Christian Universalism - Good News or Bad Doctrine?

Does the Bible teach “Universal Reconciliation”?

  • Not sure, let me think about it...

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Red Sky at Morning

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Will everyone be saved in the end?

Were the events of the Book of Revelation all fulfilled by 70AD?

Are we all children of God (and if so, what does “Adoption” mean?

A great place to start:-

 

Hon33

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No - everyone will not be saved.
While there is no question that Christ’s death on the cross was indeed sufficient for the salvation of all, not everyone willl choose to be saved. Anyone who repents and changes their lives accordingly will be saved.
 

floss

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No - everyone will not be saved.
While there is no question that Christ’s death on the cross was indeed sufficient for the salvation of all, not everyone willl choose to be saved.
Agreed
Anyone who repents and changes their lives accordingly will be saved.
If Christ's death on the cross was sufficient on our behalf, what additional life changes are required?
 

phipps

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Will everyone be saved in the end?

Were the events of the Book of Revelation all fulfilled by 70AD?

Are we all children of God (and if so, what does “Adoption” mean?

A great place to start:-

Will everyone be saved in the end?
No, not everyone will be saved. Those who will be saved will have maintained their relationship with the Source of salvation everyday. The Bible says, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13). Those who do not endure to the end will have their names blotted out of the book of life. "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels" (Revelation 3:5).

Were the events of the Book of Revelation all fulfilled by 70AD?
No. Most things in the book of Revelation happen after AD70. The book itself was written about 25 years after AD70 by John the apostle who was the apostle who lived the longest. Revelation 1:1 states that the title of the book as “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” It also tells us that the purpose of the book of Revelation is to show future events until the end, starting from the time when the book itself was written.

Are we all children of God (and if so, what does “Adoption” mean?
John 1:12-13, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Galatians 4:1-7, "Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

1 Peter 1:18-19, "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
 
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Hon33

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Agreed

If Christ's death on the cross was sufficient on our behalf, what additional life changes are required?
What changes? Living a life and having a relationship with God which is nurtured by the in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit - a life which strives to glorify God and the sacrifice He made in sending His Son to die. A life that recognises the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which enabled salvation through grace by faith alone. By living a life that is in accordance with scripture, where love and tolerance is always at the forefront of the believer’s mind, while remaining true to its teaching and in particular the New Covenant.
It is a life that recognises, we are none of us perfect but nevertheless have the opportunity to be saved by grace, if we believe and repent.
There is no point in believing if we are not prepared to repent and change.
 

floss

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What changes? Living a life and having a relationship with God which is nurtured by the in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit - a life which strives to glorify God and the sacrifice He made in sending His Son to die. A life that recognises the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which enabled salvation through grace by faith alone. By living a life that is in accordance with scripture, where love and tolerance is always at the forefront of the believer’s mind, while remaining true to its teaching and in particular the New Covenant.
It is a life that recognises, we are none of us perfect but nevertheless have the opportunity to be saved by grace, if we believe and repent.
There is no point in believing if we are not prepared to repent and change.
Everything you said here are good. However, my question is are you required to do all those things to be save?
Can someone be save without a single change?
 

Hon33

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Everything you said here are good. However, my question is are you required to do all those things to be save?
Can someone be save without a single change?
The best answer I can give you is that I think if you are saved, you will probably want to make changes to your life. I mean, salvation is granted to us by grace through faith. If you live a faithful life, I think you will always want to grow in your spirituality. After all, none of us will ever be perfect.
 

floss

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The best answer I can give you is that I think if you are saved, you will probably want to make changes to your life. I mean, salvation is granted to us by grace through faith. If you live a faithful life, I think you will always want to grow in your spirituality. After all, none of us will ever be perfect.
Amen, thank you for the clarification. "I'm satisfied with my cares"
 

phipps

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Everything you said here are good. However, my question is are you required to do all those things to be save?
Can someone be save without a single change?
No one can be saved without change. When we get saved its because we've realised we are sinners. We've realised that we need God and we confess and repent our sins and start a new journey where we let God in our hearts daily to transform us from the inside out. When we do that we will change.

Also the Bible says in Hebrews 10:26, "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins."
 

Todd

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If you reject Univerisal Reconcilation then you deny that God is omnipotent (unable to bring about his own will.)
Rejection of Univerisal Reconciliation is the same as saying that man's will is greater than God's.

Anyone who rejects UR does not believe Jesus words when he said "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
Anyone who rejects UR does not believe Jesus is capable of drawing all men to himself.

1 Colossians 1:
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross

Gary Amirault https://tentmaker.org/articles/savior-of-all-mankind.html

Christ, to whom, in whom, and for whom are all things will reconcile all things unto God (Colossians 1:15-20). He makes all things new. (Rev. 21:5) Hence His work is the restitution of all things (Acts 3:21); He is Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2); in Him not only all nations will be blessed (Galatians 3:8), but even every family of the earth will be blessed (Gen 12:32; 28:14); for the Father has given Him authority over all flesh, to give to whosoever was given to Him eternal life (John 17:2); and so all flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:6) since the Father has given all things into His hands. (John 3:35) Therefore, contrary to popular Christian opinion, we do not find billions in a Hell cursing God but we find every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and UNDER the earth saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb (Rev. 5:13). We find every knee of things in heaven and earth, and under the earth, bends to Him and every tongue confesses Him as their Lord (Philippians 2:10) and we know that no one can confess Jesus as Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3).

For God, Whose counsel is immutable (Hebrews 6:17), Whose attitude towards His enemies is love unchanging (Luke 6:27-35), will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Timothy 2:4, KJV); and all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9); and has shut all up unto unbelief, in order that he may show mercy upon all (Romans 11:32); for (out) of Him, as Source, and unto (or into) Him, as End, are all things whatsoever (Romans 11:36); and He has, therefore, put all things into subjection under Christ's feet (Ephesians 1:22).
 

Robin

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For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross
Hey Todd, I'm not coming at you with hostility or the intent to argue. I'm just genuinely curious about this bit here -does this include Satan and the rebellious angels? Because one thing I never understood was when if the lake of fire is meant to be a restorative but temporary punishment, then why was it prepared for the devil?
Matthew 25:41
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Oh and for the record, I'm really not looking to turn this into another religious debate or anything like that . . . I don't believe we have all the answers and I'm keeping an open mind as to how you interprate that. Just so you know the place where this question iscoming from.
 

Hon33

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If you reject Univerisal Reconcilation then you deny that God is omnipotent (unable to bring about his own will.)
Rejection of Univerisal Reconciliation is the same as saying that man's will is greater than God's.

Anyone who rejects UR does not believe Jesus words when he said "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
Anyone who rejects UR does not believe Jesus is capable of drawing all men to himself.

1 Colossians 1:
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross
Not really.
God doesn’t want individuals to be reconciled to Him because he forced them to be. Rather, he wants them to be reconciled to Him because they chose to be. People will be saved by faith not coercion. If God exercised his omnipotence over everything, there would be no need for faith.
God deliberately gave man free will because that was how he wanted it to be.
 

Todd

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Not really.
God doesn’t want individuals to be reconciled to Him because he forced them to be.
Would you agree that people in this temporary world have a veil over their eyes and are deceived and kept from seeing God as he truly is?
If so do you not think that when the veil is removed that even the most hardened sinner could be won over by God's grace and mercy?
If God's grace and mercy never ends, then is it not possible for every human to eventually break by the grace and God and come to him once they see him for who he truly is?
Rather, he wants them to be reconciled to Him because they chose to be.
Agree to some extent. I'm assuming you are believer and have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you credit for making that choice or do you believe that God really chose you and that when the Holy Spirit came upon you and convicted you, that you couldn't really resist coming to faith?
People will be saved by faith not coercion.
I agree, however isn't preaching that God will punish you with eternal torment, if you don't believe in Jesus, coercion? Persuasion is not the same as coercion. In the ages to come is not God capable of persuading all that is worthy.
If God exercised his omnipotence over everything, there would be no need for faith.
Why do you say that? If we are honest with ourselves, no of us have faith in anything or anyone that we have not been given some proof for? A husband does not faith in his wife, if she had not shown something that proves she is worthy of having faith in. No sinner comes to God without some proof of God's love and mercy, whether it be a revelation of God's word, a miracle, or the love of God shown through another believer. There is no such thing as 100% truly blind faith.

God deliberately gave man free will because that was how he wanted it to be.
Free will is a temporary illusion. Did Pharoah have free will, or did God harden his heart for his purposes?
What about Proverbs 21:1? God can change the heart of whoever he wills.
Even Isaiah questioned why God turned his heart from his ways in Isaiah 63:17

The point is that no honest Christian can say they came to God based solely on their own decision and will. No of us come to God unless the Holy Spirit moves on our hearts and softens our hearts. So can anyone of us truly claim that we chose to serve God solely based on a free will decision, or is it truly a miracle from God that he draws any of us to himself?

Is your faith in the grace of God, or in your own will to make the right choice?
 

Todd

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Hey Todd, I'm not coming at you with hostility or the intent to argue. I'm just genuinely curious about this bit here -does this include Satan and the rebellious angels? Because one thing I never understood was when if the lake of fire is meant to be a restorative but temporary punishment, then why was it prepared for the devil?
Matthew 25:41
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Oh and for the record, I'm really not looking to turn this into another religious debate or anything like that . . . I don't believe we have all the answers and I'm keeping an open mind as to how you interprate that. Just so you know the place where this question iscoming from.
Yes, an excellent question indeed. When God first began opening my eyes to UR, this was a question that bothered me also. However the more I studied and prayed and became convinced that Univerisal Reconciliation was true, it was simply a logical step to accept that it was possible, whether my flesh liked it or not. The reality is that none of us deserve to be reconciled to God, correct? So who are we to restrict God from pouring out his mercy to the devil and his horde of rebellious angels? Is God not capable of doing even more than we can ask or imagine?

For the record it is clear that according to the Bible, God is not attempting to win over the devil and his demons in the current age we live in. For now Satan is truly the adversary and accuser and we have no reason to have any mercy or grace upon him and his attacks against humanity. But even Satan himself serves a purpose in God's plans, just as the hardened heart of Pharoah did. However, I believe if one truly believes that God is omnipotent and that his goal is the restoration of ALL things, then we must be open to the idea that, in some age to come, that even the reconcilation of Satan and the rebellious angels is possible. That does not mean I have any mercy on Satan and his minions in this age...
 

Robin

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Yes, an excellent question indeed. When God first began opening my eyes to UR, this was a question that bothered me also. However the more I studied and prayed and became convinced that Univerisal Reconciliation was true, it was simply a logical step to accept that it was possible, whether my flesh liked it or not. The reality is that none of us deserve to be reconciled to God, correct? So who are we to restrict God from pouring out his mercy to the devil and his horde of rebellious angels? Is God not capable of doing even more than we can ask or imagine?

For the record it is clear that according to the Bible, God is not attempting to win over the devil and his demons in the current age we live in. For now Satan is truly the adversary and accuser and we have no reason to have any mercy or grace upon him and his attacks against humanity. But even Satan himself serves a purpose in God's plans, just as the hardened heart of Pharoah did. However, I believe if one truly believes that God is omnipotent and that his goal is the restoration of ALL things, then we must be open to the idea that, in some age to come, that even the reconcilation of Satan and the rebellious angels is possible. That does not mean I have any mercy on Satan and his minions in this age...
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
 

Hon33

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Would you agree that people in this temporary world have a veil over their eyes and are deceived and kept from seeing God as he truly is?
If so do you not think that when the veil is removed that even the most hardened sinner could be won over by God's grace and mercy?
If God's grace and mercy never ends, then is it not possible for every human to eventually break by the grace and God and come to him once they see him for who he truly is?

Agree to some extent. I'm assuming you are believer and have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you credit for making that choice or do you believe that God really chose you and that when the Holy Spirit came upon you and convicted you, that you couldn't really resist coming to faith?

I agree, however isn't preaching that God will punish you with eternal torment, if you don't believe in Jesus, coercion? Persuasion is not the same as coercion. In the ages to come is not God capable of persuading all that is worthy.

Why do you say that? If we are honest with ourselves, no of us have faith in anything or anyone that we have not been given some proof for? A husband does not faith in his wife, if she had not shown something that proves she is worthy of having faith in. No sinner comes to God without some proof of God's love and mercy, whether it be a revelation of God's word, a miracle, or the love of God shown through another believer. There is no such thing as 100% truly blind faith.


Free will is a temporary illusion. Did Pharoah have free will, or did God harden his heart for his purposes?
What about Proverbs 21:1? God can change the heart of whoever he wills.
Even Isaiah questioned why God turned his heart from his ways in Isaiah 63:17

The point is that no honest Christian can say they came to God based solely on their own decision and will. No of us come to God unless the Holy Spirit moves on our hearts and softens our hearts. So can anyone of us truly claim that we chose to serve God solely based on a free will decision, or is it truly a miracle from God that he draws any of us to himself?

Is your faith in the grace of God, or in your own will to make the right choice?
Let me first point out, just so you know, I am living with a brain injury and sometimes have a little trouble completely understanding the written word, so if I do not answer your exact question it may be because I have misunderstood. Please be patient. Also I may not for similar reasons, be able to express myself as eloquently as you.
Do people have a veil over their eyes when it comes to God and is It possible eventually that all will come to believe?
Yes I think people do perhaps have a veil over their eyes when it comes to God. Not everyone chooses to see God as a gracious and merciful God. In their determination to reject God, they choose to see him as an angry God who has unreasonable expectations and is unfair. We do know that God made atonement available to every one through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ, but we also know that it does not necessarily follow that all will be saved.

Did God choose me or did I choose Him?
Well, let me be completely honest about this. I grew up in a devout Christian home. I went to church twice ever Sunday and Sunday School, as well. I was brought up in an environment where it was possibly easier for me to choose God. Yes, I have been through periods of doubt and I have been through times when my faith isn’t where I would like it to be. However, something always brings me back to God. Last year I became very ill, very, very suddenly. In lots of ways, the odds were very much stacked against me - 80% of people don’t make it to the hospital alive with the condition I had and many, many more don’t make it past the first 20 days. I survived. Yes I have a residual brain injury, but it is not anywhere near as bad as it could have been. I had so many people praying for me. Yet despite being a Christian, I don’t believe in miracles. Why would God choose to save me and not someone else? If I was praying for someone in a similar position I would pray that God would give them and their family the courage and strength to deal with whatever comes. So many people have told me that God chose to protect me. I’d love to have some conviction that he did. Why would God choose me over anyone else? Oh I trusted God when I was ill - at least when I was conscious. I prayed that the outcome would be positive but I trusted and understood that it might not be. I had a certain acceptance and quietness because I knew I had chosen Him.

Does the Holy Spirit move us to accept God?
I’m not sure it works that way to be honest. I think the Holy Spirit becomes part of our life when we have accepted God - I don’t think it moves us to accept him. The Holy Spirit is the means by which we are nurtured and able to grow in our relationship with God. First we are saved and at the same time we receive the Holy Spirit.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart?
Well, yes and no. God revealed himself to Pharaoh through divine revelation and in so doing, hardened Pharaoh’s heart towards him. Pharaoh was considered to be the strongest, most wise man in the land - in many lands - and yet he had no power against God’s power. This is what hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh could have shown humility in the light of God’s dominion but he chose not to. He chose to continue to be a proud and vain man which is why God did not act with mercy towards him.

Isn’t threatening someone with Hell, coercion?
No, because if it was then everyone would be saved. Some people aren’t too bothered by what happens in the next life, as long as they see themselves as having lived well in this world.

So did I want to choose God or did I want to make the right choice?
I was taught about God’s goodness and mercy ever since I was a small child. I witnessed for myself a testimony to that goodness and mercy in the lives of people around me as they tried to live as Christians. I wanted to know the same God they knew. Yes I also wanted to make the right choice but making the right choice is a leap of faith. If you want to know God however, you want to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
 

floss

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we must be open to the idea that, in some age to come, that even the reconcilation of Satan and the rebellious angels is possible.
So ALL of humanity will be dwelling in Heaven with satan and his minions?
 

Todd

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Let me first point out, just so you know, I am living with a brain injury and sometimes have a little trouble completely understanding the written word, so if I do not answer your exact question it may be because I have misunderstood. Please be patient. Also I may not for similar reasons, be able to express myself as eloquently as you.
I'm sorry to hear that. No worries, about being eloquent. If your open minded and gracious, I will be plenty patient. I will attempt to answere specific questions with scritpure, rather than my own thoughts whenever possible.
We do know that God made atonement available to every one through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ, but we also know that it does not necessarily follow that all will be saved.
How do we know that not all will be saved? I agree from observation that we know that all will not be saved during the temporal age we now live in. I do not see any proof in the Bible that God can not save or reconcile someone in the ages to come. In fact I see the opposite as there are multiple scriptures saying that God will reconcile ALL things under heavan and on earth.

Did God choose me or did I choose Him?
Well, let me be completely honest about this. I grew up in a devout Christian home. I went to church twice ever Sunday and Sunday School, as well. I was brought up in an environment where it was possibly easier for me to choose God. Yes, I have been through periods of doubt and I have been through times when my faith isn’t where I would like it to be. However, something always brings me back to God. Last year I became very ill, very, very suddenly. In lots of ways, the odds were very much stacked against me - 80% of people don’t make it to the hospital alive with the condition I had and many, many more don’t make it past the first 20 days. I survived. Yes I have a residual brain injury, but it is not anywhere near as bad as it could have been. I had so many people praying for me. Yet despite being a Christian, I don’t believe in miracles. Why would God choose to save me and not someone else? If I was praying for someone in a similar position I would pray that God would give them and their family the courage and strength to deal with whatever comes. So many people have told me that God chose to protect me. I’d love to have some conviction that he did. Why would God choose me over anyone else? Oh I trusted God when I was ill - at least when I was conscious. I prayed that the outcome would be positive but I trusted and understood that it might not be. I had a certain acceptance and quietness because I knew I had chosen Him.
I can relate to your situation, though I don't claim to "know exactly what you are going through". My wife has suffered horribly for the last 20 years due to various health issues. About 10 years ago she was given 3 months to live. At one point her pain was so unbearable she considered euthanasia, despite her previous convictions that it was wrong. It was only her faith and my reaction to her proposing it that strengthened her to carry on. But this is a whole other converstation.

As far as God choosing us, please read the following verses.
John 15:16, Acts 9:15, Ephesians 1:4-5, 2 Thess. 2:13

I'm not trying to make the point that we don't have some involvement of making a choice in response to God's leading. I'm trying to change the prespective that God's will ultimately has more authority, effect, force and determination in our eternal destiny, than our supposed free-will and we know that God's will is that all men be saved and reconciled to him.

Does the Holy Spirit move us to accept God?
I’m not sure it works that way to be honest. I think the Holy Spirit becomes part of our life when we have accepted God - I don’t think it moves us to accept him. The Holy Spirit is the means by which we are nurtured and able to grow in our relationship with God. First we are saved and at the same time we receive the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:3. No one is saved without confessing Jesus is Lord. No one confesses "Jesus is Lord" except by the Spriti of God. The Spirit of God moves on us first.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart?
Well, yes and no. God revealed himself to Pharaoh through divine revelation and in so doing, hardened Pharaoh’s heart towards him. Pharaoh was considered to be the strongest, most wise man in the land - in many lands - and yet he had no power against God’s power. This is what hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh could have shown humility in the light of God’s dominion but he chose not to. He chose to continue to be a proud and vain man which is why God did not act with mercy towards him.
I understand what you are saying, but the reality is that God revealed only a side of himself to Pharoah. Pharoah was only shown God's passion for the Israelites and his great power to make his will for the Israelites to be let go! Do we see evidence of God revealing his love for Pharoah himself? For another prespective see this ---> https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/erik-raymond/why-and-how-did-god-harden-pharaohs-heart/

Again my point is that without God's irresistable grace acting in our lives, none of us would choose him. It's not our own doing but God's doing that anyone comes to salvation. John 6:44, Acts 16:14, Ephesians 2:8 , 2 Peter 3:9, James 1:18, 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Isn’t threatening someone with Hell, coercion?
No, because if it was then everyone would be saved. Some people aren’t too bothered by what happens in the next life, as long as they see themselves as having lived well in this world.
Maybe we don't agree on the definition of coercion? Just because someone doesn't believe a threat, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If God does not use coercion, how do you explain that scripture says every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Isn't confessing Jesus as Lord the main tennant of the doctrine of salvation? I choose to look at the every knee bowing and every tongue confessing Jesus as Lord as the evidence that God's grace is irresistable and that in the ages to come, every one will choose to be reconciled to God. No coercion required.

So did I want to choose God or did I want to make the right choice?
I was taught about God’s goodness and mercy ever since I was a small child. I witnessed for myself a testimony to that goodness and mercy in the lives of people around me as they tried to live as Christians. I wanted to know the same God they knew. Yes I also wanted to make the right choice but making the right choice is a leap of faith. If you want to know God however, you want to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
Agreed...God used the lives of other people to draw you to a desire to know him.

Again, I'm not trying to say we don't have a part in choosing salvation in this lifetime, I'm simply saying without God intervening and moving by his Spirit none of us would accept him on our own. In the same manner when God's spirit does convict and draw us, none of us are capable or resisting his grace. Why some are blessed with receiving God's grace in this age and some will not until the ages to come, is up to God not to me, but Paul made it clear that not everyone comes to salvation in the same order.
 

Todd

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So ALL of humanity will be dwelling in Heaven with satan and his minions?
I don't know about you, but when I read my bible it says I'm going to dwell in Zion on a re-created earth. Jesus will have a perfect kingdom and by faith I believe I will be part of the bride of Christ. As the bride of Christ I will be priveleged with the task of healing the nations with the leaves of the trees that line the river of life flowing out of Zion. The spirit of God will be calling out to all those who are thristy (i.e. those coming out of the Lake of Fire). Do you believe the saints the rule and reign with Christ in the ages to come? If so who are we ruling and reigning over? Ourselves? What poetic justice it will be, to rule and reign over Satan and his minions in the ages to come...

But even the kingdom of Christ is not eternal. Jesus will eventually deliver the kingdom to God himself and all rule, popwer and and authority will come to an end and God will be ALL in ALL. 1 Corinthian 15:20-28

I don't understand the specifics about the ages to come any more than you do, because the Bible doesn't go into great detail about it. I just know that the Bible says God will reconcile ALL things to himself. If that include Satan and his minions, who am I to protest? My guess would be that Satan might be the very last reconciled to God, but it's just that.... a guess!
 
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