Not all who believe that all mankind will be saved explain it just as I have done.  This makes no difference to me.  It does not impair my fellowship for them. There are great bodies of saints who do not even divide the scripture into Circumcision and Uncircumcision writings.  They do not se the difference between the kingdom on earth and the place of the ecclesia in the heavens.  To them, all scriptures are to us. 

I think they sustain quite a loss in understanding and satisfaction.  But I care no less for them because of this.  We ought to cultivate the fellowship and companionship of all of them irrespective of unity of understanding as to details.  If we have the truth on this, we can never reach them with it if we cut them off. 

My arms are open to all such.  Let us have fellowship in the greatest of all truths - the one that shows that God is LOVE instead of a Fiend.  

On the other hand, let me implore those who do not see things as we do, to be kind to us.  Don't refer in your to "those who are Concordant," as if it were a badge of dishonor.  Leave off all bickering. Let us show that we can have fellowship in what truth we hold in common, without fighting about the things i which we differ. 

We all miss great opportunities for service when we are unkind and ungracious.  As I have already said, there are great bodies of people who teach that all mankind will be saved, but they, as we think, do not know some of the details, which, if they knew them, would make then very happy.  Not all of them have had the opportunity that some of us have had, and have not learned some things that they ought to know. 

What we need is more activity on our part, and this activity ought to be mixed with graciousness and kindness and forbearance.  Let us not be satisfied to sit down with our own "crowd," and revel in what we know, and think of others who differ from us, as being unworthy of our fellowship.  I know of nothing else that so soon and effectively begets a spirit of Pharisee-ism, as a spirit of satisfaction with ourselves, coupled with a spirit of unconcern for others. 

I think that a willingness to mix with others who believe in the salvation of all mankind, and yet do not think of the details as we think of them, would go far toward creating a unity of fellowship, which, in turn, would tend toward a oneness of understanding.  I just came in touch, by correspondence with a large group of preachers who, I am informed, want fellowship with me, even though we do not see all things alike.  This is being written a long while before it will reach the readers, and it is probable that before these pages are read in print, I will have made physical contact with those people and will have enjoyed many hours of sweet fellowship and service with them. 

It is easy to "throw off" on those who differ from us.  But let us remember that we also differ from them.  We don't want them to make sport of us.  We want them to be kind to us.  I am ready to go among any such group and hold meeting with them and fellowship with them in spirit, and make an effort to so serve them and let them serve me, that we may become more closely united in understanding.

And what about those who do NOT believe that all mankind will be saved?  Well, there was a time when I did not believe it - yet I was as much a saint then, as I am now.  I am thankful to God that I have come into a realization of this truth, and I do not hold it against any, that they have not done this.  Many lack opportunity.  Where we have the privilege of teaching them it is a great blessing to do so.

I wish that every one of us who does believe this great truth would lovingly bring it to the attention of other saints.  We can reach them more easily if we do not assume an air of superiority.  We are not superior to them.  But for the grace of God we would be as they are.  We once were.  It is not due to any super knowledge that we possessed, that we came into the truth of the scope of God's salvation. 

Through the years I have tried to show this kindness that I am advocating.  The result is, hundreds who are yet tied up with denominations that deny this teaching, believe the blessed doctrine, although they do not say much about it. 

Some have thought that I Thessalonians 1 and 2 refers to people in the present time.  Not so; the evangel of the Lord Jesus Christ, mentioned in 1:8 is an evangel that will have been heralded in all the world just before the Lord Jesus is unveiled from heaven in flaming fire.  This will be after the close of the present administration, and after the ecclesia has met the Lord in the air.  It is not the evangel of the grace of God; it is the news that the kingdom will soon be established. 

Those who do not love the Jews in that day, will not receive the love of the truth, which is for their salvation—salvation from the calamities that will come in the affliction period.  Instead of this, they will believe the falsehood—the claim of the man of lawlessness that he is God.  God will send them an operation of deception,—this is why they believe the falsehood.  They delight in the injustice— the injustice that is on the earth at that time.  This injustice is the affliction that people of the nations will be heaping on the Jews.  Therefore they will be judged.  This has no reference to the judging in front of the great white throne,  It is the judging that must begin at the house of God—the seven ecclesias of Asia—and will spread to the people of the nations.  Those under consideration have not obeyed the evangel of the Lord Jesus Christ—which is not the present evangel—and they will incur the justice of extermination in relation to the eon—the kingdom that is to follow. 

Let us never use that passage to "prove" that those who today, do not believe in the salvation of all mankind, will have to go to the great white throne and be judged. The salvation of all is not in view in that passage. 

Yes, there is room for a great deal more kindness than most of us show.  It is a travesty of grace, to claim to love grace, and then show no graciousness toward others. 

Let us take this matter to heart.  In this administration of the grace of God, we have the great privilege of being gracious.  No one has the right to demand that we be otherwise.  If you don't like some one, you have no right to object if I like him, I am not concerned in doing right; I am very desirous of doing MORE THAN RIGHT.  How do YOU feel about it? 

TIME PERIODS

The words, for ever, forever and ever, everlasting and eternal denote periods of time.  They are not endlessness.  The words from which they are translated denote time periods.  Those who do not have access to the originals can learn for them selves that this is true. 

The earth abides for ever, and yet the earth is to be destroyed.  The sons of Aaron were to be an everlasting priesthood yet they have not been a priesthood for many centuries.  The wild beast, the false prophet and the adversary are to be tormented for ever and ever, yet the passage limits its duration to the time when day and night continue to follow each other.  The fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was eternal fire, yet is has long since ceased to operate. 

We will have no trouble in believing that all mankind are to be saved, if we remember that the words cited in this article are words denoting time periods. 

The matter of life beyond the eons was settled before the eons began.  See I Tim. 1:9,10.  It is based, not on works, but on God's purpose, made before the eons, and His gift of grace in Christ at that time. 

The eons constitute the period during which God carries out His plan to cause His creation to praise Him and to know Him.  Because of the eons and their troubles, our hearts will respond fully to God.