Denied But Not Damned

"...whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)

What is denied is REIGNING with Christ in the ages to come.

"If we endure, we will also REIGN with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:12).

When we are told we are to REIGN with Christ, who are we reigning over if Satan, the fallen angels, and all unbelievers are in hell?

None of God's created beings will be damned forever in the mythological underworld of hell. But they will be reigned over and righteously chastened until all bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord - to the glory of God. 

"As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God...at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11)

And when God's plan for the ages is complete God be "All in all". 

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive...For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet...that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:20-29).

There has always been a remnant of people who believe God. These all endure to the end of life or the return of Jesus with peace and hope in their heart.  All of them will be raised to REIGN with Christ Jesus over all creation, in perfect righteousness, in the ages to come. Some will reign over this earth and the New Earth.  Some will reign among the heavens.  Their reign will cease only when all creation has been reconciled to God and He is All in all.

Purpose of the Ages

“In accord with the purpose of the ages, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).

“Purpose” means that God has a plan concerning the outcome of creation. The ages were made by and for Christ, and they are unfolding according to the plan of God. Mankind's so called “freewill” will not deter the purpose of God. God is the God of certainty and not of chance, and He made up His mind what He wanted to do and then created the ages to work out His plan.

At the close of the ages God will be "All in all" of His creation.

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive...When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

In our troubled world I am glad God has a plan to save His creation.  Faith in that plan gives me "peace".

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

End Of The Ages

God is the King of "the ages" and He made the ages through Christ Jesus His Son...

“Now to the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only, and wise God...in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages” (1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 1:1-2)

And AGE is a long period of time with a beginning and an end. In Hebrew the word is “olam” and refers to a period of time so long that one cannot see beyond it. The phrase "olam va'ed” is usually translated in English Bibles as “forever and ever” but that is NOT what was meant. It means “as far as one can see and beyond”. The Greek word for Age is “aion” and clearly refers to a definite period of time with a beginning and an end even though it is translated “forever” into English sometimes in our Bible...in error. It seems to me that 5 ages  are reflected in the Bible with a beginning and an end of which two of them are past...

Age 1 - the original age when all things were created and ended in the earth becoming without form and void. (Genesis 1:1)

Age 2 - the regeneration of the earth after it became without form and void and ended with the flood of Noah. (Genesis 1:2).

Age 3 – This is present age which began after the FLOOD and Paul calls “the present wicked age”...it will end with the return of Jesus to establish the Messianic Kingdom on the earth.

“Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4)

There are two ages which are future in which the riches of His grace and kindness (saving of sinners) will be displayed...

“...in the ONCOMING AGES, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His GRACE in His KINDNESS to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

Age 4 - The 1000 year Kingdom Age promised to Israel (Acts 1:6; Revelation 20:6)

Age 5 - The final Age of a New Heaven and New Earth at the end of which God will be "All in All". (Revelation 21:1; 1 Corinthians 15:28)

“…THEN COMES THE END, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death....then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be ALL IN ALL.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

Predestined

“...but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7)

God had a wise predestined plan BEFORE the ages began and it is good news...

“...the good news according to the power of God, who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and GRACE, that was GIVEN to us in Christ Jesus, BEFORE the times of the ages.” (1 Timothy 1:8-9 YLT)

The purpose of this good news plan was to save sinners, not by works or wise decisions they make, but by His "GRACE that was GIVEN to us"...

“...EXPECTATION of eternal life, which God, Who does not lie, promises BEFORE time began.” (Titus 1:2)

Therefore we can EXPECT (be assured) that God will complete the plan as He promised "BEFORE time began". The religious views of men will not change the predetermined plan of God.

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me.” (Isaiah 45:5-6)