Sounds like God would be wasting his Time. We should then be able to see God as Jesus right now.
But the barrier is still in place. It is called unrepented sin.
This separation from God would never have taken place.:
Genesis 3
21" The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said,
“The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e] of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life."
But thank God! Praise Jesus!!
God promises!
Seek and You will Find!!
PSALM 9:7" but the Lord remaineth for ever. He hath prepared his throne in judgment:
8 and he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice.
9 And the Lord is become a Refuge for the poor: a Helper in due time in tribulation.
10 And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord."
************************************************************* He showed by opening his arms so wide to die on a cross by his love. John 3:16 Do we then Mock God? No! He will not be mocked. If God sees people knowingly rejecting the Death of his Son. The horror is theirs. But if we seek , He will help us find him.****************************************
Then EDEN will be restored.
Revelation 22
Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
PRAISE JESUS!!!
While there are many good doctrinal posts on this thread, I still haven’t read one which directly addresses the issue given in the article.
Based upon Romans 5:18 (and I would also note verse 19), what precludes universal salvation in this passage?
IMHO, it will take more than this passage to assert the argument against universal salvation. I also do not believe universal salvation is the position of Scripture, but this particular passage doesn’t seem to limit it, unless it might be a translational issue of Greek Imperatives, Infinitives, and participles.
IMHO, the doctrinal position also touches upon the doctrines of Atonement, Justification, salvation, sanctification, redemption, forgiveness, regeneration, repentance, faith, and propitiation.