ONE FAMILY PLAN
He is the Savior of the WHOLE WORLD!
"And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD." (1 John 4:14, NIV) "...and we know that this man really is the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD." (John 4:42, NIV) "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD." (1 John 2:2, NIV)
He does NOT die for the WHOLE WORLD only to FAIL in the acquiring of His goal! This is why He offers the 99 for 1 parable. He leaves out NOBODY!
"...will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" (Matthew 18:12)
God loves the WHOLE WORLD.
"For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16)
God does NOT show favoritism.
"For GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM." (Romans 2:11)
"For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another]." (Romans 2:11, Amplified)
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But IF YOU SHOW FAVORITISM, YOU SIN and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers." (James 2:8-9)
"He said to them: 'You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL ANYONE IMPURE OR UNCLEAN.'"(Acts 10:28)
"Then Peter began to speak: 'I now realize how true it is that GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.'" (Acts 10:34-35)
What is His plan?
"For this is good and ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD our Saviour; WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself A RANSOM FOR ALL, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:3-6, KJV)
ALL will be saved. NOTHING short of this is acceptable in the sight of God.
Can He really do this?
"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jer 32:27, NIV)
Of course He can and He will!
"...God is love." (1 John 4:8)
"Love never fails..." (1 Cor 13:8)
God does EVERYTHING! He is COMPLETELY SOVEREIGN!
"The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD." (Isaiah 52:10, NIV) "And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and ALL MANKIND TOGETHER WILL SEE IT. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 40:5, NIV)
EVERY KNEE will bow and confess righteousness! WE people are not "forced" to bow against our "will" on the contrary, GOD WILLS ALL RIGHTEOUS!!
"that AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and EVERY TONGUE CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)
"Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, Every tongue shall take an oath. HE SHALL SAY, ' SURELY IN THE LORD I HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him..." (Isaiah 45:22-24, NKJV)
"...so that by the grace of God he might taste DEATH FOR EVERYONE." (Hebrews 2:9, NIV)
"He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets." (Acts 3:21)
"but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed HEIR OF ALL THINGS, and through whom he made the universe." (Hebrews 1:2)
"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was CONDEMNATION FOR ALL MEN, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings LIFE FOR ALL MEN." (Romans 5:18)
"who, by the POWER THAT ENABLES HIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:21)
"to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment TO BRING ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH TOGETHER UNDER ONE HEAD, EVEN CHRIST." (Ephesians 1:10-11)
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE." (2 Peter 3:9, KJV)
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME." (John 12:32, KJV) ...in context "lifted up" is referring to His crucifixion. this happened and ALL men WILL be drawn to Him!
"For the creature was made SUBJECT TO VANITY, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath SUBJECTED THE SAME IN HOPE, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:20-21, KJV)... remember we are saved by "hope" -- we haven't seen it yet.
...a perfect parallel:
"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. For as by one man's disobedience many [ALL] were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many [ALL] will be made righteous." (Romans 5:18-19, NKJV)
"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST." (Hebrews 8:11, KJV)
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN..."
(Titus 2:11, KJV)
"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the PEOPLE OF THE WORLD learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26:9, NIV)
We become "righteous" through HIS "judgments" - judgment is NOT an evil, everlasting punishment.
"Then I heard EVERY CREATURE IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH AND ON THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, SINGING: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'" (Revelation 5:13, NIV)
"We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, SO THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERYONE PERFECT IN CHRIST." (Colossians 1:28)
"The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD." (Isaiah 52:10)
"And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and ALL MANKIND TOGETHER WILL SEE IT. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 40:5)
"The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward ALL he has made." (Psalm 145:17)
"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.'" (Isaiah 65:1)
"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. ALL YOU HAVE MADE WILL PRAISE YOU, O LORD; your saints will extol you." (Psalm 145:8-10)
"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; ALL WHO GO DOWN TO THE DUST WILL KNEEL BEFORE HIM those who cannot keep themselves alive." (Psalm 22:27-29)
"Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. ALL THE EARTH BOWS DOWN TO YOU; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.' Selah" (Psalm 66:3-4)
HE was lifted up (on a cross) and ONLY HE will draw (Gk: literally, drag) US ALL!
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME." (John 12:32, KJV)
WE do NOT "choose" HIM! WE do NOTHING. HE "chose" US!
"YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU..." (John 15:16)
WE are completely powerless to come to HIM unless HE draws us...
"NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM..." (John 6:44, NKJV)
It is ALL GOD, EVERYTHING, ALL THE TIME. We are NOT the God of Salvation. People are NOT "saved" because we lead them in a prayer. WE take NO credit, 0! Salvation is ALL GOD's process. We will ALL be joint heirs, by God's choice... by God's plan.
His perfect will is that ALL be saved, that ALL be perfected.
"FOR MEN ARE NOT CAST OFF BY THE LORD FOREVER. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love." (Lamentations 3:31-32, NIV) "You, then, shall be PERFECT as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:48) "I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made PERFECT in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me."(John 17:23)
Salvation
Does all this "overcoming" happen in a 30 second "sinner's prayer?"
...To him that OVERCOMES, OVERCOMES, OVERCOMES, OVERCOMES, OVERCOMES, OVERCOMES! (of Rev. 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12)
"TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelation 3:21, KJV).
Since "salvation" is "presumed" to fall into one of the two camps, "once saved, always saved" and the "losing of our salvation," you can be assured there is bias in translating...
"...yet to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 1:18, CLT)
"...but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV)
"...but unto us who are saved it is the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 1:18, ASV)
This is a MAJOR difference!
"...those who are being saved..."
(2 Corinthians 2:15, CLT)
"...those who are being saved..."
(2 Corinthians 2:15, Holman Christian Standard Bible)
"...in them that are saved..."
(2 Corinthians 2:15, KJV)
We cannot assume translations to be accurate.
"...Who saves us..." (2 Timothy 1:9, CLT)
"...according to His mercy, He saves us..." (Titus 3:5, CLT)
"...I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus..." (2 Timothy 2:10, ESV)
He is "obtaining" the "salvation" by "enduring" they may also "obtain" the "salvation."
SAVED BY HOPE: Nobody is saved in this life:
"For WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Romans 8:24-25, KJV)
"We are saved by hope" means we haven't "seen" salvation yet, otherwise, why would we "hope" for it? Why are we going to "wait" for something "with patience" that we already have? We are still waiting for it!! Salvation is our hope!
EVERYBODY WILL BE SAVED, PERIOD.Â
...a perfect parallel:
"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. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."
(Romans 5:18-19, NKJV)
Many (ALL) were made sinners and many (ALL) will be made righteous. Through one man came death; through one man came life. There it is, clear as the sea of glass on which we will stand.
"FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, EVEN SO IN CHRIST ALL SHALL BE MADE ALIVE." (1 Corinthians 15:22)
The salvation of all is stated first in Genesis. Here's the plan:
"...saying to Abraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED...'" (Acts 3:25)
THERE WILL BE NO FAMILIES LEFT OUT OF THIS BLESSING!!
SALVATION OF ALL!
"The daily concern of the Parent is single-heartedly how best I can advance arrangements to save all of you." (Tenrikyo. Ofudesaki 14.35)
"We will make offering unto thee with worship, O Lord, and to the Right, That you may achieve through Good Mind the destiny of all creatures in the Dominion. For the salvation of the man of insight among such as you, O Wise One, will hold good for everyone."
(Zoroastrianism.
Avesta, Yasna 34.3)
"The Dharma of the Buddhas by the constant use of a single flavor Causes the several worlds universally to attain perfection, By gradual practice all obtain the Fruit of the Way."
(Buddhism. Â
Lotus Sutra 5)
"The Tathagatas do not enter ultimate liberation until all living beings have entered ultimate liberation." (Buddhism. Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti 4)
"'Should I fail to save all in need, I would never attain Enlightenment' My wondrous power by its great light Brightens countless lands throughout, Removes the darkness of the three defilements And delivers all from suffering and pain." (Buddhism. The Bodhi enlightened, Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra 9.1-5: Juseige)
"Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire... they will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills; for your Lord is the sure Accomplisher of what He plans." (Islam. Qur'an 11.106-07)
"God it is who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolators may be averse." (Islam. Qur'an 9.33)
"I testify that Thou art the Lord of all creation, and the Educator of all beings, visible and invisible. I bear witness that Thy power hath encompassed the entire universe, and that the hosts of the earth can never dismay Thee, nor can the dominion of all peoples and nations deter Thee from executing Thy purpose. I confess that Thou hast no desire except the regeneration of the whole world, and the establishment of the unity of its peoples, and the salvation of all them that dwell therein." (Baha'i Faith. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah 115)
"God did not call me for myself. He called me expecting that I would develop the universal personality [that can relate well with all people and things]."
(Unification Church. Â
Sun Myung Moon, 4-14-57)
"It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other--and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them
cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place." (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Doctrine and Covenants 128.18)
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that ONE DIED FOR ALL, and therefore all died." (2 Corinthians 5:14)
"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE." (Luke 2:10, NIV)
