The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The use of "all"

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]Since you mention the passage, you might want to go read the account of God hardening Pharaoh's heart. God didn't harden his heart until Pharaoh denied God's very existence.</font><hr></blockquote><p>Perhaps you failed to read ALL the Scriptures concerning the hardening of Pharaoh's heart? Obviously, the apostle Paul got it right.... not hopefully you will too. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/shrug.gif" alt="shrug" title="shrug[/img]<blockquote>Notice the historical time-frame of these texts, not only as they concern Pharaoh, but the entire nation of Egypt (aka: Egyptians, people, individuals). Also notice the tense of the verb "to harden" (hint: future tense):<br><br>Exodus 4:21 (KJV) "And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go."<br><br>Exodus 7:3 (KJV) "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt."<br><br>Exodus 14:4 (KJV) "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I [am] the LORD. And they did so."<br><br>Exodus 14:17 (KJV) "And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen."</blockquote>Now, back to this matter of the meaning of the word "all".. From what you have said about how we should all simply take things plainly as they are "clearly written", can I then deduce that you are a Universalist; i.e., that you believe that ALL, every man, woman and child will be saved? As silly as that may sound to you, I'm simply applying your own hermeneutical principle to a few texts, for example:<br><br>John 12:32 (KJV) "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me."<br>Romans 5:18 (KJV) "Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life."<br><br>Are Christians really hated by ALL men, which would mean that they would hate each other as well?<br>Luke 21:17 (KJV) "And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake."<br><br>When Jesus Christ walked on earth, is it true that ALL men came to him?<br>John 3:26 (KJV) "And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all [men] come to him."<br><br>To hold to a view as you do, which is to commit grammatical and linguistic suicide, things become very problematic don't they! [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/evilgrin.gif" alt="evilgrin" title="evilgrin[/img]<br><br>In His Grace,<br>