Verses Which Point to the Ultimate Salvation of All
By Jonathan Mitchell
Part 2
The Psalms, Acts and Romans
We begin this installment with passages and verses from the Psalms, next we investigate Acts, and then turn our focus to Romans. As with Part 1, our plan is primarily to let the Scriptures speak for themselves, and secondarily add occasional comments. From the Psalms (LXX, JM):Psalm 22:
27. All the ends (limits; boundaries) of the earth will proceed remembering, and then they will progressively turn back, toward (face to face with) [the] LORD (= Yahweh); all the families (clans; tribes; peoples) of the ethnic multitudes (swarms of ethnic people) will proceed doing obeisance (will one-after-another show respect) in His presence, before Him,
28. because the realm (reign; rule; kingdom) [is] the LORD's (= Yahweh's), and He Himself continuously rules as Sovereign Master over the ethnic multitudes (swarms of ethnic people).
29. All the fat, healthy folks of the earth ate and did obeisance (or: eat and show respect); all the people constantly descending into the earth (one-after-another progressively going down into the soil) will proceed falling down forward in His presence, before Him. The inclusiveness of these verses is easily seen; the Lordship of Yahweh over humanity is evident.
Psalm 24:1, "The earth belongs to, and is from, the LORD (= Yahweh), including the fullness of it - the continuously inhabited territory and all the people continuing settled down and habitually dwelling within it"
Here is a simple restatement of the verses of Ps. 22, above.
Psalm 65:2b, "All flesh will progressively come and be present (or: will one-after-another arrive and be here), face to face with You."
Psalm 66:4a, "All the earth must at some point do obeisance to You, and demonstrate respect, by and in, You.
Again, the same thesis is twice more repeated.
Psalm 68:20, "Our God [is] the God of the salvation (or: the God to rescue and deliver), and to the LORD (= Yahweh) belong the issues from the Death (the full out-goings of the Death; those places of egress and the escape paths from the Death)."
First of all, take note that Death is not a realm from which there is no exit. Second, observe that the dependent clause which declares that the Lord owns the out-goings of the Death points back to the fact that our God rescues, saves and delivers.
Psalm 86:
9. All the ethnic multitudes (swarms of ethnic people) - as many as You made (formed; created) - will progressively come and be present (or: will one-after-another arrive and be here), and then they will proceed doing obeisance (will one-after-another show respect) in Your presence, before You, O LORD (= Yahweh), and they will continue bringing glory to Your Name (or: will one-after-another enhance the reputation of Your Name; will progressively display an assumed appearance of Your Designation)...
13. because Your Mercy [is] great, upon me, and you rescued my soul (dragged my consciousness to safety) from out of the midst of deepest Hades (or: a lowest part of the Unseen).
Psalm 136:1-26, ending each verse:
"... because His mercy [exists] on into the midst of the (or: that) Age." [cf 1 Chron. 16:34]
Psalm 145:8, "The LORD (= Yahweh) [is] compassionate and merciful, longsuffering (puts anger a long distance away) and very full of mercy."
We now move to the New Testament.
Acts:3:20, 21, 24, "and that He would send forth in (or: to; for; with; by; among) you folks the One having been handpicked beforehand to be ready and at hand, Christ (= Messiah) Jesus, whom indeed it continues necessary and binding for heaven to welcome, accept and embrace (or: for [the] atmosphere to grant access, admit, receive and take to itself) until times of a movement away from all things that have been firmly put down, set and established, and until the periods of successive events which occur in passing moments, moving ALL mankind away from having been placed and positioned down, as well as from the state or condition of all things that had been determined from an indefinite period of time (or: from a [particular] age) - of which things God spoke (or: speaks) through [the] mouth of His set-apart prophets (those sacred folks who spoke light ahead of time).... Now all the prophets also fully announced THESE days, from Samuel on, and as many as consecutively (in order, according to succession,) spoke." [cf Mat. 17:11; Mk. 9:12; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20, 22]
What I have rendered literally as,
"until times of a movement away from... moving ALL mankind... as well as... all things,"
has conventionally been rendered as, "until the times of restitution of all things" (KJV). The spelling of the word "all," in the Greek, functions both as a masculine singular (all mankind) or a neuter plural (all things). On offer are both readings in my conflated rendering. These verses have been one of the foundational statements supporting the ultimate universal salvation of all, since the times of the early church fathers.
4:12, "And thus, the rescue and deliverance - the restoration to health and wholeness, the safety and salvation, and the return to our original state and condition - is in absolutely no other person! And it follows that neither is there a different name under the [dome of the] sky (or: heaven) that has been given, and now exists as a gift, among mankind (or: in the midst of humans; centered in people), within which, it continues binding and necessary for us to be saved (healed and restored to health and wholeness; delivered and kept safe; rescued and returned to our original state and condition)!"
Take note of the language of the final clause, "it continues binding and necessary..."
Now we turn to places where God intervened and arranged for folks to be saved:
9:3-4, "Now it happened, during [the occasion for] him to be progressively traveling [and] to be nearing Damascus, that with unexpected suddenness a light from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: sky; heaven) flashed around him as lightning, and having fallen upon the ground, he heard a Voice (or: sound) repeatedly saying to him, 'Saul... Saul... Why do you continue pursuing and persecuting Me?'"
Notice that Jesus overruled Paul's will, knocking him to the ground, with the light blinding him. Paul was an enemy of Christ and was not "asking Jesus into his heart." Paul was arrested by Jesus (Phil. 3:12).
10:1-8, Cornelius, a centurion, is visited by an agent (a male human being - 10:30), in a vision, and is told to send for Peter. Peter went, and while speaking to them, "the set-apart Breath-effect (or: the Holy Spirit; the Sacred Wind) fell upon all the folks presently listening to and hearing the Logos (the message; the Word)." (vs. 44)
16:14, Lydia, "whose heart (core of her being) the Lord [= Yahweh, or, Christ] at once completely opened up (or: opened back wide)."
Paul to the Athenian philosophers:
17:26-29a, "Besides this, He made (formed; or: constructs; or: produced) from out of one [man, or, source; D and other MSS add: blood] every ethnic group of mankind, to continue dwelling (or: to be repeatedly residing) upon all [the] face of the earth (or: land) - while setting a boundary for (or: defining; determining; specifying) [the] seasons and fitting situations (or: fertile moments and opportunities) which have been set and arranged with [predetermined] aspects (or: facing toward [specific purposes]), as well as [the] limits and bounds of their dwelling place (residence; habitat) - to be continuously seeking God [D reads: the Deity], since really, in fact, they could feel about and grope, and then at some point might (or: possibly) find Him! And, to be sure, [He] is continuously being an Originator (or: He is constantly subsisting, being inherently [the] Under-Beginner; = [the ground of Being]) not far away (or: a long distance) from each one of us! For you see, within the midst of and in union with Him we continuously live (or, as a subjunctive: could be constantly living), and are constantly moved about and put into motion, and continue existing (experiencing Being). Even as certain of the poets down among you people have said,'You see, we are also a family of the One (or: we even continuously exist being a race whose source is the One; or: we also are His species and offspring; we are even a family which is composed of the One and which is the One).' Therefore, continuously and inherently subsisting from under a beginning, being God's family (a species of God; a race whose source is God; [the] kind of being having the qualities and characteristics of God; [the] offspring birthed from God)..."
Now we turn to Paul's epistle to the Romans:
These verses lay out the work of God, through Jesus Christ's faithfulness. They apply to "all humanity" (vs. 22), and "all people" (vs. 23). Paul fleshes out his argument in the first 11 verses of Rom. 5:
22. yet God's flowing together of rightness, and an eschatological deliverance from God, through means of Jesus Christ's Faithfulness (or: convinced, faithing-loyalty and allegiance from Jesus Christ) unto (or: into the midst of; with a view to) all humanity - as well as upon all those presently believing for you see, there exists no distinction (no difference; no divided arrangement)!
23. You see, all people at one point veered off the mark (or: all human beings sin), and so (or: that is,) they are continually posterior to, left behind [in the race], falling short of, being inferior to, failing in attaining, and lacking, God's glory
24. while being folks presently and progressively being made upright, freed from guilt, placed in solidarity within the Way pointed out, and continuously set in right relationship (or: being habitually turned in the right direction; being [all] presently justified) freely by His Grace through means of the process of the setting-free which is resident within Christ Jesus
25. Whom God publicly set and places before [us] (or: before put-forth; purposed) [as] a sheltering, cleansing covering (lit.: the lid of the ark - the place of mercy; = act of atonement), through the Faithfulness resident within His blood, into a demonstration which points out the proof of His solidarity by the flowing together of rightwising deliverance through the letting flow-aside, and the releasing-to-the-side, of the effects of errors, deviations and sins having previously occurred during the midst of the holding-back and support from God.
6. For you see, during our STILL existing [as] weak folks and continuing being without strength (or: [B reads: Since in fact] when we were infirm and helpless), Christ, still corresponding to and in accord with [the] appointed, strategic season (or: down from a kairos; in the sphere of, and down into the level of, a proper, fitting situation; in line with a fertile moment), died for the sake of the ungodly and irreverent (or: died over [the situation of] and on behalf of those without awe of God).... [cf Gal. 4:4]
8. Yet God constantly stands together with His own Love [flowing] into us because, during our STILL continuing being (with our yet existing [as]) failures (folks deviating from the goal; ones missing the target and making mistakes; sinners; outcasts), Christ died over our [condition and predicament] (or: on our behalf; for the sake of us).
9. Much more, then - being NOW (at the present time) eschatologically delivered, rectified and rightwised - through Him we will continue being rescued (saved; delivered; made healthy and whole; returned to our original state and condition; kept safe), away from the [conditions or situations of] personal emotion (inherent fervor; natural mental bent or disposition; teeming passion and swelling desire; or: [our] anger and [human] wrath). [cf 4:25b, above; Gal. 2:17; Phil. 3:9; Consider: Gen. 3:23-24]
10. For you see, since while continuously existing being actively hostile ones we were suddenly changed from enmity to friendship BY God, and transformed to be wholly other than we were so as to be in line, consistent and compatible IN God (or: conciliated to God) through His Son's DEATH, much more - being folks that were transformed (fully changed from enmity to friendship; made totally other than we were) - will we continue being kept safe and be progressively delivered within His LIFE [2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 1:3-11; 1 Jn. 3:7]
11. And not only that, but further, we also are now folks constantly celebrating, speaking loudly and boasting within, and in union with, God, THROUGH our Owner (or: Lord; Master), Jesus Christ - through Whom we NOW receive (or: actively seize; grasp; take-down and hold by hand) the action of being transformed; this change from enmity to friendship (or: this full exchange of being changed to be in line, consistent and compatible, where we are totally other than we were; the reconciliation; this commensurate exchange; the change, [induced by the action of God,] which came down [upon us]):
Now, still in Rom. 5, Paul goes on to present the story of humanity: from Adam, on through the work of Christ:
12. Because of and through this, just as through one man The Sin entered into the aggregate of humanity and through The Sin The Death [also entered]. In this way, The Death thus also passed through in all directions into all mankind, upon which [situation and condition, the result is that] all people sin.
Notice that it was "the Death" which was passed on, NOT "sin." An important prepositional phrase prefaces the final clause of this verse. The correct rendering is: "upon which." The KJV would be correct, if it supplied a word, such as, "for that [reason]." The NRSV, and others, who render it as, "because," are simply in error. All people sin because of "The Death" that was passed "into all mankind." In vs. 14 we are instructed that "The Death reigned," and then in vs. 21, "the Sin at one point reigned, within the sphere of the Death."
A contrast is presented between Adam's transgression (vs. 14b) and the obedience of Jesus Christ, and the gift of Grace that came through him. It is also a contrast between "the effect of the fall to the side," by Adam, and "an encompassing abundance" of Grace, by Jesus Christ:
15. Yet to the contrary, [it is] not, in fact, in the same way [with] the effect of Grace as [it was with] the effect of the fall to the side. For you see, since by (or: in) the effect of the fall to the side of the one (= Adam) THE MANY (= the mass of humanity) died, MUCH MORE [is] the Grace of God and the gift within Grace - by that of the One Man, Jesus Christ - surrounded (or: encircles) into an encompassing abundance, surplus and excess into THE MANY (= the mass of humanity)....
The works of both Adam and Christ had contrasting effects upon the same group, which Paul designates by the phrase, "THE MANY." Each man effected the entirety of the same group: the mass of humanity. Verse 16 continues this contrast: judgement came by one that sinned, yet,
"on the other hand, the effect of the Grace [is] FROM OUT OF the effect of many falls to the side (result of many stumblings-aside and offenses) [and] into the midst of the effect of a rightwising deliverance." (vs. 16b).
17. For it follows that, since by the effect of the fall to the side (or: in the result the offense) of the one, The Death reigned through that one, MUCH MORE, rather, the People - in seizing, and during habitually receiving, the surrounding superabundance of the Grace, as well as of, from, and which is, the gratuitous Gift of the flowing together in this liberating, eschatological Rightwisedness, and justification - [and thus], the masses of humanity will continue reigning within the midst of, and in union with, LIFE, through this One, Jesus Christ.
From this point we will present the rest of the chapter which is one developed thought:
19. For you see, JUST AS through the heedlessness and unwillingness to listen or to pay attention, resulting in disobedience of the ONE person, THE MANY were rendered (established; constituted; placed down and made to be) sinners, THUS - in the same way - ALSO, through the submissive listening and paying attention resulting in obedience of the One, THE MANY (= the mass of humanity) will continue being rendered, caused to be, and made to fully stand in the sphere of, "set-right folks."
20. Now Law and custom at one point entered in alongside to the end that the effect of the fall to the side would INCREASE to be more than enough. But where the Sin increases, THE GRACE at once super-exceeds over and above, surrounding to excessive abundance and overflow,
21. to the end that JUST AS the Sin at one point reigned centered in, within the midst of, in union with, and in the sphere of, the Death, THUS SO (or: in THIS way), also the Grace and this joyous Favor would reign through a flowing together in rectifying, eschatological deliverance that created rightwisedness [which leads] into, and results in, LIFE which belongs to, pertains to, and has the characteristics of, the Age (or: eonian life; Life of this Era [of Messiah]; a life prepared for these ages) - through Jesus Christ, our Owner (Lord; Master). [cf 6:23, below]
Paul really needs no explanation of the above verses, but we will point out the emphasized words, "THUS ALSO... ALL MANKIND... JUST AS... THE MANY... THUS - IN THE SAME WAY - ALSO... JUST AS... THUS SO." We now continue on in Romans:
Rom. 6:23, "For you see, the subsistence pays of The Sin [are] Death, but God's Grace-effect (or: the result of the gracious Gift of, and from, God; the effect of this Favor, which is God,) [is] LIFE which belongs to, and is connected to, this [new] Age (eonian life; "the life of the new aeon" - Anders Nygren) within Christ Jesus, our Owner."
Rom. 8:20-21, "For you see, the creation was placed, arranged and aligned under subjection in the empty purposelessness not voluntarily or willingly, but rather because of the one placing [it] under and arranging [it] in subjection - based upon an Expectation, because even the creation itself will continue being progressively set free from the slavery of, and from, decay (the bondage of deterioration which leads to fraying and ruin) [and released] into the freedom of the glory from the assumed appearance of God's children."
Rom. 11:26a, "So then, thus, in this manner and with this result: ALL ISRAEL will progressively be saved, according as it has been written, 'The One continuously dragging out of danger and drawing to Himself (The Rescuer; The Deliverer) will repeatedly arrive and be present from out of Zion; He will continue turning irreverence away from JACOB.'" [cf Zech. 13:1; Heb. 12:22ff]
This is an allusion to Jer. 3:18, as well as a citation of Ps. 14:7. But now consider:
Rom. 11:32, "For you see, God encircles, corrals, encloses, coops up, shuts up on all sides, and locks, ALL mankind (everyone; the entire lot of folks) together into disbelieving incompliance (unpersuaded disobedience; unconfident mistrust; a lack of being convinced), to the end that He could (or: would; should) mercy ALL mankind (may make everyone - all those folks - recipients of mercy)!"
The last verse of Rom. 11 presents the completely inclusive "Plan of the Ages," that gives us a picture from the beginning on unto the end: truly, He is the Alpha and the Omega.
Rom. 11:36, "Because, forth from out of the midst of Him, then through the midst of Him (or: through means of Him), and [finally] into the midst of Him, [will be] the whole of created existence."
We end this present review of texts with this:
Rom. 12:3b, "God divides, apportions and DISTRIBUTES (or: parted) to, in and for, EACH ONE a measure of FAITH, with an instrument for measuring from, and which is, Trust(a meted amount of firm persuasion; a measured portion of trust; an assigned ration of FAITHFULNESS, confident loyalty and allegiance; or: faith's portion)." [cf Col. 3:2]
To be continued...
Jonathan
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