Response to Universal Reconciliation Opposition - Part 3

This is the third in a mini-series of posts responding to the arguments offered by Dr Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum (Dr Arnold) against God's plan to eventually reconcile and save all His creation.

His arguments against Universal Reconciliation (UR) are offered under five headings, the first of which is a. The Scriptures Used. (see a previous post "Opposition to Universal Reconciliation" here)

Under the a. The Scriptures Used heading Dr Arnold quotes five (carefully chosen) texts that he claims teachers use to prove the truth of a second probation, as Dr Arnold calls it.

He says, Basically they point to five passages of Scripture ...  The third passage is Colossians 1 : 20, which states that God will reconcile all things unto himself, both in the earth and in the heavens.

and through him (Christ) 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 : 20  NIV]

Dr Arnold's objection is that in this verse reconciliation does not mean all are saved. In fact, the very term "reconciliation" only means that all are savable. They still must believe and if they die without believing there is no further opportunity.

There are three parts to this objection - the meaning of reconciliation, the need to believe and no after-death opportunities.

Firstly, the meaning of reconciliation.
I can't find any dictionary that offers a definition of reconciliation as making people savable.
My Oxford dictionary offers five meanings for the verb "reconcile":
1. Make friendly after estrangement (between people)
2. Purify (a consecrated place after desecration)
3. Make acquiescent or contentedly submissive
4. Heal, settle (a quarrel)
5. Harmonize, make compatible

To me, people who have been reconciled to God have had their relationship to God saved (to get the word "saved" into the discussion), even if they aren't aware of it during their life on this planet in their earth-suit.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.
[2 Cor 5 : 19  NIV]

because

(God) desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.
[1 Timothy 2 : 4 - 6  NIV]

Why would God bother to reconcile the world to Himself, inflicting such humiliation and suffering on His Son, if He didn't plan to save us all?
Making a distinction between reconciliation and salvation seems quite a stretch for me.

In any case, Paul speaks specifically of the joint ministry of Jesus' death and resurrection in his letter to the Romans - we are reconciled to God by Jesus' death and saved through his life.

For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life.
[Romans 5 : 10  NIV]

Secondly, the need to believe.
God is surely the Saviour of the whole world, including current unbelievers.

That 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]
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.
[Titus 2 : 11  ESV]
And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.
[1 John 2 : 2  GNB]

So do people need to believe in order to be saved?
No, not at all. 
God has already taken care of our salvation 2000 years ago without any input from us.
So what's this thing about believing?
You can only believe in something that already exists. (If you believe in things that don't exist you are a strange person indeed.)

God chooses to give faith to some so they can appreciate, experience and enjoy the salvation that Jesus has already won for them - as well as become His messengers of reconciliation.
These are the "especially" people mentioned in 1 Timothy 4 : 10 above.
Those not given faith while in their earth-suits, whose salvation has also been won, will need to wait until the Great White Throne judgement to appreciate what Jesus has done for them.

Salvation is our joy right now as God gives faith to those He has chosen to be the advance party (the Body of Christ), and will be the joy of those not in the Book of Life who will see Jesus and come to the knowledge of the truth at the Great White Throne.

So 'yes' we do need to believe, but not so that we will be saved, but to appreciate the salvation already granted to us.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them.
And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
[2 Cor 5 : 19  NLT]

Thirdly, no after death opportunities.
I can't find a text to support or refute Dr Arnold's opinion that people have no after death opportunities.
However God does have a plan for His creation.

With all wisdom and understanding, he (God) made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
[Ephesians 1 : 8 - 10  NIV]

This plan, motivated by God's love for His creation, must be implemented, since God is in sovereign control.
So my logic tells me that
if God's plan is to bring unity to all things, and
if God has already reconciled the world to Himself, and
if God is the Saviour of the world
then people who do not believe in the Saviour Jesus before they die will do so after they die.
Otherwise
God doesn't achieve His unity plan, and
God has not reconciled the world to Himself, and
God is not the Saviour of the world, and
Jesus was not successful on the cross, and
God is not the God of love and sovereignty I serve.

Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Romans 11 : 36  MSG]

Blessings, Barry