Is there an ultimate reconcilation?
All will be saved, but not all will inherit everlasting life. But here are more specifics:
God will have all men to be saved from the Adamic curse, for Jesus died for Adam, and thus for all who received Adam’s condemned life –thus all of humanity. Jesus “gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6).
This text means what it seems to mean — everyone. Thus every person will be freed from punishment for Adam’s disobedience. Death was the punishment, and death will be remitted for every person. However, there are two distinct ages of redemption — the present Gospel Age, and the approaching Millennial Age. Distinguishing these two ages, and the purpose of each, is the key to understanding the plan of God.
The Gospel Age, from Jesus to the present, is for calling out the class sometimes symbolically referred to as the “bride of Christ”
(Revelation 19:7). Thus Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” The bride class is composed of all those faithful to Christ during the Gospel Age.
Following this comes the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. The purpose of that kingdom will be to restore the remainder of mankind — every person who has ever lived. The curse will be lifted, all wars will cease. the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk (Isaiah 2, Isaiah 35, and many, many other prophecies.)
Every person will come to know God’s ways, His purposes, what righteousness is, and be blessed during the Millennium. Revelation 21:4 is one of the most precious texts of the Bible, describing the remarkable effects of the Kingdom.
“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
However, the restoration of humanity from the curse does not mean that every person will inherit everlasting life. Most will. This remarkable opportunity will soften the hearts of people, and they will flock to the opportunity of perfect, wonderful, loving, everlasting life in a perfected world.
But not all. Satan had free choice, and he choose, and persists in, willful disobedience. For free moral beings, that is an option. And it will be an option for people restored in the kingdom as well. Some will of mankind will persist, as Satan has, in wayward evil. God does not propose to grant them everlasting life. Their lives will not be extended, they will die again, this time termed the “second death.”
We are all redeemed from the first death, by Jesus our redeemer. But there will not be a second redeemer. Thus those who willfully pursue what is wrong, and receive the declared result of disobedience, will not be brought back a second time. Second death is permanent. It is not torture, it is not anguish. Death is what it seems to be — the absence of life. It will be as though they have never been.
Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
This evidently will be a small percentage of humanity, for most will embrace the wonderful, perfected, loving, and lovely, world that will come through the Millennium. They will be grateful, helpful, and wonderfully appreciative — and live forever on a perfect earth. Meanwhile, the saints above will be part of the divine family in glory, also forever.
To learn more about salvation for all listen to, “What Does It Mean To Be Saved?”
“Are Jesus’ Ransom and Our Salvation the Same?”
“What If I’m Not Good Enough For Heaven?”
“Did Jesus REALLY Die for Everyone?”
