Reading All of Scripture

Reading Scripture is one thing. Building a sound Biblical theology is another. 
I enjoy the challenge of forming a sound theological position on many Biblical topics and spend hours and hours in my retirement engaged in the pursuit of a clearer understanding of God, his purpose for his creation, and his dealings with us.

The fact that many different theologies can be derived from the same portions of Scripture surely demonstrates the extent of that challenge. How many books are written debating and contesting different theologies? How many Bible Colleges teach opposing theologies? How many different churches espouse different "statements of faith"?

With regard to the extravagant grace of God theme of this BLOG, and my website, it is disappointing that this particular view of Scripture is not believed by the majority of mainstream churches and theologians.

For example, the mainstream believes the eternal judgement/punishment/torment verses like

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
[Matthew 25 : 46  NIV]

as applying to those who end their time on this planet as unbelievers are foundational, the starting point, and dismiss or explain away the salvation of the world 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]

that challenge them.

This BLOG does the opposite. It believes the salvation of the world verses like

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

are consistent with the extravagant grace of a loving, sovereign God and then explains, rather than dismisses or ignores, the judgement/punishment verses like

Anyone whose name was not found in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
[Revelation 20 : 15  NIV]

as part of the process God uses to achieve that salvation result.

Clearly your starting point is vital to a correct theology; but so is your willingness to address and explain how other verses, that seem to challenge that theological position, might in fact be part of it.

Most of the posts on this BLOG over the past 15 years or so have promoted and explained the salvation of the world verses in various ways, but posts discussing the verses which might seem to oppose this view are also included. 

Indeed a whole series of 13 posts here titled "Response to Universal Reconciliation Opposition", together with Chapter 5 in "The Really Good News About God" and the Judgement and Questions sections on the IBTechservices.com.au website, all address opposing views and seemingly opposing verses rather than ignore or dismiss them.

I am open to any polite dialogue/debate in the Comments section of any post on the BLOG should readers feel there are some opposing verses or ideas that have not be given due consideration or BLOG space.

I might not have answers to all the questions that may be asked, but I have great confidence in the love, grace and sovereignty of the God I serve to achieve his purpose for all of his creation.

This is a good and acceptable thing before our savior God, who intends all human beings to be saved and to come to a full knowledge of the truth.
[1 Timothy 2 : 3, 4  DBH]

Blessings, Barry 

An Interesting Parallel

When reading both the Old and New Testaments, some interesting parallels come to the surface. I wish to share one of my favourites in this post.
I have been intrigued how many of the features of the story of Joseph closely mirror many in the life of Jesus.

Joseph was so disliked by his brothers that they decided to kill him. After reconsidering their plan, they sold him to a passing caravan of Midianite merchants on their way to Egypt instead.
Having so disposed of Joseph, they thought they would never see him or have to listen to his strange dreams again.

However this was not God's plan and Joseph became "Prime Minister" of Egypt and, in this role, became the saviour of the nation of Israel. 

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
[Genesis 45 : 5  NIV]

One "dead" Israelite "came to life" in a position of authority to save his fellow Israelites.
One became the saviour of them all.

Is this beginning to sound familiar?

Jesus was so disliked by his fellow Rabbis and Pharisees, that they found a way to have him killed. Having so disposed of Jesus, they thought they would never see him or have to listen to his teaching again.
However this was not God's plan and Jesus was resurrected and ascended to His Father, and in this role, became the saviour of the world. 

God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.[1 Timothy 2 : 3 - 4  NIV]

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.
[Hebrews 2 : 14  NLT]

One "dead" human "came to life" in a position of authority to save his fellow humans.
One became the saviour of us all.

I appreciate I have described Jesus' role in a very brief and crude way, but I have done so to enable the parallels between Joseph and Jesus to be more easily seen..

Can you share other "parallels" that you have discovered in the Scriptures?
Blessings, Barry