I found this article (http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/r1453b.htm) which is arguing against universal salvation. This section of the article is making a counter argument to the idea that "His mercy endureth forever" undermines the doctrine of everlasting punishment.
QUOTE
(2) His mercy endureth forever; and is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.
Yes, those gracious expressions mean much of joy and comfort; but, in the original, the word of which our English word forever is a translation does not mean exactly the same as forever or without an end. It means, rather, continuously as long as proper or necessary, until a proper end has been reached. To illustrate: In Lev. 16:34we read, "This shall be an everlasting (Hebrew, olam) statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins, once a year." And in verse 29we read, "And this shall be a statute FOREVER unto you: That in the seventh month and tenth day of the month ye shall...do no work at all." (Compare Exod. 21:6.) How long did "forever" or "everlasting" mean in those cases? Are those statutes still in force? No. When did that "forever" and that "everlasting" cease? At the cross. These, with all the other features of the Mosaic Law, ceased [R1454 : page 297] when Christ made an end of the Law, nailing it to his cross.
Just so in the texts quoted by Objector. God's mercy toward human sinners will endure until Christ makes an end of it in the close of the Millennial age. Mercy by that time will have exhausted every legitimate means for showing to sinners the path of life. More than that could not be called mercy. When all will have been done that can be done for sinners (and God's promises concerning the great work of Christ for the world during the Millennium are nothing short of this), then, the true, proper end of the mercy having come, divine Love and Justice will step forward and declare that those who have rejected this fulness of mercy shall be "cut off [not from their sins, but] from among the people."--Acts 3:23.
Just how you look at it.
IMO His mercey does indeed not last forever.
Mercy is linked to sin.
No sins then no mercy is needed.
When all are judged and eventually are in Heaven there is no more sin and no more mercy needed.
God still has mercy inside Him but it simply isn't needed anymore.
The Millennial age ends when we slip into the realm of God. Timeless. Reconciled. No longer needing mercey because we got 'cleaned'.
I wonder if they use the same arguments when discussing the wrath of God (=hell)
WW,
Very good. :thumbsup: Even I who believe in the salvation of all never thought of that. :mblush: There really will come a time when we won't need mercy any more. Amen!!
CHB
Quote from: bobf on April 28, 2009, 04:26:04 PM
I found this article (http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/r1453b.htm) which is arguing against universal salvation. This section of the article is making a counter argument to the idea that "His mercy endureth forever" undermines the doctrine of everlasting punishment.
QUOTE
(2) His mercy endureth forever; and is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.
Yes, those gracious expressions mean much of joy and comfort; but, in the original, the word of which our English word forever is a translation does not mean exactly the same as forever or without an end. It means, rather, continuously as long as proper or necessary, until a proper end has been reached. To illustrate: In Lev. 16:34we read, "This shall be an everlasting (Hebrew, olam) statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins, once a year." And in verse 29we read, "And this shall be a statute FOREVER unto you: That in the seventh month and tenth day of the month ye shall...do no work at all." (Compare Exod. 21:6.) How long did "forever" or "everlasting" mean in those cases? Are those statutes still in force? No. When did that "forever" and that "everlasting" cease? At the cross. These, with all the other features of the Mosaic Law, ceased [R1454 : page 297] when Christ made an end of the Law, nailing it to his cross.
Just so in the texts quoted by Objector. God's mercy toward human sinners will endure until Christ makes an end of it in the close of the Millennial age. Mercy by that time will have exhausted every legitimate means for showing to sinners the path of life. More than that could not be called mercy. When all will have been done that can be done for sinners (and God's promises concerning the great work of Christ for the world during the Millennium are nothing short of this), then, the true, proper end of the mercy having come, divine Love and Justice will step forward and declare that those who have rejected this fulness of mercy shall be "cut off [not from their sins, but] from among the people."--Acts 3:23.
Too bad they didn't apply their logic to every other instance of "everlasting" and "forever".