NOTES ON TWO SPARROWS. I grew up on a farm in Virginia in the 1960’s. Ya, I know, that was before the age of irony. Well, when I was growing up we had birds. Lots of them. I remember seeing large swarms of birds moving across the sky. It was a typical sight… so I thought nothing about it. Until recently. Well, in the past few years I’ve become interested in farming and gardening again. Which means I’ve become interested in birds and bugs again. Oh… by the way… long ago… before irony and all that… we had BUGS… and lots of them. You couldn’t drive across town without having to clean the bug splatter off your car’s windshield when you reached your destination. So, where were we??? Oh yeah… birds and bugs. They go together ya know. You can’t have one without the other. Birds need the bugs or they starve. Kill the bugs and you eventually kill the birds. Well out there in the garden for the past few years.. I’ve been noticing — THERE AIN’T NO GOD DAMN BIRDS to speak of. And it’s really troubling. It’s not a good sign. I’d be out in the garden for two hours and only notice 4 birds at most — in two hours!!! Sometimes NO BIRDS in two hours. I’d shake my head… and just figure we’re killing all the birds with our bug spray… and pesticides… and that damn Orkin man spraying the neighbors’ house every year for “scary spiders”. Hate those Orkin guys. So… as a kid on the farm, I took birds for granted. Now I don’t. So, yesterday, I stumbled in this passage in Matthew where Jesus says “Two sparrows cost just a penny, right? Yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father.” And I was moved. I’ve known about that passage for more then 50 years… yet I was rather cold to those words. But now, now that I’m out in the garden and paying close attention to birds and bugs and their importance and their delicacy and all… now that passage means more to me. Not one sparrow falls indeed. And those freewiller christians harping on their endless hell tripe. We’re all just sparrows ya know. Grace to you guys. Ace.
Dana Mimm REPIES: Oh my God! It’s not until you said this that I realized how vastly different it is now! No bird flocks, no bugs on the windshield. No lightning bugs. Nothing. I get a few birds in my backyard and mosquitoes but that’s it. Crazy!
MY REPLY:
Dana, it worries me. And get this… Every spring rain, I walk around my neighborhood and try to find earthworms in the rain gutters. I bring the worms back to my garden. I used to find some 20 worms per block… but these days… I’m lucky to find one worm within a 5 block area. Damn neighbors spraying Roundup on their lawns. Roundup kills living things. (I believe Roundup is a watered down version of AGENT ORANGE… that terrible chemical they used in the Vietnam War. Agent Orange gave folks cancer, birth defects, organ failure, all kinds of nasty stuff.– notice the class action lawsuits against Roundup.) No birds. No bugs. No worms. What’s next? No people?
Chapter 1 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to all the saints who are also believers in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, 4 according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, 5 in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, 6 for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved: 7 in Whom we are having the deliverance through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses in accord with the riches of His grace, 8 which He lavishes on us; in all wisdom and prudence 9 making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him) 10 to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ — both that in the heavens and that on the earth — 11 in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will, 12 that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are pre-expectant in the Christ. 13 In Whom you also — on hearing the word of truth, the evangel of your salvation — in Whom on believing also, you are sealed with the holy spirit of promise 14 (which is an earnest of the enjoyment of our allotment, to the deliverance of that which has been procured) for the laud of His glory! 15 Therefore, I also, on hearing of this faith of yours in the Lord Jesus, and that for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention in my prayers 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may be giving you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the realization of Him, 18 the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, for you to perceive what is the expectation of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of the enjoyment of His allotment among the saints, 19 and what the transcendent greatness of His power for us who are believing, in accord with the operation of the might of His strength, 20 which is operative in the Christ, rousing Him from among the dead and seating Him at His right hand among the celestials, 21 up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this eon, but also in that which is impending: 22 and subjects all under His feet, and gives Him, as Head over all, to the ecclesia which is His body, the complement of the One completing the all in all.
Chapter 2 1 And you, being dead to your offenses and sins, 2 in which once you walked, in accord with the eon of this world, in accord with the chief of the jurisdiction of the air, the spirit now operating in the sons of stubbornness 3 (among whom we also all behaved ourselves once in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the comprehension, and were, in our nature, children of indignation, even as the rest), 4 yet God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us 5 (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) 6 and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, 7 that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God’s approach present, 9 not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. 10 For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them. 11 Wherefore, remember that once you, the nations in flesh — who are termed ‘Uncircumcision’ by those termed ‘Circumcision,’ in flesh, made by hands — 12 that you were, in that era, apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world. 13 Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who once are far off, are become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier 15 (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of precepts in decrees, that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into one new humanity, making peace; 16 and should be reconciling both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in it. 17 And, coming, He brings the evangel of peace to you, those afar, and peace to those near, 18 for through Him we both have had the access, in one spirit, to the Father. 19 Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow-citizens of the saints and belong to God’s family, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the capstone of the corner being Christ Jesus Himself, 21 in Whom the entire building, being connected together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord: 22 in Whom you, also, are being built together for God’s dwelling place, in spirit.
Chapter 3 1 On this behalf I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations — 2 since you surely hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given to me for you, 3 for by revelation the secret is made known to me (according as I write before, in brief, 4 by which you who are reading are able to apprehend my understanding in the secret of the Christ, 5 which, in other generations, is not made known to the sons of humanity as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets): in spirit 6 the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the evangel 7 of which I became the dispenser, in accord with the gratuity of the grace of God, which is granted to me in accord with His powerful operation. 8 To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, 9 and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God, Who creates all, 10 that now may be made known to the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials, through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of God, 11 in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord; 12 in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence, through His faith. — 13 Wherefore I am requesting you not to be despondent at those of my afflictions for your sake which are your glory. 14 On this behalf am I bowing my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 after Whom every kindred in the heavens and on earth is being named, 16 that He may be giving you, in accord with the riches of His glory, to be made staunch with power, through His spirit, in the man within, 17 Christ to dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, having been rooted and grounded in love, 18 should be strong to grasp, together with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and depth and height — 19 to know the love of Christ as well which transcends knowledge — that you may be completed for the entire complement of God. 20 Now to Him Who is able to do superexcessively above all that we are requesting or apprehending, according to the power that is operating in us, 21 to Him be glory in the ecclesia and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of the eon of the eons! Amen!
Chapter 4 1 I am entreating you, then, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit with the tie of peace: 4 one body and one spirit, according as you were called also with one expectation of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all. 7 Now to each one of us was given grace in accord with the measure of the gratuity of Christ. 8 Wherefore He is saying, Ascending on high, He captures captivity And gives gifts to mankind. 9 Now the ‘He ascended,’ what is it except that He first descended also into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He Who descends is the Same Who ascends also, up over all who are of the heavens, that He should be completing all. 11 And the same One gives these, indeed, as apostles, yet these as prophets, yet these as evangelists, yet these as pastors and teachers, 12 toward the adjusting of the saints for the work of dispensing, for the upbuilding of the body of Christ, 13 unto the end that we should all attain to the unity of the faith and of the realization of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the complement of the Christ, 14 that we may by no means still be minors, surging hither and thither and being carried about by every wind of teaching, by human caprice, by craftiness with a view to the systematizing of the deception. 15 Now, being true, in love we should be making all grow into Him, Who is the Head — Christ — 16 out of Whom the entire body, being articulated together and united through every assimilation of the supply, in accord with the operation in measure of each one’s part, is making for the growth of the body, for the upbuilding of itself in love. 17 This, then, I am saying and attesting in the Lord: By no means are you still to be walking according as those of the nations also are walking, in the vanity of their mind, 18 their comprehension being darkened, being estranged from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the callousness of their hearts, 19 who, being past feeling, in greed give themselves up with wantonness to all uncleanness as a vocation. 20 Now you did not thus learn Christ, 21 since, surely, Him you hear, and by Him were taught (according as the truth is in Jesus), 22 to put off from you, as regards your former behavior, the old humanity which is corrupted in accord with its seductive desires, 23 yet to be rejuvenated in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new humanity which, in accord with God, is being created in righteousness and benignity of the truth. 25 Wherefore, putting off the false, let each be speaking the truth with his associate, for we are members of one another. 26 Are you indignant, and not sinning? Do not let the sun be sinking on your vexation, 27 nor yet be giving place to the Adversary. 28 Let him who steals by no means still be stealing: yet rather let him be toiling, working with his hands at what is good, that he may have to share with one who has need. 29 Let no tainted word at all be issuing out of your mouth, but if any is good toward needful edification, that it may be giving grace to those hearing. 30 And do not be causing sorrow to the holy spirit of God by which you are sealed for the day of deliverance. 31 Let all bitterness and fury and anger and clamor and calumny be taken away from you with all malice, 32 yet become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, dealing graciously among yourselves, according as God also, in Christ, deals graciously with you.
Chapter 5 1 Become, then, imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and be walking in love, according as Christ also loves you, and gives Himself up for us, an approach present and a sacrifice to God, for a fragrant odor. 3 Now, all prostitution and uncleanness or greed — let it not even be named among you, according as is becoming in saints — 4 and vileness and stupid speaking or insinuendo, which are not proper, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For this you perceive, knowing that no paramour at all or unclean or greedy person, who is an idolater, has any enjoyment of the allotment in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one be seducing you with empty words, for because of these things the indignation of God is coming on the sons of stubbornness. 7 Do not, then, become joint partakers with them, 8 for you were once darkness, yet now you are light in the Lord. As children of light be walking 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 testing what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 And be not joint participants in the unfruitful acts of darkness, yet rather be exposing them also, 12 for it is a shame even to speak of the hidden things occurring, done by them. 13 Now all that which is being exposed, by the light is made manifest, for everything which is making manifest is light. 14 Wherefore He is saying, ‘Rouse! O drowsy one, and rise from among the dead, and Christ shall dawn upon you!’ 15 Be observing accurately, then, brethren, how you are walking, not as unwise, but as wise, 16 reclaiming the era, for the days are wicked. 17 Therefore do not become imprudent, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, in which is profligacy, but be filled full with spirit, 19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing music in your hearts to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, 21 to our God and Father, being subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 22 Let the wives be subject to their own husbands, as to the Lord, 23 for the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is Head of the ecclesia, and He is the Saviour of the body. 24 Nevertheless, as the ecclesia is subject to Christ, thus are the wives also to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, be loving your wives according as Christ also loves the ecclesia, and gives Himself up for its sake, 26 that He should be hallowing it, cleansing it in the bath of the water (with His declaration), 27 that He should be presenting to Himself a glorious ecclesia, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it may be holy and flawless. 28 Thus, the husbands also ought to be loving their own wives as their own bodies. He who is loving his own wife is loving himself. 29 For no one at any time hates his own flesh, but is nurturing and cherishing it, according as Christ also the ecclesia, 30 for we are members of His body. 31 For this “a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.” 32 This secret is great: yet I am saying this as to Christ and as to the ecclesia. 33 Moreover, you also individually, each be loving his own wife thus, as himself, yet that the wife may be fearing the husband.
Chapter 6 1 Children, be obeying your parents, in the Lord, for this is just. 2 ‘Honor your father and mother’ (which is the first precept with a promise), 3 that it may be becoming well with you, and you should be a long time on the earth. 4 And fathers, do not be vexing your children, but be nurturing them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord. 5 Slaves, be obeying your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the singleness of your heart, as to Christ, 6 not with eye-slavery, as man-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, 7 with good humor slaving as to the Lord and not to men, 8 being aware that, whatsoever good each one should be doing, for this he will be requited by the Lord, whether slave or free. 9 And, masters, be doing the same toward them, being lax in threatening, being aware that their Master as well as yours is in the heavens, and there is no partiality with Him. 10 For the rest, brethren mine, be invigorated in the Lord and in the might of His strength. 11 Put on the panoply of God, to enable you to stand up to the stratagems of the Adversary, 12 for it is not ours to wrestle with blood and flesh, but with the sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world-mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials. 13 Therefore take up the panoply of God that you may be enabled to withstand in the wicked day, and having effected all, to stand. 14 Stand, then, girded about your loins with truth, with the cuirass of righteousness put on, 15 and your feet sandaled with the readiness of the evangel of peace; 16 with all taking up the large shield of faith, by which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the wicked one. 17 And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is a declaration of God. 18 During every prayer and petition be praying on every occasion (in spirit being vigilant also for it with all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints, 19 and for me), that to me expression may be granted, in the opening of my mouth with boldness, to make known the secret of the evangel, 20 for which I am conducting an embassy in a chain, that in it I should be speaking boldly, as I must speak. 21 Now that you also may be acquainted with my affairs, and what is engaging me, all will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, 22 whom I send to you for this same thing, that you may know our concerns, and he should be consoling your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who are loving our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption! Amen!
God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and inconvenience. Adam said “Screw this.” and took a tiny bite anyway. Things got inconvenient. Later, Isaiah 45:7 revealed to us… that God created both good and inconvenience. And Jesus mentioned that the sparrow does not sow nor harvest, nor does the sparrow worry about such things, yet God feeds them plenty. (Just had to throw that in so as to say “Don’t worry”.) Anyway… there is lots of inconvenient things going around. And boy do we complain ‘bout them. Traffic? That’s inconvenient !!! Weather? That’s inconvenient !!! And you think your life is inconvenient… “let me tell you about MY LIFE !!!” Joseph suffered a bit of inconvenience when his brothers sold him into slavery. Boy that was inconvenient. Jesus… when you think about it… suffered the ultimate inconvenience when Judas, the high priest and Pilate all gave him the THUMBS DOWN treatment. Yep, that was inconvenient. And you think it’s convenient for God, the Father of all, to orchestrate this whole shebang from beginning to end? I’m thinking He’s got His hands full. Most of us want to tell Him a thing or two. How much better to just believe Him. Trust Him. Yea… I know, it’s kind of inconvenient to trust Him, but what choice do you have? (Pssst, hey Father, I think you’re doing a bang up job of it all. Can’t wait to see the finished product.) In this life, you will have inconvenience. How’s that for a promise. But, sooner or later, inconvenience will give way to life, real life. All inconvenience will be abolished, put away, undone, made straight. (I COR 15:20-28) Lookin’ forward to that. Ain’t chu? Grace to all you sparrows out there. I’m chirping with you and for you. Ace.
The little child plays games with words, not knowing or having a good handle on grammar, figures of speech, sarcasm, metaphors, etc. Little children often argue with the parents over meanings of words… The child says “But Mom, you SAID ‘blah blah blah”. I heard you.” The loving Mom patiently has to explain that sometimes this word or that word is used figuratively not always literally. I’m not your loving mom. And yet here I am, lovingly spanking you as best as I can. You’re a brat. A spoiled brat. Of course we have a will. But it is not free of influence or causality brat. You are so proud of your current station in life (as you see it). But it really doesn’t become you. Your focus it always on yourself. And what you’ve accomplished with your almighty freeeeeeeewiillllllllll. I know that God will bring you along. In His own good time. (I TIM 2:6 “to be testified in due time.”)
You pretend to hearld “the gospel”. But you’re hearlding…
Freewill.
Eternal punishment for sins.
an Immortal Soul.
Trinity.
There’s nothing in those four things about the purpose of God, the accomplishments of God in the cross of Christ, God as the creator of all and the savior of all.
Your message merely uses hints of biblical truths but quickly reverts to works, works, works, — Just like those assholes from James. They were trouble makers at Antioch, way back then… and you’re one of them today.
“And certain men came from James” — and you better believe they knew and quoted the bible left and right.
But really, they were there to “spy out our freedom”.
Ain’t it funny that those to pretend to believe in “free will” are so quick to lock you up in bondage to the law and works.
And us deplorables from Antioch, (including Paul), believe “All is of God” — Yet we have more freedom that you self-righteous ones do.
Mark Haukaas wrote… 3 hours ago That’s a great point, Ace. May I take it a step further? The fact that there is one God and that God is one demands the salvation of all. At least, that’s the way it seems to me. Paul seems to say as much in Rom 3:29–30 (Concordant Literal): “Or is He the god of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, if so be that God is One, Who will be justifying the Circumcision out of faith and the Uncircumcision through faith.” What do you think?
MY COMMENT: “AMEN”
THEN HE WROTE:
Ace, your comment about the one God got me thinking down a new path. Here are some preliminary thoughts, a sketch on a napkin. I hope you don’t mind a lengthy riff on what you’ve written. I needed to see for myself what you’re getting at.
If we did not have scriptures on the salvation of all as Paul gives (e.g., Rom 5:18–19; 1 Tim 4:10; 1 Cor 15:22–28), we could still stand in the fact that God is one and therefore is the Savior of all. The Israelites made the Shema (“Yhwh is one”) foundational to their faith (Deut 6:4), so it formed the confession of their faith. Jesus affirmed Deut 6:4 as the great and first commandment (Matt 22:34–40).
The Shema, however, did not serve to isolate Israel as a holy nation to exist in perpetual antipathy to the nations of the world, which were polytheists. Rather, Israel, as the people of the one true God, Israel was to function as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod 19:6). In other words, a central part of calling of Israel was to function as intermediaries for the nations, acting as examples and teachers of the one true God. Israel failed in its calling, rejecting its Messiah. Israel’s calling as that holy nation is held in abeyance until they are saved at the Second Coming, when the Rescuer comes to turn away irreverence from Jacob (Rom 11:25–27).
Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, God remained faithful. God raised up the only faithful Israelite, Jesus of Nazareth, the ideal Israel, out of the realm of the dead, vindicating his calling as the Messiah of Israel (Acts 3:13–26; 1 Tim 3:16). However, the Sanhedrin rejected the testimony of Peter. However, as Stephen’s address shows, Israel as a nation persisted in unbelief after its betrayal and murder of Jesus, the Righteous One (Acts 7:51–53).
Then, in one of history’s greatest ironies, God raised up Saul of Tarsus, the Jewish blasphemer, to be an apostle, an envoy, to the nations (1 Tim 1:13; Rom 11:13). From a human perspective, in taking this radical turn, God was showing that he is sovereign in all his dealings with humanity. In fact, from a divine perspective, all was proceeding according to God’s plan.
Prophetically proclaiming this plan, over 700 years before Jesus began his ministry as a servant to confirm the patriarchal promises (Rom 15:8), Isaiah proclaimed concerning the servant of Yhwh: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa 49:6, ESV). In a logic that belongs to God’s hidden wisdom (1 Cor 2:7), Paul applies to this scripture to his ministry with Barnabas (Acts 13:47). Jesus was uniquely the servant of God, but God made Paul and Barnabas the servants of God and inheritors of this promise.
Immersed in the Hebrew scriptures and appointed to know God’s will, to see the Righteous One, to hear his voice, and to be a witness for Christ (Acts 22:14–15), Paul knew the intrinsic logic of God being one and therefore being the God of the Jews and the nation and God’s ultimate justification of both groups (Rom 3:29–30; 5:18–19).
If we make Paul’s reasoning of monotheism as salvation of all explicit, it appears to be a universal syllogism. All people are creatures of the one God. All the nations are people. Therefore all the nations are creatures of the one God. Put another way, God created all things in Christ at the start, and nothing will ever exist outside of Christ (Col 1:16). In terms of an analogy, the acorn becomes the oak tree. The planting of Christ, the last Adam, in death is death for all, who are to live for God (2 Cor 5:15).
When Christians insist on proofs for the salvation of all in the face of the abundance of scriptural evidence, they act as the some of the Pharisees and Sadducees did in Jesus’ day when they wanted a sign from heaven (Matt 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16). In this time of the proclamation of the transcendent grace of God (2 Cor 9:14), a sign from heaven has been given: the appearance of the Christ of glory to Saul of Tarsus, who is to be “a pattern of those who are about to be believing on Him for life eonian” (1 Tim 1:16, CLNT). If Christ can turn around and save the worst blasphemer of all, the salvation of all is a fait accompli.
To persist in promulgating the Trinitarian dogma that God is three in one, Christians are setting themselves to be the enemies of the God they claim to worship because this false doctrine destroys the good news of the salvation of all inherent in the truth that God is one. Worse yet, in saying that this God consigns most of humanity to eternal torment, Christians have inverted the plan of the eons in Christ (Eph 3:11)a. The only remedy for this apostasy is eschewing heresy, but most Christians will persist in the delusion and find their cherished religion destroyed during the Great Tribulation.
There are at least 74 Bible verses – that prove God intends to save all, reconcile all, justify all, redeem all, make right all…
In fact… some of the verses actually refer to “the all”. Not just “all” – THE ALL.
But you don’t need ‘all them verses’, really. Not if you have an ounce of logic.
PROOF: If there is only “One God” … and God “created all things”… then the only sensible conclusion you can come to is that God either HAS saved all or WILL saved all.
YES, God has begun creation… but it’s by no means finished… What we see before our eyes is still the unfinished, creative process. (Paul calls it “God’s eonian purpose”.)
See Eph 3:11.
Like a kitchen before Thanksgiving Dinner is done – it’s a mess.
But you just wait… everyone will be impressed… you’ll see.
What I’m saying is SALVATION, (it seems to me) is just an extension of creation… or the completion of the creative process.
It’s cheesy of “Christianity” to suggest that God did not create all things… that God did not create ‘evil’ as well as ‘good’. (ISA 45:7)
“Oh no.” they say.
But if God did not create both good and evil, that implies there are two Gods, a good one and a bad one.
And if that be the case, no wonder they shoot cha down whenever you bring up something wonderful like I TIM 4:10.
Or Romans 11:36.
“God is one”… says one verse.
“There is one God.” Says another verse.
Such BIG, BIG, ideas (as “one God”) by itself strongly implies a universal salvation. No verse needed.
But, thank God, we have plenty of verses to clear up this matter. And thank God for Paul who peels back the curtains regarding God’s eonian purpose.
God Promises the Birth of Death In Genesis 3:16 – God Promises the Death of Death In I Corinthians 15:26 Adam gave us the birth of death. (Thanks Pal, you really thought that one through, didn’t cha?) Christ and His cross gave us the death of death. (The “firstfruit” of them that repose. A downpayment, if you will.) Death sure is a pain in the ass. We all run just as hard as we can to avoid it – ‘best as we can. It shapes us, molds us, grieves us, pisses on us. We can’t even think straight ‘cause death is “working in us” (as Paul says). We spot believers ‘cause they think differently. They trust God about the matter. And life is working in them. (as Paul says) We look at the resurrection of Christ and we say… “Count me in.” “Oh, I get it now.” “Why, it’s a marvelous plan.” And little by little, things begin to change. Motives change. Hearts change. Reasons why change. Slowly… God becomes our all. And death loses it’s sting. Smiles and praises grace our lips. Our prayers change too. Now, instead of “special requests”… We find a prayer for a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the realization of Him feels just right. (See Ephesians 1) Really, now, what more could we ask for? As God becomes our all… we trust… that the power of the cross to break death’s back will surely bring everyone along with us… so that God becomes all… in all. It has to work. That stone was rolled away, don’t cha know. And the vail was rent, too. It’s totally unbelievable. Yet, we believe. What a day. Ace.
LOCATIVE VS INSTRUMENTAL The freewill chick tried to deceive me (yet once again.) This time she was TWISTING the little word “IN” to be something it was not. What’s it all about? It’s about the idea that… … God will “head up all in the Christ” —
Here’s the deal about the word “IN” — that word can be in the LOCATIVE CASE or it can be in the INSTRUMENTAL CASE.
Why This Matters: The freewill chick wants you to believe ONLY those “in Christ” will be headed up in Christ. And of course, she has this magic formula as to HOW to get yourself “in” Christ: believe, receive, obey, etc.
SHE SAYS this magic formula is something YOU DO, not God. YOU.
The verse in question is Ephesians one, verse 9 and 10 — 9 making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him)10 to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ — both that in the heavens and that on the earth —
So… in this verse (v. 10) — Christ is the instrument by which all are headed up.
The freewill chick feels that some other instrument (human freewill) achieves this goal. So… She teaches that YOU MUST PUT YOURSELF IN CHRIST AND THUS, “ALL IN CHRIST WILL BE HEADED UP”
THE TRUTH: this is GOD’S WORK… It is up to God to use Christ’s work on the cross… to “head up all — in the Christ.” ALL is the subject, IN CHRIST is the instrument by which they (ALL) will be HEADED UP.
Who are gathered? All !!!!!!! How are they gathered? In Christ.
She does damage to this sentence structure by insisting that …. Who is gathered? ‘All in Christ’. NO. The “in Christ” is HOW all are gathered. The “IN” is instrumental. Not locative. She twists. But she don’t fool me.
Have a pattern of sound words — Paul. The so-called doctrine of the trinity depends way too much on made up lingo: “triune”, “three-in-one”, “god the son” etc.
When you liberally add in all kinds of made up lingo, you’re going to have foggy notions about God and God’s purpose.
A. E. Knoch said “You cannot have clear thoughts without a clarified vocabulary.”
The trinity argument actually is a GREAT DISTRACTION from the cross and what was accomplished there.
In fact, I’d argue that the trinity doctrine tends to deny what happened on the cross.
Paul says “God was in Christ” — II Cor 5. — If trinity is true, why bother saying that?
Christ is the firstborn of creation — Colossians 1:16?
Christ is God’s creative original — found somewhere in Revelation. Don’t make me look it up. … when I was fresh in the faith, I ask the pastors about this trinity thing. They basically said “Just keep coming back to church kid, you’ll understand it all soon enough.” — Meaning, keep coming back and paying tithes. You’ll forget about it.
The Ace Theological Company 