Hi All,
Okay, opening a can of worms here again, I'd suppose.
Our God is a consuming fire we are told both in the OT and NT. God puts people through the fire to refine them.
He has concluded all in unbelief that He may have mercy on all.
The word ever is Aion and it does not solely mean eternal but it ALSO represents a period of time, an age.
We read about the wicked being destroyed, perishing, which is not the wicked being tormented for all eternity, it means the wicked are no more.
Now are the wicked no more because they were refined in the fire and just as others were once disobedient they too have obtained mercy and are also no longer disobedient? Or are they no more because God is a liar and not actually all powerful, He didn't mean what He said that He was not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance?
Do we boast, do we perpetuate self-righteousness? Do we deny God's calling and say it is man of his own self? Is the light of God incapable of shining upon that which He wills it to shine upon? Is the power of God's Spirit and the influence thereof not Most High, not Almighty, but instead there exists a power of influence stronger than that of God's influence? NO! Man's ways we are told are foolishness, God's are not, and when God begins to instruct according to His will, foolishness is exposed and God's glory shines. Foolishness of man that then creates wickedness is NOT more powerful than the wisdom and other fruits of God's righteous Spirit. What, one would say that the foolishness of man is more powerful of an influence unto man then that of God's Spirit upon man? NO! The second resurrection is not pleasant, as Jesus said it would be better to pluck out your eye then to enter the fire. God chastises those He loves, and He loves each one of us, and the purpose of chastising is for instruction, to bring forth repentance, to refine you as by fire.
The people of the first resurrection are specifically people elected by God unto that resurrection, if this is God's only calling, then God would be a pathetic God, but He most certainly is not, according to His will He exposes the foolish things of the world, where in the end He will be ALL IN ALL, and the wicked certainly thus will be no more.
Romans 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Okay, opening a can of worms here again, I'd suppose.
Our God is a consuming fire we are told both in the OT and NT. God puts people through the fire to refine them.
He has concluded all in unbelief that He may have mercy on all.
The word ever is Aion and it does not solely mean eternal but it ALSO represents a period of time, an age.
We read about the wicked being destroyed, perishing, which is not the wicked being tormented for all eternity, it means the wicked are no more.
Now are the wicked no more because they were refined in the fire and just as others were once disobedient they too have obtained mercy and are also no longer disobedient? Or are they no more because God is a liar and not actually all powerful, He didn't mean what He said that He was not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance?
Do we boast, do we perpetuate self-righteousness? Do we deny God's calling and say it is man of his own self? Is the light of God incapable of shining upon that which He wills it to shine upon? Is the power of God's Spirit and the influence thereof not Most High, not Almighty, but instead there exists a power of influence stronger than that of God's influence? NO! Man's ways we are told are foolishness, God's are not, and when God begins to instruct according to His will, foolishness is exposed and God's glory shines. Foolishness of man that then creates wickedness is NOT more powerful than the wisdom and other fruits of God's righteous Spirit. What, one would say that the foolishness of man is more powerful of an influence unto man then that of God's Spirit upon man? NO! The second resurrection is not pleasant, as Jesus said it would be better to pluck out your eye then to enter the fire. God chastises those He loves, and He loves each one of us, and the purpose of chastising is for instruction, to bring forth repentance, to refine you as by fire.
The people of the first resurrection are specifically people elected by God unto that resurrection, if this is God's only calling, then God would be a pathetic God, but He most certainly is not, according to His will He exposes the foolish things of the world, where in the end He will be ALL IN ALL, and the wicked certainly thus will be no more.
Romans 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
