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Monthly Archives: February 2014

JOHN 3:16

“GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD” is probably the best known verse in the Bible. So often has it been expounded and so fully discussed that there seems little likelihood of discovering still deeper delights should we delve in the original, or consult a more exact and consistent rendering. We hope to show, however, that this gem is far more brilliant in its original form than in our idolized, English version. Even those who use it most miss much of its message. This was forcibly brought to my attention by a series of questions concerning it, in which the inquirer asked, “God—does this refer to, the Father? So—what is the meaning of this adverb? World—does this refer to the world geographically or to men and women in the world? Gave—what does the word mean? Begotten—does this refer to being begotten of Mary, or always and eternally begotten? Whosoever—to whom does that refer? Believeth—does this mean any ordinary belief of the mind? On—I have always wondered what on means…Is on used in a sense as of a foundation?”
Although the apostle John was a minister of the Circumcision, and his writings are, in their application, for them alone, nevertheless they belong to the “all Scripture” which is beneficial for us also. Paul’s evangel of conciliation contains grace far beyond the range of this verse, yet there is enough here to more than fill our cup of wondering joy. Here we have the climax of Israel’s ministry, as it will be carried out in the coming day of Jehovah. Hitherto, Israel had been self-centered. They wanted blessing for themselves, although they were chosen to be channels of blessing to others. John’s ministry is characterized by this. He sets forth the blessing of the whole world through the holy nation, when they are blessed, while Paul sets forth the portion for the nations while Israel is still stubborn.
 
GOD—NOT THE FATHER
One of the eyesores of modern evangelical teaching is confusion in regard to the Deity. This exposes itself at times in such questions as “Is it God the Father?” In such a dilemma, a modern evangelist would almost be compelled to answer “Yes.” But this leads to even more confusion, if we substitute, and say, “The Father so loved the world.” This suggests that the love is that of a parent, and that God is related to the world as a father to his child, sometimes called the “universal fatherhood” of God. This logical deduction no evangelical preacher will acknowledge. Is it not much better to avoid the character of Father here? The unbelieving world is related to God as Creator. The title “God” denotes the “Disposer” in the original tongues. So we should perhaps answer by saying that it is not in His character as Father that God’s love is displayed here, but rather in that of God. The unbeliever is not related to God as Father, hence the love here spoken of
is not paternal.
John three sixteen is clear in its testimony against the Trinitarian heresy. If we include in the title “God” the theological “God the Son,” then we transform it into an inextricable and insoluble maze. How can “God the Son” generate Himself? Or, perhaps we should say, How can He perform a part of this, so that He is the only begotten Son of two Others, as well as Himself? The question, Was it God the Father? is the cry of one who is perplexed, not by John three sixteen, but by orthodox theology. It ought to open our eyes to the darkness of orthodox doctrine, and, by its clear-cut inferential testimony, confirm the great truth that there is one God, Who alone could give His Son, not one of three, who give one of themselves.
SO—MANNER, NOT MEASURE
Often, in my early days, did I revel in the word so, and in my preaching, I expatiated on the magnificent extent of God’s love to the world. But one day I thought I would look it up in my Greek concordance. I am ashamed to say that for a while I was disappointed to find that it was not “so,” in the sense of quantity or size. But it was not long before I began to see that the quality of God’s love is here displayed by the way in which it expresses itself to His creatures, and this is far more precious than its abundance. It is the manner of God’s love which is here revealed, not alone its measure. This Greek word is usually rendered thus, not so. Its true force is seen in the preceding verse, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of Mankind be lifted up.” In other places the Authorized Version translators have it on this wise ( Matt.1:18), after this manner ( Matt.6:9), likewise ( Matt. 17:12), in like manner ( Mark 13:29). Thus is a closer rendering, as in its next occurrence. Our Lord “sat thus on the well” ( John 4:6). “Thus God loves the world…” The word “so” really calls attention to the manner rather than the measure, yet, in this connection it has become blurred, and is always taken as an adverb of size, hence it should be replaced by a clearer expression.
Paul expands this thought more fully in the fifth chapter of Romans: “God is recommending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes” ( Rom.5: 8). John puts it thus: “We are loving God, seeing that He first loves us” ( 1 John 4:19). Even the greatness of His love for His own depends upon this contrast for its revelation. As Paul puts it: “God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts)…” ( Eph.2:4). In essence, it is its graciousness which characterizes God’s love. The unworthiness, yea, the utterly despicable character of its object tells us of its grace, for it is a very unlovely world which God loves. On the other hand, the vast value of His gift to this undeserving world, nothing less than the Son of His love, unveils the preciousness of His affection.
What the world needs is to be impressed with the way, rather than the quantity of God’s love. This can be done by stressing the fact that He gives His most precious possession to a world which deserves His indignation and destruction. Only the knowledge of such a love has power to break through the resistance of hard hearts. Only by giving His best to those who deserve His worst has God been able to reveal to us the unutterable graciousness of His feelings toward the creatures of His hand and heart. I sympathize with all who still cling to the familiar “so.” It was a hard and a long pull before I could leave it. It took time for me to become used to “thus.” But it is well worth the cost. It is the manner of His love to which He calls our attention.
LOVES—NOT LOVED
This is further impressed upon our hearts by the fact that, in the original, the verb is loves, not loved. God’s love to the world is not a matter of past history, but a present and a future fact. It is indeed true that He loved and gave, but it is infinitely more true that He loves and gives. These are timeless verities, not mere past manifestations. In Paul’s passage in Romans, which parallels, or rather expands and exalts these great truths to accord with the present grace ( Rom.5:1-11), justification is through the blood of Christ, yet there is also salvation in the life of the Son of God. In the preceding verse we have the death of Christ, the Son of Mankind exalted as the serpent in the wilderness, but John 3:16 goes on further than this, for here, as in Romans, God gives His Son, and this includes His life as well as His death, His future glory as well as His past humiliation, His coming for us in the future as well as His advent in the past. God loves (not loved) the world.
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE WORLD?
Many are perplexed by the word world in the Bible because it sometimes seems to mean one thing and sometimes another. As a matter of fact the word in the original means system or arrangement, and it includes all organized creation demanded by the context in each case. This relieves our minds of the absurdity of making world mean all the men and women in the world, for that which is in a thing, can hardly be that thing. English has no good equivalent for the Greek kosmos, which is broader in its significance, and refers, not directly to the individuals, but to the whole social system of which men form a part. God, the great Arbiter, has created all in the Son of His Love ( Col.1:16), and it were strange, indeed, if His heart did not crave a response from that part of this marvelous system which can return it. But, as His power alone has imparted power to His creatures, so His love alone is able to awake a response in them.
Before coming to John 3:16 we are told what sort of world this is. In the first chapter we read, “In the world He was, and the world came into being through Him, and the world knew Him not” ( John 1:10). It was an ignorant world. It was a dark world ( Matt.5:14). The men who make it, love darkness rather than light, for their acts are wicked ( John 3:19). In Paul’s epistles salvation is individual and particular. In our infirmity, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes. Being enemies, we were conciliated through the death of His Son ( Rom.5:8-10). But John’s evangel is not so individual. Christ was a “Servant of the Circumcision, for the sake of the truth of God, to confirm the patriarchal promises” ( Rom.15:8). The outlook is national and world wide. It has in view the promised day of salvation, the millennium, when the world, the whole system, will be the subject of God’s salvation. Hence God loves the world, and the world is to be regenerated by the salvation of those in it who believe. To Nicodemus our Lord said, “ye” (not you), that is, all in Israel, “must be born anew.”
 
THE GIFT OF GOD
Who shall define the meaning of a gift? But is not this very passage itself an exalted exposition of its truest significance? It is the chief activity and expression of love. Hate robs. Love gives. Nearly all who have ever labored under the desire to express their affection have had to resort to this means of making it known. The great difficulty is to secure appreciation. I remember once wondering how I could get beyond the ordinary, humdrum, routine gifts, so I gave some of my own heart’s blood by using it in place of ink in writing to the object of my affection. A gift of such a character is more effective than imposing presents. God is too rich to expect much response from mere material donations. But when He gives that which is near and dear to Him, then our hard hearts are affected.
 
THE ONLY BEGOTTEN
Among westerners the firstborn of a family has little precedence over the rest. But in the Orient the firstborn son takes a place of privilege far above his brothers. When there is only one, he almost monopolizes his father’s heart, for a man’s present standing and future hopes for his family are all bound up in his heir. To the eastern mind there can be no more precious possession than an only son. He is the supreme joy of his father and the pride of his mother’s heart. He is more to them than all else besides. To give such a one is to give all, for nothing else can be compared to him in his father’s estimation. Christ is God’s only begotten Son in the literal sense, in the flesh. In spirit, He becomes the Firstborn among many brethren, but no other man was without a human father except Adam, and he was not begotten, but created. This unique glory belongs only to our Lord.
We must learn to distinguish a son from a mere offspring. Especially in Hebrew it has a wide usage, and includes rank and dignity as well as relationship. But it especially denotes likeness. God gave the One Who was most like Him to be our Saviour. How far we have been led astray into the misty mysteries of medieval theology may be seen by the form in which the question is put. What is “always and eternally begotten?” How thankful we should be that no such nonsense can be found in God’s Word! In theology a contradiction in terms seems to be taken as the hall mark of the divine. The same statement, in other spheres, would be an unquestionable symptom of a deranged intellect. There is no such thing as “eternally begotten,” for begettal is a beginning, and eternal is without a beginning.
 
WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH
What a perplexing time we used to have trying to stretch out the word whosoever over every member of the human race! But, alas! It would not stay down over unbelievers. It is not “whosoever,” without limitations, but everyone who believes. Herein John 3:16 differs from the glorious evangel of the conciliation, which Paul later revealed for us gentiles. In John we have God’s love for the world. In Paul we have this love displayed by God’s attitude toward unbelievers as well as its effect on believers. Our Lord spoke before His sacrifice. Paul writes after His cross. John seeks Israel’s salvation. Paul realizes Israel’s repudiation. The world is now conciliated, so far as God is concerned, and our message to the unbeliever is to receive this conciliation. When our Lord was here on earth, the unbeliever was judged ( John 3:18). The indignation of God remained on the stubborn ( John 3:36). But not so now. God beseeches all to be conciliated to Him because He is conciliated to them. He is not now reckoning their offenses to them ( 2 Cor. 5:18-21).
What a joy and satisfaction it was to get the vexed “whosoever” question settled by Paul! We were continually tripping over our own feet by preaching that Christ died instead of “the world,” and “whosoever,” and trying to widen this so as not to miss anyone, and then we insisted that, if they did not believe, then—though Christ had died as their “substitute,” and God could not justly punish them as well as Him—if they did not believe they would suffer eternal torment.
“Payment God will not twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine.”
What a change when we discovered that we had been mixing and distorting and adulterating God’s plain declarations! Then the evangel for today, with its two distinct phases, conciliation on God’s side to the whole world whether they believe or not, and reconciliation when they believe and receive the conciliation, into their own hearts, enabled us to refrain from making God appear unjust. “Whosoever” in John’s evangel is limited to those who believe.
“Does this mean any ordinary belief of the mind?” This was another earnest problem of the past. In this very gospel we read of those who believed into His name beholding the signs which He did. Yet He did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all … ( John 2:23-25). This put quite a damper on our “whosoever believeth.” We tried to classify the various varieties of faith. It was very evident that there was something lacking with the faith of most “Christians.” One did not need much knowledge of mankind to distrust their profession. Here again Paul came to our rescue. No, a belief with the mind is not genuine. “With the heart it is believed for righteousness” ( Rom.10:10). A superficial assent is worthless. Only a faith which flows from the very core of our being is of any use. It is useless to say that we believe. If it is a living faith it will bear fruit, and by this we will recognize if it is genuine, and convince others of its reality.
NOT ON, BUT INTO
The “kind” of faith necessary for salvation has disturbed the mind of many an anxious sinner. But God’s Word knows no species in faith. The difference lies in its vitality and its depth. It must be with the heart, that is, from the inmost center of our being. All else is sham and hypocrisy. The character of faith is also most graphically expressed in the original by the accompanying preposition. Our stammering English allows us to believe on or in. But the more truthful tongue of inspiration prefers to believe into. Faith is a moving force. When we believe we do not stand on, or even in, but we are transferred from without to within. Out of the world and into God’s Son. Not only is He the foundation beneath our feet, but He is above us and all around us. The true force of into is seen in the very next verse. As God dispatched His Son into the world so faith moves from out of Him into Him.
How much richer would be our life and experience if we should imitate God as beloved children, even in His ways of speaking! He seldom refers to the great change wrought by faith as a motionless position. Never is it faith in Him until after “the great transaction’s done.” Seldom, in John’s gospel, do we read of believing on. Yet nearly forty times, in nearly every chapter, we read of believing into. In the third chapter alone it occurs four times (16,18,18 36). These precious distinctions were lost early, as may be seen in John 3:15, where the three most venerable manuscripts each have it differently. Alexandrinus has it on, Vaticanus has it in and Sinaiticus has it believe into. But here there is the danger that it was adapted to the next verse. But in John 3:16 there is no question. It is those who are carried by the vital power of faith into the only begotten Son of God who shall not be perishing but may be having eonian life.
Yet there is motion into His name which, nevertheless, is not to be trusted. The difference seems to spring from the motive power. The perception of physical signs may not beget vital faith. It is a conviction concerning matters which are not observed. It comes by hearing the divine declarations. Its foundation today must always be, “It is written.” How much of the faith in the millennium is false is seen only at its close, when an innumerable multitude, who have known the powers of that marvelous eon, will follow Satan when he is loosed from his prison. And in our day, how little genuine belief is there in the great religious bodies with their millions of nominal believers! A colporteur in the eastern part of Europe was assured by a man who bought a Bible: “It is true that I am a Christian, but I have never had this book in my hands before.” God alone can read the heart. We must look for outward signs. There is no better evidence than to toil and suffer for God’s Word.
EONIAN, NOT EVERLASTING, LIFE
Do we not too often forget that John 3:16 was attuned to the heart and the understanding of a learned Jewish rabbi? Have we not tried to trim it down to fit the ignorant, irreligious sinner? What was the subject of the discourse? Was it not that which occupied the attention of all who pondered the Hebrew Scriptures, how to enter the kingdom of God? Before Nicodemus could say anything about it, our Lord anticipated the thought of his heart, and told him that, apart from being begotten anew, he could not perceive the kingdom of God ( John 3:3). Let us not forget this when we come to the sixteenth verse. Here our Lord is opening up the way into this kingdom. Only in this light can we understand what is really meant by “shall not perish.” Should we not take these words as Nicodemus must have received them? Is it honest to “apply” them to sinners and circumstances utterly foreign to their original intent? It is this wresting of a few words from their context which causes the confusion and the questioning of sincere seekers after truth in these days of dire apostasy.
Let us seek to put ourselves in the position of Nicodemus. He is looking and longing for another “world” or system, in the coming eon: the kingdom of God. To live in that day is his great desire. How can he attain it? What works must he perform? To begin with, our Lord seems to shut the door of access in his face. No man can do anything in order to be born anew. Having barred the way of works, our Lord opens the gate of faith, based on God’s love gift. This is the path into the kingdom of God on earth, not the portal into His presence for the nations today. In brief, the kingdom foretold by the prophets will be the portion of all who believe. Only those who have died in faith ( Heb.11) will find entrance there. And only the faithful will be preserved through the terrific judgments which precede it. These “should not be perishing but may be having eonian life.” Unbelievers, like those stubborn in the wilderness, will not enter the promised land. John 3:16, is millennial in its context and its scope.
The Hebrew rabbis spoke of “the life of the age,” or eon, the time of Messiah’s reign and of Israel’s exaltation among the nations. This is the so-called “everlasting” life of this verse. The Hebrew root “olam,” which this represents, signifies obscure, and is usually rendered hide as a verb. To the prophets the future was still obscure to a large extent, hence the time of blessing which was dimly seen ahead was so called. But, with added revelations, the future became clearer, and, in the Greek Scriptures, this obscure term is displaced by a more definite one, eon. The eons emerge out of the mist and take a definite number and sequence. It turns out that, in the Scriptures, time is divided just the same as is space. As in the tabernacle, the outside, the camp, the court, and the holy places constitute five distinct divisions, so there are five eons or ages. Two are past. The present, in which Christ was crucified, corresponds to the court and the brazen altar. The next two, the eons of the eons, correspond to the holies of the holies, the two rooms in the tabernacle building.
The life of the eons, or eonian life, is life for the two concluding eons, the scene of the reign of Christ and His saints. This corresponds exactly with the facts, as gathered from other passages. The unbeliever is not made alive in the former resurrection, when the kingdom is set up. He is roused from judgment at the great white throne, and goes into the second death. Thus he shall be perishing, and has no part in the kingdom of God. The believer in Israel, however, is made alive soon after the advent of Messiah, and he lives and reigns with Christ, not only during the thousand years, but also in the succeeding eon, the day of God. He receives “eonian life,” according to John 3: 16.
Revelation has been gradual. The early prophets saw but one coming of Christ. Later, details were added, and His advent in humiliation was separated from his appearance in glory. So also it is with John 3:16, and all the prophecies of our Lord and His twelve apostles. He could not reveal to them all that was in store for mankind in the future, for they were concerned only with the blessing which should come through the elect nation. That is why the truth for today was not made known to them, for our blessing comes to us, not through Israel’s mediation, but in spite of their failure. The truth for today was a secret, revealed only through the apostle Paul after Israel was set aside. Until this had come to pass it is foolish to look for truth which is based upon it.
For the same reason the final state, the ultimate consummation, was never made known through the apostles of the Circumcision. Theirs is an intermediate process, by which God will reveal Himself to the denizens of earth, by means of one favored nation. Only through Paul has God made known what lies beyond the “olams,” the eons. This is entirely out of the range of John 3:16, and is in contrast with it. Paul reveals it in Romans five, First Corinthians fifteen and Colossians one. Then not only believers, but all will receive life. Then it will not be eonian life, but actually endless life, for death will be abolished and no longer operate. This is confirmed by the fact that the words “perish” and “have,” in the original, do not speak of a fact, indefinite in its reach, but of a process, which is terminable. The perishing and the having are future and during the period of the kingdom. But, when all rule is abolished, and the “everlasting” reign of the Son terminates with His abdication, then the perishing ceases, and gives place to reconciliation, beyond the kingdom era.
TRUTHS AND PROCESSES
Every now and then I am sent passages of Scripture which seem to be absolutely contradictory, and this is acknowledged by men who have tried their best to solve them. Time and again the solution has been simple, for one spoke of a fact, the other of a temporary process. A glance at the Hebrew or Greek makes all plain. But our English versions are lamentably lame in this regard. The Hebrew has two forms for its verb, but who would ever dream of it if he was dependent on an English translation? The Greek also clearly distinguishes three great groups of verb forms, the indefinite, the incomplete or durative, and the perfect. It is of the utmost importance that we know of any action, whether it is a fact without limitations, as “God loves,” or a temporary process, limited to the indicated time, as “should not be perishing.”
How many who read “should not perish,” get the impression of a process going on during the eons? None! Even when correctly rendered “should not be perishing” only a few will grasp the significance of the change in grammar before it is pointed out to them. This ignorance of the force of these two verb forms, and the failure to carry it over into English translations, is a most potent stronghold of error. John three sixteen, in its popular form, contains two glaring and ungodly errors of this kind. God’s love and giving are relegated to the past, although they are timeless. The perishing is made timeless although it is definitely assigned to a limited period in the future.
I am well aware that this is not based on traditional Greek grammar. But why should I confine myself to stereotyped, ossified ideas about Greek, when constant contact with the living oracles has taught me vital facts which all the scholarship in the world cannot disprove? Let a real student examine all of the occurrences of the verbs in the sacred text, and classify them as to actual form (not traditional grammar), and then examine the classes, and he will see that the so-called “incomplete” (there is not even a good name for it!) always speaks of an action as going on, and always limited to the scope of the context. Permanent, abiding facts are put in the indefinite.
The errors which are fostered by the inability of translators to carry over these great distinctions are so vital and disastrous that I have made up my mind that, in future, every Concordant version will make the matter clear. It is true that the version at present does maintain this distinction, as a rule. In fact, that is the chief objection to it! But we have yielded to English idiom in some cases. In future, except with an accompanying sublinear, these must be noted, so that the distinction will be clear to the most ignorant. Then “shall not see life,” and “abides” ( John 3:36) will no longer deny other portions of God’s revelation. Such errors as these would not be so fatal if it were not for our human failing—to believe what is false and obscure, and to reject what is right and plainly revealed. When we “choose,” our selection is sin.
It is true that even the misuse of this text has been accompanied with untold blessing, for God is a skillful Workman. If the power of His Word were dependent upon the intelligence of His servants and their choice of the proper tool for each operation, what would be accomplished? It is only another proof that this is an era of grace, when His slaves are allowed to use His Word with so little spiritual discernment without being called to account, or being set aside. Millions of copies of John’s gospel have been printed and distributed in our days because of the popular impression that it is especially adapted to the needs of sinners today. We can only applaud the sincere motives and great sacrifices which have made this possible. They will find a sure reward.
But how much more would it please God if we should spread the epistle of Romans, and the truths which it contains! The first five chapters of this epistle with a few extracts from Corinthians and Galatians definitely deal with the nations while Israel is set aside, and reveal the truth which is for unbelievers in this time of unparalleled grace. These deal with the individual sinner, not the world as a whole. They reveal God’s justice, as well as His love. They bring faith righteousness to the nations, after Israel had refused the pardon of sins. They set forth God’s present gracious attitude of conciliation for all mankind, the true heart of the evangel for today, which has been forgotten and ignored in our lawless desire to rob Israel of John 3:16 and other texts.
The “appropriation” of this text has made us poorer, not richer. If we leave it where it is, it speaks no whit less loudly of God’s love. Connected with Nicodemus, and those who enter the kingdom to be set up on this earth, it shines with a brighter brilliancy than ever before. “Applied” to sinners among the nations, contrary to its context, it cannot itself, be clearly understood, and it eclipses the brighter light and far greater grace which is ours in Christ Jesus. What a day that will be when our eyes will be opened to understand the Scriptures! How much that we have taught will ascend in smoke! Yet how thankful we will be that He knows our motives and judges our hearts and not our heads! Most of us read as much into the Bible as we read out of it. The less we read into it the more we will read out. All who really wish to understand John 3:16 must orient themselves in Romans, and view it from their proper standpoint. It is stolen goods which we by no means need, for we have even richer and rarer expressions of God’s love in His letters addressed to us and not to Israel.
Written by
A E KNOCK

I AM A CONVINCED UNIVERSALIST

by William Barclay

I am a convinced universalist. I believe that in the end all men will be gathered into the love of God. In the early days Origen was the great name connected with universalism. I would believe with Origen that universalism is no easy thing. Origen believed that after death there were many who would need prolonged instruction, the sternest discipline, even the severest punishment before they were fit for the presence of God. Origen did not eliminate hell; he believed that some people would have to go to heaven via hell. He believed that even at the end of the day there would be some on whom the scars remained. He did not believe in eternal punishment, but he did see the possibility of eternal penalty. And so the choice is whether we accept God’s offer and invitation willingly, or take the long and terrible way round through ages of purification.

Gregory of Nyssa offered three reasons why he believed in universalism. First, he believed in it because of the character of God. “Being good, God entertains pity for fallen man; being wise, he is not ignorant of the means for his recovery.” Second, he believed in it because of the nature of evil. Evil must in the end be moved out of existence, “so that the absolutely non-existent should cease to be at all.” Evil is essentially negative and doomed to non-existence. Third, he believed in it because of the purpose of punishment. The purpose of punishment is always remedial. Its aim is “to get the good separated from the evil and to attract it into the communion of blessedness.” Punishment will hurt, but it is like the fire which separates the alloy from the gold; it is like the surgery which removes the diseased thing; it is like the cautery which burns out that which cannot be removed any other way.

But I want to set down not the arguments of others but the thoughts which have persuaded me personally of universal salvation.

First, there is the fact that there are things in the New Testament which more than justify this belief. Jesus said: “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). Paul writes to the Romans: “God has consigned all men to disobedience that he may have mercy on all” (Rom. 11:32). He writes to the Corinthians: “As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22); and he looks to the final total triumph when God will be everything to everyone (1 Cor. 15:28). In the First Letter to Timothy we read of God “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and of Christ Jesus “who gave himself as a ransom for all” (1 Tim 2:4-6). The New Testament itself is not in the least afraid of the word all.

Second, one of the key passages is Matthew 25:46 where it is said that the rejected go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life. The Greek word for punishment is kolasis, which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better. I think it is true to say that in all Greek secular literature kolasis is never used of anything but remedial punishment. The word for eternal is aionios. It means more than everlasting, for Plato – who may have invented the word – plainly says that a thing may be everlasting and still not be aionios. The simplest way to out it is that aionios cannot be used properly of anyone but God; it is the word uniquely, as Plato saw it, of God. Eternal punishment is then literally that kind of remedial punishment which it befits God to give and which only God can give.

Third, I believe that it is impossible to set limits to the grace of God. I believe that not only in this world, but in any other world there may be, the grace of God is still effective, still operative, still at work. I do not believe that the operation of the grace of God is limited to this world. I believe that the grace of God is as wide as the universe.

Fourth, I believe implicitly in the ultimate and complete triumph of God, the time when all things will be subject to him, and when God will be everything to everyone (1 Cor. 15:24-28). For me this has certain consequences. If one man remains outside the love of God at the end of time, it means that that one man has defeated the love of God – and that is impossible. Further, there is only one way in which we can think of the triumph of God. If God was no more than a King or Judge, then it would be possible to speak of his triumph, if his enemies were agonizing in hell or were totally and completely obliterated and wiped out. But God is not only King and Judge, God is Father – he is indeed Father more than anything else. No father could be happy while there were members of his family for ever in agony. No father would count it a triumph to obliterate the disobedient members of his family. The only triumph a father can know is to have all his family back home. The only victory love can enjoy is the day when its offer of love is answered by the return of love. The only possible final triumph is a universe loved by and in love with God.

[Quoted from William Barclay: A Spiritual Autobiography, pg 65-67, William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1977.]

THE MYSTERY OF EVIL

By William Mealand
WHATEVER of mystery there may be in the origin of evil, its presence in the universe is a great outstanding fact. Explained or unexplained, evil exists, and it is just this fact which presents a problem of absorbing interest. Philosophy is unable to account for the mystery, and science can only infer that some inscrutable law is operating in the play of two great forces, good and evil. While acknowledging the fact of evil, many hope for its elimination by way of evolution, regarding it as a present imperfection which the human race will shed as it ascends the hill of life. Others, in their eagerness to exonerate God from responsibility, give evil a permanent place in the universe, ascribing its origin and continuance to the devil. However, there are those who cannot reconcile the thought of perpetual sin and suffering with a just conception of God, and to these the writer specially commends this brief study of a great theme.
In the realm of romance, genius vividly portrays the conflict of vice and virtue, and with unerring instinct depicts the triumph of good and the eclipse of evil. Now, this longing for the ascendancy of the noble and praiseworthy is no small token of that perfect state which shall ultimately prevail. The difficulty with many is to see how evil can be conducive to good, and a necessary factor in the accomplishment of Divine purpose. That evil was no mere accident, but an integral, indispensable part of the Divine plan, is proved and illustrated by the entire range of sacred narrative and history. Bold in statement, strong in truth, Scripture still offers the clearest solution of the problem of evil. Shall we be less bold in reception, or must we modify and water down its strength to suit our fixed notions and ideas?
GOD’S COMMAND
The command of God has gone forth. “I make (peace), and create (evil).” Surely, then, there must be a purpose in its creation, since nothing can be purposeless that comes from Him. Absolutely supreme, God is responsible for the guidance of the universe to its appointed climax. Able to avert evil, He allowed it for reasons of His own. Evil is God’s prerogative, and its employment subserves the purpose in view. He takes full control, and is at the helm of affairs in such manner that He “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” Truly, “all is of God,” and though we may not be able to fully comprehend His ways yet we may see sufficient of His ability to assure us of a purpose marvelous in wisdom and rich in love.
There is no real good, no vital virtue, apart from conflict with, and victory over, evil. Suffering in some form is inevitable, but is transfigured when we see that it is the Divine means to an exalted end. Herein there is much point in the thought expressed of Christ that “though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.” We even read that Christ was “delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” Thus we see that the machinations of wicked men were instrumental in the fulfillment of the Divine purpose.
The story of Joseph finely illustrates the inter-weaving of good and evil. His brothers planned his death, but eventually sell him into slavery, concealing their crime by crafty deceit. Years roll by, and Joseph, the obscure, becomes ruler of Egypt, and a thoughtful benefactor of the people. Revealing his identity to his brothers, who fear reprisal for their misdeeds, Joseph makes a fine acknowledgment of God’s overruling power. He consoles them by saying: “Now therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.” Truly what we term circumstance and chance attend upon His will in the accomplishment of His manifold purpose.
WORLD EVENTS PRE-ORDAINED
In such quotations as the following we see the sovereignty of God in the great forces of good and evil. Referring to Israel God says: “Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. As I have watched over them, to pluck up, to break down, throw down and destroy and afflict, so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant.” And again: “Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? Did not Jehovah?” We also read that “He made of one every nation of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, having ordained appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation.” Thus we see that the events of history, rise and fall of kingdoms, changes in the world’s map, have been all foreordained.
It may be said that if God thus acts in sovereign power, He must therefore invade the domain of what is termed “free will.” But Scripture, experience, and observation show conclusively that man is not absolutely free. He may be free in the realm of will, but not in the sphere of action. He may plan and purpose, determine and devise, but there is a controlling power above himself which ever and anon restrains the execution of his will. Man is often the creature of circumstance. In the words of Byron, “Men are the sport of circumstances, when circumstances seem the sport of men.” Thus, man’s proposals are ever at God’s disposal.
Profoundly wise and beautifully simple was the attitude of the poet who penned the following lines:
I have no answer for myself or thee
Save that I learned beside my mother’s knee:
All is of God that is and is to be,
And God is good. Let this suffice us still,
Resting in childlike trust upon His will
Who moves to His great ends unthwarted by the ill
Evil is but temporary, though its reign seem long. The will of the creature shall yet be swayed into perfect correspondence with the will of the Creator. Within the majestic monitions of His will, punishment and judgment there may be, but all the minutiae of His marvelous guidance and government is ordered with a view to the ultimate issue. And when the mystery of His will is seen in the light of full accomplishment, there will be joyous acquiescence from the lips of all.
The presence of evil, in conflict, crime, and catastrophe may mystify and perplex, but once grip the grand conception that the winding ways of men, though a seeming tangled skein, is not purposeless with God, and we have enlightenment and assurance. We may safely trust the destiny of mankind to Him who created, who fashioned and formed in august pursuance of a sovereign purpose. Therefore, we may rest heart and intellect in His power to bring to glad fruition the operations of His majestic will.

TEN REASONS NOT TO BELIEVE THE TEACHING OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

1. IT IS NOT TRUE

The Bible clearly teaches us to study to show ourselves approved ( 2nd Timothy 2:15 ). Unfortunately, VERY FEW actually take this advice to heart. Not only do most Christians not study the Bible, THEY DO NOT EVEN READ THE BIBLE! As a matter of fact, most would have a hard time trying to find Genesis 1:1. Most believers in Christ base their belief system off of what everyone else believes. In other words, THEY ARE GOING TO GO WITH THE FLOW! Since they do not study or even read the Bible, they are trapped into having to believe what others ( pastors ) tell them about God. Most that do study and read the Bible, study and read with their minds already made up, having been deceived by their embracing of the traditions and doctrines of men. Christians, for the most part, are INTOXICATED with going to church, having church, and playing church. They are more concerned about what outfit they will wear, how big and pretty the building is that they are going to, how many members are in the church, how many degrees the pastor has, how good the singing is, if there is a children’s program, how well the pastor preaches ( performs ), and where they are going to eat lunch afterwards. This cycle is repeated over and over again, causing Christians to remain in a trance, not being able to understand the truth about God.

When a person hears the voice of God and is awakened from the trance of organized religion, then, and only then, can he begin to discern for himself what is true and what is tradition. The Spirit of God then leads that person to study the scriptures. After that, the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God begins to flood that person’s spirit, soul, and body, leading and guiding them into all truth.

The teaching of eternal torture is a lie! IT IS THE GREATEST LIE EVER TOLD!!! For those who are still under the trance of playing church, they will surely be offended by these statements, but those with ears to hear will follow up on what is being said in this teaching. IT WILL TAKE SOME COURAGE TO SEEK TO BE SET FREE FROM ORGANIZED RELIGION! AS WELL, YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED ( BY CHRISTIANS )! It will take many hours of study, prayer, and being honest with yourself and God. God will bring you to the place where you begin to pray for truth. He will have you to pray, asking Him to show you not what you want to see, but what is true. As you ask, seek, and knock, your Heavenly Father will give you what you ask for. He will give you.

2. THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH IT

It is not the goal of our Creator to torture any of His created beings forever. This will become clear as one reads and studies the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The “hell” that is taught by Evangelical Christianity IS NOT THE “HELL” OF THE BIBLE. The words “Sheol”, “Hades”, “Gehenna”, and “Tartaroo” ( the four words translated as “hell” in the King James Version ) DO NOT in any way denote a physical location where God plans to quarantine people for the purpose of torturing them forever in literal fire. They do however speak of the grave, the fiery correction of God ( spiritually speaking ), and the corrective judgments of God, BUT THEY DEFINITELY DO NOT SPEAK OF A PHYSICAL LOCATION THAT IS PREPARED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TORTURING PEOPLE FOREVER!

In addition to this, the Bible teaches that man’s torment ( period of severe trial and testing ) and God’s judgments are age-lasting ( “aionios” … of the ages ), and that they are for the purpose of CORRECTION. They are not eternal or everlasting. The King James translators did a very poor job in their translation of the words “olam”, “aion”, and “aionios”, which refer to the AGES OF TIME, but not eternity. These words ( “olam”, “aion”, and “aionios” ) speak of things that take place within the ages of time ( God’s purpose of the ages ), but they certainly do not mean or refer to eternity. The strongest meaning that they can possibly have is one of belonging to eternity, but not lasting through it. We must also understand that there is a difference between eternity and time. “Eternity” is not time that goes on forever, but it is TIMELESSNESS. Something that is eternal has no beginning and no end, such as God Himself. The Bible, when speaking of God, mainly refers to Him as the God of the ages ( “aionios” ). This in no way negates the fact that He is eternal, for He is the GOD OF THE AGES AND THE GOD OF ETERNITY. HE IS BOTH! HE BELONGS TO THE REALM OF TIME AND ETERNITY.

After studying what the Bible actually teaches about “hell” and the “ages”, a person will be well on their way to seeing right through the false teaching of eternal torture. The reason that most people do not know that this teaching ( eternal torture ) is false stems from: The negative power of the traditions and doctrines of men, the ability of the organized church to instill the fear of eternal torture in people, and that people ( for the most part ) do not read and study the Bible for themselves. In fact, most Christians are absolutely CLUELESS as to what the Bible actually teaches on many subjects.

It will take some courage to begin the journey of seeking to know the God of the Bible for yourself. You will most certainly be persecuted ( especially by Christians ) for this courageous effort, BUT FEAR NOT, for your reward is the assurance that …

GOD IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN

3*: IT GOES AGAINST THE CHARACTER AND NATURE OF GOD

Preston Eby writes:

“When we speak of God’s attributes we may say, and many do, that God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. This is a very beautiful definition; but it largely defines only God’s attributes, whereas the text, “God is Love,” tells us WHAT HE HIMSELF IS. This text reveals His nature, His state of being. For instance, in speaking of justice, we know that God has justice as one of His attributes, but He is not justice; God IS love. This fact gives us a revelation of GOD’S VERY NATURE. This brings us face to face with the great central message of the Bible which is a message of love. We need to remember that the Personage about whom the Bible is written IS LOVE – a Being Whose very nature is love.” ( God Is Love, J. Preston Eby )

The teaching of eternal torture goes against the character and nature of God. If God is love, then how can we so confidently teach that he is going to torture billions forever? How could we not call Him a hypocrite for doing such a thing? JESUS TOLD US TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES, BUT HE IS GOING TO TORTURE HIS FOREVER??? He taught us that we must learn to forgive, yet He will never forgive anyone who has rejected Him in this life???

“Even the hardest, cruelest, most brutal men cannot torture their fellow men for more than two or three hours without growing weak, faint, and sick (see Fox Book of Martyrs). However, Christian leaders teach that our Lord will torture His victims through endless ages. The scripture reveals that Christ Jesus is the kindest, the most tender-hearted and merciful Person this world has ever known. His mercy endures forever, or to all generations of time. The doctrine of eternal torment pictures Him to be the most horrible monster, the most beastly, brutal, cruel, vicious Person this world has ever known. The governments of this world, ruled by unregenerated men, put their rebels in prisons, and the very worst offenders they put to death. But our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of the world, will mercilessly torture those who offend Him to the most hideous and incomprehensible degree. Surely, this pagan and Romish doctrine of eternal torture does NOT glorify HIM!” ( The Law Of Circularity, J. Preston Eby )

As you begin to meditate on the love of God, you will see in your heart that the TEACHING OF ETERNAL TORTURE IS NOT TRUE! IF IT WERE TRUE, THEN JESUS IS A MILLION TIMES MORE VICIOUS AND VINDICTIVE THAN HITLER! It is impossible for God to torture someone forever, for it goes against His character and nature. It is contrary to Who He is, for …

GOD IS LOVE

4. IT DECLARES THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ABSOLUTE FAILURE

J. Preston Eby writes:

“It is estimated that about one hundred and sixty billions of human beings have lived on the earth in the six thousand years since Adam departed from Eden. Of these, the very broadest estimate that could be made with reason would be that less than five billion were saints of God. This broad estimate would leave the immense aggregate of one hundred and fifty-five billions (155,000,000,000) who went down into death without faith and hope in the only name given under heaven or among men whereby we must be saved. Indeed, the vast majority of these never knew or heard of Jesus, and could not believe in Him of Whom they had not heard. What, I ask, has become of this vast multitude, of which figures give a wholly inadequate idea? What is, and is to be, their condition? Did God make no provision for these, whose condition and circumstances He must have foreseen? Or did He, from the foundation of the world, make a wretched and merciless provision for their hopeless, eternal torment, as many of His children claim?” ( The Law Of Circularity, J. Preston Eby )

If what Evangelical Christianity teaches about eternal torture is true, then that means that almost every person ( well over 95% ) who has ever lived will be tortured forever. What does it say about God if 155,000,000,000 of the 160,000,000,000 people who have ever lived will be tortured forever? Could we call this a victory? Could we still call God all-powerful? Could we still say that God is love? Could we still call Jesus the Savior of the world? NO! NO! NO! NO!

THE HORRIBLE TEACHING OF ETERNAL TORTURE IS A SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE LOVE AND POWER OF GOD! This teaching would cause us to come to the conclusion that the saving effort of the Lord Jesus Christ ( His death, burial, and resurrection WAS AN ABSOLUTE FAILURE! We know that Satan was able to deceive Eve, causing Adam to fall, bringing down the entire human race. If the Lord Jesus Christ was only able to save about 3% of the human race, then who would be declared as the winner? Well … SATAN OF COURSE! Most people have never thought about what was just said. They just keep on believing something ( eternal torture ) that does not glorify God and is not scriptural. BUT THANK GOD THAT THIS HORRIFIC TEACHING IS NOT TRUE!

The scriptures declare to us in 1st Corinthians 15:22-28 … that in Adam ALL DIE, even so in Christ shall ALL BE MADE ALIVE. BUT EVERY MAN IN HIS OWN ORDER: … THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL!!! The power of God’s love is eternal! Its glory is supernal! HIS LOVE GOES BEYOND THE HIGHEST STAR,AND REACHES TO THE LOWEST HELL!

5. THE MAJORITY OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS DID NOT TEACH IT

( The following is an excerpt from: The Power Of Life And Death In A Greek Four Letter Word–Aion, Gary Amirault )

Gary Amirault writes:

“Many orthodox Christian historians acknowledge that the majority of the early church did not teach eternal torment. A couple of examples: Geisler-“The belief in the inalienable capability of improvement of all rational beings, and the limited duration of future punishment was so general in the West, and among the opponents of Origen, that it seems entirely independent of his system.” (Eccles. Hist., 1-212). (Origen has been accused of bringing into the church the heresy of the salvation of all. Geisler points out the belief was prevalent even apart from Origen’s influence.) The German theologian and historian Johann Christoph Doerderlin writes: “In proportion as any man was eminent in learning in Christian antiquity, the more he cherished and defended the hope of the termination of future torments.” Professor and historian Henry Oxenham informs us that the, “Doctrine of endless punishment was not believed at all by some of the holiest and wisest of the Fathers, and was not taught as an integral part of the Christian faith by any, even of those who believed it as an opinion.” Historian Pfaff says: “The ultimate restoration of the lost was an opinion held by very many Jewish teachers, and some of the Fathers.” Dietelmaier: “Universalism in the fourth century drove its roots down deeply, alike in the East and West, and had very many defenders.” Reuss: “The doctrine of a general restoration of all rational creatures has been recommended by very many of the greatest thinkers of the ancient church, and of modern times.” (Hist. De la Theol. Apost.). Prior to Augustine in the 5th century, the vast majority of Christians, including the leadership, believed in the Salvation Of All Mankind through Jesus Christ. St. Basil the Great (c. 329-379) in his De Asceticis wrote: “The mass of men (Christians) say that there is to be an end of punishment to those who are punished.” St. Jerome (342-420): “I know that most understand the story of Nineveh and its King, the ultimate forgiveness of the devil and all rational creatures.” The Christian leader most instrumental in bringing in the damnable heresy of eternal torment, Augustine, admits himself that “There are very many (imo quam plurimi, which can be translated majority) who though not denying the Holy Scriptures do not believe in endless torments.” (Enchiria, ad Laurent. c.29) Imagine, the champion of the doctrine of eternal torment admitting out of his own mouth that as late as the 5th century many or the majority of believers did not believe in eternal torment and he said they did not deny the scriptures in believing so. Of the six theological schools known to the early church, 4 taught the Salvation Of All, one taught annihilation, and only one taught eternal torment. The Greek word aion was not used to mean eternal in the early church writings. The President of the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, was an outspoken Universalist, that is, he believed in the Salvation Of All Mankind Through Jesus Christ. Would the church designate a heretic as its head at such an important meeting? When Emperor Justinian finally declared the teaching of the Salvation Of All as heresy, he used the word “ateleutetos” to describe “eternal punishment,” not aionion which is the Biblical term. If aionion meant “eternal” why didn’t he use it? He didn’t because it didn’t mean eternal! Many writings are still preserved from the early Christian bishops which clearly show they did not teach eternal torment. To mention just a few: Clement Alexandrinus, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Ambrose, Titus of Bostra, Diodore of Tarsus, Isidore of Alexandria, Origen, Theodore of Mopsuestia, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, etc. When studying the lives of the early leaders, those embracing the Salvation Of All clearly showed much more love and fruit in their lives than those who taught eternal torment. Compare Origen and St. Gregory of Nyssa with Tertullian and Cyprian. If the doctrine of the Salvation Of All was heresy, why didn’t the church declare it as such until the church entered the dark ages? Could it be that when the pagan doctrine of eternal torment entered the church, this very doctrine brought about the gross darkness which the church plunged into? It was not until the church left the Greek text and went to the Latin Vulgate Text that large numbers began to believe in eternal torment. That was because Jerome mistranslated those very words we have just been talking about. The Latin Vulgate perpetuated the error. As long as the church primarily used the Greek Text, it taught the Salvation Of All Mankind. As late as the 16th century lexicographers such as Phavorinus knew that aion was just a time word. But he also noted where the idea of changing the meaning came from. He writes, “Aion, time also life, also habit, or way of life. Aion is also the eternal and endless as it seems to the theologian.” Here we see where the deception came from, the theologian!” ( Gary Amirault )

So if you believe in the Salvation Of All Mankind through Jesus Christ, YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY.

6. THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THE SALVATION OF ALL MEN

The Bible is the story of the fall and rise of the human race. It depicts all as going into Adam. As well, it depicts all as going into Christ in the dispensation of the fullness of times. Many are not aware that the Bible teaches that the same ALL that went into Adam will eventually go into Christ. As you approach the Bible with this mindset you will begin to see this theme from Genesis to Revelation. The teaching of the salvation of all men ( through the Lord Jesus Christ ) will literally jump off the pages of the Book ( the Bible ). It has always been there, but many are not able to see it due to the fact that their consciences have been seared with a hot iron by the teaching of eternal torture. It is difficult to see the truth when we approach the Bible with our minds already made up.

Hannah Whitall Smith writes:

Hannah Whitall Smith testified in her book ( The Christian’s Secret Of A Happy Life ) how that she came to understand this great truth … “Immediately the whole Book seemed to be illuminated. On every page the truth concerning the “times of restitution of all things,” of which the apostle Peter says “God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began,” shone forth and no room was left for questioning. I turned greedily from page to page of my Bible, fairly laughing aloud for joy at the blaze of light that illuminated it all. It became a new Book. Another skin seemed to have been peeled off every text, and my Bible fairly shone with new meaning. I do not say with a different meaning, for in no sense did the new meaning contradict the old, but a deeper meaning, the true meaning hidden behind the outward form of words. The words did not need to be changed; they only needed to be understood; and now at last I began to understand them.” ( Hannah Whitall Smith )

There are actually hundreds of scriptures that testify of THIS GREAT TRUTH. Here are a few to consider:

Genesis 12:3 / Genesis 18:18 / Psalm 22:27-29 / Psalm 65:2 / Psalm 66:3,4 / Psalm 72:8-11 / Isaiah 25:7,8 / Isaiah 45:22-25 / Luke 2:10 / John 12:32 / Acts 3:21 / Romans chapter 5 / Romans 11:26-36 / 1st Corinthians 15:22-28 / 2nd Corinthians 5:18-21 / Ephesians 1:9-11 / Philippians 2:10,11 / Colossians 1:16-20 …

7. IT POINTS TO A VICTORIOUS DEVIL, AND TO SIN AS FINALLY TRIUMPHANT OVER GOD

Thomas Allin writes:

“THE question of Universalism is usually argued on a basis altogether misleading, i.e., as though the point involved was chiefly, or wholly, man’s endless suffering. Odious and repulsive to every moral instinct, as is that dogma, it is not the turning point of this controversy. The vital question is this, that the popular creed by teaching the perpetuity of evil, points to a victorious Devil, and to sin as finally triumphant over God. It makes the corrupt, nay, the bestial in our fallen nature to be eternal. It represents what is foulest and most loathsome in man, i.e., the most obstinate sin as being enduring as God Himself. It confers the dignity of immortal life on what is morally abominable. It teaches perpetual Anarchy, and a final Chaos. It enthrones Pandemonium as an eternal fact side by side with Paradise; and, gazing over its fetid and obscene abysses, is not afraid to call this the triumph of Jesus Christ, this the realization of the promise that God shall be “All in All”.” ( Christ Triumphant, Thomas Allin )

Could we come to any other possible conclusion than this? How could it be said that God is victorious over the Devil, sin, death, hell, and evil if the majority of all the people ever born will never be delivered from these vices? How can these things co-exist as long as God Himself in light of the plain declaration of scripture that declares that God shall be all in all ( everything to everyone )? We would be left with no other conclusion than to declare evil as victorious over good. THE POWERS OF DARKNESS WOULD BE ABLE TO FOREVER GLOAT DUE TO THEIR VICTORY! They would be able to claim that they were able to take over 97% of God’s creation, bringing them into an eternal nightmare of torture.

SEARCH YOUR HEART! SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES! If you are honest with yourself and the scriptures you will surely begin to see the ABSOLUTE STUPIDITY of the teaching of eternal torture. THERE IS NO WAY TO DECLARE THAT GOD IS BOTH ALL IN ALL AND THE GOD OF ETERNAL TORTURE AS WELL. These two thoughts drastically oppose one another. It is not possible for both of these statements to be true. Either the apostle Paul was lying when he said that God would be all in all ( 1st Corinthians 15:28 ), or Evangelical Christianity is lying in declaring that the vast majority of the human race will be tortured forever. I would rather believe the inspired words of the apostle Paul than to side with the lie of Evangelical Christianity. If this teaching ( eternal torture ) is a lie, which it is, then we should reject it no matter how many people believe it.

8. ETERNAL TORTURE IS UNJUST! THE PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THE CRIME!

George Hawtin writes:

The following words by George Hawtin are most challenging: “The established visible church has preached its multiplied sermons seeking to prove its tradition that the vast majority of God’s human creation will be LOST, finally, irrevocably, and eternally, and not only will they be lost to God forever and ever, but they will be given up to the most sadistic, inhuman, ungodly torments that could be devised only by the vilest fiends. According to the tradition of the church this hellish torment is to fall upon all who do not believe. It matters not a whit whether they had opportunity to believe or not. It matters not at all if they were born in the darkest jungles of Africa, the swamps of Borneo, or the deserts of India or China. The fact that they never heard there was a God will be no excuse whatever. The fact that they never heard that God had a Son will not impede their dreadful destruction. Heathen who never heard that God had a Son are, according to this teaching, faced with the same dreadful doom as men who heard the gospel from their birth and yet rejected it. To add to the stupidity of their teaching they make pitiful attempts to prove that this is the justice of God and that God is manifesting His love in the punishment of sin. The doctrine of eternal punishment is based on a literal interpretation of some of the metaphors of scripture, to the complete neglect of many other scriptures. No doctrine has ever been propounded with more confidence and greater bitterness nor with a grossness and coarseness more hideous and repugnant, and, in the face of the love and kindness of God, more inconceivable and incredible.” -end quote ( According To The Purpose, George Hawtin )

To eternally punish a person for 70, 80, or even 100 years of crimes ( sins ) is an UNJUST PUNISHMENT. Not only is it unjust, but it is INSANE! Not only is it unjust and insane, but it is also a punishment that WOULD NEVER SERVE ANY PURPOSE other than to be vindictive, spiteful, and barbaric in nature.

The scriptures teach that THE JUSTICE OF GOD IS FOR THE SINNER, INSURING HIS SALVATION, NOT AGAINST HIM, DEMANDING HIS CONDEMNATION. Exodus 22:5 states, … If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution … This law, when applied spiritually to the entire creation, makes God responsible to make a restitution of all things, FOR GOD MADE THE BEAST ( THE SERPENT OF GENESIS 3:1 ), setting him in the field ( the Garden of Eden, the world, or the beast nature that is in man ) to feed ( devour ). This is why God was responsible to send the best of His own vineyard ( His only begotten Son ) to make a restitution of all things ( Acts 3:21 ).

IT WOULD BE UNJUST FOR GOD TO ETERNALLY TORTURE THE VERY HUMAN BEINGS THAT HE CREATED! IT WOULD BE UNJUST ACCORDING TO HIS OWN LAW ( Exodus 22:5 )! It would especially be unjust due to the fact that God created all things ( good and evil ) and subjected the creation to vanity ( not willingly ). As a result of this we are all born with a nature ( the sin nature ) that is contrary to the nature of God. This does not mean that man is not accountable to God for his actions, but it surely does mean that it would be extremely unjust for God to torture him ( man ) forever.

9. IT PRODUCES IMMATURE CONVERTS WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO SERVE GOD OUT OF FEAR RATHER THAN LOVE

The false teaching of eternal torture is a message of fear. IT IS NOT ONE OF LOVE! Not only is that teaching a message of fear, but it breeds fear in the lives of all who embrace it. In other words, it causes a person to continually live in fear of eternal torture at all times. I guess you could call it … “the good news of fear” … It is ironic, but nevertheless, Christianity refers to their message as good news. How could it be good news to tell someone … You better get right or God is going to torture you forever??? HOW IS THAT GOOD NEWS? WELL … IT’S NOT! IT IS BAD NEWS! IT IS VERY BAD NEWS! IT IS NOT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! IT MAY BE THE GOSPEL OF CHRISTIANITY, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT IS NOT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!

The Bible does speak of the “fear of the Lord”, but this “fear” pertains to a reverence and awe for God, not a fear of being tortured forever. 2nd Timothy speaks of the fear that Evangelical Christianity promotes. It is referred to as “the spirit of fear”. 2nd Timothy 1:7 states, … For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind … Does the teaching of eternal torture produce power, love, and a sound mind? NO! IT PRODUCES WEAKNESS, HATE, AND CONFUSION. Modern day Christianity could be characterized as weak, hateful, and confusing. It is unfortunate to have to say these things, but nevertheless, they are true.

Now, Are you ready for some GOOD NEWS? 1st John 4:18,19 states, … There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us … THIS IS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! Jesus did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. He did not come to bring condemnation, but to bring redemption. He did not come to bring hate, but love. He is not the author of eternal torture, but of eternal salvation.

Man must understand that he was born ( placed ) into vanity, a perished condition, and death ( the carnal mind ). When the scriptures declare that God is not willing that any should perish, it is this that is being spoken of. He is not willing that any should remain in their fallen condition. IT IS THIS CONDITION THAT HE CAME TO SAVE US OUT OF. As we come to understand this, we should not serve Him because we are afraid of eternal torture, BUT BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US, SAVED US, FORGAVE US, AND DELIVERED US FROM ALL EVIL

10. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, NOT ETERNAL TORTURE!

It is AMAZING that the majority of Christians continue to teach eternal torture. This is done despite what the Bible teaches about the love of God. Romans 6:23 states, … For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord … I thought that the wages of sin was eternal torture? Well … Isn’t it? That is what Evangelical Christianity teaches … doesn’t it?

Preachers have gotten so comfortable with teaching eternal torture that they do not even use the scriptures to do so. When they do use the scriptures, they quote a scripture and then teach something else that does not line up with the scripture that they just quoted. For example, how many times have you heard someone use Romans 6:23 ( the wages of sin is death ) to support their belief in eternal torture. This scripture has nothing to do with being tortured in a literal hell or flying off to a mansion in the sky after you die. People have become masters at TWISTING SCRIPTURES TO MAKE THEM FIT THEIR DOCTRINAL BELIEFS. Someone who is interested in rightly dividing the Word of truth will not do that. The correct approach is to use the Holy Scriptures as the guideline for forming correct and proper doctrinal beliefs, not trying to make the scriptures fit your doctrinal beliefs.

If the wages of sin is eternal torture, then Jesus would have to be eternally tortured to pay the price for the sin of the world. THIS ONE THOUGHT IN AND OF ITSELF IS PROOF THAT THE TEACHING OF ETERNAL TORTURE IS A LIE! If the wages of sin is death, then Jesus did pay the price for the sin of the world in being made flesh, overcoming all things, dying on the cross, and being raised again on the third day. He experienced the spiritual aspect of death ( the carnal mind ) and the physical aspect of death ( His crucifixion )

Thank God that the wages of sin is not eternal torture, for if it were then our Lord Himself would need to be tortured forever in order to deliver the human race. Can you begin to see how ridiculous that teaching ( eternal torture ) is?

In conclusion, let us summarize the reasons that the teaching of eternal torture is to be discarded as false … It is not true … / The Bible does not teach it … / It goes against the character and nature of God … / It declares the cross of Jesus Christ as a failure … / The majority of the early church did not teach it … / The scriptures teach the salvation of all men … / It points to a victorious Devil, and to sin as triumphant over God … / It is unjust … / It produces immature converts who are motivated to serve God out of fear rather than love … / The wages of sin is death, not eternal torture …

It has been my privilege to serve all who have taken the time to read this daily devotional. May the Father give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him! Remember … GOD IS LOVE! HE LOVES ALL! GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL! HE CANNOT FAIL! HE WILL NOT FAIL! HE IS …

THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!

ETERNITY EXPLAINED

“Eternity” is one of the most controversial words in the Bible. To many, it is thought to be the realm where time goes on and on, non-stop, ad infinitum, into which one enters after death. Based upon decisions affiliations, and actions made in this life on earth, it is supposed one irreversibly fixes his destiny for all eternity. The few who make heaven strum their harps and walk streets of gold with Jesus and all the happy saints. The vast multitudes who miss heaven, enter an eternal hell of burning torment and anguish. These notions which has shaped man’s and the church’s views of God, have motivated some to embrace religion’s answers whereas others turn to atheism. Still others are left neutralized and confused over whether God is a God of love, power, and mercy, or of hate, ineptitude, and vindictiveness.

Our Object

The object of this writing is to examine the work “eternal” to show where it is used in scripture and to look at the Greek and Hebrew words from which it is derived. The word “eternal” which applies to the nature of God, will be contrasted with the word “age lasting” derived from the Greek word “aeonios,” referring to the time periods for accomplishing the purposes of God. A clear understanding of these words reveals a truly sovereign, wise, and just God of love whose plan in creation and redemption knows no failure.

Words Synonymous To “Eternal”

The words “forever” and “everlasting,” and the phrase “forever and ever” are used throughout scripture as synonyms for the word “eternal. Wesbster’s Dictionary defines “eternal” as “of infinite duration,” “everlasting,” “timeless,” “perpetual,” and “immutable.” Rom.1:16 describes the Godhead as “eternal,” here translated from the Greek word “aidios.” “Eternal” is an excellent adjective for God. Clearly He has no beginning nor end. He neither sleeps for ages. It matters not what men nor devils say nor do. He continues steadfast in His plan and purpose. He is perpetual and never changes. With God there is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning” Jas.1:17. His fore- knowledge is perfect. “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the ages” Ac.15:18.

The Problem

For the last three centuries, the King James Version has been the most prominent and revered translation of the Bible. Indeed the bold acclamation, “Praise God, the Bible says what it means and means what it says,” has been used to cement the veracity of its words regardless of their individual accuracy. Consequently, many have overlooked otherwise obvious mistakes regarding the uses of certain words. The KJV is not infallible, nor is it the object of our worship. Rather we are to worship King Jesus and allow Him to lead us into all truth, even when that means a revision in our thinking about the Bible, whether the King James or another version.

Some Obvious Errors

For example, in the Old Testament the old covenant of the law is referred to as the “everlasting covenant” (Lev.24:8) implying that it was to endure for eternity. Yet the New Testament records that the first covenant was “done away” and “abolished” 2Cor.3:11,13. God “has made the first old” Heb.8:13. Either God is confused, or else translators have rendered the text inaccurately. Since the former cannot be true, it is incumbent upon us to search out the exact meanings of words and to find the answers to such discrepancies.

The Aaronic priesthood is spoken of as “an everlasting priesthood” Ex. 40:15. If “everlasting” means “eternal,” then the direct descendants of Aaron and only they, would be allowed to function as priests, and this for all time. Yet Heb.7:14-18 declares an end to the Aaronic priesthood and a new priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. Peter describes the church as “a spiritual house, an holy priesthood” (1Ptr.2:5), a statement which John confirms when he writes that by Jesus’ blood the church has been cleansed from sin and made “kings and priests unto God” Rev.1:6. Thus in the above Exodus reference, “ever-lasting” cannot possibly mean “everlasting.”

The children of Israel were to “observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant” Ex.31:16. Yet Paul states there remains “another day” of Sabbath rest for people of God” Heb.4:8,9. Though translators may have used the word “perpetual,” the Holy Spirit disproves this choice of words, exposing it as incorrect.

The misuse of words expressing “unlimited duration” when specific time periods were intended is most obvious in the following cases. Jonah was not in the fish’s belly “forever” Jon.2:6. A bondslave could not possibly serve his master “forever” Ex.21:6. God did not dwell in Solomon’s temple “forever” 1Kg.8:13.

The Hebrew word from which the aforementioned “everlasting,” “perpetual” and “forever” were translated, is “olam.” Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies by William Wilson, gives the meaning of “olam” as “duration of time which is concealed or hidden.” In other words, an unknown length of time. Though it may have been a very long or even indeterminable period of time, the sense that it would come to an end was always there. This concurs with our New Testament texts which confirm that indeed these established practices were abolished and replaced with something better. The King James translators would have been more accurate to record that the old covenant and its priesthood were for an “age of time.”

Jesus Definition

Essential to our understanding of the New Testament scriptures is a clear perception of what eternity and how the word “eternal” differs from the word from which it is translated. It is generally preached that eternity is a state of being into which Christians enter upon physical death and that eternal life describes the life the believer receives from God. But nowhere in the scriptures is a Greek word meaning “eternal” used to describe the life God gives to a Christian. This is proven by Jesus Himself in His one and only definition of the life He gives. For the purpose of clarity, we will insert the original Greek word “aeonios” for the translator’s word “eternal.” Jesus said, “Now this is aeonios life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” Jn.17:3. Clearly this life has nothing to do with eternity, but is a quality of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who brings us into a present knowledge and experience with God our Father.

An Impossible Interchange

Equating aeonios life to eternal life is an impossibility. “Aeonios” and “eternal” are words having totally different meanings. They are not interchangeable. Jesus who should be our sole authority, describes aeonios life as a dynamic relationship, the outcome of which is growth and change. Although the adjective “eternal” is appropriate for God, it is certainly inappropriate for the believer’s life in God, because though God is of “infinite duration, everlasting, timeless, perpetual and immutable” (the definition from Webster’s Dictionary quoted earlier), the believers’s life is one of continuous change over aeons of time. This process begins in the spirit of the believer and requires time to be completed. A Christian may commonly speak of and desire to have eternal life, but it hardly seems possible that he should want eternal life now or upon death, until he is totally and perfectly conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

Let’s Look At “Aeonios”

To understand this better, we must know about the word “aeonios.” The Greek adjective “aeonios,” for which so many translations mistakenly use the word “eternal” is derived from the noun “aeon.” “Aeon” means “age” or “ages,” as in “the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations” (Col.1:26), or in “the ages to come” Eph.2:7. These ages are time periods having a beginning and an end. In the study of grammar, it is an indisputable law that an adjective can have no different or greater meaning than the noun from which it is derived. For example, the adjective “monthly” could only be derived from the noun “month,” not “hour,” “day,” or “week.” Aeonios life can only mean a life pertaining to an age or ages of time (Heb.1:3 Ampl.) because “aeonios” is derived from “aeon.” Hence, the misapplication of the word “eternal,” implying timelessness, when periods or portions of time are meant, obscures rather than proclaims God’s magnificent plans for man.

God’s Purpose In The Ages

Understanding the uniform meaning of “aeon” and of its adjectival form “aeonios,” reveals the majestic and sovereign wisdom of God in His purpose for all creation. The aeons past, present, and future are not God’s “hit and miss” attempts at getting a few loyal subjects to obey Him. Instead the aeons are the womb out of which God brings forth people to accomplish His purposes. In ages past God called not only the Israelites, but also idol worshipping Egyptians and Assyrians to be His servants. Those ages were the periods of their coming to know about God and learning obedience to His ways. The present church age is a unique time in which other people redeemed and appointed according to God’s purpose and grace before the aeonios times began

(2Tim.2:9), are being birthed and nurtured, these unto the new covenant relationship of sons and daughters.

Those so privileged are the “ekklesia” or “called out” people who are known as the church. Their initial salvation experience commenced when they were “born again.” In this spiritual regeneration they received the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph.1:3), the earnest or down payment toward their inheritance. While partaking of aeonious life, i.e. growing in the knowledge and love of God, these people ultimately mature to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph.4:13), and find themselves perfect and entire wanting nothing (Jas.1:4). When perfectly conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom.8:29), they shall have their inheritance which is being like God-Gen.1:26. For them the work of the aeons will have been completed.

Traditional Objections Unmasked

With every progression of new understanding, it is quite normal for there to be objections. Loyalists to creeds and tradition will be the most adamant objectors for they have deeply ingrained within their minds, that the believer has eternal life. It is clear that such is not the case, because one in a state of timeless immutability, or eternality, is disqualified from God’s purpose in creating man. God’s creative processes require repentance and change. Since God says, “I change not” (Mal.3:6), then it is God’s children who change. Scripture states, “we shall (future tense) be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.” 1Jn.3:2. The ages exist in order that during them we may with our eyes on Jesus, go from glory to glory and faith to faith-2Cor.3:18.

Aeonios Life—Aeonios Punishment

The most common objection arises with the realization that if aeonios life for the righteous will one day be completed, then aeonios punishment for the unregenerate will also one day be completed. Most prominent support for the traditional doctrine of eternal punishment is in Matthew 25:46 where aeonios punishment is contrasted to aeonios life. “Then they will go away to eternal (aeonios) punishment, but the righteous to eternal (aeonios) life.” It is argued that the latter is supposed to mean endless life, hence the former supposedly means endless punishment. If the punishment is limited, the life must also be limited, the duration of each being expressed by the same word. Though the reasoning appears logical, it is based upon the unfortunate mistranslation of the word “aeonios.”

Even if the premises for eternal punishment in Matt.24:46 were true, it is clear from Rom.16:25-26, that “aeonios” does not mean “eternal.” Here again “aeonios” occurs twice, “According to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past (aeonios), but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal (aeonis) God.” “Aeonios” cannot mean “eternal” when it speaks of the gospel’s being kept secret “since the world began,” (KJV), “for long ages past” (NIV). If “aeonios” meant “eternal” (perpetual), then the gospel would still be a secret, for there would be no succession of ages before which it was a secret nor after which it could be revealed. The same truth is revealed in Titus 1:2. “In hope of eternal (aeonios) life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began (before times aeonios).” Though God is certainly eternal, the second use of “aeonios” in Rom.16:26, refers to Him as the God of the ages, just as he is the God of Israel or the God of Abraham.

Uniformity Eliminates Confusion

The fact is “aeonios” wherever it is used in the New Testament has one uniform meaning. When applied to God, He is the aeonis God, or the God of the ages, i.e., the Being who through aeons of time is working out His wonderful plan. The word “aeonios” has the force of belonging to, or in connection with the ages; for example, “aeonios life,”aeonios salvation,” “aeonios redemption,” “aeonios inheritance,” “aeonios fire,” and “aeonios punishment” (see John 3:16; Heb.5:9; 9:12,15; Jude 7; Matt.24:46). To suggest that “aeonios” means “endless times” or “endless ages,” is not only a contradiction of terms, but nonsensical and confusing. It is equivalent to suggesting an “infinite finite,” a “limitless limit,” a “something nothing” or a “full vacuum.” An age is a span of time, a period of existence. Though seemingly immeasurable to man, nevertheless it is of limited duration.

God’s Punishments Have Purpose

In examining “aeonios” as it is applied to punishment, we see that this too pertains to a period of time or age in which God is working out His purposes. The Greek word translated “punishment” is “”kolasis,” which means “to curtail, retrain, chastise, or prune.” Aeonios chastisement would then be a sentence of chastisement with both a beginning and an end, for the purpose of correction. The fact that the sentence of chastisement has an end does not in any way take away from its severity (Rom.11:22). God has promised judgment to theGentiles until He sends forth judgment unto victory-Matt.12:18-20. For when God’s judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness-Isa.26:9. Never are God’s chastisements meaningless, as they would be if aeonios punishment were forever. Even those who have not benefited from His judgments while living on this earth, will one day experience His judgments, for “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Heb.9:27. The marvelous truth of the gospel is that God’s chastisements are redemptive. Ultimately all the ends of the earth shall know God, for He has sworn by Himself, and the word has gone out of His mouth in righteousness and shall not return void, that unto Him every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear-Isa.45:22-23; Phil.2:10-11.

If “Aeonios” Meant “Eternal”

Furthermore supposing “aeon” and its adjectival form “aeonios” meant “eternal,” consider how illogical the Holy Spirit would appear saying, This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of eternity (aeonios)” (2Tim.1:9) “which God, who does not lie promised before the beginning of eternity (aeonios)” (Tit.1:2); “according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for eternity (aeonios) past” (Rom.16:25); who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil eternity (aeon)” (Gal.1:4); “the harvest is the end of this eternity (aeon)” (Matt.13:39); “who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming eternity (aeon)” Heb.6:5. Suffice it to say that there have been “aeons” in the past, there is the present “aeon,” and there are “aeons” to come. These all combined make up TIME, encompassing the whole progressive plan and program of God for the development of His creation.

Only “Aidios” Means “Eternal”

The fact is the New Testament has only one word which can truthfully be translated “eternal.” This is the Greek word “aidios” which is used only twice. Once it describes the Godhead. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal (aidios) power and divine nature—have been clearly seen” Rom.1:20. The second time it describes the chains which hold rebellious angels until their day of judgment, “these he has kept in darkness; bound with everlasting (aidios) chains for judgment on the great day” Jude 6. These timeless, unchangeable chains will always be a symbol of the severity of God’s corrective measures. Apart from these two verses, there is no place in scripture where a word meaning eternal is to be found.

Conclusion

Eternity and its synonyms are grevious mistranslations of the Hebrew and Greek words. Both the Old and the New Testament misuses indicate a biased mind-set which hides God’s true nature and purpose. The uniform translation of “aeon” and its adjective from “aeonios” solves many inconsistencies in scripture study. Jesus came to give aeonios life, a quality of relationship with the Father through Himself, a life that is only the earnest of much more to come. The most shameful consequences of this error are the grotesque images which Christianity projects of God, who is really so loving, wise and powerful. God’s love nature corresponds with His purpose which required Jesus to hang on a cross, and about which Jesus said, “And I if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” Jn.12:32. His wisdom and majesty dominate the ages through which mankind is drawn toward God’s goal of creating man in His own image, “that God may be all in all” 1Cor.15:28.

Practicalities

Understanding the realities of God’s plan of the ages has great practical application in the life of the believer. The amazing grace of God which we so willingly embrace for ourselves, we then extend to every living soul. We know that if God saved a “wretch like me,” then our faith can be extended toward seeing every other wretched, lost soul saved. Grace can be truly comprehended when it is extended to all creation. To limit God’s grace is to be of a law mentality which judges, condemns and puts “our” group above another. It should only be too obvious that it is the very rejection of this unlimited grace which justifies the self-righteous and divisive attitude so prominent among Christians. Whether in the home, church, or world, all grounds for judgment and condemnation are removed.

The “Christ in you” is the Christ of God who never fails. He was slain before the foundations of the world (Rev.13:8) in anticipation of man’s failure. Calvary was not an after-thought. The “Christ in you” has unlimited love, wisdom, and perseverance for delivering you as well as all creation from every bondage of sin and death. He is well able to complete that which he began.

Our confidence is greatly enhanced when we see God in His magnificence and grandeur, the author and perfector of our faith, who Himself has faith for the whole world. Jesus’ blood will acquire all it has purchased; He “gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” 1Tim.2:6. The salvation of all mankind continues throughout the expanse of God’s ages.

Colossians 1:16-20

“For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens

and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or

dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been

created through Him and for Him. And He is before all

things and in Him all things hold together.

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is

the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that

He Himself might come to have first place in everything.

For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness

to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things

to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His

cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or

things in heaven.”(NAS Bible)

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

A further in-depth of Time and Eternity in relation to Gods plan of redemption

 

TIME and ETERNITY- A Biblical study on AIONIAN

By G T Stevens

 

TIME AND ETERNITY-Biblical Study on AIONIAN [G. T. Stevenson

 

THE SALVATION OF THE UNBELIEVER

 

THE SALVATION OF THE UNBELIEVER

AS GOD is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of those who believe (1 Tim.4:10), we may confidently rest on one grand and glorious foundation truth–that all salvation is of God, and neither believer nor unbeliever has any part in it. On the one hand this assures us of the possibility of saving all men, for God alone is able, and, on the other, it bars out all human schemes for their restoration, whether by works, or suffering, by giving them a second chance, or by any cause whatever which originates in man. Those who believe are saved by His grace (Rom.4:16); those who do not believe are saved through His judgments, but in both it is He alone Who is Saviour.

Faith is but the channel of grace; it does not produce salvation. Judgment is but a means He uses, a process which leads to the opening of the unbeliever’s eyes. It does not remove his guilt or cleanse a single sin. That is done wholly and solely by the blood of Christ. Every effort to bring about the ultimate salvation of all through the purgatorial or penitential sufferings of the sinner is a denial of this great truth. Judgments do not save, but the God Who judges is also the Saviour, and all His dealings with mankind are governed by the grand goal which He has set before Him–to become All in all His creatures.

In setting forth the process by means of which God brings the unbeliever back to Himself we must remember that few believers are able to analyze the method used in their own salvation. Now, if we are not able to explain our own experience, how shall we understand His method with others? Yet, strange as it may seem, God’s dealings with the unbeliever are much more easily apprehended than His way with us. The very simplicity of faith baffles us. Most theological systems seek to base belief on evidence, and speak of “Christian evidences” as the foundation of the believer’s salvation. This is, rather, the method He uses in the deliverance of the unbeliever.

FAITH AND EVIDENCES

The case of Thomas is an example of the overpowering force of evidence where faith is wanting (John 20:26-29). No man can long withstand the testimony of his senses, even when (unlike Thomas) his interests may be opposed.
The tangible proofs given to support the proclamation of the kingdom affords a rich field for the study of the effect of evidence on the human heart. The unbeliever will be saved by sight. He will yield to the force of facts. He will be convinced by logic. What evidence is most suited for this purpose? In our Lord’s ministry we can see both the helps and the hindrances offered by the senses. The consideration of a few cases will reveal what most moves men and what makes them obstinate.

The rich young man was hindered by his possessions. The Samaritans were helped by the Lord’s words. The resurrection of Lazarus led many Jews to rely on His acts. These illustrate God’s method in the judgment of the unbeliever. He removes hindrances–no earthly acquisitions interfere with the decisions of the heart, for both heaven and earth flee from the face of Him Who sits on the throne. He works the greatest possible miracle, by raising them from the dead. He reads the inmost secret of their hearts. He appears in their very presence in soul-dismaying splendor. They cannot doubt His power or His perfections, and no motive remains to lead them to deceive themselves.

The judgment of unbelievers takes place in the interval between the passing of this present earth and the creation of the new. Every tie which bound them to the earth has been burned up. They are the subjects of the most astounding miracle ever wrought, having been raised from the dead. They are in the presence of the Divine Majesty. Their secrets are bared to His awful gaze. The character of their judgment, being adjusted to their acts, not simply as to severity but so as to correct them, will reveal God’s purpose to save and reconcile them to Himself. This, followed by their death in the lake of fire and subsequent vivification at the consummation, is the basis of their reconciliation through the blood of the cross (Col.1:20).The excuses offered by those who were bidden to the great supper (Luke 14:18) are all removed before the great white throne. No fields or oxen or wives will intrude between the spirit and the great Judge.

In the judgment day God will judge the hidden things of humanity (Rom.2:16). We are prone to consider this a mere exhibition of His omniscience, to facilitate the trial of the sinner and to insure his condemnation. But more than this, it cannot but have a most powerful effect on the unbeliever’s attitude toward Christ. What was it that impressed the woman of Samaria (John 4:19,29)? It was His knowledge of her hidden secrets. As a result we read that many of the Samaritans of that city believe in Him because of the woman’s word that He told her all that she had done (John 4:39).

The blessed results achieved by His exposure of the woman at Sychar’s spring will be multiplied by many millions at the great white throne. There is nothing hidden that shall not be manifested (Matt.10:26). As in Corinth, the hidden things of the unbeliever’s heart become apparent, and, falling on his face, he will worship God (1 Cor.14:25).

Perhaps no miracle wrought by our Lord and His apostles created a stronger conviction than that of raising the dead. When Lazarus was raised many of the rulers believed, and the chief priests were concerned lest all should believe on Him because of this sign (John 11:45,48). When Peter raised Dorcas it also was used to convince many who believed on the Lord. Can we imagine what conviction it must have brought to Lazarus and to Dorcas themselves, if they should have had the slightest tendency to doubt? Could there have been any stronger proof of divine power than that their very life had come back to them at the bidding of One Who is stronger than death? In the process of winning the unbeliever we judge their resurrection and final vivification to be ample to account for salvation and reconciliation entering their lives.

SAUL OF TARSUS

The apostle Paul’s case is of surpassing significance in its bearing on the salvation of unbelievers. He was the foremost of sinners, and it cannot be denied that, among men, there was no case quite as desperate as his. All question as to God’s ability to save vanishes in the light of his call on the Damascus road. The miraculous means employed in his case surely would suffice for every one of God’s enemies. And who will deny, on sober reflection, that the appalling power and glory of the august judgment session into which the unbeliever is ushered by his resurrection will be unutterably more impressive?

The apostle’s vision passed. He came back to a scene where all was as before. He alone had changed. But the unbeliever sees the power and presence of God not only in his own deliverance from death, but in all around him. The vision does not vanish. The divine presence abides.

GOD AS JUDGE

The change which eventuates in the ultimate salvation of the unbeliever is wrought, not only by his resurrection, but by the august judgment session, when he stands in the presence of Christ, with all his unbelief swept away by the awful realization of His power and the justice of His throne. We are asked, Is it possible for them to repent? Rather, we would like to know, Is it possible for them not to repent, or change their minds? We cannot conceive an unrepentant sinner before the great white throne.

God’s thoughts and man’s imaginations are nowhere more at variance than on the subject of judgment, or punishment. God is love; man is hate. David was wise when he was given the choice of fleeing before his enemies or falling into the hand of Yahweh. He uttered a great truth when he exclaimed “Let us fall, I pray, into the hand of Yahweh, for His compassions are abundant; but let me not fall into the hand of humanity.” And surely his choice was vindicated, for when the messenger was stretching out his hand in destruction toward Jerusalem, Yahweh showed Himself merciful, and said, “Enough, now hold back your hand” (2 Sam.24:10-16).

NINEVEH

Jonah went through the streets of Nineveh, crying: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be overturned!” (Jonah 3:4). But God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and He regretted the evil He said He would do unto them. “And He did it not” (Jonah 3:10). And what did Jonah do? Was he not pleased at the success of his mission? Did he not glory in the character of His God? Alas! he was like the many today. Like Jonah, they imagine that God has a streak of hate in His character and that He wanted to destroy Nineveh to give it exercise. But He had an object in threatening its destruction. Now that they repented and the object was attained, why should He belie His character and destroy them from sheer vindictiveness? Jonah’s God was a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of much benignity, and regretting of the evil which He had threatened (Jonah 4:2).

DESTRUCTION

The thought that the resurrection and judgment of the unbeliever is only a prelude to his final “destruction” in the lake of fire must be judged by its moral effect, for it has no support whatever in the Scriptures. In the first place “destruction” (by which annihilation or extinction of being is intended), is never used of the lake of fire or of the second death. It is always used of the sinner before his resurrection at the great white throne. Those who are “destroyed” in Gehenna will be there. Those who “perished” in the wilderness and at the flood will be raised. “Destruction” is never annihilation. It never precludes resurrection and salvation. Indeed, it is a necessary precursor of salvation. The Lord came to seek and to save the “destroyed” (lost). So that, even if there were a single passage telling us that the unbeliever is “destroyed” in the second death (which there is not) we would still have every reason to believe God when He assured us that all who are dying in Adam shall be made alive in Christ (1 Cor.15:22).Let no one suppose that we plead for the repeal of God’s word regarding the doom of the unbeliever. Far from it. But we do plead for the removal of those harsh, human perversions of His word, which seek to make Him a man like ourselves, hateful and hating one another, vindictive and vicious in our views of the so-called “penalties” of sin. We plead for a revision of our vocabulary on this important theme.

The terms destroy and destruction are so often used of irrecoverable ruin that a few examples will be given to show how far this is from the truth. The rendering “lost” is always the translation of the word for destroy. It would be the utmost folly for the Son of Mankind to seek, much less to save those who are annihilated. The lost sheep and the lost coin and the lost prodigal all had been destroyed, yet all were found and saved. Were the whole world lost or destroyed in the lake of fire, that would be no hindrance to salvation. Rather, it would be the very sphere in which alone salvation can operate. Christ cannot save anyone unless first he is destroyed, or lost.

GOD IS THE SAVIOUR

Such is the salvation of the unbeliever. It is not only in absolute accord with every passage in the word of God, but in utmost harmony with the God Who is revealed through that word. How can anyone who truly loves Him rest satisfied with less than this, the only true, the only scriptural solution?
Let those who are fond of reasoning about the destiny of the universe accept their own premises and follow them out logically and the inevitable conclusion will be a universal reconciliation. Try it and see. All will acknowledge these premises:

God is love, therefore
God is omnipotent, therefore

God is not love if He will not do all He can for His creatures, neither is He omnipotent if He is unable to save them. Both revelation and reason are arrayed against the false delusion of unending torment for the unbeliever. It degrades the sacrifice of Christ to a mere attempt to remedy an evil which it cannot cure. O, my brethren, why do you limit His love, why do you paralyze His power? Is the Christ Who saved you capable of completing His work by saving all like you? Or, if He can, why will He not?
Confess that this terrible doctrine cannot but lead you to doubt His perfections. It brings you up to a blank wall, to a pit of dense darkness. But the blessed truth opens up a glorious vista flooded with the love light of God.

THE JUST JUDGMENT OF GOD

But, we are told, God’s justice demands judgment. There is truth in this. But if God’s justice must be displayed at the expense of His love, the extinction of the unbeliever in the lake of fire, far from forever removing an eyesore from the universe, places a blot upon His character which eternity itself can never erase. If we do not doubt His willingness to save them, then we must acknowledge His inability. If we cannot question His power, then we must limit His love, and then we endanger the very foundation on which all eternal bliss must be established.

But we do not need to rest on reason. At best, it is usually the refuge of unbelief. God has spoken, and real reason rests on His revelation. He is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of those who believe. God give us grace to glory in such a God!
In the opening chapters of Romans Paul lays the foundation on which God’s just judgment is based. He closes his indictment of mankind with these words: “. . . God’s just statute, that such as are committing them are deserving of death . . .” (Rom.1:32). As the first death cannot be the effect of any judicial procedure on God’s part, it is evident that the death penalty awaits all who come into the judgment. Whatever may be the variety and degree of the tribulation and anguish meted out to each, one common end awaits them all–the second death.

VIVIFIED IN CHRIST

But, some will ask, if they were condemned to death, how can they be raised again? What right have they to the grace and life that will be their portion? We answer, none. They will have no more claim on the ecstatic bliss of that unending day than I or you, or any believer! What right have we? None at all. But in Christ we have a perfect title to every favor. So it will be with the unbeliever. It is not written that “Even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also shall all be vivified,” but “thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified” (1 Cor.15:22). Adam’s death involves all, irrespective of their deserts. Christ’s life extends to all, apart from their personal merits.
And here is where the unbeliever learns to love God. The judgment has exposed his own unworthiness. The grace of vivification will illumine his heart with the love of God in Christ. Then shall be fulfilled God’s universal goal:

To Me will bow every knee,
And every tongue will be
acclaiming God.”

This is the method He will use to bend the stubborn knees. He will not use physical force but moral suasion. Neither will He wring out a confession of sin from every tongue. The Greek word as here used means acclaim, which involves a complete acknowledgment and acquiescence in the divine will.The crowning and conclusive exhibition of God’s power and love toward the unbeliever awaits the consummation. The eons are past. All sin is banished. Evil is no more. The Son of God has nearly completed His mediatorial work. All the living are in perfect accord with God. Nothing remains but the conquest of death and the reconciliation of its denizens. It is the only enemy left in all God’s universe. Then, and not till then will the vast concourse of mankind emerge from the domain of death never to enter it again. Then death will be despoiled, the last enemy laid low. Then shall all awake to live in the light and love of Him Who will have become the Saviour of all mankind.

A. E. Knoch

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A RELEASE FOR THE CAPTIVES

A RELEASE FOR THE CAPTIVES
by Ray Prinzing

“He opened the book and found the place where these words are written-­

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor:
He has sent Me to proclaim RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised,
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:17-19, Phillips

How often have we read these words and felt that inner stirring of His Spirit bringing hope, blessing, and assurance of our victory in Christ. Again and again this Word has been preached, and confirmed with signs following– healings, miracles, people set free from habits, chains of passion, emotional and mental bands, etc. Yet just as often we find ourselves singing a chorus that expresses a deep longing and desire–

“Set my spirit free, that I might worship Thee,
Set my spirit free, that I might praise Thy name,
Let all bondage go, and let deliverance flow,
Set my spirit free to worship Thee.

While we rejoice in the many tremendous workings of God, the revelation of truth, the inworkings of grace, going from strength to strength in Him, yet there remains that consciousness that we are yet captives– waiting for the “redemption (i.e. loosing away) of the purchased possession…” (Eph. 1:14). For as Paul expressed it so well, we find that it is an on-going process of release. “Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.” (2 Cor. 1:10). We have been, we are being, and we are yet to be fully set free– released from all the “bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:21)

This “has been” and “yet to be” release of the captives is also found in Psalm 126:1-2, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord has done great things for them.” What rejoicing, what singing, when God works a new degree of deliverance for us– and we give testimony, “The Lord has done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” (verse 3).

Yet the work is not finished within, for the very next verse the Psalmist prays, “Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.” We need a further loosing– more of the progressive unfolding mercies of God.

“As the streams in the south.” Here is an interesting analogy, and
the interpretation seems to be two-fold: first is the thought that the streams of the south would dry up during the heat of the summer, then periodical rains would come and again fill the channels. Likewise, our “times of refreshing (which) come from the presence of the Lord,” (Acts 3:19), work in us degrees of deliverance, followed by other times of testing and dryness, hence the many cycles which we pass through.

But another scholar gives a different view, that “in the south” spoke of the hill-country of Judaea where the streams are turned about in their beds between the rocks and the gorges. This, too, finds an application in our experience, with all the twists and turns, we often find ourselves between the rocks and in narrow passageways– but all of this being used to further His work in us, bringing self to an end, that His life might flow out. The releases are many and varied, but they are truly HIS HANDIWORK. Praise God!

Then the Psalmist gives the positive assurance of victory, regardless of how difficult any phase of our processing might be. Verses 5-6, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” While the Psalm primarily alludes to a temporal release which Israel experienced, yet it represents the blessed effect of spiritual redemption, and that glorious “nevertheless afterwards” when we enjoy “the peaceable fruit of righteousness,” (Heb. 12:11), the fullness of His life.

“This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For He has looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.” (Psalm 102:18-20).

It is a glorious truth that “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him.” (Ps. 22:27). “TO SERVE HIM with one consent.” (Zephaniah 3:9). And thus shall “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ (anointed ones); and He shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15). All shall know Him, all shall SERVE HIM, from the least to the greatest. Blessed be the Lord! And to bring about this desired victory there is an outworking of REDEMPTION– a loosing of every man from bondage of sin, into the new creation life in Christ Jesus. It is a work which has begun IN A REMNANT FIRSTFRUITS, and ultimately reaches out to all mankind.

There are those prisoners which are groaning now. And there is a threefold aspect to this groaning. “For we know that the whole creation GROANS and travails in pain together until now.” – “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves GROAN within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” But then the Word also tells us that “The Spirit also helps our infirmities: … (and) the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with GROANINGS which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:22-23, 26). For God has so identified Himself with His creation, and in participation with us in all that we are going through, that He JOINS US IN OUR GROANINGS, that we might reach out for that ultimate liberation which He purposes for all creation.

It was God who “has concluded them all in unbelief, (or, literally, shut them all up together) that He might have mercy upon all.” (Romans 11:32). First He makes us all captives, shut up in unbelief, and then in His own sovereign way and purpose, “The Lord looses the prisoners: the Lord opens the eyes of the blind: the Lord raises them that are bowed
down: the Lord loves the righteous.”
(Psalm 146:7-8).

This He promised: “He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.” That covers the whole of them that have been shut up in unbelief. Then the promise goes on, “AS FOR YOU ALSO, by the blood of your covenant I have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit where there is no water. Turn you to the strong hold, YOU PRISONERS OF HOPE: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto you.” (Zechariah 9:10-12).

As for you also– now we zero in for the individual that has been apprehended for present inworkings of grace. Not only have we shared in that more universal captivity– subjection to vanity, and all of the other more general frustrations of futility, there is also a company who are rightly called “PRISONERS OF HOPE.” When God quickens to you a revelation that you are to be redeemed, a release into the glorious liberty of God, then you’ll find that you become GRIPPED BY A HOPE. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for that we do not see, then with patience we wait for it.” (Romans 8:24-25). So, having received a revelation of this REDEMPTION TO COME, we now become “prisoners of that hope,” and are held in its vision, to await the time of its consummation.

Now this we perceive, that FIRST He works the release INTO US, and then He will give us a ministry whereby He works through us to deliver others. As we have often stated, “The message, and the messenger, must become one.” Out of our innermost being will flow the message of truth which we have become. We’ll share out of an experiential reality. We, who have been as prisoners of hope, will ultimately be fully LOOSED INTO ITS REALITY, and then shall we share in the ministry of loosing other prisoners. That “in you shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8).

“Thus says the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; THAT YOU MAY SAY TO THE PRISONERS, GO FORTH; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.”
(Isaiah 49:8-9).

This much also is true, just to remove the bond is not enough, there needs to be an impartation of His life and blessing to enable them to walk on with God. Even with the “in part” measures of his time, Peter said to the lame man, “Silver and gold I do not have, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE I GIVE YOU:…” (Acts 3:6), and the prisoner was loosed, and invigorated, “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” Yes, it was “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST,” it was FAITH IN HIS NAME, and it was a life-force of spiritual dimensions that supplied the strength to rise and walk. How we long to IMPART THIS LIFE!

In Psalm 116:16 we read, “You have loosed my bonds.” The Hebrew word here is “pathach” and means: to open. God knows how to OPEN UP every fetter and set us free. We might groan under the circumstance which has us hemmed in, the difficulties which bind us tight, but only HE can open up the way for us to come forth. And we are learning that there is a vast difference between escapism, and overcoming. Much of our LOOSING is the result of HIS ENABLING US TO OVERCOME– and then the victory is sure. Escapism says, “I am in trouble, pray me out of it.” But the overcomer says, “I am in a very tight place, pray that He give me GRACE FOR OVERCOMING.” For now we desire that every loosing– every OPENING be of His direction, His outworking, so that we might be found to His praise, overcoming as He overcame. Not so as to escape out of a situation, but so as to COME THROUGH with His victory, by the enablement of His Spirit. HE alone is the looser of our bonds.

The Greek word “apoluo” means: to loose off, or away, and from the same root word comes the word “redemption.” There is another Greek word for “redeem” which means: to buy back. But the thought is clear, not only is there a price to be paid to redeem– “Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ…” (1 Peter 1:18-19), but, once the price has been paid, THERE NEEDS TO BE THIS ACTION OF LOOSING, setting free, making experiential that which has been paid for. Jesus said to the “woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. – Woman, you are LOOSED from your infirmity.” This Word produced AN ACTION, “immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” (Luke 13:11-13). All of the price-paying is of little value if it does not PRODUCE A CHANGE, a loosing from the bondage of whatever made us captive.

Paul writes, we have been “SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance UNTIL THE REDEMPTION of the purchased possession.” (Eph. 1:14). “SEALED unto the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30)

There is an appointed DAY OF LOOSING– when all of that which has been working in us by degrees shall be climaxed in a total REDEMPTION. We have been BOUGHT BY HIM, but He has left us here, subjected to the bondage of vanity, the tyranny of change and decay, the futility and frustration that characterizes this present kosmos (arrangement). We are IN the world, but NOT OF IT. We do not belong to the world, we belong to Him, “You are not your own. For you are bought with a price.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Yet we wait for that complete LOOSING AWAY from this entire world system. However, we are SEALED unto that day. He has placed His mark upon us, signifying His ownership, and guaranteeing the fact that “IN THAT DAY” we shall be loosed. It is His INDWELLING SPIRIT, the earnest of our inheritance in Christ, that now witnesses to us that the promise given shall be consummated in HIS due time. The APPOINTED DAY is sure– and what a loosing that will be!

We find a happening recorded in 2 Kings 25:27-30, which serves as a parable for the outworking LOOSING OF THE PRISONER which He would work in us. There are seven distinct blessings mentioned that are wrought in the loosing.

“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison.”

Under the disciplinary action of God, Jehoiachin was brought low and placed into captivity for 37 years– and you thought your processing was going on a long time? We’ll not delve into the historical record, suffice it to say that Evilmerodach, son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar, was moved by God to have compassion, and so brought about these blessings in Jehoiachin’s life.

Note the phrase, “DID LIFT UP THE HEAD,” for it is more than just a play on words, it bespeaks the first step of working in our loosing, namely, a real deliverance from “prison mentality.” IT IS A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE, OF MIND. We have thought bondage, captivity, for so long, that we need a LIFTING UP of our head. “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, AND THE LIFTER UP OF MY HEAD. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of
His holy hill.” (Psalm 3:2-4).

Ps. 27:6, “Now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me.” No longer thinking the same negative thoughts that the enemy thinks, my head is lifted, my attitudes are raised to a higher realm, and I am no longer conscious of the doom and gloom. God is purging out the prison mentality and revealing a life of freedom in the liberty of His Spirit. Thoughts of redemption– of being loosed into the fulness of His life. Nor are we even devil-conscious any more, for our eyes are becoming single to the Lord. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). When our head is lifted up we no longer see the secondary causes, for we see HIM as the FIRST CAUSE of all that touches our life. This is the beginning of a LOOSING that goes far beyond words– it must be experienced to be rightly known. And the verse goes on, “Therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.”

How beautifully this is illustrated in Paul and Silas, (Acts 16:25), after having been cast into prison, at midnight they “prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” Long before they were literally, physically set free, they were FREE IN HEART AND MIND, and sang praises to God, rejoicing in the liberty of His Spirit which could not be restrained by prison wall, chains, stocks, etc. Nor were they worried about what the other prisoners might think– they sang loud enough to be HEARD– there was a confession to be made, and they made it in prayer and song. Not having a prison mentality– the FREEDOM WITHIN was their prelude to freedom without.

Luke 21:26, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Fear has torment, literally, a RESTRAINT– like shackles upon the soul. Cannot move, cannot act, bound in chains more real than those of iron. Prisoners of fear! But when God LIFTS OUR HEAD we no longer look only on things coming upon the earth, for our eyes are “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 21). God-conscious, mercy-conscious, means freedom in Him!

Yes, we are still captives to this world’s system– paying rising tax bills and enduring all the stress of our times. The natural outlook is not very pleasant. But we do not have to have tax-servant, earth-burden mentality. For “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19). Therefore, “Set your affection (Greek, MIND) on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:2). “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” (Eph. 4:23).
A christed mind is loosed from all poverty-consciousness, devil-consciousness, stress-consciousness, because it is loosed from the negativity of the low realm of the flesh.

2 Kings 25:28, “AND HE SPOKE KINDLY UNTO HIM.” Not only is our head to be lifted up, but immediately there is a different message given to us, for HE SPEAKS KINDLY. Not a message of hurt, hell-fire, punishment, doom, because He is the Author of GOOD NEWS– the gospel of our salvation. Of Him it is written, “Never man spoke like this Man.” (John 7:46). He says, “Neither do I condemn you.” (John 8:11). And He said, “As My Father has sent Me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21). And, “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17). So the question is rightly asked: If you come condemning, who sent you? Not the Father, nor the Son, for they do not condemn, they will speak kindly. If God ever sends you to a prisoner, to say to him, “be loosed,” there will not be any hint of condemnation in your message, only His grace. “Not imputing their trespasses unto them; (for He) has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Cor. 5:19). No more will we make people sin-conscious. Rather, “Comfort yes, comfort My people!” says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned.” (Isaiah 40:1-2). Hallelujah!

It is a KINDLY WORD, a GOOD message. “–who proclaims peace; who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation; who says to Zion, Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7). Truly we need our HEAD LIFTED UP, before we can speak kindly, speak of victory, of salvation, of His life for all!

“AND SET HIS THRONE ABOVE THE THRONE OF THE KINGS THAT WERE WITH HIM IN BABYLON.” With a higher vision, and higher message, it follows there is a higher position– ABOVE ALL BABYLONISH CONFUSION. Because “He has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ.” (Eph. 2:6). And there “sin shall not have dominion over you.” (Rom. 6:14). For to the OVERCOMERS “Will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” (Rev. 3:21). This is not speaking of a literal throne, but of a realm of dominion, power and authority, of victory. Thus “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ (anointed ones) …” (Rev. 11:15).

In the lifting up of our heads, He is also beginning to impart a vision of SHARING THE THRONE, of becoming “kings and priests unto our God.” To where we are free IN the circumstances– as Paul said, “I have come to learn, in the circumstances in which I am placed, to be independent of these and self-sufficient.” (Phil. 4:11, Wuest). “Self-sufficient in the sufficiency of Christ.” (Amp.) That is another degree of loosing even in our now, as we LIVE IN, WITH, BY His Spirit, and self-flesh-sin, etc. do not have any dominion over us– for we have been given a throne above our enemies.

“AND CHANGED HIS PRISON GARMENTS.” “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed (be a disembodied spirit), but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” (2 Cor. 5:2-4). Gone will be the filthy garments of our own self-righteousness, for “He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (Isa. 61:10). And with the spiritual garments in place, it follows, “He shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body…” (Phil. 3:21).

“AND HE DID EAT BREAD CONTINUALLY BEFORE HIM ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE.” How marvelously does He “prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” (Ps. 23:5). For He said, “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20). Here is a communion that exceeds all the fellowship we have known heretofore. It is a covenant relationship and sharing together– as we pour out our hearts before Him, and He also reveals to us of the secrets of His heart. Bread continually– O wonderful and bountiful supply. For, “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.” (Psalm 132:15-16).

“HIS ALLOWANCE WAS A CONTINUAL ALLOWANCE GIVEN HIM OF THE KING.” All that He would ever need– continual, on-going– total sufficiency in the Christ.

“A DAILY RATE FOR EVERY DAY, all the days of his life.” Not only provision unending, “Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” (John 1:16), but it shall be ministered to us in such a way that it can be LIVED, used, enjoyed moment by moment. Fulness is wonderful– but it must then be applied to each need– step by step, moment by moment, a daily rate. But note this word “rate” for the Hebrew word is “dabarl, meaning: a word. “For ever, O Lord, Your WORD (dabar) is settled in heaven.” (Ps. 119:89). There is a DAILY WORD, a present truth, ever fresh quickening that is continuous; it is never stale, never old, thus it shall sustain us through all ages.

O may God lift up our head from the prison mentality of negativism, while He speaks kindly to us His GOOD NEWS, raising us up into the new position in the heavenlies, changing our garments into His own righteousness, bringing us into that on-going communion, and sharing of His fulness, so that day by day we live to His glory and praise. What a release for the captive, and may we even now, however “in part” begin to taste of its reality. Amen.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
by Ray Prinzing
“A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.” (Proverbs 13:19).
“So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.”
(Isa. 55:11).
There are some words and phrases that really express a positive hope, for they turn our thoughts away from present anxieties and processings, to give us an assurance that the end victory is secure. I am sure it would be most profitable if we were to daily quote Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified, and let the truth take root within our heart. “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Whatever the trial might be, to know there is a “final outcome” of victory is most reassuring. And so these two words which the Lord is quickening within, give us an up­look, to be a song within, that there will be a time when it can be said, regarding all our processings, “mission accomplished.” Praise God!
There are several words that have been translated as “accomplished,” we’ll, note but a few. First from the Hebrew– kalah, meaning: completed, end, finished. Male, meaning: to be full. Likewise from the Greek– pletho, meaning: to be or become full. And teleo, meaning: end, complete. They all are summed up to speak of that which is finished, brought to completion and made whole– no part lacking– whatever its goal it is accomplished.
First let us note how this was working in our Lord Jesus Christ, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted (tested) like as we are, yet without sin (without missing the mark).” (Hebrews 4:15).
Experiencing the outworking of the Father’s will, we hear Him say, “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how distressed I am till it is accomplished.” (Luke 12:50).
A baptism– literally, an immersion. Not just in water– He had already gone through that when He came “to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.” (Matt. 3:13). He fulfilled all that was appointed by that immersion. But there was a far deeper baptism to take place, as He would be “immersed” into a realm of agony and suffering, as He poured out His life on Calvary’s cross. Plunged into an experience that has ramifications far beyond what we can currently comprehend. This baptism loomed on the horizon, it had to be faced– and He was straightened, until it came to pass.
Straightened– “sunecho” to be held together, be constrained. Others might be taken up with the trivial matters of the day, but He was focused upon-­He held to the Father’s will– knowing He was about to be immersed into an experience which had eternal ramifications. He was gripped by the purpose and plan of God, and little do we know how He felt as He waited for it to be carried out, but He was “in all points tempted as we are.” We need not speculate on the surging of emotion within the “man” Christ Jesus, or the thoughts that might have raced through His mind, but He also knew it was essential that His Father’s will to be done, and He said to Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37). He willingly faced up to the cross. No need to postpone the inevitable, let Father’s will be done. Had He not already said in His High Priestly prayer of John 17, “I have finished the work which You gave me to do.” (v. 4). And again, on the cross, as He was about to yield up His spirit to the Father, He was able to cry out, “IT IS FINISHED: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30). Methinks He felt a jubilant sense of satisfaction-­mission accomplished! For He had set in motion the outworking of the new covenant. Let the former ministrations of law pass away, the new life of His grace had begun, and now the Father could say, “Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” (Heb. 1:13). Now HE REIGNS! From the throne He speaks forth His will, and He steadily works His plan in man– causing His firstfruits to share in His overcoming.
The Father’s grace was/is manifested in the Son, and now the Son’s grace will be manifested in those whom He apprehends for today. Ultimately to bring every man into life– for “In Christ shall all be made alive. Every man in his own order.” (1 Cor. 15:22-23). One by one He will gather to Himself, and joyously proclaim in each vessel– “mission accomplished.” Praise His wonderful name!
As the Great Shepherd He seeks out the lost sheep, “And when He has found it, He lays it on His shoulders, rejoicing. (And says to His friends), Rejoice with Me; for I have found My sheep which was lost.” (Luke 15:5-6). The sheep does not go in search of the Shepherd, but the Shepherd searches for the lost sheep– “No man can come to Me, except the Father which has sent Me draw him.” (John 6:44). With the cords of love He reaches out, TO FIND, TO DRAW TO HIMSELF, and with each successful finding/drawing, how He rejoices– mission accomplished!
Having viewed the “triumph of Christ” we can now look a little more closely to our own processings. God does have His set times appointed for us, just as He did for Mary. Directing her steps to be in the right place at the right time, and then we read– “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered,” (Luke 2:6), and Jesus was born in the very location that God had purposed, fulfilling all that the prophets had spoken. The process of gestation was ended, the pains of travail to bring forth were finished, the Babe was laid in a manger, and she could look up with joy, and say again, “mission accomplished.” To “remember no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” (John 16:21).
The travail of a woman giving birth to a child has often been applied to our own travail and deep inworkings of God. The pains come in cycles, and we groan before the Lord with birth-pangs that are used to bring forth a new creation species. As Paul writes, “My little Children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” (Gal. 4:19). Yes, they were his little children, but they must be birthed spirit, soul, and body– going from glory to glory, hence there is an on-going travail until Christ be fully formed within us. Praise God, He is bringing forth a people who are conformed to His image, partakers of His divine nature, one in His will. We see the vision, however far away the climax might be. And we find that often times we are faced with another degree of baptism, to be plunged, immersed into times of testing that mutes our lips and challenges us to utmost length. “For You, O God, have proved us: You have tried us, as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction upon our loins. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water …” (Ps. 66:10-12). Or, as the Psalmist says in another place, “All Your waves and Your billows are gone over me.” (Ps. 42:7). What a baptism! What a travail as He is formed within us!
How encouraging to find that these happenings/situations/circumstances are used by God to ultimately bring us into a wealthy place, where He can look upon the FINISHED PRODUCT OF HIS GRACE, and say, mission accomplished, and we stand before Him– a people to His praise!
“Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says the Lord: Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? says your God.” (And then comes the victory shout.) “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her.” (Isa. 66:9-10). Why such jubilation? Because God could look upon His handiwork and say– “mission accomplished.” True, it is never an easy correction process to go through, as the Word makes clear, for Isaiah 66:16 tells us-­ “For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.” (Isa. 66:16). But all the FURY of the Lord has a purpose, and is destined to work for good. How we need a Light to shine upon this truth– that God’s anger can simply be described as the energy-force of God set in motion to bring about a correction, with the end result that we are established in His righteousness.
Jeremiah gives a vivid word on this. “The Lord has accomplished His fury; He has poured out His fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations thereof.” (Lamentations 4:12). The energy force of God set in motion, not just to destroy, nor even just to bring an end to self-will and sin, but also to prepare mankind for an inflow of life once the correction has been completed. The very word “accomplished” holds within it the fact that HE had something that had to be worked out, carried to a finishing point. There was a purpose to be realized, and then all the negatives of chastening, stripping, are swallowed up into His victory. The erroneous idea of eternal torment cannot be sustained when the Word says “The Lord has accomplished His fury.” Done! Brought to the full, purpose completed, and correction’s mission accomplished, that His more abundant life might be manifested.
Fury, anger, wrath– use whatever term you prefer, they all shall have an end when they have completed their appointed task. God said to Israel, “He that is afar off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall
fall by the sword; and he that remains and is besieged shall die by the
famine: thus will I accomplish My fury upon them. Then shall you know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 6:12-13). The judgment/chastenings shall be complete and none shall escape them, whether near or far away– but the point is when they are accomplished, they’re done, purposed fulfilled. So that in another place we read, “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.” (Isa. 40:1-2). There is no escape from the PURGING-CORRECTIONS, but they do have an end-­something wondrous is accomplished. And the message goes on– a powerful promise, that “every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.” (Isa.
40:1-2,4-5). It surely includes the “dark night of the soul,” as His corrections are made, but the “nevertheless afterwards,” (Heb. 12:11), cannot be denied. Victory is secure, for “The mouth of the Lord has spoken it,” Praise His name! “The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” (Isa. 14:24). What He accomplishes is DONE, and that time is finished. No man can add a day or a year to His fury, for when He says “mission accomplished” that is it– purpose complete, bless His name! How dare any man say that God must extend His fury to an endless eternity, when HE says it is accomplished? Whether beaten with many or few stripes, it is not an endless flogging. His judgments lead into salvation, praise God!
Jesus made it very clear that “I came to send fire on the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). But He also stated that while a “thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). So He kindles a fire to purge and purify but when that mission is accomplished He will bring forth a NEW LIFE that overflows– far more than we can imagine.
There is no way that we would minimize the judgments of God– but we do view them positively. Correctional chastenings, expressions of His love. He corrects us “for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. (While it is true that) no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb.12:10-11). No wonder we read that “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” (1 Pet. 4:17). He would receive us unto Himself, and therefore we must be “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:27). Yet once He has purified His church (i.e. called out ones), He shall be able to declare triumphantly “mission accomplished,” and then with great rejoicing He will “present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” (Jude 24).
We know that we are admonished to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and to run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Heb. 12:1). And we are constantly urged by the Spirit to “Forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before” as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14). So often Paul used the various athletic terms to express the need for giving ourselves to the apprehending of that which God has ordained for us. But Paul also knew much of the depths of God’s grace, and that in ourselves we cannot change a thing– “For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13). But having done all according to the ability HE has given us, we shall be able to also say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7) or, using the phrase before us, concerning God’s will for us, “mission accomplished,” because of His marvelous grace. Truly it is God all the way.
The awesome working of God is often expressed in the simplest of terms-­ “So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.” (Isa. 55:11).
Brought to the full, made complete, finished– we look at conditions around us and have a hard time trying to correlate present corruption with His promises for “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:13). But that is because we do not fully grasp the power of God revealed in His anger, and His purpose for the exercise thereof. Nor do we know the greatness of the power of His Word. He speaks, His mighty Word goes forth, and whatever He determines and speaks is fulfilled, for “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45). Not one jot or tittle comes up short– God’s measures are complete– every thought is accomplished. He is both Author and Finisher, and as Joni Eareckson Tada has written, “God starts what He finishes.” “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me.” (Ps. 57:2, NIV). He knows the end from the beginning, if He starts a process He knows exactly how it will end. If He knows how the end will be, He also knows exactly how to start it, setting in motion the Word, the energy-force to bring it to pass. I dare say, He can look at a beginning and say “mission accomplished,”– it is that secure in Him.
Ezekiel gives us quite a view, as God purposes to bring down the efforts of the flesh, spoken of as a wall that man had built. God says, “I will break down the wall that you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it: and you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish My wrath upon the wall … (Ezekiel 13:14-15).
It is not an “eternal” battle! I know that “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other.” (Gal. 5:17). And we are to “fight the good fight of faith” as Paul wrote to Timothy (6:12). But all these battles are only “UNTIL”– to be fought until the victory is won, then we can say “mission accomplished.”
Whatever adversaries we face, they are to be resisted “steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (1 Peter 5:9). It has been said that “misery likes company.” And there is a certain comfort gained in knowing that others are facing, going through the same afflictions/trials, etc. We are encouraged by the testimony of others who suffer “like afflictions,” as we identify with their pains. John writes, “Who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation.” (Rev. 1:9). It is this “togetherness” that adds to our day by day confirmation as we share with one another of His inworkings. While the personal applications may vary, the same principles are wrought in each of us, thus we do relate to one another betimes.
But do note that it reads– “same afflictions are accomplished.” What a prophetic insight– when God opens our eyes to see things accomplished. It immediately tells us that afflictions have an end– something was brought to the full and finished. I dare say, it is a wee bit easier to go through a trial when you know something is being accomplished. Paul wrote “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (Cor. 4:17). SOMETHING IS WORKING! SOMETHING IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED! Take heart, victory is at the door!
“But the God of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10). AFTER YOU SUFFER A WHILE– suffering having fulfilled its purpose, mission accomplished, and He firmly places us– establishes us– settles us in His kingdom.
The prophet Isaiah asks the question, “Does the plowman plow all day to sow?” (Isa. 28:24). Is this to be over and over again, as an exercise in futility? Does one plow all day, and then the next morning return and plow the same field over again? Nay, the plowman may plow deep, and thoroughly break every clod, but when fully prepared for seeding, the plowing mission is accomplished. Then the seed is sown– not over and over again in the same field, but when fully/adequately seeded, one can say seeding mission is accomplished. When the grain is grown and ripened and harvested, the prophet adds, “He will not always be threshing it.” Threshed, and fully ground, it is ready to be made into bread- and then the grinding mission is accomplished. What’s the lesson in this illustration? That every process has an end, when all the requirements have been completed– accomplished.
Jesus said, “This that is written must yet be accomplished in Me. – for the things concerning Me HAVE AN END.” (Luke 22:37). And, as already noted, He came to the point where He could say “IT IS FINISHED.” Every requirement along the way was fulfilled, and He went on to the next step, until once again He was seated with the Father in His throne. His earthly tasks were finished, now He reigns– however Paul points out that even this celestial throne glory is only UNTIL– “For Christ must be King and reign UNTIL He has put all His enemies under His feet. – However, when everything is subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to the Father Who put all things under Him, so that God may be al in all – that is, be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life.” (1 Cor. 15:25, 28, Amp.). Then will it resound through the universe, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! God’s plan of the ages will be fully consummated, to His glory and praise.
Now, with the vision set before us– that God shall be totally ALL IN ALL, we can once again bring our thoughts back to the present, and face whatever trial He has appointed for us. Whatever portion you bear, be assured that GOD has marked out your path, just as surely as He marked out the way for The Son, and all that was to be accomplished in/by Him. So Paul writes, “It pleased God, who … called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me …” (Gal. 1:15-16). And we have already noted that as he finished his course, kept the faith, he could say, “mission accomplished.” Now may we also KNOW that we have been “called by His grace” for the distinct purpose that He might “reveal His Son in me.” OF YOU IT CAN DEFINITELY BE SAID, “He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (Rom. 8:29). And if this process has begun in you, then just as sure as there is a God on the throne, the day will come when He shall say “mission accomplished.”
“He has filled the hungry with good things.” (Luke 1:53). However long the processing might be, all along the way there are those minor happenings which bring a moment of recognition that GOD IS IN CONTROL, working all things after the counsel of His own will, for our good, and for His praise. He has a way of filling our mouth with good things, ministering life and strength day by day. Giving songs in the night season. Speaking peace to the inner man. And causing us to know that, while the road stretches out before us, even now, in degrees of victory, He says “mission accomplished” as His will is fulfilled, and we become one in Him. Bless His name.
Mission Accomplished–
What a sense of fulfillment’s satisfaction.
What He begins He will complete,
His measures all are more than meet,
The guarantee of vict’ry sweet.
His blessings add, in Him is no subtraction.
Mission accomplished–
What comfort these words speak to our inner man,
The mercies of our God descend,
To ev’ry trial there is an end,
The heart that’s broken He shall mend,
To consummate the Father’s glorious plan.
Mission accomplished–
Tell Israel that her warfare is accomplished,
And judgment has filled up its sum,
Time for the singing birds has come,
A song to heal the soul that’s numb.
Praise God, the adversary has been vanquished.