Restorationism Takes Its Stand on Certain Scriptures which are Misinterpreted
- Will give only a selected list with contra interpretations. There is a flaw in every argument.
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever."
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."
"To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them."
Isa. 57:16 cf. vs. 15. His own people ("Contrite" - "humble").
"For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made."
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
John 1:29 "Universal atonement" - as though man may not have to face the sin question. He still must face the "Son-question." He must accept Christ.
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
The OT question asks the question where the Lamb is at and Isaac was the person asking in Gen. 22:7, and here John answers the question in the NT.
John 12:32 (not eis) towards. It is true that wherever Christ is preached, the gospel has a drawing effect on men. But this may mean in judgment.
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
Here is another amazing claim (as in Matt. 24:35; John 8:12) that seems absurd, yet has been a remarkably fulfilled prophecy. How could “all kinds of men” (literal meaning) be drawn to a local, relatively unknown itinerant teacher, who was crucified as a criminal on a Roman cross? Yet that is exactly what has been happening for the almost two thousand years since He died.
Acts 3:21 as spoken of by the prophets. It is only of Israel and the Kingdom and never has to do with the false doctrine.
"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
What is meant by the "restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21)?
lb. The people addressed are the Israelites and not all people (Acts 3:12).
2b.It follows immediately upon the second coming of Christ (Acts 3:20-21).
3b. It must then refer to the Kingdom of David and all that goes with it. It cannot refer to the wicked.
4b. This verse then, cannot be used to support the doctrine of universalism or restorationism.
Romans 5:19 A forensic sense in which the world is justified. Does not become effective experientially until man believes.
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
There are two central heads for the human race. Both influence those who follow. We have inherited from Adam tendencies to sin and from Christ redemptive forces. Every man therefore is a new starting point for good or for bad in the history of the human race. I am the heir of all ages past and also a starting point for all ages future.
1 Cor. 15:22 Not eternal life, but Resurrection.
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
Adam was certainly a real individual man, just as real as Jesus Christ. Since he was the first man, all of us were implicitly “in Adam,” and therefore we have all (except Christ) inherited his sin-nature.
When Eve was created, God not only removed a bone, but also a portion of his flesh (Gen. 2:23). Though God healed the wound, the scar doubtless remained for 930 years as a reminder to mankind that the human race had a supernatural origin, and that it did not have two independent heads, but only one-Adam (Acts 17:26 ASV). The unity of the race in Adam explains why Eve did not experience spiritual death until Adam ate the fruit (Gen. 2:6-7) Like everyone else since then, she died "in Adam."
Adam is a contrasting type of Christ (1 Cor. 15:45-47; cp. Rom 5:14 - 19).
(1) "The first man Adam became a living being" (Gen 2:7), i.e. he derived life from another, God. "The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit." Far above deriving life, He was Himself the fountain of life, and He gave that life to others (John 1:4; 5:21; 10:10; 12:24; 1 John 5:12).
(2) In origin "the first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven" (1 Cor 15:47). And
(3) each is the head of a creation and these also are in contrast: "in Adam all die . . . in Christ all will be made alive"; the Adamic creation is "flesh," whereas the new creation is "spirit" (John 3:6).
1 Tim. 2:4-5 (Jehovah's Witnesses) Not the predestined will of God, but the moral will. This last can fail because men refuse to believe. Vs. 6 with Matt. 20:28 "instead of the many."
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
"Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
This is also the testimony of 2 Peter 3:9 (God is “not willing that any should perish”), and God has proved His universal love by sending His beloved Son to die for the whole world (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2). Yet He has also given us the responsibility and opportunity of either receiving or rejecting His loving offer of full forgiveness and free salvation in Christ. Unfortunately, many choose not to come to repentance and be saved.
Phil. 2:10 Knees will bow because forced to.
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;"
All wicked and all saved will finally see at last in both the angelic and human worlds Who the Father is in relationship to God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; will willingly or unwillingly, gladly or sadly acknowledge the truth concerning God.
Col. 1:19-20 We must receive it, in order for it to become operative.
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."
Jesus said: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9). He did not say: “Blessed are the pacifists,” those who give in to evil just to avoid fighting for the right. But how does one make peace? God “made peace through the blood of His [i.e., Christ’s] cross.” Man has utterly alienated himself from His Maker by his rebellion against Him, and it took nothing less than His own Son’s atoning blood to reconcile sinful man to a holy God. Because of His shed blood, God in Christ can forgive sins and save sinners. Thus, Christ is the great Peacemaker between man and God. Before peace can truly prevail between man and man, there must be peace between man and God. But although God has now been reconciled to man, man still needs to be reconciled to God. Therefore, the best way Christians can be peacemakers on earth is to beseech men to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).
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