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[eaglesway]

Usually their are elements of truth in the perspectives of sincere believers who differ. I believe all men will be saved. I believe the word of reconciliation, as redhotmagma said, is the message of the herald, the good news, the eu aggelion of Gods eu-dokia (kind intention)- gathering into one all things in Christ. The barrier has been removed. The keys to sheol and the grave are in the possession of the Captain of our Deliverance(sozo).

I do not believe all men ARE SAVED(the greek word for saved-sozo- simply means delivered, or healed). The language of Jesus and the apostles(IMO) does not support that view. That is why we labor in Christ and bear reproach for His name, as it is written "For I say to your shame, not all men have faith". If anyone has not believed our gospel it is because the god of this world has blinded their eyes so that they do not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.

Are they delivered who do not see? No. Will they be delivered? Yes, through an administration suitable to the fulness(completion) of time. Is time complete? Have the ages all run their course? are they ages yet to come in this administration? Yes! And we will be ministers of reconciliation in those ages to come until the restoration of all things is complete.

Of course- as we see in the mind of Christ that all WILL BE saved from this perverse generation(meaning a generation marred by the absence of Christ's love and light) then we rejoice and proclaim it to be so. When I see believers attempt to convert the simple language of scripture to theological systems, it disturbs me.....because to me it indicates that we think we have seen more than either Jesus or the apostles who spoke in BOTH PRESENT TENSE THE LANGUAGE OF THE PRESENT and the PAST TENSE THE LANGUAGE OF THE AGE TO COME comfortably. There is no need to pit one against the other. There is no opposition between their views.

There is no need to feel uncomfortable about the language of the scriptures as God-breathed by holy men moved of God, as long as they are translated in the mind of Christ. Jesus is the chief cornerstone and the 12 disciples of the Lamb are the 12 foundation stones..... I don't believe our vision exceeds theirs yet by any means.  I believe our vision is being RESTORED TO WHAT THEIRS WAS.

I believe the war is still on, but the deciding blow is struck and the victory is won. We are in the clean up phase of the war, so to speak. The enemies back is broken and his dominion is rolling back before the waves of light. The death, burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ is our Normandy, but there are hills to be taken and we must clothe ourselves in the full armor of God and fight the fight in each generation until all be won.

Sure, in one sense there never was a war. It was all decided before the beginning. The victory was always there in the seed from the first WORD OF CREATION. So why are we as sheep led to slaughter all the day? Why are we exhorted to love and good works? There is a duality in the revelation of time and eternity that should not be ignored by anyone. Two sides of one coin. The coin worth little without both sides imprinted and intact.

Peace.

[redhotmagma]

The war was never against men IMO.  We believed it was but we are the captives.  And you who were formerly enemies in your minds.  I believe that is the battle ground.  Its for people to see that God was never at war with them.  He was not counting their trespasses against them.  The war is with the liar, whether thats adam or an outside being I don't really know.  The liar says you are at war with God.  He's an angry and cruel God.  If you go up the mountain into His fire you will surely die.  You aren't worthy to be near Him.  You need to hide from Him.  You need to revolt against Him.

[eaglesway]

The war was never against men IMO.  We believed it was but we are the captives.  And you who were formerly enemies in your minds.  I believe that is the battle ground.  Its for people to see that God was never at war with them.  He was not counting their trespasses against them.  The war is with the liar, whether thats adam or an outside being I don't really know.  The liar says you are at war with God.  He's an angry and cruel God.  If you go up the mountain into His fire you will surely die.  You aren't worthy to be near Him.  You need to hide from Him.  You need to revolt against Him.

I agree entirely. The greatest war is within, as the kingdom grows like three measures of yeast within a bushel of wheat. The light is shining in the darkness an the darkness cannot overcome it.