SNIPPETS FROM THE HARD COPY UR LIBRARY OF RODGER TUTT

[micah7:9]

:HeartThrob:

:HeartThrob:

[rodgertutt]

AION – AIONIOS

HOW ETERNITY SLIPPED IN
http://thetencommandmentsministry.us/ministry/free_bible/whence_eternity

[marie glen]

AION – AIONIOS

HOW ETERNITY SLIPPED IN
http://thetencommandmentsministry.us/ministry/free_bible/whence_eternity

What a very good and informative article!

This one, posted earlier, is too!!

http://www.richardwaynegarganta.com/4ViewsOfSalvation.htm

   

[rodgertutt]

AIONIOS

Although there are at least fifteen translations that translate aion/aionios literally instead of interpretively, the most popular versions are translated interpretively.

Why did God allow the most popular versions of His written word to be interpretively translated instead of literally translated?

In my opinion the reason is the same reason why God allows all other evils to temporarily prevail, and that is because He is eventually going to make it better for everyone that He did so.

Probably, God could not have allowed a better foil of contrast of evil versus good than to let His written word be mistranslated. Against the black background of the theological false doctrines of never ending suffering or annihilation God will paint His glorious masterpiece of universal transformation using the paint brushes of His love that can never fail, and His grace that cannot be defeated.

WHAT MOST OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS BELIEVED
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

Universalism:
The Prevailing Doctrine Of the Christian Church During Its First Five-Hundred Years
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Prevailing.html
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

Greek scholar William Barclay wrote concerning kolasis aionion (age-during corrective chastisement) in Matthew 25:46
"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. There is no instance in Greek secular literature where kolasis does not mean remedial punishment. It is a simple fact that in Greek kolasis always means remedial punishment. God's punishment is always for man's cure."

Also see what other Greek scholars say about it
An Analytical Study of Words
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter11.html

Fifteen literally translated (not interpretively translated) Bibles that reveal what God will do with the sinners in Matthew 25:46
Concordant Literal, Young's literal, Wilson's Emphatic Diaglott, Rotherham's Emphasized, Scarlett's, J.W. Hanson's New Covenant, Twentieth Century, Ferrar Fenton, The Western New Testament, Weymouth's (unedited), Clementson's, The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed, The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, Bullinger's Companion Bible margins, Jonathan Mitchell's translation (2010).

Regarding the meaning of aionios, Dean Hough, director of THE SAVIOUR OF ALL FELLOWSHIP wrote
"In THE VOCABULARY OF THE GREEK TESTAMENT (edited by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan) Concerning aionios we read, "In general, the word depicts that of which the horizon is not in view . . ." (p.16). If the horizon of the extermination spoken of by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 is simply not in view, then we can see that what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:22 can truly occur. The same all who are dying in Adam, which includes some who incur eonian extermination, can indeed eventually be vivified in Christ.
The Bible, in fact, does not speak of judgment and condemnation, death and destruction, hades and Gehenna, or any of these serious consequences of sin, as unending. It may refer to them as not having the end in view, but none of these fearful works of God can keep Him from achieving His will (1Tim.2:4); reconciling all through the blood of Christ's cross (Col.1:20, and becoming All in all (1 Cor.15:28).".
Dean Hough

WHAT MOST OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS BELIEVED
Universalism:
The Prevailing Doctrine Of the Christian Church During Its First Five-Hundred Years
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Prevailing.html
And they were reading the Bible in its original language!

[marie glen]

Oh dear.. I have to come back and read these links..

going to make it better for everyone that He did so.

Probably, God could not have allowed a better foil of contrast of evil versus good than to let His written word be mistranslated. Against the black background of the theological false doctrines of never ending suffering or annihilation God will paint His glorious masterpiece of universal transformation using the paint brushes of His love that can never fail, and His grace that cannot be defeated.

    :thumbsup: :cloud9:

[rodgertutt]

THE INTERPLAY OF GOOD AND EVIL – RAY PRINZING

"God is sovereign, and He controls all the interaction of evil and good, and causes all to redound to His own glory. It is not – what was lost by the fall was to be regained by redemption, BUT by the interaction of FALL AND REDEMPTION, God achieves greater, wiser, nobler, and higher goals for everyone than by the Adamic race remaining in its pristine state.

Evil and good are synchronized to accomplish God's will and purpose, so that the ultimate goal shall reveal all evil transformed back into good, and all negation cancelled out by GOOD. Evil is allowed for wise ends, and when these are secured it must cease to exist, for God will restore all things into good. HE controls all the interaction between evil and good until His purpose of the ages is fulfilled. Then shall God be All in all."

[ps]

There seem to be some inaccuracies in some writings you have presented.

THE LAKE OF FIRE WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH

THE JUST JUDGMENT OF GOD – JAMES CORAM
"The main point which we seek to impress upon our readers is to accept God's declaration that, for those who are judged before the great white throne, the lake of fire is the second death, not a second lifetime.

While the 'injury' (literal translation) sustained by those who are cast into the lake if fire (in Revelation 20:14,15) will be fatal (since to these the lake of fire is the second death), it will not be permanent. We may be certain that this is the case, for, at the consummation, death will be abolished and all will be vivified, that God may be All in all. God is the Saviour of all mankind, and this includes all who enter the second death."

While in 1 Tim 4:10 Paul writes of "...the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers", this is unlikely to include any salvation from the second death, but must presumably refer to the reconciliation which Christ has accomplished by his death for all men, but not the salvation which he is yet to bring about from his life (Rom 5:10).  (Paul was not always consistent in his statements and choice of words, one easily seen regards weaponry, the breastplate in Eph 6:14 being righteousness, consistent with Is 59:17, while in 1Th 5:8 he speaks of the breastplate being faith and love.)  Additionally, why is he especially the saviour of believers?  What is different for the unbelievers?  Perhaps that they should not see/experience the 'life' of the kingdom, that they should yet be judged after a first death?

Nothing in the NT outside of Revelation speaks of the 'second' death (nor, for that matter the 'lake' of fire - it seems that nowhere outside of Revelation is it referred to as a lake).  So it seems unlikely that Paul would have been including the second (death) in his comment, likely having knowledge of the (lake of) fire, but no mention suggesting he knew of it as a second death.

Salvation is written to be of faith (Eph 2:8, 2 Th 2:13, 2 Ti 3:15, 1 Pet 1:5, 1 Pet 1:9).  After the end of (i.e. resurrection from) the first death (again, 1 Cor 15 is unlikely to be speaking of the second, but rather the first death), faith, which is the assurance of things not seen (Heb 11:1), can no longer be as such, as all will have seen, and faith can no longer be in those things which are, after the resurrection, seen (Heb 11 in general).

Paul also speaks in Phil 3:18,19 of many, enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, that end, telos G5056, being a termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, the last in any succession or series, that by which a thing is finished, its close occurs, its aim or purpose, with the 'close'ing finish being 'destruction', apoleia G684, a destroying, utter destruction, a perishing, ruin, destruction.  That same destruction of men is also mentioned in Mat 7:13, Rom 9:22, Phil 1:28, 1 Tim 6:9, Heb 10:39, 2 Pet 2:1, 2 Pet 2:3, 2 Pet 3:7, 2 Pet 3:16.

EVENTUALLY EVERYONE WILL BE SAVED
Sooner or later everyone will do the will of the Father and will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Biblically, this is not a generally justifiable statement. 

The bible records multiple instances where God's will was not fulfilled, and beyond a point no longer could be.
Some examples are:
1)God spoke his will/purpose that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the forbidden tree, but they did.  They cannot un-eat of the tree, God's will was rejected and not fulfilled.
2)God intended for Adam and Eve to experience life without dying, having made available to them the tree of life, but after disobeying, they were removed from the garden and blocked from gaining access to the tree of life, leading to their death, thus His original will that they live forever without death was thwarted and not fulfilled.
3)God desired that the pharisees and lawyers be baptized by John, but Luke 7:30 records "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John", thus God's purpose for them was not fulfilled.
4)It was the will of the Father, that the Pharisees and Lawyers (among many others) listen to Jesus (Deut 18:15, Jn 5:46, Jn 8:40), but they instead put him to death.

Observe that 'purpose', boule, in Luke 7:30 is reportedly related to boulomai, willing/wishing/counselling in 2 Pet 3:9 regarding 'all' being saved, or reformed, with that 'will' itself being subject to a time frame which is prior to Jesus return (or [second] coming), with that return thereby putting an end to that opportunity to be saved.

Lacking certainty of what 'will' is being indicated by the author, perhaps a 'will' that everyone should enter the kingdom of heaven, or merely a 'will' that somehow relates to or precedes that entry, I cannot assess whether that specific claim might be justifiable - but as just shown, the generalization that seems to be implied,  that God's will has to be fullfilled, is false. 

Rom 9:19b "...For who resists His will?" is often put forward as supporting the notion that God's will cannot be resisted, but is actually Paul putting forward a question he surmises might be asked by those who were challenging and questioning God - not Paul supporting that notion.

Sinners whose names are not in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death. But everyone who is cast into the lake of fire which is the second death will be saved out of it.

This last, while perhaps possible, simply isn't supported by the bible, but would have to be beyond what it gives record of. 
See below.

"Where is a resurrection from the lake of fire taught in the scriptures?

The lake of fire is distinctly defined as the second death (Rev.20:14; 21:8). In it is cast all that is still at enmity with God. So that, death is indeed the last enemy (1 Cor.15:26).
And we are just as decidedly told that Christ is the one who abolishes death and brings life and incorruptibility to light (2 Tim.1:10). The reading "hath abolished" is not true as to fact or as to grammar. It is in the indefinite form (commonly called the aorist tense) simply recording the fact apart from time. Death has not been abolished yet.
How and when it will be abolished is told us in the fifteenth of first Corinthians. It is to be abolished by means of universal vivification (1 Cor.15:22). This takes place at the consummation (1 Cor.15:26).
It is useless to look for plain statements on this subject in parts of the Scriptures whose scope is limited to eonian truth, such as the Revelation. It is unwise to look for it anywhere but in the special portion which deals with this topic. Death and resurrection are exhaustively treated in the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians and there it is we should look for clear statements as to the ultimate goal.

If the topic is "exhaustively treated", then there should be mention of a resurrection to life, and a resurrection to judgement (John 5:29), but there is no mention of the resurrection to judgment.

There also should be mention of a second death.  There is no biblical mention of second death until revelation, which by any account I've seen was not recorded until after all of Paul's letters were written.

And a mention of the two witnesses who will be killed, and resurrected, before the great tribulation begins (being neither Christ, nor those at his coming, nor those after the 1000 years.)

So Paul in 1 Cor 15 is far from exhaustive, and likely referring to the only death then seemingly known, the first death, and the resurrection from that first death.

The destination of fire was certainly known from Jesus recorded statements.  The consideration of it as a second death, and even as a 'lake', apparently not until Revelation.

There we are distinctly told that the last enemy that shall be abolished is death (which must refer to the lake of fire which is the second death, for the first death cannot be the last enemy).

That last parenthetical statement is inaccurate.

'death', G2288, is apparently one of the holding places for the dead per Rev 20:13 (the sea and hades being others), and is itself apparently to be made new, the new place being the lake of fire (the second death.)

Consider Rev 21:4x "...there will no longer be any death...",
that death being the first death, it also being among the first things that pass away,
and :5x, "...Behold, I am making all things new...",
which apparently even includes a new (i.e. second) death (which is the lake of fire) Rev 21:8,
another holding place,
where the first death, having already given up the dead it held (Rev 20:13),
is to be placed, as indicated earlier in Rev 20:14.

Further, even after the new heaven and new earth are seen, with the new Jerusalem descending upon them (Rev 21:1-2) which is indicated to be the dwelling place of God, among men, Rev 21:3, per Rev 21:4 there is no longer to be the (first) death, with Rev 21:7 a place in that New Jerusalem dwelling to be inherited by those who overcome, while those who do not overcome, but are cowardly, unbelieving, etc. will, Rev 21:8 rather have their part in the lake of fire (the new, second, death, not of the 'first things'), rather than the New Jerusalem.

If we are to think that the second death (lake of fire) is to be abolished (brought to an end), we then have to consider what that would mean for (the first) death, hades, and the devil and his angels, as they are all to be placed within the lake of fire. If it no longer exists, what becomes of them?  Would the abolishment of the second death, mean that the first death was no longer at an end as indicated by Rev 21:4x?

And there we are told that it is to be done by a universal vivification rather than resurrection.
The term "resurrection" is applied to those who have afterward died again, such as those who suffer the second death. Hence there is not a resurrection, merely, from the lake of fire, but a vivification beyond which there can be no death.

No.

In 1 Cor 15, resurrection is applied to all who have been, or are to be, restored to life (by the point of the abolishment of death), starting with Christ v20, then those who are Christ's at his coming, v23, then eventually everyone else (from first death).

Looking at more of the passage in 1 Cor 15 (than the v15-v20 he mentions next) starting with v13, it very specifically indicates Christ as not being raised if there is no resurrection.

Christ not being expected to die again, nor have any part in the lake of fire, but being the first fruits of the resurrection, discredits that statement that the term 'resurrection' is applied to those affected by the second death.

It is also apparent from Col. 1:15-20 that the lake of fire is not the end of God's plan for those cast into the fire. See also Ro. 5:18, 19
James Coram.
http://www.concordant.org/expohtml/QuestionsAndAnswers/Q&AIndex1.html#9a

Note God's wording
In Christ all shall be made alive
not
All who are in Christ shall be made alive

No, not so apparent regarding the lake of fire not being the end of God's plan.

While it does appear that Christ is to make all alive, retrieving all dead from all holding places, with the end of the first death at the end of the 1000 years (Rev 20:5a, and further indicated as accomplished in Rev 20:12,13),
this is not indicative of the final fate/destination of all of them.

That final fate seems to be indicated by Rev 21:7-8, with those who (at that point having) overcome will be inheriting a place in the new Jerusalem, but others apparently not having overcome (per v8), having their place in the lake of fire "which is the second death."

[rodgertutt]

EVIL

THE PURPOSE OF EVIL
http://thegloryrd.com:80/apadams/evil.html   

THE "EVIL" FROM THE LORD – MICHAEL KILLIAN

"All men will be saved. But God isn't trying to redeem everyone in this age, only that chosen generation that Paul spoke of.

Believing that the evil in this world has its purpose for good will bring much peace to your heart. And then to realize that God in someway, somehow, will eventually use evil to bring about good for everyone, will further add to your peace. As this revelation of the Prince of Peace is unfolded to your turbulent, battle-weary heart, you will start to more continuously abide in His love.

God not only 'allows' evil in this present world, but rather ordains it. No more, and no less evil than God Himself determines, will happen to anyone during any certain day."

THE FEET MINISTRY – DON BRUCE

"The mission of Christ was to destroy the enemy and to set the prisoners free. Now this word 'destroy' does not mean to annihilate. In the Greek it means to make of no effect. When Christ took the keys from the prison keeper he, Satan, lost all power and authority. Christ made his office of no effect (Heb. 2:14&15).

While prophets of doom forecast calamity and destruction, the mind of Christ speaks and lights our world with the vision of universal restoration and reconciliation.

Paul told of a great victory where every knee would bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Paul did not say that only a small number will bow and confess, but he said every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. And no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Spirit. What a glorious day that will be when every foot steps forth in the river of life up to the ankle, and from the ankle up to the knee. Every knee shall bow!

We are not an accident! We are not a mistake! No one has been overlooked by the Creator. All of us are His jewels, the apple of His eye, His purpose, reason and will.
When we see God in all things, and realize that all things are in His hands for the eventual good of everyone, then our lives will flow as peacefully as a river."

FUNDAMENTALS OR BASIS OF BELIEF – Thomas Griffith

"We will get good out of evil. Our gracious Educator does evolve for us out of corruption, temptation and sin, new purposes, new skill, new triumphs.

Beyond the overruling of intermediate evil into subserviency to a higher good, what has been superinduced as a transition state of things is therefore seen to be necessary only for a time. It will pass away with the functions which it is made to fulfill. It will at last be superseded by the highest good for everyone."

JUSTIFICATION – DONALD G. HAYTER

"Although God introduced sin through the agency of His creatures, yet He did not sin in so doing. For it was no mistake, no failure of His. It was in accord with His intention, and it will be justified by the beneficial results obtained through its agency.
God is justified in all He does, for His final intention to glorify Himself and bless all of His creatures is the dominating purpose which adds luster to all His eonian operations.
In the brilliant glory of His ultimate, the most somber and gloomy features of earth's history are transformed into a brilliant display of His power, wisdom, and love.

During the final eons, every creature in the heavens, and on earth, and under the earth, will have learned of the sufferings of the Christ, and of the depths of the Father's love revealed in them. And every knee will bow to Him Who died, acclaiming Him Lord, for the glory of God the Father. Very feebly we can enter into the joy, the satisfaction, the thankfulness that will be His as He views the vast potentials of love and adoration that will be pulsing within the heart of everyone.

Thus will all ultimately be justified. God's matchless wisdom, serving in the cause of His love, has produced a method of salvation that calls forth the adoring wonder of our hearts. What a God we have!"

THE EPICURIAN – Thomas Moore

"The God of benevolence, in Whose hands sin and death are but instruments of everlasting good, and Who, bringing all things 'out of darkness into His marvelous light,' proceeds watchfully, and unchangingly to the great, final object of His providence, the restoration of the whole human race to purity and happiness."

A SNIPPET FROM THE PURPOSE OF GOD'S WILL – GUY MARKS

"God prearranged it all, from the fall of man to the glory of the consummation. Not one thing was left to chance. All was founded on His wisdom.

To some, evil is never to cease. God is never able, as they see it, to bring about so much good that all evil will vanish. They try to justify God with the false teaching that man is a free moral agent, whereas the only freedom of man which the scriptures affirm is the freedom of deliverance we find alone in Christ Jesus."

THE INTERPLAY OF GOOD AND EVIL – RAY PRINZING

"God is sovereign, and He controls all the interaction of evil and good, and causes all to redound to His own glory. It is not – what was lost by the fall was to be regained by redemption, BUT by the interaction of FALL AND REDEMPTION, God achieves greater, wiser, nobler, and higher goals for everyone than by the Adamic race remaining in its pristine state.

Evil and good are synchronized to accomplish God's will and purpose, so that the ultimate goal shall reveal all evil transformed back into good, and all negation cancelled out by GOOD. Evil is allowed for wise ends, and when these are secured it must cease to exist, for God will restore all things into good. HE controls all the interaction between evil and good until His purpose of the ages is fulfilled. Then shall God be All in all."

CONVERSATIONS ON THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT – Theophilus Lindsey

"The doctrine of eternal torments is a millstone that Christians hang around the neck of the Gospel. The words translated 'eternal,' 'everlasting,' 'forever,' and the like, generally signify limited periods of duration.

Everything is from God, and for the good of all. All things, good as well as what we call evil, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom and Benevolence, for the wisest and most gracious purposes for everyone."

THE PURPOSE OF EVIL – GUY MARKS

"Evil begins with God and is a necessary part of His plan. It is the method He uses to accomplish His purpose. Usually when man works evil he sins because His motives are wrong, but this is not true of God for His motive is always to produce good. God uses the forces of evil to bring about good.

The teaching that sin and death are eternal is a travesty of God's character, for it presents God standing by in complacency while Satan introduces an evil that all but destroys the human race.

The purpose of evil is to establish a background for a display of God's love and grace which we could never know apart from the experience of sin. Evil is a necessary part of God's purpose to mold us and to fashion us in the image of His beloved Son. Evil is a problem only to those who fail to see God's purpose in it and who refuse to believe that God will bring blessings to all mankind through His dealings with evil and sin. The forces of evil cannot continue beyond the circumference of God's purpose in it. God always has control over the forces of evil and evil never has any power apart from the authority of God. God has complete control over Satan and all of his activities.

The teaching that sin is to continue eternally blinds our minds to an understanding of the purpose of evil. Those who have made the greatest progress in seeking out the revelation of the cross no longer consider evil to be a problem, for the cross of Christ will turn all the evil of sin into infinite good. God will do infinitely more than repudiate sin and abolish death. He will not simply restore the human race to the status of Adam in the garden.

God's grace differs from Adam's offence because it will accomplish far more than Adam lost. Then too that which resulted from Adam's offense is temporary but the results of grace will be permanent. Grace more than meets the need for it exceeds the need by far. It is enough and to spare for it is a superabundance. And this proves conclusively that the ruin caused by Adam's sin is overcome and more by the superabundance of grace.

Before the eons, before there was any evil, before there was any sin, God designated all the events that would make sure that not one would be trapped in the forces of evil, but that all would be delivered from death and sin. God prearranged it all, from the fall of man to the glory of the consummation. Not one thing was left to chance. All was founded on His wisdom.

To some evil will never cease, or so they believe. God is never able, or at least He never tries to bring about so much good that all evil will vanish. They try to justify God with the false teaching that man is a free moral agent. But the only freedom of man that the scriptures present is the freedom that comes through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus."

THE STRANGER IN LOWELL – John Greenleaf Whittier

"Through discords of sin and sorrow, pain and wrong, truth rises, a deathless melody whose notes of wailing are hereafter to be changed to those of triumph as they blend with the great harmony of a reconciled universe."

THE PEOPLE'S OWN BOOK – F. De La Mennais (1782-1854)
"If suffering was eternal, we should be compelled to conceive of it as independent, as subsisting by itself, or to admit something still more monstrous, for if it was not self-existent, if it was dependant on the divine will, God would be the direct author of eternal suffering.

But what Christ said is now and ever will be true:- 'Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' And one day all will come unto Him. The world, deluged with light, and feeling within itself, with the revival of hope, the revival also of faith and love, shall salute that day with songs of joy."

[rodgertutt]

Why I believe that the Bible teaches that everyone who is cast into the lake of fire which is the second death will be saved out of it.

Greek scholar William Barclay wrote concerning kolasis aionion (age-during corrective chastisement) in Matthew 25:46
"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. There is no instance in Greek secular literature where kolasis does not mean remedial punishment. It is a simple fact that in Greek kolasis always means remedial punishment. God's punishment is always for man's cure."

See what other Greek scholars say about it too.
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS – Louis Abbott
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter11.html

Fifteen literally translated (not interpretively translated) Bibles that reveal what God will do with the sinners in Matthew 25:46
Concordant Literal, Young's literal, Wilson's Emphatic Diaglott, Rotherham's Emphasized, Scarlett's, J.W. Hanson's New Covenant, Twentieth Century, Ferrar Fenton, The Western New Testament, Weymouth's (unedited), Clementson's,  The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed, The Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, Bullinger's Companion Bible margins, Jonathan Mitchell's translation (2010).

Regarding the meaning of aionios, many Greek scholars agree with John Wesley Hanson.
AIÓN – AIÓNIOS
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/Aion_lim.shtml

Dean Hough wrote "The definition given in THE VOCABULARY OF THE GREEK TESTAMENT (edited by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan) is helpful. Concerning aionios we read, "In general, the word depicts that of which the horizon is not in view . . ." (p.16). If the horizon of the extermination spoken of by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 is simply not in view, then we can see that what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:22 can truly occur. The same all who are dying in Adam, which includes some who incur eonian extermination, can indeed eventually be vivified in Christ.
The Bible, in fact, does not speak of judgment and condemnation, death and destruction, hades and Gehenna, or any of these serious consequences of sin, as unending. It may refer to them as not having the end in view, but none of these fearful works of God can keep Him from achieving His will (1Tim.2:4); reconciling all through the blood of Christ's cross (Col.1:20, and becoming All in all (1 Cor.15:28)."
Dean Hough

SEE

THE SCHOLARS CORNER THE CENTER FOR BIBLE STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSAL SALVATION
http://www.tentmaker.org/ScholarsCorner.html

[marie glen]

Amen! Amen! To all of the above! :thumbsup:

...I really think the world as it is, and death, likely would only be avoided if our Heavenly Father had never created rational creatures, for I think choice to be an offshoot of thinking ability.. And the way He did it, forming the universe and man and woman not only after the first rebel thought, which occurred in the adversary, but after it had matured into outright revolt and sedition/trickery/deception, was so all in heaven and earth would take this unavoidable journey and lesson all together, at once.

Unavoidable, that is, if there's to be thinking ability..

And I can't help thinking of this- that surely, he is life itself, the life force (and also perfection, hence any choice in thought, word, or deed, no matter how tiny, which differs from what He chooses, results in imperfection, the opposite of life.

But most of all I think of this, that yes suffering has come upon all, even upon some horribly, but He, being life, suffers, lives through, and experiences it all! Why would He put Himself through all that? I suppose because he's not creating robots or an ant farm, but His own family (of many beautiful branches) and an un-breakable paradise. Unbreakable because deeply etched and engraved upon every heart and mind will be the full understanding of good from evil, which is also life from death/nonlife. That one simply cannot wander from Him, for to do so could only ever end in a self destructive wisp of smoke - apocalypse, the unveiling. W/o his rule is to crash and burn. The story of all history, every age, every nation and tribe and the story of each of us. After all, what is said to be the very best teacher? (Besides He and His Spirit.) Experience. After the great 'day' of review/judgment.. Totally brought home to every heart.

[darryl]

There seem to be some inaccuracies in some writings you have presented.

THE LAKE OF FIRE WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH

THE JUST JUDGMENT OF GOD – JAMES CORAM
"The main point which we seek to impress upon our readers is to accept God's declaration that, for those who are judged before the great white throne, the lake of fire is the second death, not a second lifetime.

While the 'injury' (literal translation) sustained by those who are cast into the lake if fire (in Revelation 20:14,15) will be fatal (since to these the lake of fire is the second death), it will not be permanent. We may be certain that this is the case, for, at the consummation, death will be abolished and all will be vivified, that God may be All in all. God is the Saviour of all mankind, and this includes all who enter the second death."

While in 1 Tim 4:10 Paul writes of "...the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers", this is unlikely to include any salvation from the second death, but must presumably refer to the reconciliation which Christ has accomplished by his death for all men, but not the salvation which he is yet to bring about from his life (Rom 5:10).  (Paul was not always consistent in his statements and choice of words, one easily seen regards weaponry, the breastplate in Eph 6:14 being righteousness, consistent with Is 59:17, while in 1Th 5:8 he speaks of the breastplate being faith and love.)  Additionally, why is he especially the saviour of believers?  What is different for the unbelievers?  Perhaps that they should not see/experience the 'life' of the kingdom, that they should yet be judged after a first death?

Nothing in the NT outside of Revelation speaks of the 'second' death (nor, for that matter the 'lake' of fire - it seems that nowhere outside of Revelation is it referred to as a lake).  So it seems unlikely that Paul would have been including the second (death) in his comment, likely having knowledge of the (lake of) fire, but no mention suggesting he knew of it as a second death.

Salvation is written to be of faith (Eph 2:8, 2 Th 2:13, 2 Ti 3:15, 1 Pet 1:5, 1 Pet 1:9).  After the end of (i.e. resurrection from) the first death (again, 1 Cor 15 is unlikely to be speaking of the second, but rather the first death), faith, which is the assurance of things not seen (Heb 11:1), can no longer be as such, as all will have seen, and faith can no longer be in those things which are, after the resurrection, seen (Heb 11 in general).

Paul also speaks in Phil 3:18,19 of many, enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, that end, telos G5056, being a termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, the last in any succession or series, that by which a thing is finished, its close occurs, its aim or purpose, with the 'close'ing finish being 'destruction', apoleia G684, a destroying, utter destruction, a perishing, ruin, destruction.  That same destruction of men is also mentioned in Mat 7:13, Rom 9:22, Phil 1:28, 1 Tim 6:9, Heb 10:39, 2 Pet 2:1, 2 Pet 2:3, 2 Pet 3:7, 2 Pet 3:16.

EVENTUALLY EVERYONE WILL BE SAVED
Sooner or later everyone will do the will of the Father and will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Biblically, this is not a generally justifiable statement. 

The bible records multiple instances where God's will was not fulfilled, and beyond a point no longer could be.
Some examples are:
1)God spoke his will/purpose that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the forbidden tree, but they did.  They cannot un-eat of the tree, God's will was rejected and not fulfilled.
2)God intended for Adam and Eve to experience life without dying, having made available to them the tree of life, but after disobeying, they were removed from the garden and blocked from gaining access to the tree of life, leading to their death, thus His original will that they live forever without death was thwarted and not fulfilled.
3)God desired that the pharisees and lawyers be baptized by John, but Luke 7:30 records "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John", thus God's purpose for them was not fulfilled.
4)It was the will of the Father, that the Pharisees and Lawyers (among many others) listen to Jesus (Deut 18:15, Jn 5:46, Jn 8:40), but they instead put him to death.

Observe that 'purpose', boule, in Luke 7:30 is reportedly related to boulomai, willing/wishing/counselling in 2 Pet 3:9 regarding 'all' being saved, or reformed, with that 'will' itself being subject to a time frame which is prior to Jesus return (or [second] coming), with that return thereby putting an end to that opportunity to be saved.

Lacking certainty of what 'will' is being indicated by the author, perhaps a 'will' that everyone should enter the kingdom of heaven, or merely a 'will' that somehow relates to or precedes that entry, I cannot assess whether that specific claim might be justifiable - but as just shown, the generalization that seems to be implied,  that God's will has to be fullfilled, is false. 

Rom 9:19b "...For who resists His will?" is often put forward as supporting the notion that God's will cannot be resisted, but is actually Paul putting forward a question he surmises might be asked by those who were challenging and questioning God - not Paul supporting that notion.

Sinners whose names are not in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death. But everyone who is cast into the lake of fire which is the second death will be saved out of it.

This last, while perhaps possible, simply isn't supported by the bible, but would have to be beyond what it gives record of. 
See below.

"Where is a resurrection from the lake of fire taught in the scriptures?

The lake of fire is distinctly defined as the second death (Rev.20:14; 21:8). In it is cast all that is still at enmity with God. So that, death is indeed the last enemy (1 Cor.15:26).
And we are just as decidedly told that Christ is the one who abolishes death and brings life and incorruptibility to light (2 Tim.1:10). The reading "hath abolished" is not true as to fact or as to grammar. It is in the indefinite form (commonly called the aorist tense) simply recording the fact apart from time. Death has not been abolished yet.
How and when it will be abolished is told us in the fifteenth of first Corinthians. It is to be abolished by means of universal vivification (1 Cor.15:22). This takes place at the consummation (1 Cor.15:26).
It is useless to look for plain statements on this subject in parts of the Scriptures whose scope is limited to eonian truth, such as the Revelation. It is unwise to look for it anywhere but in the special portion which deals with this topic. Death and resurrection are exhaustively treated in the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians and there it is we should look for clear statements as to the ultimate goal.

If the topic is "exhaustively treated", then there should be mention of a resurrection to life, and a resurrection to judgement (John 5:29), but there is no mention of the resurrection to judgment.

There also should be mention of a second death.  There is no biblical mention of second death until revelation, which by any account I've seen was not recorded until after all of Paul's letters were written.

And a mention of the two witnesses who will be killed, and resurrected, before the great tribulation begins (being neither Christ, nor those at his coming, nor those after the 1000 years.)

So Paul in 1 Cor 15 is far from exhaustive, and likely referring to the only death then seemingly known, the first death, and the resurrection from that first death.

The destination of fire was certainly known from Jesus recorded statements.  The consideration of it as a second death, and even as a 'lake', apparently not until Revelation.

There we are distinctly told that the last enemy that shall be abolished is death (which must refer to the lake of fire which is the second death, for the first death cannot be the last enemy).

That last parenthetical statement is inaccurate.

'death', G2288, is apparently one of the holding places for the dead per Rev 20:13 (the sea and hades being others), and is itself apparently to be made new, the new place being the lake of fire (the second death.)

Consider Rev 21:4x "...there will no longer be any death...",
that death being the first death, it also being among the first things that pass away,
and :5x, "...Behold, I am making all things new...",
which apparently even includes a new (i.e. second) death (which is the lake of fire) Rev 21:8,
another holding place,
where the first death, having already given up the dead it held (Rev 20:13),
is to be placed, as indicated earlier in Rev 20:14.

Further, even after the new heaven and new earth are seen, with the new Jerusalem descending upon them (Rev 21:1-2) which is indicated to be the dwelling place of God, among men, Rev 21:3, per Rev 21:4 there is no longer to be the (first) death, with Rev 21:7 a place in that New Jerusalem dwelling to be inherited by those who overcome, while those who do not overcome, but are cowardly, unbelieving, etc. will, Rev 21:8 rather have their part in the lake of fire (the new, second, death, not of the 'first things'), rather than the New Jerusalem.

If we are to think that the second death (lake of fire) is to be abolished (brought to an end), we then have to consider what that would mean for (the first) death, hades, and the devil and his angels, as they are all to be placed within the lake of fire. If it no longer exists, what becomes of them?  Would the abolishment of the second death, mean that the first death was no longer at an end as indicated by Rev 21:4x?

And there we are told that it is to be done by a universal vivification rather than resurrection.
The term "resurrection" is applied to those who have afterward died again, such as those who suffer the second death. Hence there is not a resurrection, merely, from the lake of fire, but a vivification beyond which there can be no death.

No.

In 1 Cor 15, resurrection is applied to all who have been, or are to be, restored to life (by the point of the abolishment of death), starting with Christ v20, then those who are Christ's at his coming, v23, then eventually everyone else (from first death).

Looking at more of the passage in 1 Cor 15 (than the v15-v20 he mentions next) starting with v13, it very specifically indicates Christ as not being raised if there is no resurrection.

Christ not being expected to die again, nor have any part in the lake of fire, but being the first fruits of the resurrection, discredits that statement that the term 'resurrection' is applied to those affected by the second death.

It is also apparent from Col. 1:15-20 that the lake of fire is not the end of God's plan for those cast into the fire. See also Ro. 5:18, 19
James Coram.
http://www.concordant.org/expohtml/QuestionsAndAnswers/Q&AIndex1.html#9a

Note God's wording
In Christ all shall be made alive
not
All who are in Christ shall be made alive

No, not so apparent regarding the lake of fire not being the end of God's plan.

While it does appear that Christ is to make all alive, retrieving all dead from all holding places, with the end of the first death at the end of the 1000 years (Rev 20:5a, and further indicated as accomplished in Rev 20:12,13),
this is not indicative of the final fate/destination of all of them.

That final fate seems to be indicated by Rev 21:7-8, with those who (at that point having) overcome will be inheriting a place in the new Jerusalem, but others apparently not having overcome (per v8), having their place in the lake of fire "which is the second death."

so, according to this view, most of humanity ends up being tormented forever in a lake of fire ?..cursing and hating God forever without end ?..and you can bet the people in there being tortured would hate and curse god...what kind of god would bring that into being when he didn't have to?..when He was perfectly happy and living in love before He caused this great tragedy to come into existence ?..and surely any thinking rational feeling person would regard billions of human beings being tormented forever, as a supreme tragedy..unless one is extremely callous and hard of heart, of course. :sigh:

[eaglesway]

Then how shall death be destroyed- if the lake of fire, the secnd death, last forever, and how shall God become all in all. How shall all things be gathered into one in Christ, whether things in heaven and earth, and how shall death lose its sting, how shall death be swallowed up by immortality.

You have to bend so many things to believe what you believe ps.

What a shame you cannot take the word of God at face value.

"If I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me"

[rodgertutt]

Having read several books against the Bible teaching universal salvation it is my observation that the authors were unable to believe in God's plan for the ages of time as revealed in a literally (not interpretively) translated Bible.

THE AGES COLLECTIVELY COME TO AN END WITH EVERYONE SAVED

GOD'S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
"During the present wicked eon (Gal.1:4), Sin reigns, Satan who is said to be "the god of this eon" (2 Cor.4:4) blinds and deceives mankind, and death swallows up the race (1 Cor.15:22). But notwithstanding, God is over all and is in supreme control. He is the eonian God. In due time He will deliver the entire creation and bring good out of all the suffering mankind is called upon to endure (Rom.8;18-23)."

GOD'S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
http://www.saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html 

[rodgertutt]

The death and resurrection of Jesus guarantees the eventual salvation of everyone.

ELECTION

Eventually everyone will be saved.

Because men have failed to see and understand the doctrine of election, it has propagated false ideas of salvation. Many seek to limit it to believers, but they overlook the significance of the double statement.

"In 1Tim. 4:9-11 we are told that the living God `is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of those who believe,' and with this 1Tim. 2: 4-6 concurs. Many seek to limit it to believers, but they overlook the significance of the double statement. That there is a special salvation for believers is plainly stated, but this does not limit the other part of the statement, rather does it emphasize it. The salvation of believers is a special work; they are a special class in the `all mankind.' God's will for mankind is salvation, not as an experimental salvation toying with the will and choice of men, but as their Disposer – God.

My dear brethren, let us embrace this glorious truth which God has revealed for us. Let it so become a part of us that our lives will be reflecting it. Let it fill our hearts with the love of God and His glorious Son. Let us be rendering praise to the living God, the universal Creator and Reconciler, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
`To Him be glory for the eons! Amen!' " - E.G.Jones

REDEMPTION IN TWO PARTS - J. Preston Eby
http://www.godfire.net/eby/allinall.html

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/savior-of-the-world/all-in-all.htm

At the present time salvation is enjoyed only by those who believe; the balance of mankind will be saved at the consummation. A savior is one who actually saves. God is the savior of all mankind, not just the 'potential' savior. When the truth concerning the eons displaces the error about eternity, judgment and grace are seen to work harmoniously together till each reaches its predestined goal. All the threats of punishment to follow the judgment of the wicked can be accepted at their full, dreadful value without doing violence to our innate sense of justice, and without denying the predictions of a final victory of grace.
Don Bast

THE GOSPEL OF GRACE – CHARLES W. WELLER
"Love conquers all, for it is the love of God that allows humanity to see its frailty that in the bitter dregs it may choose life. I thank the Lord that the plan of redemption wasn't a stop gap measure but a well thought out plan that in the fullness of time, all will have Christ as their head. Victory in Jesus!

Before creation there was no time. Since creation there has been time. But with the consummation of things and God becoming All in all, time will end, and sin, which is limited by time shall end. Yet, God and creation shall go on.

If God cannot surmount the evil in the world and turn it all into good, then there is a power equal and opposite to Him. But sin isn't eternal. The cross of Calvary isn't a 'hope so' move by God, but rather, a well conceived thought out solution to the problem of sin. There is an end to sin and to the death it causes. All shall be swallowed up into victory. Some, God has planned to accept Him now. Others, like Pharaoh, He hardens their heart. But being a righteous Judge He will show wrath on those who need it to cleanse them of their fallen nature.

The plan of God is such that His grace, that unmerited favor, will cause man and all of creation to be restored The mercy and love of God is to be so revealed that Jesus shall be All in all.

The purpose for the present is to save some. The purpose for the future is to save all. Because men have failed to see and understand the doctrine of election, it has propagated false ideas of salvation. Even he who dies in sin shall be saved as by fire. Victorious grace covers a larger redemption than many would consider."

http://richardwaynegarganta.com/Understanding%20Universal%20Salvation%20Part%20One.htm#2

"When we understand the glorious truth that our God is both the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, then we realize that no matter how vast the cycle and circuit, the end is secure, for all things return unto Him again. To read only a portion of God's Word, the facts are too few to rightly calculate the CURVE of God's plan. And while HE does, gloriously, illumine a specific verse or sentence to speak to our hearts for that day, we also need the full sweep of the Book to gain an overall view of His purpose, and then understand the tremendous victory which is ours in Christ".

Long milleniums ago Adam was banished from the Paradise of God and its life-giving tree. But God has provided a way by which His banished may return! Some glad morning, when the unfolding plan of God is complete, all who once stood "in Adam" in the Garden will again be gathered together and their eyes will behold with endless joy that heaven blest Eden in which walked Adam, the son of God. But even now there is a remnant, the election of grace, the firstfruits of His redemption WHO IN SPIRIT HAVE ENTERED THOSE ONCE-CLOSED PORTALS AND HAVE PARTAKEN OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE OF LIFE! In the power of the Christ, the last Adam, though the firstfruits of Christ's redemption still move about in a world which is under the curse, where the traces of sin are visible on all hands, these have found their way, by faith, to the bosom of the Father, and are NOW AT HOME AGAIN IN GOD! The mighty transformation that has come and is coming to our lives shall be experienced ultimately by ALL MEN, God's own law of circularity secures it, and none can resist it, praise His glorious name!"

[rodgertutt]

SOONER OR LATER GOD ALL IN ALL -  Anthony J. Borrello

"As hostile and objectionable our dear brethren may be, there are answers and explanations for every argument and/or insinuation presented against the undeniable fact, That God indeed is a God 'Who will have all men to be saved, and come into a knowledge of the truth (1Tim. 2:4). As greatly as man and their religious attempt to fight this utterly dynamic evangel (good news), God shall eventually be All in all (1Cor. 15:28)."

"But God is in no hurry. He has specific eons, and administrations within the eons, to fulfill His universal purpose and intention of universal reconciliation. All came out of Christ, including Adam. Consequently all shall be restored by and through Christ, 'yet each in his own class' (1Cor. 15:23)."

When clouds of confusion gather regarding God's plan for mankind, and despair come showering down upon our studies, turn to God's word originally rendered, then, like a searchlight in the darkness of night, His love, and His light of understanding will surely beam forth. God will not allow any to be eternally lost. He is a loving Creator, working out His purpose for the universe, Who will get love from all in return, so that He can and will be 'ALL in all,' to all, 'later.'"

GOD'S PLAN FOR THE AGES OF TIME
THE EONS OF THE BIBLE WITH CONCORDANCE
http://www.saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html 

[rodgertutt]

LOUIS ABBOTT – UNIVERSAL SALVATION ASSURED

Interested students of the Word of God will decide if Louis Abbott knows what He is talking about.
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS – LOUIS ABBOTT

In the forward to his book AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS, Louis Abbott wrote, "One key area various denominations are divided over is the final destiny of the ungodly, the wicked, the unsaved, the unregenerate, or however one wishes to phrase it.
There are three views on this subject. Each position claims Scriptural support: (1) eternal torment; (2) eternal destruction; and (3) the ultimate salvation of all. It is obvious that all cannot be correct. Two of them have to be wrong.
I pray this book will be a blessing to all who are struggling with this subject." (unquote)
Notice how Louis proves that numbers one and two are wrong according to the Bible.

This book can be read online at this link
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF WORDS
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/asw/index.html

ENJOY!

Eight interviews with Greek scholar Louis Abbott about his belief that the Bible teaches universal salvation (in eight parts)

Copy and paste the links into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJoNxjUAAi8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuoRnAsugew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAsVTXJYEHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_sblmYiX4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfx6tcwq3M4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM5fSRDxVwg
http://tentmaker.org/video2/tag/athiest/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoWeKXdNhyg

ENJOY!

[rodgertutt]

Information they probably won't have you study in "ETERNAL PUNISHMENT" Bible schools. Your teachers will probably declare the following information to be heresy, and they probably won't have you study
UNIVERSAL SALVATION UNIVERSITY
http://richardwaynegarganta.com/universalsalvation.htm

[rodgertutt]

HOPE BEYOND HELL - GERRY BEAUCHEMIN...
A recently published book that shows why Gerry believes that the Bible teaches universal salvation.
Read the reviews first – just a suggestion.
http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/what-others-are-saying/

HOPE BEYOND HELL - GERRY BEAUCHEMIN...
http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/ 
It can be downloaded FREE and read online.

HOPE BEYOND HELL BOOK AUDIO  - Gerry Beauchemin
http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/audio-book-with-text/

[eaglesway]

IMO, the best presentation of UR for the average believer.

[joeteekay]

Gerry Beauchemin will be at the The Forgotten Gospel Conference
August 5-7, 2016
The Sanctuary Denver
Denver Colorado

Many other prominent UR folks.
Gary is also shown as an attendee.
Wish I could go.
Joe

[rodgertutt]

DEATH SHALL BE ABOLISHED  -  1 Cor. 15:20-28

Argument:
"This only means that believers will never die again."

RESPONSES

Bob Evely
I would simply suggest that these folks are ignoring the context of the 1 Corinthians 15 passage (ALL in Adam ... ALL in Christ, etc) and the many other ALL passages in Scripture. It is a case where their minds are made up that only believers will ever be saved; so they find it necessary to place limitations on what the Scriptures actually say, lest their doctrines fall apart.

Tony Nungesser
Death is abolished for the believer AT HIS PRESENCE. In 1 Cor.15:25 death is abolished AFTER Christ hands over the kingdom to God and all sovereignty, authority and power are done away. Then the rest of mankind will have death abolished for them and only then.

Kenneth Larsen
For me, 1 Cor. 15:20-28 is where the abolition of death is best detailed. And the subject is clearly all mankind. Plus, it says plainly that it is the LAST enemy, clearly detailing the subjection of all which must occur BEFORE. And there are clearly still kings during the New Jerusalem eon, so human authorities have yet to be nullified; Christ's mission isn't complete. Rev. 21:24. Death will be abolished for all mankind in three stages -1 Cor. 15:22-24. Then there are verses like Romans 5:18, 19.

"For this was the Son of God manifested, that He should be annulling the acts of the Adversary." 1 John 3:8b (CLV) That includes the act of leading Adam and Eve into the knowledge of good and evil. Christ was manifested to annul not only sin, but also death. For the second death to be endless would mean that the acts of the Adversary would never be annulled.

If only believers never die again, then death would be abolished when Christ returns, wouldn't it? That would be the consummation or "end." Why then is there the 1,000 years? Isn't Satan an enemy? Yet the Bible says that death is the last enemy. Satan is still rebellious after the 1,000 years.

I would ask them, "When do you think death will be abolished?"

If they say, "When Christ returns", I would ask, "And the events of
Rev. 20:7-15, do they occur after or before Christ's second coming?"

If they say, "After", I would ask them if they had read 1 Cor. 15:20-28 lately. I would encourage them to do so and to notice that death will be the last enemy, and God will abolish it. If they agree with that, I would ask them, how can death be abolished when Christ returns if Satan will later attack the saints; wouldn't that mean that there are still enemies besides death in existence? Wouldn't the fact that the nations will be deceived and join Satan in opposing God prove that God will still have many enemies at that time? I would point out that 1 Cor. 15:24-27 shows that Christ will give up His kingdom to God the Father once all enemies are subjected and death is abolished. And I would mention one of the parallel passages in Mk. 12:36, which shows that Christ will be at God's right hand UNTIL a certain point in time, which is detailed in 1 Cor. 15. Then I would point out how Rev. 22:1-3 shows clearly that the consummation of 1 Cor. 15:24, when Christ will surrender the throne to His Father, will not yet have arrived during the New Jerusalem eon.

My POV is that God would not name the lake of fire the second death, make that death permanent, and yet claim that death had been abolished. It simply doesn't make sense to me. To argue that death being abolished only means that believers will never die again is similar to saying that slums being abolished only means no new slums will be created, leaving the existing slums unchanged.

James Coram
The context has in view all mankind (not simply believers):
Death was long ago instituted ("to die, you shall be dying"); and yet
this institution which, at present, is very much still in effect, one
day, will be abolished.

http://concordant.org/expositions/human-destiny/
See article above on this point also, for the likeness/parallel I
draw between, on the one hand, slavery, and on the other, death.

Martin Zender
A snippet from The Really Bad Thing About Free Will (2006), pages
66-67, by Martin Zender:
"God is now conciliated to all mankind (II Corinthians 5:19). This
blessing has come to us through the blood of Christ's cross
(Colossians 1:20). God no longer holds men's offenses against them (II
Corinthians 5:19). This same blood will reconcile all to Himself, both
that in the heavens and that on earth (Colossians 1:20).
The cross saves everyone, but not all at once (I Corinthians
15:22-23). Jesus Christ is a ransom for all, but the testimony of it
will not be seen until the eras designated to show it (I Timothy 2:6).
God will one day be all and in all (I Corinthians 15:28). How can He
be that if billions of the all remain dead or tortured?
Paul speaks of a time called the consummation, when death is to be
abolished (I Corinthians 15:26; II Timothy 1:10). If there will one
day be no more death, then the time is coming when even the second
death will cease to be. At this time, those formerly captured by it
will be delivered into the life won for them by Christ on the cross.
With no more death, nothing remains but life. Some come to Christ
sooner, some come later. But eventually, all come."

[eaglesway]

 :thumbsup:

[rodgertutt]

THE OUTCOME OF INFINITE GRACE - Dr. Loyal Hurley
http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/outcome.html

[joeteekay]

The article by Dr. Hurley is a wonderful compilation of the truths of the salvation of all and the errors in our common bibles. It was one of a number of articles I gave to friends to show the beauty of Gods plan. It is also on the tentmaker web site.   :dsunny:

http://www.tentmaker.org/books/infinitegrace.htm

[ps]

Why I believe that the Bible teaches that everyone who is cast into the lake of fire which is the second death will be saved out of it.

Greek scholar William Barclay wrote concerning kolasis aionion (age-during corrective chastisement) in Matthew 25:46
"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. There is no instance in Greek secular literature where kolasis does not mean remedial punishment. It is a simple fact that in Greek kolasis always means remedial punishment. God's punishment is always for man's cure."

This assertion of William Barclay regarding kolasis is apparently wrong.
(At least in one of his works, he couched the claim tentatively, with 'I think' preceding it, see http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/barclay1.html.  It seems that most of the quotes I see choose to quote a definite version from somewhere, rather than the tentative version.)

Consider reading the following which give instances showing William Barclay's claim to be incorrect:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/atheology/2015/12/but-if-you-look-at-the-original-greek-a-plea-for-caution/
http://moments.nbseminary.com/archives/114-punishment-kolasis-kolazein-%E2%80%93-eternal-or-otherwise-matthew-2546-acts-421-2-peter-29-1-john-418/

It also seems that William Barclay allowed for aion/aionios being appropriately used for eternal in some cases (and elsewhere here I have shown how that is biblically supported in the sense of 'unending', in regards to the 'kingdom' of Matt 25:46, considering Luke 1:31-33), but that position of Barclay's seems to be oft overlooked.  (A portion of a post of martincisneros, whatever his history on this site may have been, acknowledges that here http://tentmaker.org/forum/apologetic-support/matthew-2546-3013/msg30989/#msg30989.)