I'm back!

[Akira Takahashi]

Here from a short recess due to some personal problems, and last Sunday I caught wind of the end of the Sunday School lesson (I skipped Sunday School and showed up for the sermon) and heard the teacher talking about how the world will accept false doctrins in the end.  Given that my church is an ET church, my thoughts immediately fluttered to my new preoccupation with Universalism.

The reason I'm on here is that I was wondering how to explain to others that Universalism may not be a false doctrine.  I already know the reaction, but I'm hopelessly introverted and need to take time to form my words just right before I say anything.  Can anybody help me out?

[firstborn888]

The reason I'm on here is that I was wondering how to explain to others that Universalism may not be a false doctrine.  I already know the reaction, but I'm hopelessly introverted and need to take time to form my words just right before I say anything.  Can anybody help me out?

Personally, I gave logical examples of how ET doesn't make any sense along with scriptures that contradict ET doctrine. Email or print things like "The Forever until principle" which make many good scriptural points to ponder on the Bible's usage of the term 'forever' and 'everlasting'.

The "Forever Until" principle

Sodom's fiery judgment is "eternal" (Jude
7)--until--God "will restore the fortunes of Sodom"
Ez. 16:53-55).

Israel's "affliction is incurable" (Jer.
30:12)-until--the Lord "will restore health" and heal
her wounds (Jer. 30:17).

The sin of Samaria "is incurable" (Mic. 1:9)-until--
Lord "will restore ... the fortunes of Samaria." (Ez.
16:53).

Ammon is to become a "wasteland forever" and "rise no
more" (Zeph. 2:9, Jer. 25:27 --until--the Lord will
"restore the fortunes of the Ammonites" (Jer. 49:6).

An Ammonite or Moabite is forbidden to enter the
Lord's congregation "forever"-until--the tenth
generation (Deut. 23:3):

Habakkuk tells us of mountains that were
"everlasting", that is -until-- they "were shattered"
Hab. 3 3:6).

The Aaronic Priesthood was to be an "everlasting"
priesthood (Ex. 40:15), that is-until-it was
superceded by the Melchizedek Priesthood (Hebrews
7:14-18).

Many translations of the Bible inform us that God
would dwell in Solomon's Temple "forever" (1 Kings
8:13), that is,--until the Temple was destroyed.

The Law of Moses was to be an "everlasting covenant"
(Leviticus 24:8) yet we read in the New Covenant the
first was "done away" and "abolished" (2 Corinthians
3:11,13), and God "made the first old" (Hebrews 8:13).

The fire for Israel's sin offering (of a ram without
blemish) is never to be put out. It shall be a
"perpetual"-- until-- Christ, the Lamb of God, dies
for our sins. We now have a better covenant
established on better promises (Lev. 6:12-13, Heb.
8:6-13).

God's waves of wrath roll over Jonah
"forever"-until--the Lord delivers him from the large
fish's belly on the third day (Jonah 2:6,10; 1: 17);
Egypt and Elam will "rise no more" (Jer.
25:27)-until--the Lord will "restore the fortunes of
Egypt" (Ez. 29:14) and "restore the fortunes of Elam"
(Jer. 49:39).

"Moab is destroyed" (Jer. 48:4, 42)-until--the Lord
"will restore the fortunes of Moab" (Jer. 48:47).

Israel's judgment lasts "forever"-until--the Spirit is
poured out and God restores it (Isa. 32:13-15).

So, narrow is the way to life and few find it-until--
and His church confiscate the "strong man's" booty,
setting the captives free so God becomes all in all
(Isa. 61, Luke 11:21-22, Matt. 7:13; 16:18, 1 Cor.
15:24-28).

The King James Bible, as well as many others, tells us
that a bondslave was to serve his master "forever"
(Exodus 21:6), that is,--until--his death.

All manner of sin will be forgiven in this AGE as well
as in the AGE (not eternity) to come, except blasphemy
against God's Spirit-until--such blasphemy finds
pardon in the fullness of the times (or ages) when God
unites all in Christ. For the Lord does not retain His
anger forever because He delights in mercy (Matt.
12:32; 18:11,21-22, Eph. 1:9-11, Rev. 4:11; 5:13, Mic.
7:18-20).

God's wrath has come upon Israel "to the uttermost" (1
Thess. 2:16). Then scripture promises that ALL Israel
will be saved (Jer. 50:5, Luke 16:19-26, John 12:32,
Romans 11:26-29).

So, Christ will say to unrighteous NATIONS, "Depart
from Me into 'everlasting' fire." And these nations
will go away into "everlasting" (aionian) punishment or pruning, that is--until--by
God's severe mercy shown in judgment, ALL nations He
has made glorify and worship Him. Thus God will
fulfill His covenant with Abraham that in Christ all
the families of ALL the nations will be BLESSED (Gen.
12:3, Ps. 62:12, 67:4, 86:9, Matt. 25:41,46). For
according to Paul (Gal. 3:8), God's covenant with
Abraham means that ALL will be justified and set right
with God. So all flesh will bless His name forever and
ever (Ps. 145:21).

Therefore, ALL scriptural references that speak of
everlasting fire or judgment MUST be understood in
light of God's (Love's) clearly expressed heart,
promise, desire, purpose and will. They ARE
"everlasting"; that is, they are continuous and
on-going--until--God's judgments serve to accomplish
His unchanging will and purpose to unite ALL creation
in Christ. (Gen. 12:3, Romans 4:13, Heb. 6:17).

Truly God's judgments are in the earth-until-mercy
shall triumph over those judgments. (James 2:13)

[Paul Hazelwood]

Another aspect is that the ancient hebrews did not understand  forever or everlasting or eternal ,  olam is actually understood as "a time far off"

Greek is known to be an abstract language, so aionios, aions translated to forever or everlasting are not correct literal translated words, but they are correct abstract terms since the concept is that it will "seem like forever"

Literally it is correct to translate them to age, ages, age bearing, etc