In the previous blog post, we saw that 1 Kings 11 foretells the splitting of the kingdom of Israel. This division is described in 1 Kings 12. From that moment on, there is no longer a single kingdom of twelve… Lees verder
In the introduction, I already mentioned the division of Israel into two kingdoms and how one of those two—the ten-tribe kingdom—largely disappeared among the nations. In this blog post, I would like to elaborate on this and cite the relevant… Lees verder
We know from the Old Testament that the people of Israel were formed from twelve tribes, corresponding to the number of Jacob’s sons. Later, this nation acquired a royal house that ruled over these twelve tribes. Initially, this was King… Lees verder
In the previous blog, we saw that Paul says in Ephesians 1 that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, and that in listing these blessings, He begins by stating that we are elect… Lees verder
In the previous blog, we saw why the ecclesia is chosen. The cause of our election lies not in ourselves, but in God. He does not choose what is wise, strong, and significant in the eyes of the world, but… Lees verder
The previous blog discussed the election of Christ; He is God’s chosen one above all others. But whoever knows the mystery that Paul reveals in his letters knows that the ecclesia (congregation) shares in the position of Christ and all… Lees verder
Jesus Christ is our Lord, the Messiah, and the Son of God. But we rarely speak of Him as the Chosen One, while Scripture calls Him so several times. He is already announced as such in the Hebrew Tanakh. Isaiah… Lees verder
Israel would rule over the nations in the Messianic Kingdom. But within it, it will not only be royal, but also priestly. What does this mean? To answer that question, we must first consider what a priest actually is according… Lees verder
God chooses individuals, groups, and even an entire people to bless others. God chose a single person as Abraham, and Abraham is the progenitor of the people of Israel, who are God’s chosen people par excellence. That Israel is God’s… Lees verder
We first encounter the concept of “choosing” in Genesis 6:2, but there it is not about God choosing someone. It states there that the sons of God took wives from all whom they “chose” (bachar). We encounter this normal use… Lees verder
We find election throughout Scripture. Although the term is not always used, God’s electing action becomes clear from the very first page of the Bible. From a human perspective, one cannot say that Adam was chosen. He was the first… Lees verder
Election is a word that carries a very unpleasant connotation for some. Just hearing it sends shivers down one’s spine. First of all, it must be established that election is a biblical concept and therefore we cannot simply ignore it.… Lees verder
In this series, it has become clear that the gospel of reconciliation has been entrusted to Paul. He proclaims that in Christ, God reconciles not a part, but the world to Himself: the entire universe. Reconciliation always presupposes change: enmity… Lees verder
In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about the mystery of His will. This secret had not been made known to previous generations (Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26), and its administration was entrusted to Paul. This secret has everything to do with the… Lees verder
1 Corinthians 15 is a long chapter dealing with the resurrection. Among the Corinthians were some who claimed that there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul responds by stating that if that is the case, then Christ has not… Lees verder
We have now discussed all the Scriptures that speak of reconciliation and thus also the theme of universal reconciliation. However, there are also texts that do not use this word, but do speak unambiguously about the reconciliation of the world… Lees verder
The preceding section in Colossians 1 describes the glory of the Son, through whom God created everything. He is the Firstborn of both the old and the new creation. God has the entire creation in view and, through Him, brings… Lees verder
The last two times that reconciliation is mentioned in Paul’s letters is in Colossians 1. Both times, it also refers to apokatallasso, which means: complete reconciliation. In this chapter, Paul describes the glory of Christ, as the Son of God’s… Lees verder
Of the three words Paul uses for reconciliation, we have already discussed all the Scripture passages in which they appear: katallage and katallasso. The third word, apokatallasso, is found only three times, namely in the letters to the Ephesians and… Lees verder
So far, we have discussed the Scriptures that speak of reconciliation in the order in which they appear in the Bible. In all other instances, it refers to the reconciliation of humanity with God. With the exception of 1 Corinthians… Lees verder
In Romans 5, we encountered the concept of reconciliation three times. Later in the letter to the Romans, it is mentioned once more, namely in Romans 11. In this chapter, Paul explains that the Jewish people are temporarily blind and… Lees verder
The word reconciliation is found exclusively in the apostle Paul. If we simply read what he writes about this, the meaning becomes clear, and we can also correctly interpret the concept of universal reconciliation. Paul uses three closely related words… Lees verder
In previous blogs, I have discussed several misunderstandings about reconciliation and universal reconciliation, which mainly stem from incorrect translations or misinterpretations of biblical terms. It would take too long to examine all the misconceptions about this within the Christian world;… Lees verder
In the previous blog post, we saw that “reconciliation of sins” is an incorrect translation. The Hebrew word kaphar speaks of covering or shielding sin. We also encounter this incorrect translation in the New Testament. The word kaphar appears in… Lees verder
When writing a series on a topic like universal reconciliation, it can be difficult to know where to begin. I would prefer to immediately discuss the texts that speak of reconciliation and the reconciliation of creation and where the concepts… Lees verder