Beautifully Hidden in Plain Sight – Christianity of Opinions vs the Bible
“Without verses, our opinions become our idol” – Anonymous
(i) Is Judgment equal to Mercy in duration or principle?
Judgment is not eternal nor equal to Mercy for even the harshest Judgment which shows no Mercy to its perpetrator is triumphed over by Mercy eventually (literal context of James 2:13).
(ii) Is Mercy “only” for believers?
Mercy is not reserved to the ‘Elect only’ but eventually to “all” way past all Judgment theme as even Romans 11 concludes (literal context of the “Last” verse concluding this fact being Romans 11:32).
That is, Mercy being applied to “All” is the “Final Say” of God past any afterlife Judgment too as the context of Romans 11 testifies literally.
(iii) Is Christ’s Atonement “limited” to “only” believers?
Nope, not at all as His Propitiation (“ending” or “turning away” of the “wrath of God”) will apply to both “us” (believers) and the “rest of the world” as the literal context of 1 John 2:2 mentions this (e.g. the “all” justified freely in Romans 3:22 & Romans 3:24 is the “same all who sinned” in Romans 3:23 which also is literally defined in Scripture first as “all in the world” in Romans 3:19).
(iv) Can the Gospel be preached to the dead or isn’t it Judgment “only”?
After we die, Judgment follows (Hebrews 9:27). This is not the End as often erred in popular exegesis.
Afterlife Judgment (context of 1 Peter 4:5 set first) is explained in the subsequent verse as “Judgment in the Flesh” (body & soul destroyed in Hell first) but is also accompanied by the “Gospel preached the dead” & the final outcome is Mercy where that same one will “live to God in the spirit” as this process is mentioned in 1 Peter 4:6.
The “dead” in 1 Peter 4:6 is the “same dead” which is “Judged” in 1 Peter 4:5 (context defined by Scripture). Believers don’t come under “afterlife Judgment” (John 5:24) & thus the “dead” who are “judged” in 1 Peter 4:5 – 6 in the “afterlife” (context of 1 Peter 4:5) cannot refer to “believers” at all.
“Living to God” in the “spirit” in 1 Peter 4:6 hints on “Resurrection of the Dead” (1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 5:18 – 19) Where it refer to a “spiritual body” thereafter (1 Corinthians 15:44) as “God Wills to give” (1 Corinthians 15:38 – 39) to the “all” defined in context by 1 Corinthians 15:22 first with ‘believers highlighted’ as the ‘first’ (and not the ‘only’) recipients in the ‘order/turn set by God’ (1 Corinthians 15:23).
(v) How about Hell or afterlife punishments?
It is to the “age” only as Matthew 25:46 mentions this singular-age. Yes, even the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is punished to a singular future age only (Matthew 12:32).
The context of “not forgiven” is not eternal as it is mentioned as referring to a “time period” of “two ages, exactly”, namely the “current one and next one” as the literal context of Matthew 12:32 describes this in “full” using Christ’s Own Words “only”.
The Biblical fact that there are at least “two” future “ages” to come (not including the current one) as mentioned literally in Ephesians 2:7 implies that the “next age-singular” for afterlife punishments too (e.g.as referred to in Matthew 12:32) must “End”.
The “body and soul” being destroyed in Hell (Matthew 10:28) as “Judgment in the Flesh to the dead” (1 Peter 4:5 – 6) ends up with only the “spirit” existing which will “live to God” (1 Peter 4:6).
Please notice that “body, soul and spirit” are distinct as mentioned separately in this single verse (in 1 Thessalonians 5:23) and 1 Peter 3:18-19 records these “spirits” in ‘afterlife prison’ existing after their “body + soul” are destroyed in Hell having the Gospel preached to them by Christ agreeing Perfectly to the Generalisation of this previously hidden fact regarding “the dead” (1 Peter 4:5 – 6) which is only possible ‘after Christ’ as Holy Scripture records literally.
The triumph of Mercy and Reconciliation thereafter to “all” must thus be later (Romans 11:32, James 2:13, Colossians 1:20).
(vi) Which all?
“All things Created” is mentioned in Colossians 1:16 which will eventually be reconciled back to Him by Christ Alone in Colossians 1:20 and only during this moment of reconciliation, His Propitiation applies (1 Timothy 2:6) and “their sins = the world’s sins” (object referred to in 2 Corinthians 5:19, literally) will NOT be “counted against them anymore” ending the Wrath of God upon them too (1 John 2:2) agreeing to the rest of Scripture “as it is written” (1 John 4:14).
(vii) “Only” believers
Scripture which speaks of believers refer to “believers first, being more special” But it does NOT exclude the rest as “other” Scripture reveals these aspects especially in the New Testament verses when read (Colossians 1:26).
For example, the fact that “God Will Save All men” eventually (1 Timothy 2:4) is concluded as a Fact in 1 Timothy 4:10 Beautifully contrasting it with “those who believe” as “more special” (proving “Scripturally” that “All men” vs “those who believe” are different definitions in these ‘factual, non-idiomatic, non-parabolic, non-figure-of-speech verses, literally).
In fact, in the context of “All Israel” being “saved” (Romans 11:26) from “their sins” (Romans 11:27) is a “Secret or Mystery” of the Gospel too (Romans 11:25) way past ‘all afterlife Judgment sentences too’ as the context of Romans 11 demands (e.g. Romans 11:7, Romans 11:8 – 10).
The fact that ‘Mercy Triumphs these afterlife Judgments’ is spoken in a ‘mystery’ (hence it’s veiled, Romans 11:25) and their stumbling is not eternal (Romans 11:11) and their acceptation past this temporal rejection is certain too (Romans 11:12) and will cause the ‘reconciliation of the world’ (Romans 11:15) as this ‘same Mercy’ which saves “all” Israel eventually (Romans 11:26) even toward the “Enemies of the Gospel” (including them as well as the context of Romans 11:28 proves) will eventually apply to “all” as well (Romans 11:32, the last verse describing all these) and is the meaning of being “Beloved eternally despite being enemies temporally” as ‘implied’ by God’s Free “Irrevocable” Gift and Calling.
“Believers” being “more special” (1 Timothy 4:10) or “highlighted” as the “First” recipients of His Perfect Gift of Salvation in the “present time, now” (please note these phrases, and NOT for ‘all time’ or the ‘only’ ones saved, NOT written & the word ‘only’ is NOT found in any of the verses which they quote either) is proven by verses such as Romans 11:5 and Romans 3:26; yes, please note the phrase “present time” or “Now” in these verses highlighting. And not limiting this Salvation to believers ‘only’, deep exegesis).
Isn’t it amazing how we misread Scripture than what is actually written?
God is Perfectly Good to “all” (Psalm 145:9, Luke 6:35, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 5:44). Best is, God never changes from all these Faithfulness (Romans 3:3 – 4, 2 Timothy 2:3).
There is Hope beyond this life:
“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:19, NASB)
Conclusion
Definition & Context is found in Holy Scripture in verses surrounding it for each claim quoted absent of any opinions of any man.
“Lord Jesus Christ is NOT like us as the Beautiful Saviour has only one type of Jealousy which is to bring all back to God (2 Corinthians 5:19, Colossians 1:20). Don’t worry, God doesn’t Fail & just believe” – Unknown
“Where are your verses?” – Anonymous
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