Ok hans,
well Jesus is doing it intentionally. He is intentionally speaking a language they will not understand. So he must have a good reason for doing this.
10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto YOU to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
--Mat 13
GOOD BENEFICIAL DISCUSSION. As Hans said, it's causing me to think and dig into some things.

Molly, I believe absolutely! It's part of God's plan. ("it's the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the honor of kings to search out a matter").
Jesus hid Himself (Who He truly was) from the masses when on earth. ("...why parables?... it's not been given to them to know/to you it's been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom"). Many people died during that time. Did God just choose to send them to eternal hell (or eternal death) while He was walking the earth hiding Himself from most of them, with no further plan to "remedy" things? I personally can't believe that to be the case.
Also Molly, following up on our earlier thoughts.
I've still been having some wonderment over this.
1) I do believe the elect are the predestined, while the rest are added later after kolasis aonian (temporary correction [spiritual Lake of Fire]). EVERY knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord IN the Holy Spirit. No man can Jesus Lord except in the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 12:3) When one confesses Jesus is Lord THEY ARE SAVED. (Rom. 10:9) Each in his own order. (I Cor. 15:23)
So if the names in the Book of Life are the
elect/saved in the ages (Old Cov, New Cov) prior to the upcoming next age , then I believe they
will endure - God Himself ensures it. I for one DO NOT believe we either attain or maintain our salvation. Paul said if you're "justified" (the law doesn't save) by the law, you've "fallen" from grace (i.e., not depending on Christ). I believe that the elect are guaranteed to run the race and finish the course;
And I am certain that God,
who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally
[will complete it] finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil. 1:6
I believe in holiness, righteousness.
I don't believe in sinning more so grace may abound. I believe (not always able) in surrender and obedience. But as discussed in other places, these need to be
HIS works through us, because our works are as filthy rags and will be burned. So further;
So then it
does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on
God who has mercy. Romans 9:16
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph. 1:13
Looking to
Jesus the
author and
finisher of our faith; Heb. 12:2
for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that
he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. 2 Timothy 1:12
For by grace you have been
saved through
faith. And this is
not your own doing; it is the gift of God, Eph. 2:8
So who's blotted out, and what does it mean? Most here believe all are eventually reconciled, but the details of the Book of Life are in question.
Maybe it doesn't describe in every possible detail 1) who's put in, 2) who's taken out, 3) when they're written back in. Maybe every exact line is not filled in exactly as we'd want it.
But we do know this; quote self :) - "I know there are other scriptures that talk about
all being reconciled,
God being
All in All,
all summed up in Christ, every tongue confessing Jesus is Lord IN [lit. transl.] the Holy Spirit ("whoever believes/confesses will be saved"); all those Paulinian verses that go beyond what some believe to be the final accounting, i.e., "Revelations" (the Revelation or Unveiling of Jesus Christ) and show the ultimate reconciliation of all of creation. Also, in the Unveiling itself, there's the picture of the
gates of the city being open day and night, never locked, as the kings (us, believers) bring our treasures (new believers) into it, the
leaves of the Tree of Life healing the nations,
no more death, pain, tears-which precludes an eternal torment - never mind the character of love Himself!."