Why would God allow this to be hidden?
It has not always been so. It was known and accepted during the first 500 years of Church history when believers read the Scriptures in Greek. Yet, it is true that God veils truth from certain groups of people for specific times and purposes (Ro. 16:25; Ep. 3:8-12; Col 1:25-27). The Church was blinded to salvation by faith for over a thousand years until Luther. The Lord stated plainly that He hid truth from His hearers through parables (Mt. 13:11; 9-17). “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Pr. 25:2). Andrew Jukes writes:
When have God’s people as a body ever seen or received any truth beyond their own dispensation? Take as an instance Israel of old, whose ways, “ensamples of us,” prefigure the Church of this age. Did they ever receive the call of the Gentiles, or see God’s purpose outside their own election? A few all through that age spoke of blessings to the world, and were without exception judged for such a testimony:—“Which of the prophets have not your father’s slain?” Was God’s purpose to the Gentiles therefore a false doctrine: or, because His people did not receive it, was it not to be found in their own Scriptures? The doctrine of the “restitution of all things” is to the Church what “the call of the Gentiles” was to Israel. Is Israel’s path to teach us nothing? Are men’s traditions about God’s purpose to be preferred to His own unerring Word? But the path is not a new one for the sons of God. All the prophets perished in Jerusalem. And, above all, the Lord was judged as a Deceiver, by those whom God had called to be His witnesses. The Church’s judgment, therefore, cannot decide a point like this, if that judgment be in opposition to the Word of God. (21)
Mercy Aiken, author of If Hell Is Real, writes:
“In the time of Christ most of Israel completely missed the Word of God when He was in their midst. They were too busy with their nose in the book, to perceive the Word Himself as He came and dwelt among them! Certainly the masses must have thought…“But none of the teachers, Pharisees, or priests believe that Jesus is the Messiah! And they know the scripture better than me!” That fact alone kept many Jews from daring to believe in Jesus. To do so was heresy and to admit faith in Him was basically asking for scorn and rejection. We have been quick to point the finger at the Pharisees, and not realize that we as the church follow the same pattern today. Are we going to play it safe and side with the majority, who are clinging to their traditions… or risk it all and step out and follow Him?” (22)
As I have struggled with this question, I have found solace in the truths of election and first-fruits through God’s plan for the ages (ch.5). Though so many do not yet see God’s glory, His glorious plan for all humanity is being fulfilled. All nations will come, worship, and glorify His name. God is great and does wondrous things (Ps. 86:9-10)! There are encouraging signs in our time that show me that the Church is more receptive than ever to test its traditions as Christ and Paul exhort (Lu. 12:57; Mt. 15:3, 6, 9; 1Th. 5:21).
References
(21) Jukes, Andrew. The Restitution of All Things. Santa Clarita, CA: Concordant, 1867. 97-101.
(22) Aiken, Mercy. If Hell Is Real. www.tentmaker.org/articles/ifhellisrealprintable.htm.
Taken from Hope Beyond Hell page 231-232
June 25, 2010
God allows it to be hidden because He is in full charge of the predestine calling, appointment time for each to come to Christ to have the veil removed from their eyes, and to have their ears open to truth. Thank God, for the knowledge of TRUTH that when Jesus died on the cross the Father said that He would draw all mankind and give them to Jesus. All will be taught by God and all will come to Jesus, and all will bow down and give Jesus all the honor and praise due unto Him.
July 21, 2010
You have revealed in your book, as well as many other books since the Reformation, that this truth has not been hiden by God; but by clever deception, such as the doctrine of “reserve”, and by many other “theological, hermaneutical, church dogmas, so-called anathemas, etc. from approximately 500 A.D. until even the present day. Having the Word of God sealed in the dead Latin language and not allowing the common people to read it for a 1000 years only led to the “dark ages”. Too bad that most of the reformers in the 16th century didn’t get rid of all false teachings-especially eternal wrath and eternal torment. I only pray that most Christians who believe in the final reconciliation are not deceived into believing that there are no judgements, punishments, or hell, like the inclusivists seem to believe. The title of your book, “Hope beyond Hell” has it right (hope beyond hell-not hope without any hell). Where did Christ go to preach the gospel in 1 Peter 3:19-20 & 4:6, if not to spirits of the dead in hades, sheol, or hell? Your book lists many other scriptures showing hope for the deliverance of the captives in hell such as Hosea 13:14. Thanks again for your book and the truth of the gospel that it proclaims.
July 21, 2010
Thanks again for your exellent book-“hope Beyond Hell”-not hope without any hell.
July 21, 2010
Thanks again for your exellent book—“Hope Beyond Hell”—not hope without any of God’s righteous judgements and necessary hell! All the ancient church saints and martyers expounded from the scriptures of a purgatorial hell.
May 11, 2012
The question, “Why does God ALLOW this to be hidden?” I like to look for simple earthly examples of our generation to help me understand things of God. There are several OT scriptures where God states, “Have you not known? Have you not heard or seen? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” His ways (to me) are not actually hidden, but spiritually discerned and it takes (much of the time) going through hell for you to ask the Dr. Phil question – So, how’s that working for you? In other words, when a person is so full of their self as to not listen to history, wisdom or correction and evidence from the foundations of the earth – it would seem things were hidden from them or they were blind. This is where I think God ALLOWS us to be refined as we choose our own path (sometimes even unto death – but not lost). God does speak of blinding, but I think it is because something needs to be refined/burned up (if you will) in the individual so when the blinders are taken off – there is an ownership to the understanding that cannot be moved. Without that experience, you could be blown around by the winds of doctrine.
The simple example I thought of is, and was several years ago, a friend of mine was having trouble with her daughter who was in her 20’s. She had taken on certain destructive behavior patterns from being influenced by her peers. She sees her behavior as being totally OK as everyone else is doing it and it’s not wrong. Her mother presents history, evidence, wisdom to the contrary – but the daughter will not see even though the evidence is all around her. I asked the mother (as the daughter was an adult) to leave it in God’s hands to bring her to her senses and to give her a safe place to fall when the consequences come – and they did with much pain. The daughter can now see the reasoning of her mother and is restored with full awareness and ownership to not trod down that path again.
This is very, very simple in comparison to OT or world events, but I think the bases is the same. ie. When I first came to the glorious understanding presented in Hope Beyond Hell – not by reading any books – but by God’s revelation alone causing me to search the scriptures 6 hours a day 5 days a week for 2 years – I put together a compilation of notes, scripture and historical writings (80 pages) to present to my pastor to give me his thoughts. I was the Worship Leader and under his authority(which I believe God honors our respect to our earthly authorities), so it was not to come against him or cause division – just a consideration of what I had been shown. He read the 1st fourteen pages, put it down to warn me of a religion (that he learned in seminary) that would present itself in the last days to draw away even the elect and that I would be destroyed if I chose to follow this path of belief (without reading all the evidence, he thought it was Unitarianism where all paths lead to God) – AND silenced me to ever speak of it to anyone in the congregation, in which I honored – but everyone outside has had my testimony, and the fruit thereof has been anything but destruction.
We have been in the last days for the last 2,000 years and can’t help but think, “What kind of religion could draw away even the elect?” I would surmise it would be a religion that is well established by the masses so long no one questions it (like Jesus did with the dogmatic Pharisees). So to put into context with the above simple example of a person following their own understanding and to experience the consequences of it – that was only a single behavior. We are talking about how to believe in the One God of all creation, the God of the universe. For this to reach its full consequence, it may take 1000’s of years for God to allow man to come up with every religion under the sun for them to have a history to look back on and ask, “So, how did it work for you?,” with all the history of religions (not only Christianity) who kill, steal and destroy each other. BUT (and I love God’s but’s) when He reveals Himself and His love towards all mankind, all (who did not believe His truth) will fall to their knees weeping and knashing their teeth that they had it wrong and how could they have been so blind.
I have witnessed this with many elderly that were abusive towards their families. A light came on in their old age of how bad their behavior towards their children were and they would weep in shame and were soooo sorry for it, crying for their children’s forgiveness and greatly humbled. Again, But – like these children and the mother in the above story that could be considered the elect/chosen of God (not everyone on earth can be chosen but are all called according to God divine plan), give the lost a safe place to fall and be forgiven and loved as God wipes away tears and uses His chosen to establish (rule the nations) His Kingdom (an extreme short explanation).
This is what I love the most about this understanding of “Savior of all,” it does not promote anger or resentment to people who will not believe. For whatever reason, it is not given to them to see right now. I don’t say that in arrogance because I have learned, what I understand today may change tomorrow as God reveals deeper truths. I don’t even know if I am one of the chosen because His ways are so much higher – for me to think I have full understanding, would be arrogant – But, that doesn’t bother me because I know the end and love the way it is stated in Ephesian chapter 1 as Paul (chosen) states: “Having made known unto us (chosen) the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, in Him – In whom also we (chosen) have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will…..”
Can I get an Amen!!!
May 12, 2012
Amen!