Are Believers or Unbelievers Saved?

The answer to this question depends on whether you follow the mainstream evangelical church (MEC) or the Bible.

The MEC teaches that a person is saved only if they believe the gospel, repent of their sins, and accept Jesus as their Saviour (or some similar process). 
In other words, salvation follows personal belief - a person is not saved until they become a believer and act upon that belief.
Accordingly, salvation is exclusively for believers.

The first Bible verse I encountered that created doubt for me about the MEC position was written by Paul to his apprentice Timothy.

This is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 
[1 Timothy 4 : 10  NIV]

True, believers are special because they understand and appreciate God's truth and live in peace and positive hope about their future. 
Nevertheless, the Bible says that salvation is clearly for all people, believers and unbelievers.

Equally, when writing to believers in the Roman province of Asia, John tells them (speaking of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One):

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]

The MEC agrees that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but then claims this sacrifice is just the starting point, saying that salvation is now only possible or available for all. 
To complete the salvation process, a person needs to become a believer thus taking advantage of salvation's availability.

Again, Jesus didn't wait for people to become believers to save them, he died for sinners, unbelievers.

When we were unable to help ourselves [still helpless/weak], at the right [or appointed] time, Christ died for us sinners [the ungodly/wicked].
[Romans 5 : 6 EXB]

Clearly, Jesus saved unbelievers, not believers as is usually thought and taught.
Indeed, Jesus Christ never saved (died for) a believer.
Believers came into existence only after Jesus had completed His salvation mission and they became aware of it.

So there is hope for everyone as we all start out as unbelievers.
Isn't that interesting? 
The only qualification needed for a person to be saved is to be an unbeliever. 

Subsequently, at some point of God's choosing, each person will be "called", given faith to believe the good news about what Jesus accomplished for mankind on the cross ...

For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ. 
But each one will be raised in proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him. 
[1 Corinthians 15 : 22, 23  GNT]

and be indwelt by the Holy Spirit ...

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
[Romans 8 : 11 NLT]

and be equipped to become an active participant in God's kingdom.

For it is God who is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him.
[Philippians 2 : 13  ISV]

Believers, who have already been called, given faith and responsibilities in the kingdom, live in peace and in appreciation of their future hope.
For unbelievers, their time must come, for Jesus has promised ...

"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.”
[John 12 : 32 GNT]

Blessings, Barry
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

God's Successful Plan

One of my very best friends, who is almost as big a Bible junkie as I am, just can't believe that all of creation will eventually be reconciled to God.

He acknowledges what the Bible says in verses like

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Christ), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
[Colossians 1 : 19-20 NIV]

For God had allowed us to know the secret of his plan, and it is this: he purposes in his sovereign will that all human history shall be consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in Heaven or earth shall find its perfection and fulfilment in him. 
[Ephesians 1: 9 - 10 Phillips]

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
[1 Corinthians 15 : 22 NIV]

For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. [Romans 11 : 32 NIV]

and genuinely hopes this really might happen 
BUT ...
just can't believe people like Hitler will ever accept God's offer of salvation.

There are three major problems here.

First: Salvation is not a Gift.
 
God's salvation does not depend on people's acceptance of it.
God doesn't offer salvation as a gift to be accepted or rejected. He has already graciously given it through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.
It's a done deal.

God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to himself—not counting their sins against them—and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation. [2 Cor 5 : 19 Phillips]

A bit like someone putting a million dollars in your bank account rather than offering the money in cash for you to accept or not. It's in your account - it's already in the bank - it's a done deal.

Let me share a real-life illustration of this happening in 2018.
A couple from our church dined at a local High Street Italian restaurant. After finishing their meal, the husband went to pay the bill. The waitress told him there was no need as the bill had already been paid.
He contested this, saying he still had a debt to pay. Then the waitress explained that a local High Street trader has a table selected for each sitting and that he always covers the bill from that table.
So my friend and his wife had no debt to pay - it had already been taken care of before they had even eaten, and no matter how much the bill might have come to.

That's how it is with our sins. They have already been paid for - 2000 years ago. We have no debt to pay, our salvation was secured on the cross of Calvary centuries ago. It was all God's doing, we had nothing to do with it - it's a done deal.

Second: Jesus' Sacrifice Was Successful
 
Either Jesus was successful in His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, or He wasn't.
All Christians I have met, including my friend, will agree that Jesus' mission to die for the sins of the world was successful. But then, illogically, assert that all will not be saved because some will not choose to accept God's gracious gift, thus contradicting their initial assessment of Jesus' success.

He (Jesus) himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. [1 John 2 : 2 NLT]

And when I (Jesus) am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself. [John 12 : 32 NLT]

Third: God is Sovereign and Will Always Get His Way
 
Although God has chosen to save all, skeptics believe many (most) people will choose not to be saved and therefore overrule God's choice. In other words, the created being will overrule the Creator and His plans for His creation.

But who are you, my friend, to talk back to God? A clay pot does not ask the man who made it, "Why did you make me like this?"
After all, the man who makes the pots has the right to use the clay as he wishes, and to make two pots from the same lump of clay, one for special occasions and the other for ordinary use. [Romans 9 : 20 - 21 GNB]

People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord's will is going to be done. [Proverbs 19 : 21 GNB]

God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.
[Ephesians 1 : 11 BV]

Believing salvation is a done deal, Jesus' sacrifice was completely successful and God's sovereignty will make sure His plan for the full reconciliation of His creation is achieved is the correct Biblical view and gives God the honour and respect He deserves.

Blessings, Barry

Christmas Celebrations

Many more Australians celebrate Christmas than there are Christians in the nation. I believe this is because we have replaced Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ with family gatherings, parties, elaborate exchanges of gifts and extended holidays.

In my younger, more agile years, I decorated our house and front yard with lots of lights and colourful characters. They were not of Santa or reindeer or Christmas trees, but of the manger, the angel, the star and the characters from the original Christmas story. 

I did my best to convey the true message of Christmas to show why those celebrations were relevant - the real reason for the season - the extraordinary birth of the Son of God into our world to become its Saviour. 

Jesus, the immortal Son of the Father in heaven, humbled himself and came to earth to become mortal flesh. God prepared a body of flesh for His Son, similar but not the same as ours, and placed it as a living embryo in the womb of the virgin Mary.

For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God:
“You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me.
[Hebrews 10 : 5  GNB]

And, in this body of mortal flesh, in the likeness of our sinful flesh,  He died for the sins of the whole world.

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
[Romans 8 : 3  NKJV]

Isn't there so much that God does that is way beyond our human comprehension? 
We, the created, have little chance of understanding the plans and ways of the Creator. The best we can do is to know "the what" of God's doings and just conjecture and wonder about "the hows and whys", although the Bible does give us clues from time to time.

So we celebrate Jesus' arrival on earth as a babe at Christmas, not just because it was a  miraculous birth, but because his purpose in coming was to rescue us - by destroying sin and reconciling us all to God.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Christmas as we celebrate Jesus' birth and enjoy the Church services, family gatherings and travel on our very busy roads. 

Blessings, Barry

BTW, the picture above shows the most decoration I can manage these days, and even that by using a painting I was able to purchase from a friend.
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

Salvation is Gold

Evangelicals usually preach that people are saved when they admit they're sinners, repent or turn from their sins, believe that Jesus died for them, and accept Jesus into their hearts.
In other words, a mixture of their actions and their faith is what gets people saved. And this is called the good news. 

But there is much better good news than that. God doesn't need our assistance or our faith to complete anyone's salvation, to complete what Jesus supposedly "began" on the cross.

Jesus said, "It is finished!" when he died on the cross. There was nothing more to be done. The rescue mission on which God had sent His Son was completed.

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. 
[John 19 : 30  NASB]

Jesus died for the sins of the world - every sin of everyone was covered by Jesus' death on the cross.

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]
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
[1 John 4 : 14  NKJV]

We don't have to believe it for it to be so. But we do have to believe it to appreciate and enjoy it, and to begin a life of joyous hope and blessing.

This thought from Francois du Toit helps to illustrate the true nature of our salvation.
"Gold does not become gold when you discover it."
In other words, gold has always been gold, whether you have discovered it or not.

Salvation follows this golden pattern. Salvation has always been salvation for over 2000 years, whether you have discovered it or not.

But eventually you will, as will everyone else, as this have been God's plan for all of humanity from the beginning of the world.

That is, in Christ, he chose us before the world was made so that we would be his holy people—people without blame before him.
Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ.
[Ephesians 1 : 4, 5a  NCV]

So a time of discovery has been allocated for each of us.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each one in his own order…
[1 Corinthians 15 :  22, 23a  NIV]

Yes, salvation is a permanent feature of God's world - eventually to be discovered and enjoyed by all.

Blessings, Barry
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

Was Jesus Successful?

I believe Colossians 1: 16 - 20.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
... For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (NIV)

Because I believe this, I don't believe the usual message of the Christian religion.
The usual Christian message is that God's plan for His Son to die for the sin of the world has failed and will continue to fail. 
Apparently, it is understood that the sin of unbelief was not covered by Jesus' death on the cross.
Man's so-called free will, which allows man to not believe the gospel message, conquers God's will and intention to save (reconcile) the whole world.

Personally, I find it blasphemy to believe that evil (sin of any kind) will triumph over the death of the risen Christ.

In any case, the success of God's plan to save the world does not depend on the faith or belief of mankind. It depends on the faith of Jesus in trusting and obeying his Father, so dying on the cross for all of humanity's sin.

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]

You really can't get too far off course if you stick to the Bible!
Blessings, Barry
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

The Salvation Journey

Many people believe salvation is the result of the freewill choice of each individual as they repent of their sins and accept Jesus into their hearts - it is the responsibility of each individual to obtain their own salvation if/when given the opportunity.
I don't see how that fits what I see in the Bible. For me ...

1. Salvation is the purpose and provision of God

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
[1 Timothy 4 : 10  ESV]

which was transacted by Jesus about 2000 years ago

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]

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 
[2 Corinthians 5 : 18, 19  NIV]

Everyone has already been saved - whether they know it or not, believe it of not.
This is a universal, unalterable fact - God's sovereign decision faithfully put into effect by His Son, Jesus Christ.

2. All people will eventually hear this gospel, the good news described in step 1.
Maybe once or many times, in this lifetime or the next.
(Millions may never hear the gospel in their time on this planet, but will do so eventually, maybe at the Great White Throne judgement.)

Jesus said, " ... And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
[John 12 : 30 ... 32  NIV]

God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. 
This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
[Ephesians 1 : 9, 10  GNT]

3. After hearing the gospel, God gives faith to believe the truth of the message.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 
[Romans 10 : 17  NIV]

4. This awareness and appreciation of the good news creates change in the hearer which has two aspects: repentance - change from ignorance or rebellion in the heart, and conversion - change towards grateful submission to God in lifestyle.

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 
[1 John 2 : 3  NIV]

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that he may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth.
[John 14 : 15 - 17  UASV]

It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him.
[Philippians 2 : 13  GW]

It's a God plan through and through. We can take no credit for it, not even for any good things we might do after our conversion.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! 
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 
For from him and through him and to him are all things. 
To him be glory forever. Amen.
[Romans 11 :33 - 36  ESV]

Blessings, Barry 
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au

Universalism is Christian

I am often labelled a "universalist" because of my belief that God will eventually save or reconcile all his creation. I base this belief on verses like Romans 5 : 18 

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. [ESV]

However, my universalist position is only possible because of what Jesus has done: I definitely do not belong to the "all roads lead to heaven" variety. I therefore call myself a Christian Universalist because Christ is the foundation of, and reason for, my belief.
 
So I am more like Karl Barth who is quoted as saying, "I don’t believe in universalism, but I do believe in Jesus Christ, the reconciler of all."

Although Karl Barth is often quoted as saying this, or something very like it, I have not found it for myself in any of his writings. He may have said it in interviews or other conversations, but I can't find those exact words in any of his published works.

However, he did stress the universal scope of Christ's work and seemed to warn against putting limits on it. He probably can best be described as having a faith-based hope in it, rather than believe it as a logical certainty.

So if  "I don’t believe in universalism, but I do believe in Jesus Christ, the reconciler of all" is not Karl Barth's exact quotation, am I then free to claim it as my position?
However, I additionally believe that "the salvation of all" can be logically derived from correct translations of the Scriptures, rather than just be hoped for (by faith).

Many previous posts in this BLOG demonstrate that logic, as do others that refute opposing positions to the Christian universalist view.

Blessings, Barry
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Other published Writings at https://www.ibtechservices.com.au