JD731 said:
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The answer is that he hasn't condemned anyone while they are living.
" He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." ( John 3:18 ). <----- Unbelievers are condemned already, and the evidence for that condemnation is their remaining in unbelief.
This statement has nothing to do with pre-creation election to salvation from sin, for several reasons. The most important reason is because it is not what the scriptures says. Jesus says plainly that the reason for the condemnation is because he, the unbeliever, has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. The ones who believes in this passage are in the present tense, which means at some point in the past they came to believe in the name of the son of God. Those who are condemned failed to believe and Jesus said they are condemned because at present they have not believed. Jesus said they "have" not believed, indicating that at some point, if they believe they will no longer be condemned. Verb tenses are very important when studying the scriptures.
Another error you have is that this conversation takes place before Jesus died on the cross for our sins and resurrected from the dead. Therefore he is dealing with men who are charged to believe in his name, which is Jesus, meaning Jehovah is salvation, and that he is the only begotten son of God, which is the issue in this whole time period of his earthly ministry, and to offer proof of this truth is precisely why John wrote his gospel account of Jesus Christ. If you doubt that I am telling the truth, look what John says.
Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: (the gospel of John)
31 But these (signs = miracles) are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Obviously if believing these things about Jesus assures one that he will live, then not believing them will have the opposite impact upon him. John recorded 7 major miracles of Jesus in this book that were signs that Jesus was the Christ who was promised would come to Israel. The Jews require a sign 1 Cor 1:22, and God has always confirmed his word to them with signs. Therefore, justification for these Jews after Jesus came to them in the flesh and before he faced the cross is achieved by believing what God says, when he says it, and if a man refuses to believe God, he will not be justified but condemned by his failure to believe. It is clearly stated that these Jews were required to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the son of God, and he said that by believing that they would have everlasting life.
It is interesting that not a single apostle or disciple understood that he would die and be buried , and rise from the dead. They did not even believe it after it was told them by eye witnesses who had seen and talked with him after he rose from the dead. Yet, they were justified. No one on this side of the cross after the Holy Spirit was given could be saved without believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, because Jesus said this to his chosen preachers.
Mr 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
The gospel then is that he died for our sins and was buried, and rose again the third day. Believe it and be saved. Deny it and be damned, he said.
" But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;" ( 2 Peter 2:12-13 ) <----- False teachers are already condemned. The evidence that they are, is that they teach falsely and speak evil of the things that God's word teaches that they do not understand.
One cannot be an unbeliever in something that he hears or sees unless there is an opportunity to believe it. Where there is no law there is no transgression, we are told in the scriptures. These strangers that Peter speaks of here did hear and did not believe, yet joined the believers in order to deceive them.
Then no one will be in Hell, and no one will be in the Lake of Fire.
Since He has reconciled all men to Himself, and the world has been reconciled to Him, then all of us are saved and have eternal life...which is to know God and His Son.
Here are two statements from the same context. You judge by them if your musings makes sense.
Statement #1 - And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:18-19
Statement #2 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us:
we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5:20
Here is why and how this can be true in statement #3 - 2Co 5:21 For
he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
This means Jesus died ONCE for the whole world and the whole world has been reconciled to God, BUT each one in the world must be reconciled to him ONE AT A TIME.`
That is what it means, sir.
God either reconciles a people to Himself, or all people to Himself.
If a people to Himself, then He saves some and reserves the rest to everlasting punishment.
If all people to Himself, then He saves everyone...
This is what Calvinists teach but it is not so.
Because one of the benefits of reconciliation ( going from being an enemy to being a friend ) is that all trespasses are forgiven ( Colossians 2:13-14 ).
No, all trespasses are not forgiven, they are atoned for. Because of the atonement where the sin offering of the sacrifice propitiated God and his wrath and anger against it was satisfied, he is not imputing the sins to the sinner while they live. After they die, having not come to God on bended knee through Christ, they will be judged for their own sins and will be judged for them and then pay the penalty of the second death in their own bodies.
That is the way it is.