AGAIN>> You are not thinking right. Your reasoning is backwards!
ME>> Actually, both the Arminian and the Calvinist are guilty of reasoning from their end backward to their conclusions about salvation. They both begin by saying that it is clear that unbelieving humans are sentenced to eternal damnation. They rightly see that many passages do speak about punishment for men after death as I also agree. Yet because of misguidance, ignorance, fear, or worse, they are quick to conclude that the punishment after death is eternal. (It is certainly a challenge because the English New Testament has mistranslated the word "aion." Yet not even this mistranslation should stop a believer in his pursuit of the truth!) They then reason backwards into their respective corners.
The Calvinist foolishly claims that Christ did not die for all mankind, reasoning that otherwise people would not be in eternal Hell. The Arminian similarly boasts that his free will made the difference in his salvation, reasoning that this must be the condition to God's unconditional love. I fully understand this way of thinking because sadly I thought it myself! Even more curious is that these two guys get along with each other well enough from their different corners and with their different salvation recipes, as long as someone else is going to eternal damnation other than them. This backwards reasoning is foolish and has left us in morally bankrupt corners filled with fear and hypocrisy, devoid of grace. Lord willing, this fight will be brought to the center of the ring so that the truth of God's unconditional love for all will be defended.
If we would be willing to reason forward from the cross with the knowledge we have of Jesus, then we would see with open eyes and be willing to break with graceless tradition. Reasoning forward from the cross, we know that our sins were paid while we were yet enemies of God. Free will, even if there is such a thing, has nothing to do whatsoever with our forgiveness! How could it if we were loved and forgiven while we were yet enemies? Why is free will praised when it is dead in the casket and six feet under? The religion of free will persists because of fear and self-righteousness.
However, reasoning forward from the cross, if we claim to believe that our sins are forgiven, then we already know that the sins of all mankind are forgiven by the same blood of Jesus! Reasoning forward from the cross, we know that Jesus became a man, and died in the flesh for the sins of all mankind. He did not become part of a man or even half of a man to die for part of mankind. He became a whole and perfect man to atone for the sins of all mankind.
Why is the supposed "limited atonement" still ruling men with fear when it plainly contradicts Scripture? The religion of "limited atonement" persists because of fear and hypocrisy. However, reasoning forward from the cross we have great reason to question the translation of "eternal" and learn from solid study that "aion" means "eon" or "age" or even "entirety" or "whole life." So it is true that we are warned that those who reject grace are not saved from spending a term in Hades, unless they repent. Yet the grace of God will be victorious even for those punished in Hades. Want more Biblical proof?
Read 1 Corinthians 15:55 (properly translated by WEB), "Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?" The victorious grace of Jesus Christ has defeated both death and Hades! Let's reason forward from the good news to the glorious future that awaits the redeemed people of God!
'Come now, and let’s reason together,' says Yahweh:
'Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.'
Isaiah 1:18 (WEB)
