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CAN THIS BE TRUE?

For twelve years I heard and read that God was going to send or allow the vast majority of mankind to roast in a torturous burning hell for all eternity. Is this really true? Just because one doesn't believe the "gospel" of any particular movement, they are going to burn forever? Why would God create man in the first place knowing most of them would end up like this?

The annihilationist would say that the unbelievers of any one of these various "gospels" will eventually be completely eliminated without a trace. While this may be more merciful than the eternal conscious punishment schemes the question still remains, why would God create mankind, who according to the Bible is His TOP PRIORITY, only to have most of them lost for all eternity one way or the other?

What follows was written mostly a few years back, answering the last question in a New Testament Survey book. Its not at all scholarly, which works out pretty good because I'm not a scholar, but hopefully it will begin to clear things up.

Why Are So Few Clearly Understandable Details About Heaven and Hell Given To Us?

Probably because God's plan for mankind is quite a bit different than what most Believers have "planned" for Him.

One alternative that has not been believed by most Christians through the Church age, except for maybe its earliest days, is the Restitution of all things. There are several passages which mention this, starting with 1 Cor. 15:22-28 which begins, 'In Adam all die, in Christ all shall be made alive.' Most would not have any trouble believing this first part, however few would go along with this second part 'in Christ ALL shall be made ALIVE!' There are several variances which have been given this, "all in Christ shall be made alive," "all who come to Christ shall be made alive," one of my former favorites "in Christ the Elect shall be made alive" or as many would say "in Christ only those who choose Him by their own free will shall be made alive." But what it really says is IN CHRIST [no other way - Acts 4:12, 1Tim.2:5&6] ALL A-L-L A L L shall be made ALIVE! Then each of the ALL in his own order. One of the most understated passages in the Bible is verse 26, where it states death shall be abolished! Rev. 20:14 indicates the Lake of Fire is the ultimate death, though many deny this is the death which will be abolished. Then in 28 ALL things subjected to God the Father that God may be ALL in ALL. Not just "all in some" as many would have us believe.

Just a word about "things." Some would take this to mean just about everything but people, as if mankind was not the Crown of God's creation. But does God love "things" more than He does humans? Would not people be a part of the 'all things' mentioned in passages like John 1:3, Rom. 11:36, and especially Col. 1:16 & 17? One specific example of things referring to men is 1 Cor. 3:21 & 22. Col. 1:20...and through Him to reconcile ALL things to Himself, Acts 3:21...restitution of ALL things, Phil. 3:21...subject ALL things to Himself, Eph. 1:10...summing up of ALL things in Christ. I see the Greek word for ALL in the above examples and other similar passages makes no exclusions.

In expository dictionaries there are two words for RECONCILIATION, Col. 1:20 being one of only three places where the strongest most emphatic one is used, meaning to COMPLETELY CHANGE any and ALL creation at enmity with God to total harmony and friendship with Him. Notice the passage says ALL things.

Also two forms of the word CONFESS, the stronger more intense one meaning a very grateful open acknowledgement or profession, thankfulness, giving praise, and even celebrating. Two of the passages using this word are Phil. 2:10 & 11 and Rom. 14:11, which say EVERY knee shall bow (this itself means in loving reverence) and EVERY tongue shall CONFESS - to God - that Jesus Christ is Lord - to the glory of God the Father. Not by forced subjection of an unwilling majority as many teach. I doubt that it is a coincidence 1 Cor. 12:3 and 1 John 4:2 saying one confesses Jesus as Lord by the Holy Spirit and Acts 2:17 stating God will pour out His Spirit on ALL flesh, a prophecy yet to be completed.

When is this supposed to happen? Eph. 2:7 mentions 'the ages to come,' although it starts here and now and to be completed in God's own time and place.

What about "eternal" punishment? According to some who have a thorough knowledge of the Bible languages most every time the words eternal, everlasting, and forever appear in the New Testament, Rom. 1:20 being an exception, it is the ancient Greek word AION (AEON) or one of its forms meaning age or ages, denoting a limited period of time. It is where we get the English word eon (See 'AION link page' below). Several emphatically literal translations bear this out, particularly Young's. We can be sure there will be judgement, punishment, corrections, or whatever kind of  'attitude adjustments'  necessary for the unbelievers according to their works, and for some it could be very long and painfully excruciating; but forever???? Won't mercy triumph over judgement as mentioned in James 2:13? Rom. 11:32 suggests so.

Most translations of 1 Tim. 2:4 say God desires all to be saved, with the predominate teaching being even though God may "want" all to be saved most will choose not to. But since when doesn't God get what He wants in letting man's will have priority over His own will? Prov. 20:24, Dan. 4:35, Job 42:2, Ps. 135:6, Isa. 14:27, Jer. 10:23, Rom. 9:16-18 among others would say otherwise. Besides, where does the Bible concretely and plainly say man has a so called free will, excluding all speculative implications and inferences?

In John 12:32 Jesus said ALL will be drawn to Him, with draw here being a form of the word drag. Nobody is coerced against their will, but ALL will be made willing when God reveals Himself and pours out His LOVE to ALL in His time.

Up until a few years ago all my hopes in Christ, His atoning work with the subsequent gathering in, setting creation free, and whatever my personal destiny would be in Him were confined to THIS LIFE ONLY, while not including the ages to come, and believe me it was quite miserable. Especially thinking salvation was just for those few who were predestined in this fallen age while unable to explain away 1John 2:2 and 1 Tim. 4:10.

I realize this is not conclusive, so for much more on God's wonderful plan for ALL His creation check out

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