Chapter One – Letter of Introduction

Dear fellow saint,              

     I am writing this letter because I have something of great importance that I’d like to share with you.  This has been on my heart for some time and I now feel the time is right to share it.
    Although what I have gone through the past year and a half was very painful (the death of my father and pastor), out of it God has brought forth wondrous fruit in my life.  He has also taught me many things that have given me a fresh, new, and beautiful perspective of the nature and character of His Person and new insight into His awesome purpose for His creation.  The truth I am going to share with you is not new, although it is not taught today.  In fact, the Church considers it heresy.  Our home church literally split in two because of it.  And at least two of the brothers have declared my belief heresy.  But I can assure you, it is well documented that many in the early Church held to this viewpoint.  In fact, I believe there is strong evidence to suggest that what I now hold fast to was the predominant view of the Church for the first 500 years.  And most importantly, I believe it is what the Holy Scriptures teach.
     This doctrine I now embrace has been born out of a broken spirit.  God has humbled me and broken my pride.  I have let go of religion, denominationalism, and self-exaltation.  I now despise the limelight.  The only thing important to me now is the declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Not “my” ministry, not my reputation, not my good works--only the pre-eminence and exaltation of the Son of God’s love, our Lord Jesus Christ.
     In order to be able to truly receive this truth, I believe we must understand three great Bible doctrines.  The first is the sovereignty of God.  Is man’s will greater than God’s?  Do we choose God or does He choose us?  Secondly, we must understand the origin and purpose of evil in this world.  Does God have a purpose for death and evil in this world?  And lastly (and most importantly), we must understand the nature and extent of the work of Christ—the cross.  For twenty years I really did not understand these three issues.  When I became a “Calvinist”, I begin to understand God’s sovereignty, but my understanding was clouded by my own pride.  And while I believe Calvinism is partially correct, it is not the whole truth.  I did not truly understand the nature of the cross, that is: God has a purpose for death in this world.  I always looked at death as a bad thing as do most Christians.  This is not a Biblical view.  Death is essential in order that life may come forth.  
     The truth that I speak of is called the doctrine of the “restoration of all things.”  You find this phrase in Acts 3:21.  It is also known as the “reconciliation of all things” which is found in Col 1:20.  The basic premise of this belief is that God will one day bring all things into reconciliation to Himself.  Every person who has ever existed will be reconciled to God through the cross of Jesus Christ.  In other words, “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”  This view does not negate the judgment of God and the exacting of rewards and punishments for the things done in the body.  However, eternal torment is not a part of God’s “greater plan” for His creation.  He will eventually bring all to salvation—if not in this “age” then the age to come.
     What I am going to do in the following pages is try to show you that the Bible teaches this doctrine.  I will use the three basic premises that I have mentioned above: the sovereignty of God, the origin and purpose of evil, and the purpose of God through the cross (death).  I will share with you some early Church history.  We will also do some basic word studies in the Greek and Hebrew.  I will present my arguments and leave the rest to His Holy Spirit.
     As you might guess, this doctrine has not been well received by the Church.  But consider this: Is the majority always right?  For example, for over 1000 years the great truth of justification by faith was hidden by the Church of Rome.  It wasn’t until Martin Luther that God finally broke through the darkness and allowed the light of this truth to be seen by men.  From the very beginning Satan has tried to deceive man into thinking the worst of God.  Satan told a lie about God and the same lie is being advanced today.  And those lies are that God cannot or will not forgive most of His creation, the death of Christ can only save a few, and God will consign most of His creation to burn in the Lake of Fire forever and ever.  
     These lies are intended for one purpose: to malign the character of God.  But God’s purpose is far greater than the will of man or the plans of Satan.  God’s will must prevail.  It will prevail.  The cross of Christ is greater than any of us have ever imagined.  And the love of God will never fail.  And while His judgments are true, they are but for one purpose: to make things right.  
     And that is the purpose of His restoration (restitution)—that in the end, He will make things right.  In the end, every created thing will be reconciled to God through the blood of His cross.  God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28)!  Everything in opposition to God will be subdued (1Cor 15:27).  There will be no more sin and no more death (1 Cor. 15:26).  
     Please read this information with an open mind and heart.  If you wish to talk about this further we can get together and discuss it.  Paul preached that God “…wills all men to be saved.”  Will God’s will be thwarted?  My prayer for you and all of His people is that we realize how little we know and how great the love of God really is—greater than any of us have ever imagined!  May God bless you as you study His Word.

Your brother in Christ,


Ken
 
P.S.  The information that I have written and compiled is by no means complete.  There are literally thousands of pages of documents available on the subject.  What I hope to accomplish is to give you just enough information to get you to see that there is a Biblical basis for this view.  Do not take my word for it.  Be a good Berean.  Pray about it and ask the Lord to reveal you the truth about His gospel.  If you need additional help in finding resources, I have many books available to help you.  But please, do not readily dismiss this as error or heresy.  You’re going to have to dump a lot of the “theology” that you have learned over the years and truly listen to God’s voice as you study the Word.  Be not afraid of the truth no matter what the cost.  Sometimes I feel so alone, but I have never been so sure of anything in all my life.  May the Lord Jesus Christ receive all the glory!

                                                                   
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