All means all

[fastfredy0]

Matthew 7:13-14 [NKJV]
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

OK ... just for fun I will give my opinion of how many people get to heaven as a percentage ...
Caveat: Initially, I will not count those that died before the age of accountability

Salient points ..

• https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/ give world population through time. 8 billion now, only 0.2 billion around the time of Christ
• even today 1 to 2 billion never heard of Christ
• 0.8 billion protestants, 1.2 billion R.C.s
• I'm going to guess 1 in 10 people are legit protestants and R.C.s
• I'm going to lower my estimate somewhat because in earlier centuries gospel had not spread to degree it has today

Conclusion
Assuming only protestants are saved I estimate .8% end up on heaven
Assuming only R.C.s are saved I estimate 1.2% end up on heaven
Assuming only RCs and protestants are saved I estimate 2% end up on heaven


Age of Accountability Estimate
Assumption: Those that don't reach the age of accountability go to heaven
Salient Points:
Death rate 5 and under Abortion Rate Miscarriage Total %

Year	Percent	Year	Percent	Year	Percent
<1850	40
1940	24
1960	20
1990	10
2016	4

From 2010-2014, an estimated 25% of global pregnancies (including spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion.
The 6 million-plus pregnancies in 1996 in the U.S. resulted in 3.9 million births, 1.3 million induced abortions, and almost a million fetal deaths. This means that 62 percent of pregnancies ended in a live birth, 22 percent ended in abortion, and 16 percent ended in a miscarriage or stillbirth. Another source said that abortions are down to 13% while miscarriages are at 20% for a total of 33%.

So we very roughly have a third of people through time not reaching the age of accountability. Therefore, 30% of all people born end up in heaven because they never reached the age of accountability and 94% of the people in heaven are there because they never reached the age of accountability.

* rough estimates *

 

[SeventhDay]

This post is a counter to the idea that God preselected a group of people for salvation before creation, and also at that time choose others for damnation, what is known as Calvinism. It is a fatalistic idea that man does not choose to follow God of free will, but rather God elects some to salvation, and elects others to damnation, and the people have no choice in the matter.

Country to this idea, the Bible is clear God gave Himself as a ransom for all men.



The above verse shows us that a) God’s desire is to save as many as receive Him, note b) He gave himself as a ransom for all. This shows that the “all men” being talked about is a reference to their salvation. Not some general form of “other salvation”.

The following scriptures show us that “all men” includes both “saved” and unsaved, and for “us” and the “whole world”.





Not only this when Jesus speaks of His willingness to save, he states that it was “man not him”, that was unwilling.



A Calvinist will say that God chooses some for damnation and others for salvation. Meaning God was unwilling to save the damned that He desired their destruction. That He only had a willingness to save the elect.

But Luke 12:38 above clearly shows that God “desired to save the children of Israel”, but they were in many cases “unwilling”. The following scripture also shows us that God has a willingness to save those who are straying, that contrary to Calvinism, God does not delight in the death of the wicked, that that is not his will.



In light of this, we need to be careful in interpreting scripture in a fatalistic way. For Jesus clearly said “I wanted to gather your children together”, that is God’s will. He wanted salvation for people. But the people “were not willing”.

The same applies today, God wants salvation for all. But often people are not willing to follow Him.

My, someone thinks God can not change hearts and make one willing to believe the good news. This is just another denial of Jesus atoning for the sins of the whole world! It is sad!

 

[Wycliffes_Shillelagh]

I'm not going to read 13 pages to catch up here, but...

In the New Testament, all doesn't necessarily mean all. The word pas often means each.

 

[donadams]

Redemption:
The redemption was accomplished by Christ with no participation on our part. All mankind is redeemed.
Lk 2:11 Jn 1:29 rm 5:8 1 pet 1:21-23
God gives all men sufficient truth and grace for salvation.

Justification:
then if we accept His redemption we are justified, born again by faith and baptism. Mk 16:16 Jn 3:5 acts 2:38 8:36 Titus 3:5 1 pet 3:21

Sanctification:
Members of Christ and his church by grace we practice good works (prayer, alms, fasting, virtues charity, suffering other sacraments etc. until death. Phil 1:29

At the hour of death separation from the grace of God by apostasy / rejection of Christ or failing to repent of serious sin a man is lost in damnation! Or

Salvation:
Is for those who are faithful and die in the grace of God united to Christ and in his saints at death enter into eternal salvation! Mk 13:13 Matt 24:13

Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, (redemption) and purify unto himself a peculiar people, (justification / baptism notice purify / wash) Jn 3:5 zealous of good works. (Sanctification) Matt 24:13 endures to the end Shall be saved.
(Salvation)

 

[donadams]

Does alone really mean alone?

five Protestant Solas

Only one verse that contradicts a sola is required to prove it “false doctrine”.

Faith alone: Phil 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;


Christ alone: Christ alone: John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.


Grace alone: Mk 16:16 He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.


Scripture alone: Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


Glory to God alone: Romans 2:10
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:


All five sola’s are “false doctrine” and another Gospel having departed from the faith revealed by Jesus christ!

1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Galatians 1:6
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Novelties:

2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Thanks

 

[atpollard]

Does alone really mean alone?

No. It means apart from the unbiblical traditions of man that the Roman Catholic Church has added to the God-breathed Apostolic instruction. (I am not picking on Rome, but the 5 Solas come from the Protestant Reformation which is a Eurocentric fight between the Roman papacy and 16th Century Reformers fighting a theological “battle” with the Papacy. The EOC and OOC had no dog in that fight by the 16th Century, they had picked a fight with Rome by the 11th Century and bowed out of the Western European discussion.)


It was the 16th century equivalent of a “MEME” or a “Campaign Slogan” … shorthand for a larger message that is easy to remember and can serve as a “battle cry” to rally support.

 

[donadams]

No. It means apart from the unbiblical traditions of man that the Roman Catholic Church has added to the God-breathed Apostolic instruction. (I am not picking on Rome, but the 5 Solas come from the Protestant Reformation which is a Eurocentric fight between the Roman papacy and 16th Century Reformers fighting a theological “battle” with the Papacy. The EOC and OOC had no dog in that fight by the 16th Century, they had picked a fight with Rome by the 11th Century and bowed out of the Western European discussion.)


It was the 16th century equivalent of a “MEME” or a “Campaign Slogan” … shorthand for a larger message that is easy to remember and can serve as a “battle cry” to rally support.

What is tradition?

 

[donadams]

No. It means apart from the unbiblical traditions of man that the Roman Catholic Church has added to the God-breathed Apostolic instruction. (I am not picking on Rome, but the 5 Solas come from the Protestant Reformation which is a Eurocentric fight between the Roman papacy and 16th Century Reformers fighting a theological “battle” with the Papacy. The EOC and OOC had no dog in that fight by the 16th Century, they had picked a fight with Rome by the 11th Century and bowed out of the Western European discussion.)


It was the 16th century equivalent of a “MEME” or a “Campaign Slogan” … shorthand for a larger message that is easy to remember and can serve as a “battle cry” to rally support.

So the Bible is NOT the only authority? What else is an authority?

 

[atpollard]

So the Bible is NOT the only authority? What else is an authority?

It differs by denomination. The AUTHORITY for the EOC is not the same as the AUTHORITY for the RCC. The Lutheran Church adds the "Book of Concord". Some denominations add the Westminster Confession.

If you all REALLY believed that SCRIPTURE ALONE was the only authority (obviously, God is the only authority, and Scripture is the only Word of God that we have recorded to use for those things that Paul claims Scripture is "profitable"), then you would all follow the BAPTISTS, who have no other "authority". That is why EVERY baptist congregation is autonomous ... there is only one Head (Christ) and every local assembly answers to HIM and knows His will through His Word (the Bible) ... period. No other BOOK has authority. No "Bishop" has authority. No "ECF" has authority. God governs His Church directly through His Word by His Spirit. [full stop]

 

[atpollard]

What is tradition?

tradition (noun)
1a : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom) 1b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable 2 : the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3 : cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4 : characteristic manner, method, or style

The issue is the Catholic Church based its doctrines and practices on the belief that "tradition" and "scripture" are of equal authority (which in practice meant that "tradition" abrogated "scripture". In contrast, the 16th Century Reformers believed that "Scripture" superceded "tradition" and accepted only those Catholic traditions which did not contradict "scripture". The 17th Century Reformers believed that earlier reformers had made an error in retaining their "traditions" not supported by Scripture and thus rejected all "traditions" which were not found in the Apostolic writings (the Bible) [I know, some of the writers were not Apostles, but they were companions of Apostles and Contemporaries of the Apostles and their words have been weighed against the Apostle's writings for verification of truth.]

This divide carries on to this day. There are churches that venerate traditions, churches that selectively embrace traditions and churches that reject traditions [obviously "as authoritative" is implied, since every community has 'traditions', like where they place the Nativity in their local building or what hymns they prefer to sing ... but these are not, typically, regarded as commanded by God and moving the nativity to another location would not be "heretical".]

 

[donadams]

tradition (noun)
1a : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom) 1b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable 2 : the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3 : cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4 : characteristic manner, method, or style

The issue is the Catholic Church based its doctrines and practices on the belief that "tradition" and "scripture" are of equal authority (which in practice meant that "tradition" abrogated "scripture". In contrast, the 16th Century Reformers believed that "Scripture" superceded "tradition" and accepted only those Catholic traditions which did not contradict "scripture". The 17th Century Reformers believed that earlier reformers had made an error in retaining their "traditions" not supported by Scripture and thus rejected all "traditions" which were not found in the Apostolic writings (the Bible) [I know, some of the writers were not Apostles, but they were companions of Apostles and Contemporaries of the Apostles and their words have been weighed against the Apostle's writings for verification of truth.]

This divide carries on to this day. There are churches that venerate traditions, churches that selectively embrace traditions and churches that reject traditions [obviously "as authoritative" is implied, since every community has 'traditions', like where they place the Nativity in their local building or what hymns they prefer to sing ... but these are not, typically, regarded as commanded by God and moving the nativity to another location would not be "heretical".]

I was referring to apostolic tradition which is the word of God!

Apostolic tradition: everything the apostles heard from the mouth of Christ, truth incarnate Jn 14:6 some of which was committed to writing!

2 Thessalonians 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Thanks

 

[atpollard]

Apostolic tradition: everything the apostles heard from the mouth of Christ, truth incarnate Jn 14:6 some of which was committed to writing!

Only the part committed to writing is available to us, living today. The Apostolic verbal tradition died with those that heard it and the ECF written traditions are a mixture of God-breathed truth and heretical falsehood (unless some apostles also passed on the verbal traditions of the early heresies expressed by some ECF writings).