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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 22, 2013 8:33:40 GMT -5
ON THESE THINGS MEDITATE – WILLIAM MEALAND
(possibly the most eloquent of all the UR writers)
In summing up his book he wrote
“Christ has truly made peace ‘through the blood of His cross.’ But the clear potency of it is yet to be seen when the ministry of reconciliation has accomplished its beneficial purpose. Then, the salvation of all is at last a wondrous reality. The tendency we see in God’s great stream of the eons has widened and enlarged until all are richly blessed by its satisfying power. Its noble volume, now freed of all obstacles, attains a majestic flow. And so, by seemingly strange and inexplicable ways, the God of all grace accomplishes His purpose. For ‘Grace not in rills, but cataracts rolls.’ How glorious the stream, and how salutary its miraculous power! Sin has affected all, all but One glorious, sinless Being, and He in marvelous grace triumphs completely over it.
There will not be a single creature, then, above or below, who is not ‘lost in wonder, love and praise.’ A scene truly to inspire, and continuously impel to grateful thanks. Transcendent grace indeed, in fullest flow.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 23, 2013 6:29:09 GMT -5
“ETERNAL LIFE” – DR. LOYAL F. HURLEY
“Hebrew and Greek scholars know that there is no word in the Bible corresponding to our ‘eternal,’ which, as commonly used among us, means unending. Most theologians know this too, but they don’t teach it. Only one who is willing to stand for TRUTH for truth’s sake and is willing to be branded a fanatic would dare to challenge the translation ‘eternal life.’
‘Eternal life,’ so called, pertains to relationship and quality. What men are urged to ‘lay hold of’ is ‘eonian life’ or ‘real life’ or ‘true life.’ It is not duration but quality. How tragic that truths like this are covered up by faulty translations!”
The only definition of ‘eternal life’ so-called, in the entire Bible is clearly stated in John 17:3, ‘And this is life eternal (eonian), that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.’ That describes relationship, not duration; it signifies quality, not quantity.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 24, 2013 8:47:49 GMT -5
TORTURING DOUBTS AND EXULTANT FAITH – JAMES CORAM
“After long years of torturing doubts, God had mercy on me and turned my darkness into light, my despair into joy and my misery into exultation. He brought me into touch with His revelation, just as He had written it, apart from most of the mistranslations of well-meaning men, who were bound by creeds and tradition.
I found out that sin and suffering are confined to the eons or ages, as ‘forever’ and ‘everlasting’ should be translated. There will indeed be an awful judgment, but it will not merely punish, but set right all wrongs.
Not only will God bring all of earth’s inhabitants back into the sunlight of His love, but, through the blood of Christ’s cross, He will reconcile all to Him, whether those on the earth, or those in the heavens (Col. 1:20). The present enmity toward God on the part of terrestrial and celestial creatures will, in due time, be used as a background to display His love. That is why I no longer have torturing doubts, but revel in exultant faith.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 25, 2013 7:57:20 GMT -5
THE GLORY OF THE HAPPY GOD – ARTHUR CHARLES LAMB
“We read in 1Tim. 1:11 that Paul was entrusted with the evangel of the glory of the happy God. We read in 1Tim. 2:4 that God wills that all mankind be saved and come into a knowledge of the truth, and that Christ Jesus gave Himself a correspondent ransom for all (2:6).
Our God is a happy God. In Ephesians 1:10,11 we learn of the secret of God’s will, and this accords with His delight. It gives God joy and happiness and delight to purpose and bring about ‘an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ.’
Such an evangel is certainly for the laud of His glory.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 26, 2013 7:29:41 GMT -5
THE CONCEPT OF CIRCULARITY – JACK E. JACOBSEN
“Coming to the close of the last age, we find the earth filled with God’s righteousness. All know Him from the least to the greatest. The earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Through His own blood, Christ has reconciled all back to God. We see every tongue confessing in love and adoration Christ as Lord. This can only be done in obedience and love as it is a unanimous Praise of the Universe to the glory of God the Father (Colossians 1:20).
It is little wonder that all gladly proclaim redemption’s story. God now rises in everyone, bringing the consummation of God’s plan of the ages – a complete circle, from God in Himself to GOD ALL IN ALL.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 28, 2013 7:33:55 GMT -5
GOD’S PERFECT PLAN
“Many attempts have been made to prove that eons are eternal. The Greek word aion and the Hebrew olam, both meaning age or eon, have been translated by terms meaning endlessness. This is a grave error, for the divine Author, Himself has not used them in this way. He has indicated that they were not eternal in the past by informing us that they had a beginning (1Cor. 2:7), and, again, that they cannot possibly be everlasting in the future, for they are to end (Heb. 9:26; 1Cor. 10:11).
God’s plan for creation is confined to time. It is not an ‘eternal’ purpose’ but a ‘purpose of the eons’ (Eph. 3:11). Beyond the ages there will be naught but bliss and perfection for every member of creation (Rom. 8:19-22). Sin and evil and death will then be past; all will be saved and reconciled, and God shall be All, not in a few, but in all (1Cor. 15:28).”
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Post by rodgertutt on Jul 31, 2013 7:01:45 GMT -5
GOD’S METHODS WITH MAN – G. Campbell Morgan (pages 185-186)
“Let me say to Bible students that we must be very careful how we use the word ‘eternity.’ We have fallen into great error in our constant use of that word. There is no word in the whole book of God corresponding with our ‘eternal,’ which, as commonly used among us, means absolutely without end. Men have divided the church, separated from each other, and persecuted one another, upon a thought conveyed by an English word which has no equivalent in the Bible.”
G. Campbell Morgan
In response to that statement, the SCRIPTURE STUDIES CONCERN editor (unnamed) wrote in 1956
“We cannot conceive of a Creator Who knows the end from the beginning, One Who is Love, Who has infinite wisdom, and infinite power, giving to any being life, life which is never to end, but to continue in suffering to all eternity. The Bible does not teach it anywhere in the original languages. God’s punishments are remedial and take place within the span of the ages. Punishment will last no longer than is necessary to bring man to hate his sin and be reconciled to his Saviour.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 1, 2013 8:08:28 GMT -5
NOTES FROM ROMANS 5 – W.H. GRIFFITH THOMAS
“In Romans 5:18,19 we have on the one side as the cause one lapse and the effects extending to all mankind for condemnation. We have on the other side one just sentence of acquittal, and the effect extending to all mankind for a justifying that carries with it LIFE.
Since ‘the many’ were involved in sin and death through the agency of one man, Adam, ‘much more’ may we believe that ‘the many’ will be involved in righteousness and life through the agency of the One Man, Christ Jesus.”
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Some ask, Why does it say "the many" instead of "all" in Roman 5:19?
This is because the one disobedient man (Adam), and the One righteous Man (Christ) are put in a class by themselves. They are in contrast with "the many."
We may put it as follows:
The one disobedient man plus "the many" equals all mankind made sinners.
The One obedient Man plus "the many" equals all mankind made righteous.
That "the one" plus "the many" made sinners includes all mankind no one will deny.
Even so, "the One" plus "the many" made righteous is all-inclusive and guarantees the salvation of all mankind.
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 2, 2013 7:07:58 GMT -5
AGES OR ETERNITY AND THE KING JAMES VERSION – JOHN DOKAS
“By examining the texts of the Greek manuscripts we find the word AIONIOS or AGE LASTING in place of the word eternal of the King James version. AIONIOS the adjective modifies its noun AION or AGE and means lasting during the AGE, or AGE-LASTING.
For that meticulous student of the Word of God that was penned by the inspired writers, I am including this concordance of the Greek noun AION and its adjective AIONIOS for your reference in your studies of the mistranslations of the King James version versus the text of the Greek manuscripts.”
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 3, 2013 6:37:53 GMT -5
THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION SEEN FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT – DORA VAN ASSEN
“Many do not understand the extent and purpose of God, that He is the propitiation for our sins, AND NOT OURS ONLY, but ALSO for the sins of the whole world (1John 4:10).
God is calling us to come up higher into Him and begin to see from His eyes, from His position.
God never loses! HE WINS ALL! He said, ‘Pick up the fragments, let NOTHING be lost.
This is seen from His side of the picture. We do not have a tired and frustrated God unable or unwilling to save His own creation. He will vindicate His own character and nature of love and power. Praise His Name!”
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 4, 2013 7:55:12 GMT -5
DIVINE JUDGMENT - DORA VAN ASSEN
"All of God's judgments are corrective measures that counteract, and also cooperate for the eventual good and reconciliation of all through Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world.
God never judges in vengeance for vengeance sake, but only for ultimate rehabilitation. He has His perfect timing to bring forth ultimate good for all. Thus many divine judgments are postponed until iniquity comes to the full (Gen. 15:16).
All must experience human failure and total depravity to the full in order to appreciate salvation when God eventually sets all things right throughout the whole universe (Isa. 9:26; and Phil. 2:10,11).
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 5, 2013 7:12:27 GMT -5
GOD'S UNFAILING PLAN REVEALED IN THE EONS – DORA VAN ASSEN
"The whole universe will feel the impact and glory of the cross as it takes away the sin of the world. This expression of God's influence, power, and love will continue to shine out of His own heart until all come under His sway; saved, purified, changed, and drawn back into Himself.
None can escape the loving and corrective judgment of the Father. Nothing shall be lost or wasted. The true light is shining more and more unto that perfect day when all shall be understood – God reaching His own ultimate plan, the great cycle of love completed; God All in all, everything in everybody. This is true love in the full expression of the cross."
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 6, 2013 7:28:50 GMT -5
THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH – PAUL MUELLER
"Babylonish religion would have us believe that everything will end when this age concludes; however, God is not the least bit influenced by man's religion since He already determined that His redemptive plan involves the ages beyond this present age. In the age of the fullness of times, all things in the heavens and on earth that have not yet been gathered into Christ, will then be gathered into Him (Eph. 1:8-10).
The will of God has been positively affirmed in this matter, for Paul wrote of God, 'Who will have all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth,' (1Tim 2:4). The Lord is omnipotent and shall perform all that He has purposed concerning all mankind, 'Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient time the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I WILL DO ALL MY PLEASURE' (Is. 46:10).
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 7, 2013 7:09:13 GMT -5
"FOR WHO HATH RESISTED HIS WILL" – K. ROSS MCKAY
"Because of their past teaching in the tradition of man, many will argue that man's own will shall prevent the fulfilling of God's own stated will. But according to God's word of truth wherein He cannot lie, He shall mercifully prove them to be wrong. Fortunately for mankind, God works ALL things, including man's destiny, after the counsel of His own will, and always, what His soul desires, even that He does (Job 23:13).
Believe it or not, God's intimate sovereign control is absolute and universal in scope (Job 3:7), even to the extent of man's delusions (2Thes. 1:11; Is. 66:4; Jer. 6:19). This is notably evident in the church's delusion – that God cannot successful influence the human will unless we let Him. But God has absolute control over the extent of success to which His word reaches and changes others, even to the extent of controlling what that word means to each individual (Is. 29:14; Matt. 13:11; 19:11).
It is a prophetic fact, predetermined, willed, divinely promised, and assured by the word of our faithful God Who in fact 'WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED' (1Tim. 2:4), This is true not only because 'HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN' (1Tim. 4:10), and not just of the first fruits whom He now specially causes to believe, but also because of the truth that 'HE IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH or be rendered unfit for the ultimate pleasure of His will (Rev. 4:11; Eph. 1:5,9; Col. 1:19,20), for 'IT IS NOT OF HIM WHO IS WILLING, NOR OF HIM WHO RUNS, BUT OF GOD (Rom. 9:16).
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Post by rodgertutt on Aug 8, 2013 7:09:50 GMT -5
“MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND” – K. ROSS MCKAY
“Some believe that God’s satisfaction will be found in the eternal torment [or annihilation] of some of His creatures. But John was not speaking of a perverted pleasure when he penned, ‘Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:11). God’s plan and purpose of the ages (Eph. 3:11) is to include perfectly executed and unique stages of progressive development resulting in the final restoration and reconciliation of all.
God has been and always will be in absolute sovereign control over His entire cosmic plan, even unto its ultimate consummation in perfection. His plan for all of humanity cannot fail. All of His working together of good and evil is in perfect harmony and balance. God’s love shall not fail. His absolute power and might insures His completing of all He has willed to do, both in our individual salvation, and in the universal salvation that is sure to come.”
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