The Truth Project
Explores the hope that God will ultimately heal, reconcile, and restore creation through Christ.
Matthew 25:46; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 20:10
“These will go away into eternal punishment, (Matthew 25:46) “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever...
Matthew 25:46
When most people want to know the meaning of a Greek or Hebrew word in the Bible, they look it up in a Concordance. Concordances are a great tool to begin to dig deeper into Scripture, but they are not the ultimate source. While...
1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26; Galatians 1:4; Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 16:8; Luke 20:34
In the last blog we saw how various Biblical Authorities interpret the words that have traditionally been translated as “Forever” and “Eternal.” We saw how they do not necessarily mean endless and could be interpreted (probably more...
Ps. 61:8; Luke 1:10; John 4:14; Ecclesiastes 1:4
In the last blog we looked at how aion and aionios were used in the New Testament in ways that do not mean endless. This blog will introduce how these 2 Greek words were used in the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of...
Genesis 6:4; Isaiah 58:12; Jeremiah 18:15; Exodus 12:17; Numbers 10:8; Jeremiah 28:8; Jonah 2:6; Psalm 73:12
In the last blog we saw how the Septuagint is critically important in understanding how the people to whom the New Testament was written understood its teachings. For it was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament (Greek being...
Luke 1:33; Isaiah 9:7; Luke 20:36; Matthew 24:46; Matthew 16:12; Romans 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:4; Hebrews 7:15
In this blog I hope to show Greek words that actually DO mean endless. Furthermore, these words almost without fail are only ever used in connection with Christ and HIS Kingdom, and never (with only one exception) concerning Hell or...
1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Peter 4:11; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 14:11; Hebrews 1:8; Ephesians 3:21; Ephesians 3:8-11; Hebrews 1:2
We have now established that aion and aionios do not necessarily mean endless, in fact, it seems to be an exception when/if it does. However, there yet remains for us to understand its true significance. For that, let us finally look at...
Jeremiah 1:10; Hosea 6:1; John 16:13; Revelation 20:4-6; Romans 8:21; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4; Acts 1:6
In light of all we have seen thus far, there is still one question that needs answering. If aion means age, and aionios means pertaining to an age, or age-long, age-abiding, age-lasting, etc… then exactly what does aionian life and...
Mark 9:49; Matthew 3:11; Matthew 25:46; Luke 9:56; John 5:22; John 12:47; Ephesians 2:7; Revelation 20:14
The concept of “eternal torture in hell” is a man-made fusion — built from mistranslations and tradition, not from truth.1. JESUS SPOKE OF FIRE — BUT NOT TO TORTURE, TO PURIFY“Everyone will be salted with fire.”— Mark 9:49Fire in Jesus’...
Matthew 10:28; Luke 17:29; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; Luke 17:33; John 12:25
Having seen what we have about Gehenna and its local, historical and cultural context, we can confidently say that the majority of its references do not concern an endless hellfire. There is however one occurrence of Gehenna in Scripture...
Matthew 25:46; John 15:2; Hab. 3:6
So far we have looked at 4 terms used in Scripture to convey judgment in the afterlife. In this blog we will look at the term that is found in the most notorious reference to supposed “eternal damnation.” This reference is by far the most...
Isa 4:5; Matt 3:3; Lev 16:27; 2 Pet 3:10; Ezek 1:4; Ezek 8:2; Rev 1:14; Rev 4:5
Again, how shallow is the common view of “fire” as only or chiefly a penal agent. “Fire, in Scripture, is the element of ‘life’ (Isa 4:5), of ‘purification’ (Matt 3:3), of ‘atonement’ (Lev 16:27), of ‘transformation’ (2 Pet 3:10), and...
2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 1:17; Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:16; Luke 12:47; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; Exodus 2:1-11; Acts 7:20-23
“To hell with it,” lets see what the Bible has to say regarding…hell! 😉 Judgment in the After LifeThe first issue that needs to be addressed concerns the Old Testament’s complete silence about there being a very serious and horrifying...
1 Tim. 2:4; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 45:22; 2 Peter 3:15; Psalm 103:19; 1 Timothy 6:15; Ephesians 1:11
When presenting a Scriptural case for the ultimate reconciliation of all mankind…where is the best place to start? There are a lot of verses to be sure, but which one (or ones) should usher the rest of them in? This is a difficult choice...
Mark 10:26; Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; Job 42:2; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Psalm 149:2; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:6-8
All Made AliveIn the last blog we saw how clear it is that God’s will and plan is to save all men. It is not just wishful thinking, He actually intends to accomplish this seemingly impossible feat. Just like us, even Christ’s disciples...
I protest against teaching that “all” means in scriptural phrase absolutely “all” when some evil is foretold, but that “all” means only “some” when spoken of final salvation. So rooted is this most inequitable mode of interpretation, that...
It is a striking fact that the weight of opposition to universalism in primitive times is found in the Latin church, is found most vigorous where, as in Augustine’s case, the Greek language was never really mastered.
“The Lord is an atonement, ʻnot for our sins only,ʼ that is, of the faithful, ʻbut also for the whole world.ʼ Therefore He indeed saves all universally; but some as converted by punishments, others by voluntary submission, thus obtaining...
This is one of the best books that deals with Eternal Conscious Torment.
Phil 2:10
“So He saves all; but some He converts by penalties, others who follow Him of their own will, and in accordance with the worthiness of His honor, that every knee may be bent to Him of celestial, terrestrial and infernal things (Phil 2:10)...
1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Peter 3:9-13
In the previous blog we saw that the nature of fire is the Law and the purpose of this fire is to discipline and correct us, refining us until we are righteous and holy – as God is. To clarify, we are actually imputed holiness and...
“He is the Savior, not of some and of the rest not. … For how is He Lord and Savior if He is not Lord and Savior of all? He is certainly the Savior of those who believe … while of those who do not believe, He is Lord, until having become...
Heb 2:10
How can suffering coexist in a universe with a perfectly good and all-powerful God? We can blame human free will, if we wish, but that does not remove the difficulty as to why God, knowing that men would use their free will thus, did not...
Isaiah 26:9; Hebrews 12:29; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:7; Matthew 3:12; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Revelation 20:12; Romans 2:6
1. God's Judgment Brings Righteousness — Not Eternal Torment“When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”— Isaiah 26:9God does not destroy to annihilate — He judges to teach. His fire is not...
Revelation 20:14; Hebrews 12:29; Matthew 3:11; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 21:1; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:6
SECTION 8: THE LAKE OF FIRE — THE FINAL CLEANSING, NOT FINAL DAMNATION“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” — Revelation 20:14The Lake of Fire.To the religious world, it’s the most terrifying verse...
Matthew 7:11; Eph. 4:6; Acts 17:28; James 2:13; Psalm 30:5; Luke 2:10
Hell. Horrifying, agonizing – hopeless. The mere mention of it creates unease. Even Christians who believe that their faith in Christ will exempt them from hell have close friends and family whom they fear will end up there, or have...
Universalists believe that traditionalism and annihilationism deny Christ His proper satisfaction. They agree with Allin and Chamberlain, who said: “The eternal existence of sin and rebellion against God is sin triumphant. Sin, which God...
Luke 2:10; John 1:29; 1 John 4:14; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 John 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:10; Galatians 6:10; Acts 25:26
Before we begin the 1st series of blogs on the Greek and Hebrew words translated as “eternal, forever and everlasting,” I would like to present a small selection of Scriptures that defend my position on Universal Reconciliation. I do this...
Daniel 12:12; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 89:48; Ecclesiastes 9:2; Genesis 37:35; Genesis 42:38; Genesis 44:29; Psalm 30:3
The last blog showed us that Sheol is a place where the dead abide. Everyone who dies goes there and they abide there in a kind of sleep state, where all will await a resurrection or an awakening from the dead (Daniel 12:12). Having seen...
Revelation 1:17; Matthew 16:13-18; 1 Peter 3:19; Ephesians 4:8-10; Galatians 3:28; Romans 12:5; Romans 8:17; Ephesians 1:3
So far we have looked at the word Sheol in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament as a word that might possibly teach/support the doctrine of Hell. We saw very clearly how this cannot be the case. It is definitely related to some kind of...
Isaiah 5:14; Colossians 1:18; Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 13:3; Mark 4:33; Luke 16:1-14; Matthew 28:11-15
In the last blog we saw how Hades is synonymous with the concept of Sheol. We saw that Christ has the keys of Hades, and the gates of Hades will not be able to resist the advance of Christ’s Church. We also saw that eventually Hades will...
Acts 2:27-31; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Mark 9:49; Psalm 30:5; James 2:13; Hebrews 12:11
We have now looked at how almost every instance of what we tend to presume is a reference to “hell” in the New Testament is really referring to something else. Gehenna refers to the city dump which was used as a warning of national...
Romans 11:33; Isaiah 55:8; Acts 3:20; Luke 24:25-27; Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
What we have looked at in the previous 3 blogs concerning Universal Reconciliation as it is revealed in Scripture is quite a power house of support. We still have a massive number of other verses to look at that directly bear on this...
1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 1:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 11:16; Romans 8:19-21; Deuteronomy 19:15
1 Timothy 4The last few blogs focused on the “timing” of God’s plan to save all men – i.e. how He plans to do it through several squadrons or harvests (distinct groups if you will). I hope that this helps alleviate some of the questions...
John 12:32; Acts 5:30; Galatians 3:3; Philippians 2:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:35-38; James 2:6; Acts 16:19; Acts 21:30
One of the Scriptures concerning the ultimate reconciliation of all men that seems to fly under the radar is one that Christ Himself uttered and is recorded in the book of John. It specifically concerns His death and the results (or fruit)...
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Eph 3:20
We should expect that a story authored by God would be the very best story imaginable – or even unimaginable! Can we not imagine that God would recover all that was lost to Him? Do we think that He is not wise or competent enough to...
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Luke 20:34-36; Philippians 3:7-11; Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 12:25; 1 Corinthians 15:31; Revelation 20:4-6
Death and the 1st ResurrectionJesus makes a very peculiar statement related to this, He said, “The sons of this age (aion) marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that (next) age (aion) and the...
The universe has become ceaseless light. … The Sun of righteousness who traverses the universe, pervades all humanity alike. … Giving us the inalienable inheritance of the Father. ... Writing His laws on our hearts. What laws are those He...
Of the six catechetical schools that taught theology in the earliest centuries of the church, there were four that taught universalism, one which taught annihilationism and one that taught eternal conscious torment. 1- Antioch...
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Acts 7:22; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 19:5; Titus 1:16; Matthew 7:15; Revelation 2:2
If you have, perchance, managed to suffer through all the blogs in this series on hell, then I would like to applaud you; for you must have an incredibly high tolerance for pain! 😉 But in all seriousness, if you have read each blog and...
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Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:4-7; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:6
In the last blog we noticed several texts regarding God’s Timing as it pertains to the Restoration of All Things. This answered the question concerning why, if it God is going to save everyone, do we not see everyone saved yet? The answer...
Colossians 2:16; Matthew 9:36; Revelation 14:15; John 4:35; Matthew 13:36-39; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Acts 2:1
3 Harvests of SoulsWe have already seen multiple times how the Law is “a type and shadow of good things to come.” Within the Law there are details concerning 3 specific harvests, which I mentioned in the previous blogs. Paul even...
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Joshua 15:8; 2 Chronicles 33:3; Jeremiah 7:31; Deuteronomy 18:10; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; Jeremiah 35:15; 2 Kings 23:10; Mark 9:45
Out of all the words/concepts that most resemble the Church’s current view of hell – “Gehenna” is the one that seems to come closest. Ironically, Gehenna happens to be the only one that has nothing to do with the afterlife! Gehenna occurs...
Jeremiah 21:8-10; Matthew 16:13; Matthew 23:15; Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 21:33-46; Matthew 22:1-7; Luke 19:11-27; Luke 20:9-16
In the last blog we saw how the Old Testament shows the progression of the Valley of Hinnom (Ge Hinnom – Gehenna) how it became a polluted city dump and eventually a symbol of national destruction; the effectual consequence of lawlessness...
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Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 22:1-14; Matthew 25:14-30; Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Matthew 5:5; 2 Timothy 2:12
We have now looked at all 4 words generally associated with Hell; namely – Sheol, Hades, Tartarus and Gehenna. There remains only one more picture used in the Bible that we mistakenly interpret as referring to “Hell.” That picture is the...
Luke 2:10
The Salvation of all men! Sounds too good to be true, right? I mean, the Gospel (Good News) is already too good to be true; God took our fallen nature upon Himself and became sin so that we would be the righteousness of God! He didn’t just...
Philippians 2:10; John 10:35; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30; Luke 16:17; Luke 21:32; Isaiah 45:22-23
So far we have seen that it is God’s plan and intention to save all men; and in the last blog we saw that there are Scriptures that prophecy about God actually accomplishing this glorious plan of His! In this blog we are going to look at...
Genesis 24:7; Job 17:16; Psalm 89:48; Isaiah 14:9; Isaiah 28:15; Ezekiel 31:17; Psalm 116:3; Isaiah 38:18
Having seen that the Old Testament is quite silent regarding our modern concept of hell, there yet remains something that I need to clarify. In this series on Hell it is not my intention to argue or prove the non-existence of hell, but...
2 Peter 2:4; Philippians 2:10; Revelation 5:13; 1 Corinthians 8:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Genesis 5:24
We have thus far looked at Sheol and Hades in both Scriptural and cultural contexts. Those two words are basically the same concept, in two different languages. They convey the concept that men are held in a place or state of sleep where...
Those who acknowledge that Jesus died to save the whole world, but believe that many will ultimately be lost, must face yet another important issue. The New Testament consistently describes Jesus as the conqueror of the inferior powers...
How ironic that those who believe God will not violate the “free” will of man have no problem believing that He will violate His own free will – that all men should be saved!
Phil 2:10
“All men are Christ’s, some by knowing Him, the rest not yet.” “He is the Savior, not of some and of the rest not … He by the Father’s will directs the salvation of all … for all things have been ordered, both universally and in part, by...
Origen believed in Apokatastasis: the ultimate healing of all souls through divine love. > “God will be all in all… every being will, by purification, be restored.” — Origen, De Principiis I.6.2
Isa.4:4; 1Cor.5:5; Rom.7:13-25; Heb.12:10
Love is not simply one aspect of God’s character among others, such as wisdom, justice and power: love is the essence of God’s Being, the fount of all His attributes; the motivating principle behind all His works. Love is, as it were, the...
OUR MARVELOUS INHERITANCE ...through his Incarnation, Christ reconciled us to Abba, he united and reunited humanity and Trinity in his Person. On the Cross, Christ tore open the curtain for all Abba’s children, granting everyone...
1 Corinthians 13:9; Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 12:42-48; Luke 13:22-30; Matthew 25:1-13; 2 Corinthians 11:2
In the last blog we looked at a few of the references to “weeping and gnashing of teeth” that those who are “cast into the outer darkness” would suffer. We saw that the warning was not towards the godless, but those that follow God, His...
Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Isaiah 66:24; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 16:23; Revelation 14:10-11; Revelation 20:10; Hebrews 12:29
YOU KNOW THAT “HELL” THE RELIGIOUS CHURCH TAUGHT YOU ALL YOUR LIFE?Jesus Never Taught That Hell in All of Scripture INTRODUCTION: SMOKE AND FEAR — HOW RELIGION TURNED THE GOSPEL INTO A FIREPITFor centuries, the Church has preached a gospel...
2 Peter 3:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; 2Pet. 3:5; Luke 17:27-29; 1 Corinthians 10:6-11; Matt. 27:20; Luke 11:51; Romans 9:22
In the last 2 blogs we saw how death leads to life. We saw that death is the one appointed way for man to rise to a higher form of life through the loss of his old fallen life. We also saw that this death must be experienced both...
Heb 1:11
In Heb 1:11,12, quoted from Psa 102, we read concerning the heavens and the earth as compared with the eternity of God, "they shall perish" (apolountai). Then in verse 12 "They will also be changed..." But the perishing is only preparatory...
Calvinism (500 years ago) started with Augustine, 1600 years ago. Arminianism started 500 years ago. Greek Orthodox (Trinitarians) separated from the western church in 964 AD. CalvinismPredestination as to who is in Christ. Vast majority...
PICK TWO, REJECT ONE (You can't believe all 3) 1. It is God’s redemptive purpose for the world (and therefore His will) to reconcile all sinners to Himself. 2. It is within God’s power to achieve His redemptive purpose for the world. 3...
Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18; Psalms 22:27; Psalms 65:2; Psalms 86:9; Psalms 103:8-9; Psalms 145:9-10; Psalms 145:13
Notice a theme? Genesis 12:3 --- All peoples on earth will be blessed through Abraham. Genesis 22:18 --- All nations on earth will be blessed through Abraham’s offspring. Psalms 22:27 --- All the ends of the earth and all the families of...
John 12:32
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. The word 'draw' is the Greek word Helko, which means to drag.
Traditional doctrines teach us to interpret the “victorious” scriptures in the light of the “judgment” scriptures. But what if God wants us to see it the other way around? . . . Is not Christ’s victory the greatest revelation in the Bible?...
Ps. 30:5; 2 Chron. 5:13; Matt. 5:45; Luke 6:35
His anger is for a moment, His mercy is forever vs His mercy is for a moment, His anger is forever.The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that God’s anger endures only for a moment, but His love endures forever (Ps. 30: 5; e.g., 2 Chron. 5: 13...
What does the traditional creed require? It practically requires a mutilated Bible. More than this, it bids us to expunge precisely that which is noblest and divinest in Holy Scripture. I have no desire to ignore “the terrors of the Lord”...
1Sam.2:6; 2Sam.14:14
He disciplines to improve. No matter how severely He chastens, it is for our good, not harm. Divine chastening, even when it leads to acute suffering and loss, including death, is the pathway to life. For we read that God ‘kills and makes...
Luke 15:17; Luke 15:22-24; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Hebrews 1:10-12; Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 65:17; Luke 15:32
In the last blog we saw how the Greek word Apollumi not only means “utter destruction” (and is used in such a sense not only concerning past things, but also to describe future judgments) but also that it means “lost.” We further saw that...
“The peace [coming] from the Lord is coextensive with all time [eternity]. For all things shall be subject to him, and all things shall acknowledge his empire; and when God shall be all in all, those who now excite discords by revolts...
“All men are Christ’s, some by knowing Him, the rest not yet.”
Christ will therefore subject to himself everything [the universe], and this saving subjection it is right to regard as similar to that, according to which the Son himself shall be subjected unto him, who subjected to himself all things...
“At some time the nature of evil shall pass to extinction, being fully and completely removed from existence; and divine unmixed goodness shall embrace in itself every rational nature, nothing that has been made by God falling away from...
1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 5:17; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:9-11; Col. 1:20; Heb. 2:9
The following is from Richard Murray, a great theologian of our time. Here is a quick historical survey of the EARLY CHURCH regarding their surprising beliefs about HELL: THE FIRST 500 YEARS: In the first five centuries there were six...
“When the Son is said to be subject to the Father, the perfect restoration of the whole creation is signified.” “When death shall no longer exist, or the sting of death, nor any evil at all, then, verily, God will be all in all.” “All...
Isa 46:9; Rev 1:18
Why has the good news been perverted so much? The message of hell has affected us because... 1. It contradicts the unending, unfailing love of the Father. It perverts the message with the idea that we have to love Him before He will love...
Proverbs 26:20; Isaiah 66:24; song 8:6; Isa. 1:31; Jer. 17:27; Leviticus 6:12; 2 Chronicles 29:7; Exodus 30:8
Having seen how Gehenna really refers to a trash heap outside of Jerusalem, and secondly as a picture of national judgment, there remains a few comments I feel will further dismantle the idea of Gehenna as a picture of Hell. Paul’s...
John 10:10
Video/Audio Viewing Jesus in all Scripture, and viewing Old Testament Scripture in the light of Jesus. 11:33 Old Testament violence When reading the Old Testament, Is this about Jesus, or is this about us? 14:12 Scripture is not the Word...
Audio Interview
Video series on Hell.
2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 5:17; Acts 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Colossians 1:16-20; Ephesians 1:10
#1 – Universal Reconciliation: IntroductionPosted on August 23, 2014 by Luke KesslerUniversal Reconciliation: the belief that God is ultimately going to save all men. The idea is probably new to most people; which makes it a bit shocking...
Video Interview 6minDefines Universalism
John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 4:8; Numbers 14:21; Habakkuk 2:14; Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10
Editor’s Note: This letter was originally published on SecretEvangel.com in 2008. It has taken me more than six months to write this letter. Why so long? Because it discusses my beliefs and how they’ve changed over the last five years...
“I believe implicitly in the ultimate and complete triumph of God. . . . If one man remains outside the love of God at the end of time, it means that that one man has defeated the love of God—and that is impossible. . . . Further, there is...
1 Tim. 4:10; Rom. 5:18; Col. 1:20; 1 Cor. 15:22-28; John 12:32; Rev. 21:5
Setting the Record Straight on Hell, Judgment, and the Early Church (For the pastor who told me to “do more research”)The other day, a pastor told me I needed to “do my research”—because, according to him, only one early church school...
2 Corinthians 5:19
That's a great question! The audience does not define the scope of the claim. The referent does. Scripture routinely addresses believers while making ontological statements about humanity. Apostolic letters are pastoral documents, not...