gpatton{at}bayou.com wrote:

>
> When it comes to having mercy, mercy is always possible with God. It
is
> not against his nature. When it comes to mercy the writers of
scripture
> were right to say, "With God all things are possible!"
>
"All" again has both a context and limitation.  God cannot overlook
sin.  That much is obvious by the death of the 2nd Person.  Also, God
cannot further extend mercy to those who do not accept the atoning
scrifice of the Messiah.
> >
> > > If it is possible for God to save all, then
> > > who knows, God may save everybody.
>
gpatton{at}bayou.com wrote:

>
> When it comes to having mercy, mercy is always possible with God. It
is
> not against his nature. When it comes to mercy the writers of
scripture
> were right to say, "With God all things are possible!"
>
"All" again has both a context and limitation.  God cannot overlook
sin.  That much is obvious by the death of the 2nd Person.  Also, God
cannot further extend mercy to those who do not accept the atoning
scrifice of the Messiah.  "It is appointed unto man once to die and
THEN comes judgment."  So to die without confessing Christ leaves God
with no options except to "give them over."
> >
> > > If it is possible for God to save all, then
> > > who knows, God may save everybody.
>
It was once possible that God wouldn't allow Adam to be tempted.  It
was once possible that He could have sealed Adam such that tempting
would never have led to his ruin.  It was once possible that none of
his off-spring would have inherited his inclination to sin.  But these
possiblities were only a few of many contingencies which were not
decreed by the counsel of God in eternity past.  The eternal decree is
as sure as God's very nature.  This decree allowed for the fall of part
of the angelic realm and all of humanity.  This decree so constructed
man so as to be a race of beings such that as one federal head could
damn the whole race, so a new federal head could offer salvation to
that race.  Salvation is never offered to fallen angels because they
are not a race.

"Who knows" the will of God?  Those who have been regenerated by the
Spirit and have the light of the Logos.  Following his prologue, John's
mention of "life" and "light" as having primarily to do
with salvation.
"Light" is revelation that people mayreceive and be delivered from
spiritual darkness.  The Logos is the Light-bearer.  He is the
expression of God.  It is He who is revealed in Revelation.  So "who
knows" is not a dilemma for the Christian who allows God to reveal His
word to him.

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/soc.religion.christian/browse_frm/thread/58ac2f6022a165be/79368bf3103f99a9?q=group:soc.religion.christian+insubject:annihilation&_done=%2Fgroups%3Fas_q%3D%26num%3D100%26scoring%3Dd%26hl%3Den%26ie%3DUTF-8%26as_epq%3D%26as_oq%3D%26as_eq%3D%26as_ugroup%3Dsoc.religion.christian%26as_usubject%3Dannihilation%26as_uauthors%3D%26lr%3Dlang_en%26as_qdr%3D%26as_drrb%3Db%26as_mind%3D1%26as_minm%3D1%26as_miny%3D2000%26as_maxd%3D13%26as_maxm%3D1%26as_maxy%3D2004%26safe%3Doff%26&_doneTitle=Back+to+Search&&d#79368bf3103f99a9

Here, I did a search for an old post titled, "Annihilation Examined."
I would suggest you read through what was written.  As I have earlier
stated, Universalist and Annihilationist combat the doctrine of endless
punishment using very similar reasoning.  I do make note of the
positions held by prominent universalist theologians, but you'll have
to read the entire thread.

Just as none of us would stand for a professional sport, say football
as it is playoff season,  to be refereed by arbitrary officials , so
none of us should think that there are not rules for life and death.

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