In the same way, this larger view explains God's repeated promise to
Abraham. The promise was made to him that in him all the families on the
earth would be blest. But uncounted millions of them have not been
blest, so far as this life is concerned. Will the promise not be
fulfilled? And how can it be fulfilled but by being fulfilled in the
next life?
Then, of Christ it was foretold that he should "see of the travail of
His soul, and should be satisfied." But surely, He is not satisfied with
the comparatively small number of the human race that have been saved.
If He loves each one of them individually, will He be satisfied with
less than the salvation of each one?
Evidently, He looked forward to this all-conquering epoch when He said
that He would draw all men unto Himself. Certainly, He did not draw all
men to Himself when He was here. What remains for us but to enlarge our
view, and believe that He will do it there?
Along the same line we have the promise that "all Israel shall be
saved." That promise has not been fulfilled, and never can be
fulfilled, in this life. Is it too much to say that it will be fulfilled
in the life to come?
In like manner it is promised that "He shall have the heathen for his
inheritance." But uncounted millions of the heathen have died in utter
darkness; and millions more are dying now. How can the promise be
fulfilled within the bourne of time? But we thank God that the whole
span of time is but one short epoch with Him whose ways are from
everlasting.
Judging from the revelations that we have of God, we believe that He can
and will achieve the maximum of holiness and happiness for all His
creatures, according to their several capacities. In harmony with this
view, scientists and moralists say that it is a law of the universe that
anything that is really good will endure. It is likely that in the
future life we shall see the working of that principle as we cannot
see it now.
It is strongly in favor of this idea that man is endowed with such
amazing potentiality. There seems to be no end to his capacity of
development. Now, is it to be supposed that an all-wise God would endow
man with such possibilities, and create no scope for their development?
Certainly, there would be no worthy development of them in the case of
endless torment. This idea strongly suggests universal salvation.
In the case of eternal suffering, without hope of release, would not
that condition develop every possibility of evil to all eternity? And
would not such an outcome be entirely contrary to the purpose of
the Holy One?
Then it is an everlasting argument for universal salvation that such a
consummation would be far more glorifying to God, than any other
alternative that we can conceive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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