Harvest 1874
Well-Known Member
As stated in my reply to HiddenInHim we were speaking of the next age following the “common salvation” (Jude 3) during the resurrection of judgement.
“Behold the days are coming” not yet, but very soon in which,
“No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord...” Jer 31:30, 34
“And I will give you shepherds according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer 3:15), and “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab 2:14; Isa 11:9)
The shepherds in our text (Jer 3:15) are the true shepherds (pastors) to whom the Lord will send in the next age,
“For then will I turn to the people a pure language (truth, uncluttered with the doctrines of men), that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.” Zep 3:9
The Scriptures inform us that by the grace of God our Lord “tasted death for everyone.” (Heb 2:9), that “all flesh will see the salvation of God”, that is be given the opportunity for everlasting life, (Luke 3:5, 6), this includes both the good and the evil a like, that just as the original sentence came upon ALL mankind irregardless of their own personal preferences (i.e. we were all born in sin), so too the “free gift”, the gift of life, of salvation from the Adamic curse, a new sentence comes to ALL mankind once again irregardless of their own preferences, it is the grace (the unmerited favor) of God. (Rom 5:18)
"We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe." (1 Tim. 4:10) God will save all men, but will not especially ("to the uttermost") save any except those who come unto him through Christ. God's arbitrary salvation of all men (1 Tim 2:4) is not such as will conflict with their freedom of will, or their liberty of choice, to give them life against their wills: "I have set before you, this day, life and death; choose life, that ye may live."
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior (the author of the plan of salvation) who will have ALL men to be saved (from the Adamic curse), and to come unto the knowledge [Greek, accurate knowledge] of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim 2:3-6)
The Diaglott renders it as “an accurate knowledge” or “an exact knowledge” of the truth, while Rotherham renders it “unto a personal knowledge of the truth”.
But this is not all there is to it for the original Greek sheds further light upon the subject. This testimony is not simply to be given at one time (now during the Gospel age), but in “due time(s)” plural. The Diaglott renders it “the testimony in its own seasons”, while Rotherham’s renders it “the testimony in its own fit times.”
Some come to the knowledge of the truth, (not some flimsy watered down version clouded by the doctrines and precepts of men), but an accurate knowledge of the truth now during the Gospel age, a saintly few, while the remainder will come to this understanding in the next age as attested to by our opening texts.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11) Now it is manifest that this knowledge (the knowledge of salvation to all) has not yet come to all, but it shall in “due time” of this we are ascertain, for the vast majority including all that are in their graves this knowledge will come in the next age. God’s grace can never disappear until it has fully accomplished its mission, “My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa 46:10)
“There was a man name John, sent by God. He came for a witness that he might testify concerning the light that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but to testify concerning the light. The true light was that (or he) which coming into the world (Christ Jesus our Lord) enlightens every man.” (John 1:6-9)
How has he enlightened those millions of the race who never heard of him? How can it be true that he enlightens every man unless there be some future opportunity for them to hear and to believe? How could the dead come to the knowledge of the truth if they never came to it while they were alive? Obviously they cannot come to it in Sheol, where it is stated that there is neither wisdom, nor device, nor knowledge. Many lived and died long before the first advent of Christ, how could they have possibly known of the only name given under the heavens whereby we might be saved? And what about all the poor deluded souls who have heard something of this individual, but who lacked faith having been misled by the God of this world into non-belief are we to say there is not hope for them either?
Surely not, for God has promised that he will have all men to be saved (from the Adamic curse, the first death), so that they might all have an opportunity to come to a personal knowledge of the truth, that each individual free from the delusions and errors propagated by the God of this world and his minions, the professing church, might chose for himself.
