scripture." And “as in Adam all time, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...that God may be ALL in ALL” (1 Corinthians 15). To ENJOY the benefits of that good news one simply needs to "believe/have faith in” that good news. It was entrusted to Paul by our Lord who also gave him an "abundance of revelations" (2 Corinthians 12:1, 7) which were revealed only to Paul by Jesus after his ascension. Paul was chosen to preach it among individuals of ALL Nations. There was no call to repent, be baptized, or accept Jesus as Messiah but simply to believe the Salvation God is providing for mankind through Christ Jesus who was the first fruit of that salvation. It included the following revelations…that "God was in Christ reconciling to World to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them". Salvation is for those "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" and would become the “Body of Christ” with the heavenly destiny of displaying the marvelous grace of God among the heavens (Ephesians 2:4-10). It taught that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"; and that "the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". It says that Jesus "came into the world to save sinners", and that God "wills ALL men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the Truth"; and that there is only "one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for ALL".

It is my opinion that failing to keep these two gospels separate is the source of all error within Christianity today…and not many Christians seem to understand that or care.

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

It seems to me that the various religions of the world, including Christianity, have missed this simple truth. Maybe because it is so simple and profound – “from Him and through Him and for Him are ALL THINGS”. However, if the Bible is the inerrant word of God, and I have chosen to believe it is, then the above is TRUE.

So what does God think about our enemies…meaning those who oppose God’s Word? When the Jewish religious leaders opposed Christians Paul tells us…

“From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all..” (Romans 11:28-33)

Israel, Gods chosen nation, became His enemies – for the sake of all other ethnic peoples (Gentiles) – but they are still His because He chose them and the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. ALL people, including those chosen by God in this life, become disobedient so that God, who is LOVE, can show MERCY to ALL…and He wants us to pray for our enemies because it is God’s WILL to save them …

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men…This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who WILLS all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL…I am telling the truth, I am not lying as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” (1 Timothy 2:1-8)

Good luck with that Paul! Nevertheless, God loves His enemies and Jesus forgave his from the cross!

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the LORD, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:34-36)

The World Is A Theater

"The world is a theater, the earth a stage which God and nature do with Actors fill" – John Heywood

"In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)

“Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me…Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish. Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, What you are about to do, do quickly.” (John 13:21-28)

Really Jesus! Shouldn’t you have talked to him and warned him of the consequences for his action? And who were you talking to anyway…Judas or Satan…or both? Really “do quickly”. Sounds like you are approving and encouraging them to betray you.

“The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil….” (Proverbs 16:4) 

“Then Jesus replied, Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil! Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him." (John 6:70-71)

The Bible tells me that God wrote the script for this great drama of life, and we are simply playing the part he has written for us. And when this great play concludes, all of the actors will be gathered before him, and receive praise for the role written for them to play.

“Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.” (Psalm 96:13) 

"He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

The villians, Satan, Adam, and Judas may receive an academy award for their perfect performance…all to the glory of God, the writer of the script.  Our Hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, is playing the leading role as the Savior of the world!

“As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…death will be abolished…so that God may be ALL in ALL…We  have seen and do testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world...He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 1 John 4:14; Revelation 22:20)

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)

What does “the word of His grace” mean and what is this word? The Greek for “word” is “logo” and simply means that which is communicated to mankind by God. And what is that? His GRACE…unmerited favor among those who are sanctified. 

Mankind is sanctified (deemed Holy by God) through the truth of His Word (what He has communicated to us)…

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:17-18)

Christ Jesus came to save the world. He consecrated himself for that purpose and through his shed blood he succeeded.

“…all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness… But he has appeared once FOR ALL at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:22-26)

So for me, the “WORD OF HIS GRACE” is as follows:

Mankind is SAVED by His GRACE, not of works…

“For by grace you have been saved…not as a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Mankind is JUSTIFIED (declared righteous) by His GRACE…

“…so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:7)

Mankind is RECONCILED to God through Christ Jesus by His Grace…

“…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

So where does FAITH fit in?

The Greek word for FAITH is also translated BELIEVE. So FAITH is simply believing what God says. Mankind can only find true JOY and PEACE in this present evil age by having FAITH in the “Word of His Grace”….in other words by believing it. 

NEVERTHELESS, there will come a day when everyone will come forth from the grave (“hades”) as Jesus said…

“…for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and MY JUDGMENT IS JUST (right), because I do not seek my own will, but THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME.” (John 5:28-30)

It is my view of Scripture that at the resurrection those of us who have BELIEVED the “word of his Grace” in this age will rise to enter immediately into immortal life. Those who, for whatever reason, have NOT believed the “word of his Grace” in this life will rise to be judged JUSTLY, according to the WILL of God who sent Jesus to SAVE the world, not condemn it…

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him...it is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.…” (John 3:17; 1 Timothy 4:8-10)

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it YOU WILL SURELY DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17)

I am told that the Hebrew word translated “die” is more accurately rendered “to die shall you be dying”...in other words the dying process began and all of us inherit the dying process as a result of the original sin of Adam. 

“…as through one man (Adam) the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and thus to all men the death did pass through, for that all did sin…” (Romans 5:120

I was asked by a Christian friend if I thought his Daddy had lied to him when he told him that the penalty for unconfessed sin is everlasting punishment in hell? 

It was a loaded question and I was not about to call his Daddy a liar… so I said no he did not lie to you, he sincerely told you what he believed. He was concerned as any parent believing in hell would be….he was just MYTHTAKEN.

And this attitude I find to be the strongest hindrance to people repudiating the false teaching of eternal conscious torment in hell. They trust their spiritual leaders and I learned early that you cannot argue with that “logic”. So all I can do is post my different opinion, citing the Scripture upon which I base my view, hoping some people will pick up the bible and check it out….if so, I am confident they will find as I do that the wages of sin is DEATH, just as "the free gift of God is eternal LIFE". Our existence began with God creating us in our mother’s womb….and the new creation will start at our resurrection when God creates us brand new as a free gift into the immortal, sinless image of God, of which Christ Jesus is the firstfruit.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord….as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord… Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly…this mortal must put on immortality…then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.” (Romans 6:23; Romans 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:49-54)

God wins…and so do we!

Jesus told those who believed in him how not to pray as well as how to pray…

"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:5-7)

So, those who love to pray in church and on street corners are going to get the attention of those around them….but that is all. However, those who pray privately to the Father will be rewarded. NOTE: rewarded does not mean we always get what we ask for, but rewarded for going to God privately with our prayers…

Here are some simple prayers that are recorded in the Bible…

"I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” Jesus (Luke 10:21)

“Father forgive them…” Jesus (Luke 23:34)

“Father, glorify your name.” Jesus (John 12:28)

“God, be merciful to me, the sinner.” Tax collector (Luke 18:13)

“I bow my knees before the Father…that He would grant you…to be strengthened…that you…may be able to comprehend…and to know the love of Christ…” Paul (Ephesians 3:14-19)

“Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” John (Revelation 22:21-22)

And Jesus prayed for all who would believe in him that they would be one with he and the Father…

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)