What Can I Do For You? -- by Bob Dylan

"You've done it all, and there's no more anyone can pretend to do. 
What can I do for You?" 

Amazing theology in this song!

Scriptural Support for Universal Reconciliation

Revelation 22:14-15:  "Blessed are those who wash their robes, ^F64 so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."  This is a vision of stuff after the Great White Throne Judgment.  So people apparently can repent afterwards.  I've heard people like Dr. James White say they find nothing in Scripture that could even remotely suggest the possibility of a post-mortem second chance.  That's quite strong language in the face of these two verses.

The living God, Who is the Savior of all people

I've been listening for a while now to the Rethinking Hell podcast, run by Chris Date and Dr. Glenn Peoples and some others, trying to learn as much as I can.  While I find their insights a welcome relief from the insanity of the Eternal Conscious Torment doctrine, at the end of the day Conditionalism/Annihilationism is still depressing.

Paul said that God is the Savior of all people, especially (not 'particularly') of those who believe (1 Tim. 4:10).  Paul also said that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:11).  And this:  "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Cor 12:3).  He also said that through Jesus God would "reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Col 1:20).  How about Romans 5:18:  "even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

John said "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2).

The gates of the New Jerusalem are always open and the invitation is given out to those who are thirsty to come and drink from the water of the river of life (Rev. 22:17).

Wake Up Dead Man

Who's the Dead Man in the song?  Certainly not Jesus, though maybe the one singing might have started out feeling that way.  We all need to wake up.  Some of us have (thanks only to God). 

It'll all be all right some day.

Doug Wilson believes in Eternal Conscious Torment, but I don't.

Posted this on Doug Wilson's Blog and Mablog: 

There is definitely wrath for sin, which Jesus bore. The lake of fire is God's hammer to soften everyone that He does not soften in this lifetime. Read Philippians 2:10-11: "so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 1 Cor 12:3: "no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit." Rev. 22:17 describes the call given *after* the lake of fire judgment: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."

Rob Bell may be doing a disservice by only asking provocative questions, but there are solid answers, and the truth turns out to be kind in the end. Praise God!

Reepicheep - Clark and Van Til

I'm glad to hear that Clark and Van Til eventually reconciled.
Reepicheep - Clark and Van Til
Thanks to Turretinfan for the link.

Reveleation 1:1 Tachos

Why do the ESV and the KJV and the NASB translate 'tachos' Rev. 1:1 as 'soon'.  The word means 'quickly'.  In other words, no mention of when it will happen, but when it starts to happen, hold on to your hats, because it's all going to happen rapidly. 

So all these Dispensation-bashers can stuff it.  It doesn't say 'soon'.

For my part, I believe there's much to learn from Preterists, A-Millenialists, and even Post-Millenialists, while I still hold to the Pre-Millenial position as the most natural reading of the texts.  The Post-Mils are correct, I believe, in saying that the general state of things will improve (maybe even in a sawtooth pattern, but upwards in general) because of the influence of the Church.  But they're incorrect in denying the actualness of the Tribulation and the revealing of Christ in the way Revelation and Daniel (and Zechariah, and Ezekiel, etc...) depict.  That's just the crowning crisis of the sawtooth process.

God is the Potter, we are the pots

I believe we have totally overblown the word "choose".  How many sermons emphasize the word "choose".  "I choose to follow You" (Brian Doerksen), "Everyday, I choose my fate" (Switchfoot), "I Choose to Believe" (Phillips, Craig & Dean). Erwin McManus's sermons are loaded with the term. 

It's an insertion of the supposed autonomous will of man, that mysterious element I used to believe in which I called free will.  That thing fundamental to my being which motivates me to go in one direction or another.

But it's an illusion.  Free Will is nothing other than the ability to act according to ones biggest desire.  It is not this supposed random number generator that could choose one way or another, independent of the input influences.  The "I choose" concept, commonly understood by most Christians, is nowhere found in Scripture, and is an idol.

It doesn't give freedom anyway.  It takes it away.  What in the supposed autonomous free will of man causes him to choose one way or another?  If it's my decision that I'd rather be good than bad, or I'd rather put myself on the trajectory to Glory than the trajectory to horror and ruin, then what caused this decision?  Prior acts of the will, whatever they are.  I.e., are my choices determined?  If not, then they're random, and so they're at the whim of randomness, and "I" have nothing to do with it.  Too bad for me, if randomness sends me to Hell.  Lucky me, if randomness sends me to Heaven.  It's either good me/bad me or lucky me/unlucky me.  Neither of which is Scriptural.

There's another alternative.  God is the Potter; His providence, His hand, His power influences us in the way He wants us to grow, and is the ultimate cause of our destiny.  This is the essence of Monergism.