Systematic
Reconciliation
Copyright © 1998 Darroll Evans, All
rights reserved-re-edit 2003
Introduction
Before you begin reading this, you may be wondering
about the difference between Systematic Reconciliation and mainstream
Protestant theology.
I am sure that there are many, but they boil down to
just one issue.
If you are mainstream Christian, you believe that
Christ Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
So do I!
If you are mainstream Christian, you believe in the
So do I!
Am I telling you that I believe in the Systematic
Reconciliation of mankind to God, and yet I also believe that those who do not
accept Christ in this lifetime shall be cast into the
Yes, I am!
You may be thinking that such a position will not
compute!
Yes it will!
I will make sense, if you understand the purpose of
the
Christ Jesus is the only Way to a positive
relationship with God the Father!
As you begin this study, there are a few things you
must understand.
What you are about to read explains that and more.
Systematic reconciliation is not the
teaching of Universalism!
The first tenet of Universalism is “The Universal
Fatherhood of God.”
It is my opinion that such a teaching is unbiblical!
God is the Creator of all, but according
to Christ Jesus, God is not the Father of all.
John
8:44 Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of
it.
Christians have been adopted into God’s family!
Eph
1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
God becomes our Father through adoption.
At this point in time all men have not been adopted
into His family.
The teaching of Universalism negates the words of
Christ, the work of Paul, and need for evangelism.
John
3:7b `You must
be born again.' (NIV)
John
1:12-13
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God--
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's
will, but born of God. (NIV)
John
5:23b He who
does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (NIV)
John
8:44 You
belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's
desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he
is a liar and the father of lies. (NIV)
That last verse alone negates the universal
fatherhood of God theory.
Any teaching based on the assumption of the
universal fatherhood of God is false!
Again, let me say that God is the Creator of all,
but not the Father of all.
That will not prevent the systematic reconciliation
of all mankind to God through Christ at the appointed time.
Systematic Reconciliation is not the teaching of
reconciliation to men.
You may be reconciled to all men, however if you
have not been reconciled to God, your reconciliation is worthless!
Systematic Reconciliation looks at
the sovereignty of God in a way few are willing to do.
As we begin, let’s establish another
fact.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
That is an undeniable fact.
Jesus Christ is the only way to the
Father, the only way to gain salvation or reconciliation to Him.
In this writing, we will be
discussing situations and methodology.
There will be no deviation from the
fact of Jesus’ Lordship!
Some time ago, a person contacted me
about my web site.
He asked about a "link" to
his page.
I wrote to him inquiring as to
whether he was proposing a reciprocal link.
To my surprise, the return e-mail
said something I did not expect.
The answer came back telling me that
he was not proposing a reciprocal link.
The reason was astounding.
He said that the teachings on this
Web site were scripturally correct, but unorthodox.
I thought that being
"scripturally correct" was the goal of any Bible study.
SR
seeks only to present the Holy Word of God in the light of God's sovereignty,
power, and grace.
The basic teaching of SR is that
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the
Father, but by Christ Jesus! (John 14:6)
If you decide not to believe what is
written here, that does not in any way diminish God's love and
concern for you.
No matter what your current thoughts
concerning Christ Jesus, He died for you!
At the appointed time, in the appointed
place, you shall bow to God, and by the Holy Spirit, joyfully proclaim,
"Jesus is Lord" (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 12:3).
Christ Jesus' scourging and death on
the cross paid the full and complete price for the sins of the world!
Some do not now believe that, but
they shall!
When we speak of conversion, we are
speaking of a time frame.
Not if, but when!
Where is Jesus?
It is a simple question that is very
easily answered.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at
the right hand of God the Father interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
Christ Jesus appropriated our sins,
took responsibility for them and due to that He died.
The Bible tells us, “The soul that
sins shall die!”
Christ Jesus took our sins upon
Himself and that caused His death on the Cross!
His act of taking responsibility for
our sins is the greatest act of “free will” in the history of mankind!
In His scourging and death Christ
paid the full and complete price for our sins!
And yet, Christ Jesus has been
restored to fellowship with the Father.
Many cannot accept this teaching
because their hearts are filled with a need for vengeance.
Christ Jesus "gave Himself a
ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:6/NKJV).
Christ Jesus did not die to achieve vengeance.
He died for our sins to achieve our
reconciliation!
In a Synagogue, Jesus read from the
Isaiah scroll.
He said, "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19).
Christ Jesus did not fully read that
quote from Isaiah.
He stopped when He got to the part
that says, "and the day of vengeance of our
God" (Isaiah 61:2).
Christ Jesus was not sent to
announce the day of God’s vengeance.
The Church has not been commissioned
to announce God‘s vengeance.
And yet, many insist on falsely proclaiming
God’s vengeance.
The fact is that all who do not
acknowledge Christ are lost sinners!
Those have been led to acknowledge
Christ as Lord are neither lost nor sinners.
If your sins are forgiven, they are
forgiven completely for all time.
Hebrews 13:5b For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor
forsake you." (NKJV)
Chapter 1
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all (Heb. kol) families of the earth be blessed.
The Hebrew word translated
"all" indicates the whole, and not just a portion.
Every family shall be blessed
through God’s promise to Abram.
Shall God bless all families by
burning most of them for ever and ever?
I don’t think so!
Now, let's look at another promise.
Genesis 22:18 And in your seed [Christ Jesus] all the nations (Heb.
Goyim) of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
The covenant promise was that all
Gentiles would be blessed through Christ Jesus.
I will not try to explain away what
appears to be punishment in the lake of fire, but I will reserve my comments on
it for later.
Many people feel the need to strive
to gain salvation.
Striving to gain a gift has always
been a mystery to me.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Accepting God’s gift is not striving
or work!
It has been equated with reaching
out to accept a physical gift.
That comparison gives a false
impression.
We do not reach out to accept
salvation.
God sent our gift to us.
Psalm 46:10 Be still (cease striving), and know that I am God: I will be
exalted among the heathen (Heb. Goyim), I will be
exalted in the earth.
"Heathen" (Heb. Goyim) are
unbelievers, regardless of race.
I know that I will make some angry,
but there are (percentage wise) just as many goyim among Jews as among other
races.
Most Jews and Gentiles are
unbelievers and therefore they are goyim!
Psalm 86:9 All
nations whom thou hast made
shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
Hebrew Scriptures declare that all
goyim whom God has made shall worship before Him.
The question is, "How many
goyim did God make?"
The answer is ALL!
Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all
his works.
We are God’s works, His
creation!
Does that sound as if God plans to
consign most of His creation to a burning hell for the rest of eternity?
Absolutely not!
Isaiah 19:22 And the LORD shall smite
Read Isaiah 19:22 carefully.
In it God promises to heal those who
are sworn enemies of
Before our reconciliation, you and I
were enemies of the cross!
Romans 5:10---For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God
through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be
saved by His life. (NKJV)
Lamentations 3:31-32
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according
to the multitude of his mercies.
James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth
against judgment.
Mercy
supersedes judgment!
God's loving-kindness is not applied
according to our standards or deeds.
It is exercised according to the
multitude of His mercies.
Chapter 2
"Behold the Lamb of God, which
takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Did God cause a nonessential
statement to be placed into Holy Scripture?
Or, is it there to declare the power
of Jesus Christ?
If that statement is true, how can
Jesus take away the sin of the world, without taking away the sin of the world?
"And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)
Was Christ Jesus "lifted
up?"
Yes!
The translators added the word
"men".
Your King James Version has it
italicized to indicate that it was added.
Jesus did not say, "I will draw
some to me."
Instead, He took the limits off.
He said explicitly, "I will
draw ALL to me."
Christ was "Lifted up"
(Gr. hupsoothoo-uywqw) on the
cross.
That is standard, mainstream
theology.
"Draw" (Gr. elkusoo-elkusw) means to drag.
The Greek word translated
"shall draw" is singular, future, indicative, active.
Christ SHALL do it, even if He has to drag us, kicking and
screaming, out of harm's way.
The Indicative tense indicates what
the author feels shall happen.
While there were various scribes,
however the Author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit.
Reconciliation is predicated on the
fact that all shall acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
No person may be reconciled to the
Father without the acknowledging of the Son, Jesus, as lord.
Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue
shall confess to God.
Philippians
2:11 and that every tongue
should (may) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NKJV)
I placed the word “may” in
parentheses.
The tense of the Greek word used
there is subjective and that is better understood in Modern English using the
word “may.”
We may or may not do this or
that.
Here is the topper!
Nobody---nobody may call Jesus “Lord” except through the power of the Holy
Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3b).
Jesus' mission was not only to free
mankind from the effects of sin.
It was also to free the universe
from the effects of our sin.
Romans 8:19-21
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the
same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
the children of God.
That is about as clear as it gets.
Creation is waiting for OUR
redemption so that it too may be redeemed.
That is one of the mysteries of the
Gospel!
Romans 5:17-19 contrasts the
benefits derived through Adam and through Christ Jesus.
Romans 5:17-19
17 For if by one man's [Adam’s] offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign
in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ Jesus] the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's [Adam’s] disobedience {the} many were made sinners, so
by the obedience of one [Christ Jesus] shall {the} many be made righteous.
Most Churches teach that Adam had
more power in his fall than Christ did in His resurrection.
May God forgive them for their
folly!
Adam's gift was death.
Christ's gift is life.
Both gifts have a profound effect on
mankind.
I have included the definite article
in Romans 5:19 to show that "{the} many" is the same group in both
cases.
How many were made sinners?
All!
How may
will be made righteous?
All!
How many is all?
All!
Notice how it speaks of Christ's
gift.
It says the recipients "shall
{the} many be made righteous."
That translation accurately reflects
the translation of the Greek word katastatheesontai-katastaqhsontai.
"Shall" indicates a future
imperative.
It MUST happen!
There is no way around it!
An imperative tells of something
that is unavoidable and inescapable!
Romans
10:9 that if you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved. (NKJV)
Jesus is the Son of God!
He is the Savior.
However, being the Son and Savior
are not the point.
We shall acknowledge Jesus as LORD
(Gr. Kurios-KurioV).
"Lord" indicates that
Jesus is the Master, Owner, and Proprietor of all creation.
Now,
back to Philippians 2:11.
Philippians
2:11 And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Here, "should confess"
(Gr. exomologeesetai- exomologhsetai) is the future indicative spelling.
It is my opinion that it should have
come into English as "shall confess."
Sooner or later you shall
acknowledge Jesus as Lord!
An indicative speaks of something
that the author feels SHALL
come to pass.
The writers (scribes) of the Bible
were human beings, but The Author is the Holy Spirit.
If the Holy Spirit feels something
may come to pass, it SHALL come to pass.
God is not the servant of time!
Time is His servant.
At your personally appointed time you
shall acknowledge Christ Jesus as Lord!
Let's look at the main benefit of
Christ's Lordship.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive.
How many suffered from sin, and came
under penalty of death because of Adam?
All mankind, no exceptions!
How many shall be made alive because
of the righteousness of Jesus Christ?
All mankind, no exceptions!
"Shall all be made alive"
is one Greek word, zoo-opoieetheesontai-zwopoihqhsontai.
It is plural, future, indicative,
passive voice.
If we had nothing but John 3:16 and
1 Corinthians 15:22, the good news of God's love and planned Reconciliation
would be complete!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.
As our dates with acknowledgment
vary, and so do our resurrections, although each of us will be in a general
resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15: 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his
coming.
The Greek word translated
"every man" (Gr. ekastos-ekastoV)
actually means "each and every."
*Corrected translation--1 Corinthians
15: 23 But each and every in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward they that are of Christ at His coming.
Let's continue in verse 24.
1 Corinthians 15: 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up
the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and
all authority and power.
Jesus Christ is the first fruit of
God's established order.
Next in line are those who accept
Christ Jesus and receive His salvation prior to His Second Coming (v. 23), in
this life.
Verse 24 begins by saying, “Then cometh
the end.”
The word “cometh” is not in the
Greek text.
The translators added it.
It does not indicate the “end” of
anything.
Instead, the Greek text points to
the last group to be resurrected.
The context is a listing. It moves
from verse 23 to verse 24 without a natural break.
"First
Christ, then those who are His at His coming, then the last to be
resurrected."
In which group will you be?
No one has ever been or ever shall
be resurrected to death!
All who are resurrected are
resurrected to life!
Chapter 3
I don't recall why I began a study
of the beatitudes.
Whatever the reason, I found much
more than I was looking for.
Why would any thinking person look
in the Beatitudes for proof of the reconciliation of all?
That question is rhetorical!
We begin with "Blessed are the
poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)
"Poor"
comes from the Greek "ptoochoi-ptwcoi."
The translation "poor" is
shallow!
"Ptoochoi"
has a deeper meaning.
It indicates one who is
"indigent."
The Greek takes on the picture of a
person crouching down while working extremely hard.
Imagine a person bent over doing
very hard labor.
Have you ever seen migrant farm
workers?
They struggle day in and day out to
gain only a survival existence.
Poverty would be a step up.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the
'indigent' in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Who are the "indigent in
spirit"?
They are not Christians.
Christians cannot be "indigent
in spirit."
In speaking of the beggar Lazarus,
Luke 16:20 uses a variation on the Greek root word (Gr. ptoochos-ptwcoV) to describe his beggarly condition.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the
'indigent' in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Again, who are the indigent "in
spirit"?
Christians can be financially poor,
but not poor "in spirit!"
The first beatitude is meant for
those that we may call lost.
Think about it! Jesus Christ
pronounced supreme blessings on the spiritually indigent.
Some commentators teach that the
poor in spirit are those who have accepted Jesus as Christ and have been
humbled by that experience.
Anyone who accepts Christ is humbled
by the experience.
That humbling has nothing to do with
being poor in spirit.
Have you accepted Jesus?
Do you have the Holy Spirit
within?
If your answer is, "Yes,"
then it is impossible for you to be "poor in spirit."
Instead of being poor in spirit,
Christians rejoice because of their salvation.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
disqualifies you.
A multibillionaire cannot be
financially indigent.
A Christian cannot be spiritually
indigent.
The first beatitude would be better
understood if it was interpreted rather than just translated.
"The indigent in spirit shall
experience great happiness because theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The second Beatitude is
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew
5:4).
"Mourn"(Gr. penthountes-penqounteV)
means to lament, to grieve.
Who are those who lament?
As children of God we look forward
to Christ's return, and to the judgment to follow.
God's judgment will result in our
vindication.
Therefore, we do not lament.
We will experience the joy of
salvation.
Comforted (Gr. parakleetheesontai-paraklhqhsontai)
means "they shall persuaded, cheered and/or
consoled."
According to the prevailing thought,
most of those who see Christ shall be ashamed, remorseful, roasted, toasted,
and bound for Eternal Torment or Annihilation.
That falls far short of being
comforted, cheered, or consoled.
Does the Bible speak of great
lamentation?
The Bible says, "Behold, He is
coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And
all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even
so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7/NKJV)
The Greek word translated
"mourn" (Revelation 1:7) means to greatly lament.