bimms@juno.com wrote:
How do you explain away where it says in Rom 11:32 that God
wll have mercy upon all men? How does this square with eternal
damnation? How could God have mercy upon all men, if he eternally
"damns"
many of them?
Hello,
Ro 11:32 reads:
"For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have
mercy on them all."
The real question here is, what kind of "mercy" is God talking about?
Does it mean universal salvation for all, or something else?
Actually the context shows something else. It is talking about the
Gentiles being able to go to Heaven, something not possible earlier.
Notice some details here:
"At Romans chapter 11 the apostle discusses God's display of
unparalleled wisdom and mercy in giving to the Gentiles an opportunity
to enter the heavenly Kingdom. The Gentiles were outside the
commonwealth of God's nation, Israel, and hence previously not the
recipients of the mercies resulting from covenant relationship with
God; and they also lived in disobedience to God. (Compare Ro 9:24-26;
Ho 2:23.) Paul explains that Israel first had the opportunity but that
they were, for the most part, disobedient. This resulted in opening up
the way for Gentiles to become part of the promised "kingdom of
priests and a holy nation." (Ex 19:5, 6) Paul concludes: "For God has
shut them all up together [Jews and Gentiles] in disobedience, that he
might show all of them mercy." Through Christ's ransom sacrifice, the
Adamic sin working in all mankind could be removed for all those
exercising faith (including Gentiles), and through his death on the
torture stake the curse of the Law could also be removed from those
under it (the Jews), so that all could receive mercy. The apostle
exclaims: "O the depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How
unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!"-Ro
11:30-33; Joh 3:16; Col 2:13, 14; Ga 3:13." (Insight On The
Scriptures, Vol. 2 p. 377)
The Bible shows two possible destinations for faithful servants of
God, one is life eternal on this earth, the other is eternal life in
Heaven. Since God originally created humans to live on this earth
forever, the number going to Heaven are limited in number. Isa 45:18,
"For this is what the LORD says-- he who created the heavens, he is
God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not
create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--..." (NIV)
The limited number going to Heaven is 144,000. (see Re 14:;7:4)
Jesus talked about those going to live on this earth at Mt 5:5,
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (NIV)
If all people eventually end up in Heaven, who will be around to
"inherit the earth"; this earth that God created to be "inhabited"?
And finally concerning universal salvation, there are scriptures which
tell us that many people will not be saved. For example Jesus himself
tells us at Mt 7:13.14,
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is
the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (KJV)
Notice here that "few" will find "life". To say it another way, is
that 'many with find death'. (or "destruction" as Jesus said) Thus
according to Jesus, there will be a large group of people who will not
be alive forever, and there will be a few who will.
Sincerely, James
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Don't get me wrong. I believe in temporary damnation. But:
"The law was added so that trespass might increase. But where sin
increased, grace increased ALL THE MORE." Rom 5:20
How could grace increase all the more, when only an tiny "elect"
supposedly respond to this grace?
I think the "elect" is much larger than most Calvinists would admit.
It might even include all men. Because only if it includes all men,
could God have
mercy upon all men.
And I say that as one who used to be a hard-core Calvinist, who
believed in raging double-predestination. I now only believe in
single-predestination,
which is the only one that has a clear warrant in scripture.
Single predestination: God only decrees salvation
Double predestination: God decrees both salvation and ETERNAL
damnation
Now, Double predestination seems to make logical sense, once you
accept Paul's argument in Romans 9 that "God hardens whom he wants to
harden." But if you keep reading, you run into Romans 11 where Paul
says "All Israel will be saved" (even after they were hardened in
unbelief) and then Paul generalizes God's mercy to all
men.
It is also important to realize that Romans 11 is the climax of the
whole book, where in my opinion Paul finally lays all his cards on the
table and shocks everyone with his major "ace in the hole." The ace in
the hole is the shocking idea that God's mercy will be universalized.
After blowing everybody's mind by saying God will have mercy on "all
men" Paul then drifts off into poetic rhapsody. (Rom 11:33-36)
READ IT! It is like a major climax of poetic reverie,
where Paul seems overwhelmed by Gods unsearcheable judgements.
Therefore, in my opinion, God's grace and love will be absolutely
triumphant, although some people will have to spend some time in hell.
But even those who
are most hardened, will eventually see the error of their ways, and
experience
God's mercy which Paul quite clearly tells us will be extended to ALL
MEN.
Again: How is ETERNAL damnation a form of mercy?
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