EDIT: Sorry, this should be addressed to MSB.
"should not be perishing"
perish from the greek "apollumi". The same word for lost. As in "the lost sheep". Same word. When the shepherd went to find the lost sheep, was he wasting his time because the sheep was lost? No, he is only lost until he is found.
1 Corinthians 15:22 says "as in Adam, all are dying". Are all beyond hope? No, they are temporarily dying, and the verse goes on to say "even so, in Christ, shall all be vivified". But, and this is one hardly anyone pays any attention to: but each in his own order.
If you can just admit that both sin(Hebrews 9:26) and death 2 Timothy 1:10 & 1 Corinthians 15:26) are temporary, then it has to follow that sinners and the dead are only that way temporarily also. ie, no sin, no sinners. No death, no one dead.
Sorry for the long explanation, I sometimes get carried away in my enthusiasm.
Have a great Christmas!
alan w |
