The Ultimate Reconciliation of All (TURA)
(as found in 25 key Bible passages)
• Unless otherwise indicated, all verses are
from the New King James Version. Used with permission.
Introduction
In the Bible, which is God’s word, there are
more than 100 passages that teach the salvation of all people through the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here we present 25 of the most direct
Bible sections dealing with the fact that someday all people shall be saved
through the blood of Jesus, the Messiah. We hope that this review will show you
that TURA is Bible truth that should be honored by believers today.
1 John 1:6-9
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through
him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
Verses 1-5 of the Gospel of John tell that
Jesus is God and that He is also the Creator, the Word, and the Light. John the
Baptist was sent by God to tell of the coming of Jesus, who is the Light of the
world. John was not the Light, but he was sent to tell people about the coming
of God’s Light. It is through Him (God’s Messiah) that all people will finally
believe and live. John 1:7 says that through Him (meaning Jesus), all might
believe. The true Light is Jesus. John also says that the true Light will give
light to every person who has ever come into the world. Of course, Christ does
not enlighten each at the same moment, but in His full plan, God does not end
up discriminating against any one. Other Bible passages tell how and when the
Light will come to people who die without the faith of Christ.
John came to bear witness to the true Light
(Christ Jesus) so that "all" might believe. If all believe, then all
of us humans will be reconciled, too, because "whoever calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
The Bible says that a time will come when all
people will be calling on God’s name in faith. Then "All men shall fear,
and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His
doing" (Psalm 64:9). See also John 3:35 and John 6:37 where it says
that God puts all into Christ’s hands.
2. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus
coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world!
John 1:29 is a stand-alone verse. It cannot
be taken out of context because it is its own context.
John came as a prophet to his own people, but
few of them believed his prophecy. The meaning of his prophecy may be
summarized in this one sentence: "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world!"
John’s reference here is to Christ Jesus who
takes away the sin of the world. The Greek text speaks of "sin" in
the singular. it is not referring to a single sin, but to the sin principle
that is resident in all people.
Christ Jesus brought God’s Light into the
sinful world. In so doing, He started the process by which all sin will finally
be rendered powerless.
If Jesus is taking away the sin of the world,
what that really means is that He is taking away the sin of the world.
Hebrews 9:26 says that Jesus has set aside or put away sin "by the
sacrifice of Himself" By taking away the sin of the world, Jesus destroyed
the one item that stands between God and man. He makes it possible, even
inevitable, that God and mankind shall be successfully reconciled. If He does
not take away the sin of the whole world, John’s prophecy would be false, and
God’s word would be in error. We hope that you are willing to trust in a God
who is going to bring His Word to fruition.
3. John 4:42 Then they said to the woman,
"Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard
Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
When the Samaritan woman told others about
the Lord Christ Jesus, they first thought that she was telling them the truth,
and that is evidenced by the fact that they walked out to meet Him.
When they met Jesus, however, they personally
recognized Him as the long-awaited Messiah. Their secondhand belief became
firsthand knowledge. They proclaimed, "This is indeed the Christ, the
Savior of the world." The word "world" means the whole cosmos
without exceptions. Reading these passages, one must either believe that Jesus
is the Savior of the whole world or that He is not. The Bible says the He is,
and leaves no middle ground.
God told His only begotten Son, "Ask of
Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the
earth for Your possession" (Psalm 2:8). The Hebrew word translated
"nations" is "goyim." It indicates Gentile unbelievers.
On the cross, Jesus looked down at the Jews and
Gentiles (Romans) gathered at the base of the cross and asked, "Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). Do you
believe that God answered Jesus’ prayer and that He forgave all those people?
David believed it (see Psalm 5:2-3).
At
The Lord Jesus is in the process of redeeming
all creation one step at a time, in due time, and on time. His redemption of
mankind is being accomplished according to the plan, with "each one in his
own order," as we see in 1 Corinthians 15:23.
4. John 12:32 "And 1, if I am lifted
up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
Many do not understand that John 12:32 is
conditional. Jesus Himself set the conditions of this prophetic declaration.
He said, "If 1 am lifted up—I will draw all
to Myself." The phrase "I will draw" comes from the Greek word
elkusoo-elkusw, which is indicative. This means it may be translated
as "I will draw," but it may also be translated more forcefully as
"I shall draw." What it relates to us is that if a certain thing
happens, a second thing will surely follow as a consequence.
The only question in this passage is,
"Was Jesus lifted up?" The only answer available is, "Yes, He
was!"
Here we have simple cause and effect. Because
Jesus was lifted up on the cross, He shall draw all to Him. In John 12:32, the
word "all" is all-inclusive. The Bible says that Christ, by His death
on the cross will draw all people to Himself with no exceptions. Praise God!
The text can have no other meaning! Let’s spread the news to people who, for one
reason or another, do not understand or believe the very word of God on this
subject. Remember that Christ’s outlook of mercy is the same yesterday, today,
and for the ages (Hebrews 13:8).
5. Acts 3:20-21
20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things,
which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world
began.
At the time of Jesus’ appearing on earth, it
was an established Jewish teaching that the Messiah would come. From ages past,
the prophets had foretold this "coming." Many of Jesus’ own people,
however, did not understand the power, nature, and extent of His mission.
Where verse 21 speaks of "the times of
restoration of all things," it can and should refer to "the time of
universal restoration" as in the New Revised Standard Version.
In the Greek text, we find the word
apokatastaseoos-apokatastasewV. That Greek word indicates a one-sided reconciliation
that can be called a "conciliation." It indicates that only one party
(God) initiated the reunion so that the dispute will be settled and a full
reconciliation of everyone will occur in due time. This is a result of Christ’s
work on the cross for all mankind. Through it, God’s conciliation of mankind is
accomplished (see II Cor. 5:19).
Acts 3:20-21 shows that "all" is to
be restored and that includes all people, too. How could all people be restored
if all the lost ones are going to be permanently annihilated, as some
Christians believe? How could they ever be restored if Hell is a place of
ceaseless torment and permanent separation from God?
6. Romans 5:18-19
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting
in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to
all men, resulting in justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one
Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
This passage may be the most direct of all
the texts that can be presented in support of total,, ultimate reconciliation.
It actually says that through one man’s offense judgment, it came into all men.
Because of Adam’s single act of rebellion,
God’s judgment of sin faces all of Adam’s descendants. God’s judgment against
sin is thus universal. Adam’s single act resulted in the adverse judgment or
condemnation of all people.
But next, we find the English phrase
"even so" which adds emphasis, and shows that what follows will be
somewhat parallel or similar to the first. What follows is this, "through
one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in
justification of life." Notice the parallelism here: the act of rebellion
affected ALL, and even so the righteous act will also affect ALL!
While most Christians accept Adam’s sinful
act as universal, many deny that Jesus’ act will also justify all people. Do
you believe that Adam’s sin was more powerful than Jesus Christ’s
justification? The justification of all is also taught in verse 19, where it
says that as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one
Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Both times in verse 19, the word
"the" should be placed before the word "many"— the
many became sinners and the many will be made righteous. This may
seem like a small item, but it has great significance.
In Greek, the definite article
"the" points to a specific group or event. In both cases, the
definite article "the" is in the Greek text, but was left out of the
English translations. Both cases should read "the many" (Gr. oi
polloi-oi polloi).
Why does that make a difference? The use of
the definite article ("the" many) means that the reference is to only
a single group, but that single group is all mankind.
This use of"the many" to refer to
all people is what Isaiah also did in Isaiah 53:11 where he was inspired to
write that ".
. .by His knowledge My righteous Servant
shall justify many, and He will bear their iniquities."
If, by one man’s disobedience (the) many were
made sinners, then by one Man’s obedience (the) many will be made righteous.
The same group is affected first by sin (the many) and then by righteousness
(the many). That being true, something is missing from the belief held by many
Christians. What is missing is the acknowledgment of the power of God’s grace
that will save every last person among "the many."
His grace is more powerful than Adam’s sin. Romans
5:20b—"where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."
Do you believe that Adam is more powerful
than Christ Jesus? If not, then trust the Holy Spirit for what He says through
Paul in Romans 5 about the justification of all.
7. Romans 11:32 For God has committed them
all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
This verse is so simple in its presentation that
any explanation seems unnecessary. God committed, consigned, or locked up all
people under the power of sin. He did that to show His power over sin.
His purpose in causing all to be disobedient
was that He might show mercy to all. All people need mercy and this verse says
that God shows mercy to them all.
II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some
count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should
come to repentance.
* (emphasis added)
Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are
over all His works.
Some teach that God is willing to save, but
our finite human will supersedes His infinite divine will Ephesians 1:11 says
that God works all according to the plan of His will. Also, Job
42:2 says that no purpose of God’s will can be thwarted. Jeremiah 32:27 says
that nothing is too hard for God! It was easy for God to change the will of
Saul of Tarsus on the
If God’s grace is greater than our sin and
His will greater than our will, sin shall be destroyed. In fact, Jesus came for
the express purpose of destroying the works of the devil, as we see in I
John 3:8b—For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might
destroy the works of the devil.
The Greek word translated "he might
destroy" (lusee-lush) may also be interpreted as "he may be in the
process of destroying."
Jesus’ purpose in coming to die on the cross
was to defeat the sin that caused death. Do you believe that He accomplished
His mission, and that the Devil’s work will all be destroyed? The Apostle John
believed it!
How many did God commit to disobedience? It
was ALL!
Upon how many does He plan to have mercy? It
is ALL!
How many is all? It is ALL!
8. Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him
and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:36 is straightforward with no
chance for misunderstanding. It says that ALL is out of Christ, through
Christ, and back into Christ. If all people are going to be brought back into
Christ (Romans 11:36), then how can it be said that people who die in their
sins are headed for a "Christ-less eternity?" The idea that all lost
people are put into endless punishment or banishment is really a very small
part of Christian theology and has no actual support when the Bible is
accurately translated. If the lost are eternally tormented, or completely
annihilated, why did Peter write that God is a "faithful Creator" (I
Peter 4:19), and why did David say that God’s mercy lasts for all ages
(Psalms 106:1, 107:1, 118:2, and all of Psalm 136)?
The answer is that Christ Jesus cannot be
glorified in causing eternal torment. Instead, He is glorified in the salvation
of all the lost, which will cause Him to be satisfied—see Isaiah 53:11.
Because Jesus came to seek and to save the
lost, anything less would be failure. Let us stop proclaiming a failing Christ
and embrace the victorious Lord of Romans 11:36. Luke recorded
Jesus’ own words: "for the Son of Man
has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Do you
believe that He succeeded?
Christ Jesus the victorious Lord because He
accomplished what he came to do. If he had failed, or had done an incomplete
work, we could not say that He was victorious in His mission. How could Jesus
have said, "It is finished" (Matthew 26:1) when He died on the cross
if most people are eternally cut off from that salvation which He purchased?
How could it be said that Christ was "satisfied" with His work on the
cross (Isaiah 53:11) if it saved only a portion of the lost creatures for whose
sake He died?
9. I Corinthians 15:20-28
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of
those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who
are Christ’s at His coming.
24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father,
when He puts an end to all rule
and all authority and power.
25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
27 For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says,
"all things are put under Him, "it is evident that He who put all
things under Him is excepted.
28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also
be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
This passage is perhaps the most complete
statement of the gospel of TURA in the entire Bible. It gives us the purpose,
the plan, and the culmination of God’s plan. Let’s consider it in the order
given.
I Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is
risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep.
Jesus is now qualified to become the
"firstfruits" of those that have died because of His resurrection
from the dead. His death points to his human nature. If Christ Jesus does not
return soon, many of us will join those that have fallen asleep (died).
Even though the English text says Christ is
the "flrstfruits," the Greek text (aparchee-aparch) indicates the singular. There is only One
firstfruits of the resurrection, and that is Christ Jesus.
I Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came
death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
Let us present this verse in another light:
by a man, Adam came death—by another man, Jesus, came victory over death.
As taught here, resurrection is the giving back
of life, or the restoration of life. In a very real sense, this verse speaks of
the internalizing of true life as opposed to just physical life.
One man brought death, another brought life.
Death came upon mankind as the result of one man’s actions. Life also came upon
all humans as the result of One Man’s actions. If all those who die outside of
Christ are in an interminable state of sin, separated from God eternally, whose
power would have been stronger—Adam’s or Christ’s?
I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
Verse 22 is a freestanding verse within a
freestanding passage. It also amplifies the entire passage.
As the result of Adam’s sin, ALL
humanity is subject to death. In like manner, but in contrast, as the result of
Jesus’ sinlessness, and His sacrifice, ALL humanity is subject to
life!
How effective is sin? Sin is so effective
that (barring the Second Coming of Christ) all men shall die because of sin.
How effective was Jesus’ resurrection? His
reconciliation to the Father, as expressed in the resurrection, was so
effective that ALL men shall be reconciled to God in it. Anything
less would mean that death in Adam is more powerful than life in Christ. Do you
think I Corinthians 15:22 is saying that Adam is more powerful than Christ?
I Corinthians 15:23-24
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who
are Christ’s at His coming.
24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father,
when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
Many believers reject the concept that is
taught in Verses 23 and 24, which lists the order of the resurrection to life.
The concept of resurrecting someone to an eternal, spiritual death is not
linguistically or spiritually valid. Many otherwise intelligent, godly
believers assume that the last (the end) in Verse 24 involves a resurrection to
eternal torment. Do you read anything about eternal torment in Verse 24?
As we have noted, the first to be resurrected
to true life is Christ Jesus. His resurrection is the most powerful in that it
demonstrates His ability to render death ineffective.
Next, we come to the resurrection of those
that are his Saints. That resurrection takes place at His Second Coming.
Finally, we have the resurrection of the
"end" or last group. The English word "comes" ("then comes
the end") does not appear in the Greek text, but has been added in the
KJV, NKJV, and most other versions as well. This last resurrection is also a
resurrection to life and not to annihilation or endless torment as Paul makes
very plain here in I Corinthians Chapter 15.
Many teach that Satan alone rules man’s
affairs now and that Satan will rule over the unjust people forever in Hell.
This verse says exactly the opposite—Christ will subdue all enemies to Himself.
The Greek text indicates a legal necessity.
The Father actually reigns and He puts all enemies under the feet (or rule) of
the Son. They become a footstool for Christ. The idea that all enemies will
finally be changed into faithful members of Christ’s "footstool" is
so very important that it is presented several other times in the Bible: Psalms
110:1, Matthew 22:44, Acts 3:34-35, Hebrews 1:13, and Hebrews 10:12-13. These
footstool people will evidently be in a position of honor and will render
eternal service to Christ.
In all of this, we also have a picture of
cooperation within the Godhead. Through the Spirit, the Father causes the Son to
rule. And through the same Spirit, the Son is working on behalf of those who
were formerly His enemies. And the Father is working on behalf of the Son.
Does our belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior
make Him any more or less Lord? Absolutely not! It simply changes our
position-.--not His! This is shows in I John 4:10—"In this is love,
not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins."
I Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that
will be destroyed is death.
The last enemy to be defeated is not Satan.
The last enemy to be eliminated shall be death itself. Although the destruction
of all death is put so bluntly, some Christians still deny it when they say
that people who die in unbelief will have eternal death.
God’s plan is a progression. Through his Son,
He has already defeated Satan, and yet we continue to die. Satan is Satan
because of sin. Satan has been sinning from the beginning (see I John 3:8), but
he is now a toothless lion because believers are now able to let the glory of
God work in their lives by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—see 1 Corinthians
6:19.
We view death as a concept, but God views it
as an entity. The event we call death shall be destroyed! This means that the
second death mentioned in Revelation 20:14 will also be destroyed because the
second death is also a death. It is not an eternal life of
chastisement in the
I Corinthians 15:27 For "He has put
all things under His feet." But when He says, "all things are put
under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is
excepted.
Here is a clarification: Jesus, God the Son,
shall never have power over the Father. Most people do not understand that
there is a chain of authority within the Godhead.
The Son does only what the Father tells Him
to do, and the Spirit communicates the truth about the Son. The Godhead is
unified but not co-equal!
I Corinthians 15:28 Now when all things
are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who
put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
The Son’s last act as a separate being from
the Father shall be to turn the Kingdom over to the Father. We can view this as
a joyous abdication in which the Son (and all those
subject to Him) become faithful subjects of God the Father. Then, the unified
and unifying Godhead shall be all in all. This means that all previously
disobedient people will, by that time, be extolling God. All who were lost will
then be saved by the blood of Christ. This at last is the consummation of God’s
great plan!
Perhaps the lustiest voices acclaiming God
and loving Him at that time will be those who previously experienced judgment
and the second death (Revelation Chapter 20). They who have been forgiven much
will love all that much more. It is difficult to envision the boundless joy
that will prevail as all created beings become one with God. It will be a
"curtain call" that likes of which Broadway has never seen. It will
be a joyful reunion at last with "unbelievers" we have loved so much.
And it will be a time of meeting transformed scoundrels we had only read about
in the history books. All of us will have only one objective—loving God and
praising Him forever more. Amen.
10. II Corinthians 5:14-15, 17-21
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died
for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
(16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one
according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the
flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.)
II Corinthians 5:14-15, 17-21.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus
Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their. trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through
us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
If one person, Jesus, died for all and rose
again, all must have needed a resurrection. If all needed a resurrection, all
were dead, otherwise no resurrection would be needed. This passage proves that
Christ’s death and resurrection were for all, with no
qualifications.
That may sound a bit complicated, but think
about it. If people did not actually die because of sin, there would be no need
for a resurrection. In Christ, we are a new creation—a new person! We have been
reborn or born again. Because of our rebirth, the sin established by our first
birth is in the process of being eliminated. Romans 5:10 says that we are being
saved by His life in us, as does Galatians 2:20-21. Also, please note once
again (II Corinthians 5:15) that Christ’s death was for all—no
strings attached. Does it say here that Christ died only for the elect, as some
good Christians claim?
Verses 18 and 19 are the heart of this
section.
18 Now all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation.
All things are "of’ God means that all
belongs to Him, and it all goes according to His plan.
He, God, has reconciled us to Himself through
Jesus Christ. We cannot be reconciled apart from Jesus Christ. The
manifestation of this reconciliation, however, is accomplished "each in
his own order" as already seen in I Corinthians 15.
The Father was in the Son reconciling the
world to Himself. That is a simple statement of fact! Reconciliation of all
people is the job of the Father and Son. Do you believe they will accomplish
that job! We hope your answer is yes because that means you believe that the
Father and Son shall be successful in what the Bible says they have set out to
do—save the whole world.
11. Ephesians 1:10 that in the
dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
This verse shows the final intent of total
reconciliation and the fact that a time factor is involved. God reconciled the
world so that "in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He
might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and
which are on earth—in Him." This passage shows that all will someday
be in Christ! The Greek text just says "all," not "all
things." All includes all people, too, not just all
elm trees, rocks, and porpoises. And if all is going to be in Christ, then is
it possible that God will be tormenting billions of "lost.. people"
forever? Or is it more in keeping with the Bible to assume that they will all
finally receive Christ?
12. Philippians 2:10-11
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of
those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.
"Jesus" is the greatest name in
existence—when used by those who believe!
The English text correctly says, "Every
tongue." The Greek is void of any exceptions: "every" means
"every"! And the Greek text says that every knee will bow in
the name of Jesus, not at the name of Jesus. This is a joyful
bowing in praise and adoration by Christ’s former enemies—see Isaiah 45:22-23
and Romans 14:11.
13. Colossians 1:20 and by Him to
reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in
heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
This is a companion verse to Ephesians 1:10
(#11). It declares openly and without exception that "all" shall be
reconciled "by Him." The "all" includes all on earth and in
heaven and is by no means limited to "things" as the English text
suggests, but also includes all human beings. Remember that the word
"things" is not present in the original Greek text.
The peace that Christ made is, at this time,
one-sided. If Jesus gave His life to reconcile all to the Father and did not
succeed, He would be a failure. To say that Jesus did not give His life for all
is a rejection of the Bible. The only position open to people of understanding
is that Jesus gave His life for all people, and that He will ultimately have
them all. Remember that the only way this universal peace was made possible was
by Christ’s blood that was shed on the cross—there is no other way.
The Greek word for reconciliation used here
in Colossians 1:20 is "apoktalallazai" from
"apokatallasso." It means a total restoration of both sides in
dispute, not just a one-sided conciliation. Psalm 2:8—"Ask of Me,
and I will give You the nations (Heb. Goyim/Gentiles) for Your inheritance, and
the ends of the earth for Your possession." We are the Father’s present to
His Son.
Many other Bible passages like Acts 3:25 and
Psalm 68:9 prove that God will finally save all people, all kingdoms, all
families, and all tribes.
14. Hebrews 2:8-9
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all
in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we
do not yet see all things put under Him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the
suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God,
might taste death for everyone.
The key to this section is the fact that
"now we do not yet see all things put under him." The truth is not
evident now to all people, but it shall be. We believers are also still
inwardly groaning because of the bondage of corruption, which affects us,
too—see Romans 8:19-2 1.
But, Jesus "was made" a little
lower than the angels. He became a man so that He may taste death for
"everyone." Let it not be true that anyone would desire revenge so
much that they would find the Bible verses about the reconciliation of all to
be a difficult concept or a stumbling block. Actually, reconciliation is a
stepping-stone to see how God, Who is Love, will finally deal in love with all
of His created beings.
15. Hebrews 2:14-15.
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had
the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage.
Jesus was not originally created as a man. He
was God the Son who took on the appearance of a man so that he might share our
experiences of temptation and of death. Then, He defeated death by experiencing
it and rising from the dead. Thus making death ineffective, He released all
those who suffered from death. Likewise, He destroyed Satan’s power, which
resides in death. But if people who die unsaved are going to be confined
forever in a devil’s hell, what could Hebrews 2:14-15 possibly mean?
16. Hebrews 10:12-13
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down
at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
Jesus’ death was brought on by the sin He
Himself bore while on the cross—see Isaiah 53:11. His sacrifice was for
all people and for all time.
It is difficult for us to understand, but
Jesus gave His life once for all sins from the beginning to the end of time! As
a result of that, He became the Savior of the whole world—I John 4:14.
Some believers do not understand the
unfolding of God’s purposes; therefore, they do not recognize the great power
of His plan. His power to achieve salvation is The greater than our will or
desire to sin! Whatever appears to be impossible with men is possible with
God—Luke 18:27.
Following His sacrifice and resurrection,
Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father. There, He intercedes for us.
Hebrews 10:12-13 is one of the many sections of the Bible in which we are
reminded that all enemies will finally acclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior as they
become part of His loyal footstool.
Psalm 110:1—The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand,
till I make Your enemies Your footstool."
This passage shows that even those that
presently reject Christ will someday be His faithful servants. We who have
received faith now are known as Christ’s "body." Those who finally
honor Him at the end could be called Christ’s "footstool" believers.
Romans 8:34b—Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and
furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us.
You may not "feel" saved. That is a
problem with many good Christians. Dear Children, God is greater than your
feelings.
I John 3:20—For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart,
and knows all things.
17. James 1:18 Of His own will He brought
us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His
creatures.
The greatest act of free will
was when Christ came to earth to free us from the effects of the sin principle.
In doing that He bought us out of spiritual darkness and into the Light of the
Father. He brought us from the lies of Satan to the Truth of God.
As is pointed out, we who are believing in
the Lord Jesus Christ now are a kind of (or type of) firstfruit. As we have
seen, Jesus was the firstfruit of those who are to be resurrected. But, people
who believe in Jesus during this life are just the firstfruits of those whom
God is going to save. The others will come to Him through Christ later on.
Due to the absence of the definite article on
the Greek text, the phrase, "the word of truth" may not represent
Christ Jesus who is the Word of Truth. Instead, it calls to attention our
resurrection that shall happen at the moment that we hear the call to rise. God
has the absolute power to raise the dead at any moment He chooses—see John
5:25.
18. II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward
us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
God’s promise is sure! All who repent will
receive the benefits of that repentance right now. Those who do not receive
faith in Christ now will come to Him in the end or "consummation."
This verse tells us openly what God’s desire
is. God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance." Some believers think that God cannot carry out His will to
save people if they exercise their own will against God during their short life
on earth. But if there is no opportunity to repent and receive Christ after
death, why did Peter say that the gospel is brought to the dead also (I Peter
4:6)? There are some verses, to be sure, that seem to say there can be no
spiritual changes after death. In each case, however, these passages mean
something different, as we hope to discuss in another booklet.
Instead of thinking no change is possible,
they ought to think about the extent of God’s great power. Isaiah 46:10—"Declaring
the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet
done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’"
From the beginning, God has had the power to
declare how His plan would end. His counsel shall stand! The reason His counsel
shall stand is that it does not depend on our concurrence, or free will. He
shall do (perform) all He desires.
"Not willing" (Gr. mee bou1omenos-mh bou1omenoV) indicates that
God does not intend that any should perish. In the Greek, this is not a vague
desire on God’s part. It is a fixed intent! If it is not His intention for
anyone to perish, it shall not happen!
Those who teach that Man’s "free
will" can forever overcome God’s divine will are thereby teaching that man
is more powerful than God. Do you believe that?
The spiritual fact is that "God will
wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow,
nor crying. There shall be no more pain" (Revelation 21:4) for God Himself
said "Behold, I am making all things new..." and "these words
are true and faithful" (Revelation 21:5).
19. I John 2:2 And He Himself is the
propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
The first part of I John 2:2 is preached in
most Christian churches throughout the world. The second part of I John 2:2,
however, is often denied, revised, rationalized, or simply neglected!
Consider this: If Jesus is the
"propitiation" for our sins and the result is that we
are forgiven, and He is also the propitiation for the sins of the world,
will not all the others be forgiven, too? If they are not forgiven, wouldn’t
that mean that part of Jesus’ ministry has failed? Do you believe that Jesus
was a failure in any aspect of what He set out to accomplish?
There is a portion of scripture that many
preach, but few believe; Romans 5:20b—"where sin abounded, grace
abounded much more." Sin is no match for grace because grace is infinitely
more powerful.
20. I John 3:8 He who sins is of the
devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Satan is the author of sin and rebellion, and
he "has sinned from the beginning." The result of that
rebellion was death.
This verse states explicitly that the purpose
for which Jesus came into the world was to destroy the works of Satan. In order
to destroy the works of Satan, Jesus must destroy death and the rebellion that
leads to death. If billions of people were to remain forever in a "devil’s
hell," how would that fit with the fact that Satan will be rendered
powerless and his work will be destroyed?
21. I John 4:14 And we have seen and
testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
This verse says that the Son [Jesus] is the
Savior of the world. If He is indeed the Savior of the world, He must save the
world. If any are left out, He cannot be the Savior of the world. God’s word
cannot be recalled or broken. Isaiah 45:23—"I have sworn by myself;
the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back,
that to me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear {allegiance} (NASB).
In conclusion, we are aware that people who
champion the everlasting torment view interpret all of these passages, and
other passages as well, to bring them into line with their beliefs. They will
probably accuse us of having done the very same thing. However, the direct
reading of these verses supports TURA.
We also realize that certain sections of our
English Bible seem to say that God’s judgment of the unsaved will result in everlasting
punishment in "hell." Other passages in the English translations
seems to say that the moment of a person’s death is their "last
chance" to acknowledge Jesus Christ. In this booklet, we are sticking to a
discussion of verses that support TURA. Perhaps in another booklet we will
address the true meaning of Bible passages that are used to support the belief
in the eternality of hell. Meanwhile, upon written request, we can supply the
writings of other competent Bible scholars showing that these verses do not
mean what they are touted to be saying.
22. Revelation 20:14—Then Death and Hades
were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Does the Bible say that the first death shall
fall victim to the second death? If that is true, and if the second death is
then eliminated when Jesus destroys the works of Satan, then there must come a
time when there is no death. That is exactly what the Bible says in Revelation
21:4 and I Corinthians 15:26. The idea that death is endless (eternal) is contrary
to the teachings of the Bible!
Many of the passages that are mistakenly said
to convey endless torment after judgment contain the words aion-aion and aionios-aionioV. The
Greek word aion means a period of time, as does its English counterpart
"eon." The Scriptures describe punishment as being aionios, which is
the
adjectival form of aion. Aionios has no
single English word corresponding to it, and so a series of words must be used
to convey its meaning, such as: "pertaining to a period of time,"
"relating to a period of time," "pertaining to an eon,"
etc. The uncommon English adjectives "eonian" and "eonial"
have been correctly used by some translators to replace "eternal,"
and "everlasting." The English words "eternal" and
"everlasting" do not correspond to the Greek word aionios, and in
fact, they convey a very different and largely unwarranted
concept. It is correct and in keeping with the original text to say that God’s
judgment and His chastening of lost individuals will involve one or more
"ages" ahead. But, it is not biblical
to assert that such punishment will be "eternal,"
"everlasting," or "forever."
The English word "Hell" also
presents problems because it has been used to translate the Greek words
"Geenna" and "Hades," neither of which signifies a place of
unending torment or even separation from God. Geenna was (and eventually may be
again) a garbage dump outside
Individual believers who so desire may still
use the word "hell" to convey the fact that God will deal seriously
in His corrective judgment.
23. Revelation 21:4-5
4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former
things have passed away."
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things
new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and
faithful."
This passage should be taken at face value as
saying that God is really going to make all people new. But how do we square
that with the prevailing belief that sin, death, and separation from God will
face most of the people who ever lived? To solve that problem, numerous
otherwise faithful Bible believers "revise" or
"reinterpret" these verses to fit the false concept of eternal
torment. They do this because, sad to say, they have decided that an
everlasting "death" in the Lake of Fire is an important Christian
doctrine that must be preserved, in spite of what Bible verses like Revelation
21:4-5 are saying.
Didn’t Paul say that believers in Christ
"sorrow not" like lost people who have no hope (I Thessalonians
4:13)? But if believers know that deceased, unsaved friends and loved ones are
going to be tormented forever and ever, wouldn’t they have even greater
sorrow than unbelievers?
The only way there can be no more death,
sorrow, crying, or pain is for God, through Christ Jesus, to completely
eliminate them. The only way He can do that is if all people come to Christ
with repentant hearts. Do you believe that will happen?
The Bible says in several places that at the
name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). Which is
to be taken most seriously: Philippians 2:10-11 or human "doctrinal
statements" that affirm eternal separation?
24. I Timothy 2:3-6
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ
Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
In verses 1-3 of I Timothy, Chapter two, Paul
exhorts believers to pray for all mankind. One motive he lists for universal
prayer arises from God’s sovereign will. God encourages prayer for all because
He wills that all mankind be saved (verse 3) and that all come to the knowledge
of the truth. As Peter put it, "God…is not willing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9).
Human will opposes the truth of salvation
because man’s will is presently in bondage and God has locked them all up in
disobedience (Romans 11:32). As we have seen, this will change when sin is
"set aside" (Hebrews 9:26), and when the devil’s works are all
destroyed (I John 3:8). God welcomes prayers for all lost people because He,
who is the Savior of the lost, wills ultimately to bring salvation to all (see
Lamentations 3:31-33). That ultimate salvation of all is predicated on the
sacrifice of Christ and the will of God—not upon human works or man’s
willingness to believe. God has a plan (prothesis) and works all things
according to the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:11). Remember, all people
have been consigned to disobedience (Romans 11:32) so He could be merciful to
all.
When Paul says that God "desires"
(Gr. thelo-qelo) the salvation of all men (v. 4), it is not a vague
hope or well-intentioned desire, but a divine decree leading to a glorious
universal future event in which God becomes all in all
(I Corinthians 15:28). Let the joyous
message of I Timothy 2:3-4) be gladly embraced by all believers. It is central
to understanding many aspects of God’s dealings with humans over the centuries.
The words of I Timothy 2:5-6 show that the
man Christ Jesus became a ransom and that He gave Himself voluntarily as a
mediator. God the Son was the only man who could have performed this
mediatorial mission. There is another "acceptable" (but neglected)
aspect of Christ’s gift, which ought also be affirmed: all people
are finally included in redemption (v. 6). This redemption is effective for
all—not only for believers who are the elect of the age. God wills all to be
saved so Christ became the ransom for all. And Paul again notes that it will be
"testified in due time." Let us be glad and extol our God for
Christ’s great love, the parameters of which (i.e. width, length, depth, and
height) surpass all human knowledge. (Ephesians 3:17-20)
25. I Timothy 4:9-11
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
11 These things command and teach.
At the beginning and at the end of I Timothy
4:9-l 1, there are salient statements about its supreme value. In
verse 9, Paul asserts that these words are trustworthy and deserve widespread
acceptance. This means that they are not to be opposed, doubted, or revised. He
tells Timothy that the plain teaching of these truths demanded great personal
effort on Paul’s part and caused him to suffer defamation. Paul worked hard and
endured reproach to affirm that the living God is the Savior of all
men, not just certain men. Paul added, of course, that there is a special
feature of salvation applicable only to those who believe now, but he does not
suggest that the unique salvation of believers in any way negates, abolishes,
or detracts from the ultimate salvation of all at a later time. It is
"ultimate" because other Bible passages clearly teach that the
reconciliation of non-believers will come after God has wrought wondrous
changes in them by His chastening (pruning), bringing them at last to full
knowledge of the truth in Christ.
Finally, Paul told Timothy to command
(charge) and teach others about all this. Timothy was also supposed to relate
these faithful sayings without apology and he was to proclaim boldly the
salvation of all. Thus, all acceptation ought to be given to the
fact that God is the Savior of all men.
TURA concepts should give us a more adequate
understanding of our entire Christian walk. TURA ought to lead us to view
individual Christians in a favorable light, even if they disagree on the finer
points of doctrine and practice. TURA people will see every person (saved or
lost) as a candidate for possible salvation now (if God so wills) and, at
least, as one who will be reconciled to God in the consummation. This should
give us more love and patience with all people.
Let us also be humble in the light of Church
history. We who understand TLJRA are not the only ones who have been
enlightened on this important subject. The apostles who wrote the New Testament
obviously saw it, too, because TURA is brought up either directly or obliquely
in most New Testament books. Undoubtedly, the belief was held by early
Christians who sat under the apostles’ teaching and who passed it along to
their disciples. Later, a large section of the Alexandrian Church adopted TURA.
TURA advocates should avoid doctrinal pitfalls. History shows that some believers
in TURA took it out of perspective while at the same time they neglected other
important biblical truths. They began to abandon such matters as the deity of
Christ, the necessity of the blood atonement, and the inspiration of Scripture.
Let us learn from their sad experience that our adversary can use almost any
biblical truth taken out of perspective to distort the gospel. Some church
denominations that teach TURA have now abandoned almost all other precious
Bible truths! This was not caused by their belief in TURA, but by its abuse and
by the neglect of other Bible subjects. Every word in the Bible about God’s
wise judgment, wrath, and punishment will come to pass exactly as He has said.
It is not our intent to detract in any way from these fearful statements. We
simply say that the Bible shows God’s indignation to be temporary and
corrective, not permanent and vindictive.
Let us be ready to absorb misdirected
chastening from fellow believers who jump to the conclusion that the concept of
ultimate reconciliation is a kind of "heresy" or false doctrine that
neglects God’s judgment altogether and somehow detracts from the saving work of
Christ. Although in error, they may be acting from a sincere desire to protect
biblical truth. Some of us would have taken a similar stand before we were led
to consult the original languages in place of faulty versions that introduced
words such as everlasting, eternal, hell, etc. Remember that Paul himself faced
some opposition to TURA as evidenced by his saying, ". . .to this end we both labor and suffer
reproach..." (I Timothy 4:10). That phrase clearly ties in with Paul’s
teaching of TURA.
In summary, let us speak and write of this
important subject as God enables. May we evangelize with TURA included because
it is indeed part of the gospel, but may we avoid divisive controversy and
argumentation over this subject lest we fall into a pugilistic attitude
condemned by Paul in II Timothy 2:14 and 16. Let us befriend believers and
non-believers alike, whether or not they express faith in the gospel and/or
TURA. All people who currently reject Christ will, in the consummation, become
God’s children. Remember that He is a faithful Creator. All people are objects
of Christ’s sacrifice, and folk with whom we will praise God—in the rapture or
in the consummation. Please realize that many Christian people who reject TURA
may otherwise fare quite well at the bema, having served God faithfully! Also
know that some believers who balk at TURA now may accept and promote it sometime
in the future. Some Christians hold a private belief in TURA, but do not make
it a matter of public record for various reasons. And, perhaps most important
of all is the fact that we can let God’s peace rule in our own hearts and lives
to an extent otherwise impossible.
A great evangelical Bible teacher and Bible
college administrator of the early 20th century had originally embraced TURA in his younger
years. Then he rejected it and strongly opposed those who taught the
reconciliation of all. In his later years, he confessed that it would be the
happiest day of his life if he (once again) could accept the idea that all will
ultimately find peace with God through Christ Jesus. Understanding this, may we
become the happiest people, on earth as we praise God for all He has done.
Remember that all of the following themes occur repeatedly in the Bible; people
are not cast off from God forever, God delights in mercy, Christ is always the
same, all will end up in Christ, God will become all in all, judgment is temporary,
no one can be separated from God forever, sin will be destroyed, the devil will
be rendered powerless, love endures all, tears will be abolished, death is not
permanent, sin will be set aside, mercy endures forever, punishment is
corrective, and Christ’s saving work was a total victory. Let our minds dwell
on these truths.
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TURA