God's Personal Will and Desire for Everyone

God knew there would be times when it would be tough. That's why in the Mount Olivet prophecy, when the disciples asked, what will be the sign of the end of the age and of your coming and all, one of the things that Christ said to them in Matthew 24 in verse 13 was, He that endures to the end the same shall be saved. So He knew there would be times when it's going to be tough. And God knew there would be times and situations that would be depressing. He warned of such in Matthew 10 in verse 34. He knew there would be times and situations that would be depressing. And He warned of such. Matthew 10, 34, He says, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. And He talked about how I'm come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's foe shall be they of his own household. You can tolerate a lot of things. But some things are harder to tolerate than others, and some things are harder to deal with than others. And when the people that the closest to you turn against you because of the truth that you are given, yeah, that has a discouraging effect. It has a depressing effect. And Christ warned of such. And God knew that things could be wearing and tearing. You know, in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7 and verse 14, it talks about straight and narrow is the way that leads to life. Straight and narrow. And you think about walking the straight and narrow in the midst of what Philippians 2.15 calls a crooked and perverse nation. Then Philippians 2.15, you think about it. But how wearing and tearing is it when you are having to walk the straight and narrow right in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation that's growing worse in that way? There's a lot of wear and tear, isn't there? Tough, depressing, discouraging, wearing and tearing and tiring. And in such climate, it's easy for certain questions and concerns and worries to pop up.

And over the years, a minister hears many of these concerns and questions and these worries, and one of the common ones is along this order.

Will I make it?

Can I make it?

Maybe I can't make it. Maybe I won't make it.

Maybe I'm not supposed to make it.

Maybe God doesn't intend for me to make it.

Maybe it's inevitable that I quit or that I fail. Maybe I'm fated, fated to fail.

Now, sentiments along that line obviously speak to a doubt and to a misunderstanding that is a detriment and a discouragement to our salvation. And such statements show a misunderstanding of the reality of God's desire. God's will and God's help.

The person who reasons like that doesn't understand God's will or His power. See, God never gives His truth and fates the person He gives His truth to to fail. He never does that. God never gives His truth and fates someone to fail.

It's very easy from Scripture to read Scripture and see what God's desire and design is. For instance, in 1 Timothy 2.4, 1 Timothy 2, and verse 4. I mean, we have Scriptures that give us the insights we need to give us the answers to certain questions that we can come up with. Now, here in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 4, in the words of Paul, Paul, whose prime responsibilities were in the arena of the Gentiles, Paul says this. He says, speaking of God, Who will have all men to be saved and to come and to the knowledge of the truth? He's speaking to God's will, His desire, His motive. Who will have, in key word, all men. Now, let me be clear about one thing. We never have, we do not, and we never will preach universal salvation. If you're familiar with that false doctrine, that's the doctrine that every single human will be saved, including even the devil and the fallen angels someday. Now, we do not teach that. We do not believe that. But what we do teach, what we do believe, because it's totally biblical, is universal opportunity. Now, we're not preaching opportunity for Satan and his demons. They're a lost cause. They're spirit and they're totally corrupt. There's no coming back. But universal opportunity for all mankind. So Paul is addressing that, and again, key word, all. He's expressing God's will and God's desire, and it applies to all. Now, then you could go into the words of Peter, whose prime responsibilities were in the arena of Israel in 2 Peter 3, 9.

2 Peter 3 and verse 9.

Peter says, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness. But His long-suffering toward us is not willing. It's not His will. It's not His desire. It's not His motive for anyone to fail, to perish. He says, Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Now, the last sermon I gave here was on God's concern for the individual. It's focused on the individual.

And this maybe is somewhat of a corollary or carry-on, but taking it deeply into God's personal will and desire toward everyone.

But I realized, too, that when you bring up a subject like this and you deal with it, you have some yow butts. There's some yow butts to deal with. Well, yow, but some may say, Well, I know that's true for the majority. What you just read, just what you said, that's true for the majority. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for most everybody. But what about me? What about me? What is God's personal will and desire toward me regarding my final outcome? And that's what we're talking about. Final outcome. Not every single thing in between, but final outcome. Final outcome being either resurrection to eternal life or extinction in the lake of fire. So that's what we're going to talk about. God's personal will and desire for everyone. So, subject and title. God's personal will and desire for everyone.

And we're talking about in terms of the final outcome.

Your salvation. My salvation. Our salvation is God's will. That's His will. God's will is Your salvation. My salvation. Our salvation. Notice 1 Thessalonians 5.9. Now, there's some elements that in dealing with this subject, there's a number of elements to be brought into play. But let's go first to 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 9.

Here in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 9, it says, For God has not appointed us.

Paul is referencing himself and those of the body of Christ at that time.

He's referencing Himself and them in that word, us. God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. What is the wrath He's talking about? He has not appointed us to wrath. Well, the great finale of wrath is the lake of fire. Extinction, the second death, extinction in the lake of fire. God has not appointed us to the lake of fire. God has not appointed us to His wrath, because that is the culmination. That's the grand finale in that sense. God has not called us to fail and to just, you know, lose out. That's not what He wants to see. We're not appointed to wrath. We're not fated to wrath. We're not automatically destined for wrath. Well, what are we planned for? What are we appointed to but to obtain? Not that we already have it, but to obtain salvation, to have eternal life, to be in the resurrection of the two choices, resurrection and lake of fire. God wants to see us in the resurrection. And we'll flesh this out more as we go on through this subject. See again, such a crucial and encouraging Scripture. Philippians 1.6. Philippians 1 and verse 6.

Paul says, Be incompetent, having confidence. Live with this confidence. Be incompetent of this very thing that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it, will complete it, will finish it to the day of Jesus Christ. What is He saying? Well, in part what He's saying is God sticks with the work that He starts in each of us.

He starts to work in us. He sticks with it. He doesn't bail on us. When God starts to work in one, He doesn't give up on that work. See, God never abandons the life He engenders, because the good work that is started in you, which involves His Spirit, which involves a portion of Himself through Jesus Christ, our Savior in sacrifice, that is new life, a new spiritual creation, has been engendered. And it's been engendered by the Father, and He's called the Father, through Jesus Christ. He never abandons the life He has engendered. And it's totally unlike so many men down through history and in our day and day today who engender life, and then they desert it. I mean, that happens all the time. Life is engendered by males, and then they abandon. They desert the life they engendered. God's not that way. He's so far from that way. Romans 11, 29. Romans 11.

And verse 29.

Notice, for the gifts and the calling of God. Let's think about that a minute. God opening your mind is gifting you. God opening your mind to understand His truth, the gift of having your mind open, the gift of His light, the gift of forgiveness, the gift of His Spirit, the gift of the supreme Savior, the gifts and calling of God. He calls you. He calls us. They are without repentance. Now, we obviously know from other scriptures it doesn't mean, oh, the gifts and callings that God is giving you, He doesn't require any repentance of you. Now, we understand that it's not talking about our repentance there. What it is saying, the gifts and calling of God are done without Him changing His mind. He doesn't do a U-turn on you. He doesn't give these gifts. He doesn't call you. And then, oh, well, I wish I hadn't have done that. Well, I'm God. Nobody can make me stay with what I started with this person. I think I'll just give up on them. I'll forget them. I'll walk away. I'll desert them. I'll abandon them. Paul is making it plain and clear that what God started with you and doing with you, He doesn't change His mind. He stays with it. He doesn't back out on us. 1 Thessalonians 5 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 23 and 24 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 2 Thessalonians 5 verses 23 and 24 2 And the very God of peace 3 Sanctify you, set you apart wholly, completely 4 And I pray, God, your whole spirit and soul, your mind, your body, your being 5 Be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 6 Faithful!

And if He backed out on us, He wouldn't be faithful. Faithful is He that calls you who also will do it.

Okay. I read those Scriptures. Yeah, I see that's there. I understand that. Yeah, but... Yeah, but... But...

So let's deal with a couple of yeah-buts. Yeah-but... But then what about Pharaoh?

What about Judas? Etc. Aren't some predestined, fated, no matter what they do, to fail? That they're automatically locked into failure? Now, remember, keep in mind, we're dealing with the final outcome. We're dealing with the final outcome of either eternal life or the second death, eternal death in the lake of fire. We're dealing with the final outcome. We're dealing with post-world tomorrow, post-last-great-day. We're dealing with the final outcome of this age and the age to come. We're dealing...

Take Pharaoh. We are dealing with a special situation for a time such as Pharaoh, who was a vessel of dishonor to show an eternal lesson. He was used to show an eternal lesson that will stand written in the Bible forever.

Never come a time when that lesson that was written through Pharaoh as a vessel of dishonor.

Let's look at that briefly in Romans 9.

Romans 9 verses 17 through 23.

Okay, Romans 9 verse 17. Now, bear in mind, we're talking about final outcome. Bear in mind, Pharaoh wasn't converted. Bear in mind, he was carnal. Bear in mind, he never had God's Spirit. Bear in mind, there was never repentance with him. He wasn't given calling and enlightenment and all of that. But he was used to set an eternal lesson as a type of the devil. Verse 17, Romans 9, 17. For the Scripture said unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised you up. I've allowed you to come to the throne. I've allowed you to become Pharaoh.

That I might show my power, I'm going to use you for a time. I have made it possible for you to come to the throne and be Pharaoh, because my power is going to be shown in you, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Paul says, Therefore has he mercy, on whom he will have mercy. Now, Moses received his time of mercy during that time, because Moses was called and converted and had God's Spirit, and represented truth in God, and whom he will he hardens.

The Ten Commandments, classic movie, can't be better, could not have been better casted with Charlton Heston as Moses, with Ewell Brenner as Pharaoh. And you remember how Pharaoh's heart was hardened in the movie?

His wife, the queen, and like when the firstborn of Egypt died, and he let Israel go. Remember how his heart was hardened? Did God have to harden his heart? Or did God allow it? It was a good portrayal in the movie. Pharaoh, mighty Pharaoh! Do you hear laughter, Pharaoh? The laughter of slaves? Pharaoh! And she pumped him, and she primed him, and you just saw his countenance changing, and you saw his face hardening, and his heart hardening, and then the next thing, they're slapping his armor on as he stands there, and he's calling for his chariots and what's left of his military.

Verse 19, Then will you say to me, Well, why does he yet find fault for who's resisted his will? No, but, O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it? Why have you made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay? And this is interesting here, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor.

You watch a potter. They've got this big lump of clay, one big lump of clay, and they've got that one big lump of clay in a very workable condition to make something from it, and they divide it, and they take this half of it, and they make a water jug to where you can go to the spring and get water.

And when you're thirsty, you can dip from the water jug and take care of your thirst. And then the other half of the clay, they make a chamber pot. Does anybody know what a chamber pot is? It reaches back to the days of the outhouses, and everybody, usually, unless you just wanted to go in the middle of the night, no matter what the weather conditions, and the dark to the outhouse, you had a chamber pot.

And you would never consider putting drinking water in a chamber pot.

One is a vessel to honor. The other is a vessel to dishonor. And that's what he's talking about. That's what he's talking about.

A vessel. Vessels handled or used for a purpose in the meantime. Oh, we'll see Pharaoh. We'll see Pharaoh in the last great day. And, you know, probably the first person that he will have speak to him will probably be Moses. And Moses will say, are you ready to listen?

Yes, sir. You just speak. Just tell me how high to jump.

They serve the purpose. He served a purpose during this time when he was uncalled, unconverted, wasn't given his opportunity for life, but he was used to set an eternal example. Some lessons were set eternally through him. Lessons that can always be referenced, that will always be in God's Word. Okay. Yeah, okay. I could see that. What about Judas? What about Judas? Can anybody show me? I'm going to go to John 6. Can anybody show me in the Bible where Judas was converted?

Even Peter, who was on the right track, Christ said, when you are converted, strengthen your brethren. And none of them were converted. Even those who were on the right track, whose motives were good and motivations were good, they weren't truly converted to the day of Pentecost. But they were on the right track, and they had certain understandings, and it all came together later. But you don't ever see anything presented in Scripture about Judas being on the right track.

And it says in the Scripture, it says in the Scripture that he was a thief. He was an unrepentant thief. He carried the money bag, but he was an unrepentant thief. But I want you to notice something. In John 6, in verse 66, it says, from that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. And then Jesus said to the twelve, will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered them, have not I chosen you, twelve? And one of you is a devil?

One of you is a demon?

He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he that should betray him, being one of the twelve. Christ knew, the prophecy said, that one of his own would betray him. When he was choosing the twelve, he chose a man who was either heavily, demonically influenced or possessed. And remember, when it came time to betray him, Satan went in and took charge of Judas, because Satan wanted to be the one to have that pleasure of betraying Christ. And then later Satan left. But he purposely, knowing Judas was an adversary, was a demon, was a devil. Knowing that, knowing he was a thief, picked him because he knew he was going to be betrayed by one. And there is no... And of course, there's a curse that occurs, because even the instrument of Satan, it's a curse to be used as an instrument by Satan. And there's curses that go with it, yes. But the final outcome, you'll see Judas in the last great day. And he won't be in any way influenced by a demon or Satan. They won't be around. And he will truly see and understand and be given opportunity. But Christ picked one who was already under the sway. He did not remove him from the sway. He did not convert him. He wasn't converted. He wasn't called to that. He fulfilled a prophecy. But in terms of the final outcome, he paid a price in the meantime. But like so many others that have lived and died in sins of all kinds in this age, he will come up in the last great day. And he'll have to grow, and he'll have to develop, and he'll have to overcome. Yet a lot of times people sometimes think of Adam and Eve. And they think about Adam and Eve. Well, Adam and Eve, Christ was with them in the garden. And they were right there with him. Whatever the length of time was, they were with him. And they sinned.

Yeah, they did. Same as you and I would have done.

I might have sinned sooner. I might have sinned later. But we would have done the same thing. God had to start somewhere. And he also knew that he was going to allow mankind the opportunity to learn the hard way, if that's the way he chose, which that is the way he chose. And we would have... any one of us would have done the same. Adam and Eve, they are representative of all of us. You know, you think about Adam. He was created without sin. So was Lucifer. Lucifer was created without sin. All the angels were created without sin. One-third of them turned to sin, created sin, came up with sin. Starting with Lucifer. Adam was created without sin. But he also was created without character. He was created without character.

He just did, especially under the temptations of Satan, what any one of us would have done. Does that mean he's going to wind up in the lake of fire? No. And again, when he does come up in the last great day, he's going to be able to say very emphatically, Dear Lord, Boy, I should have listened to you long ago. What I experienced in that lifetime back there that I had, what I had to live through and see, and all the results of sin and all, I wish out of state obedient to you from the very beginning.

And guess what? He'll be obedient. He'll be willing to be obedient. All these situations were, quote, chosen to serve a purpose in the meantime, to set an eternal lesson for our learning for all time. God is a fair God of love. And before a final decision regarding final outcome comes concerning them or anybody, they will have, and they will have had a full and fair opportunity. I mean, there are certain scriptures like Romans 2.11. I mean, it's like if these scriptures don't mean what they say, then this is just a book of leather and paper and ink and nothing more.

It says in Romans 2.11, for there is no respect of persons with God. He's not going to offer truly salvation to some and not offer salvation to others. He is not going to lock somebody into failure and say, sorry, no matter what you do, what you want, what you try, you're going to fail. That's it. I've purposed that you've got to fail no matter what. And I'll put you in the lake of fire someday.

No, it says there's no respect of persons with God. But there are lessons that have to be set down. And God has set them down. And this book, which contains so much learning and lessons, it contains the necessary things that we need to know. No respecter of persons. What God will do with or for one, He will do for another in regards to eternal life. If God were to take any human being and not give that person truly a chance for eternal life somewhere along the way, either in this age, the millennial reign or the last great day, the Scripture would be broken.

And John 10.35 says the Scripture cannot be broken. We're talking about the integrity of God. We're talking about the faithfulness of God. Because, see, God would not be God. He would not be personified by the word love, L-O-V-E.

Scriptures like Christ dying for the whole world, John 3.17, wouldn't count. Wouldn't be true.

Be like, you see a person, they're starving.

They look like they're starving. The context shows they're starving. They're starving.

And they're begging you for a sandwich. They're begging you for a bite to eat. And you've got a sandwich in your hand. And you get up real close to them. And they're begging and pleading with their words and their eyes for you to feed them. Give them something. So you take your sandwich, and you swipe it in front of their mouth real quick. I'm sorry, you had your chance to take a bite of my sandwich and you didn't do it. Oh, let's try that again.

You swipe it again even faster. Well, I gave you a chance to have something to eat. But, how ridiculous and stupid and ludicrous and hypocritical would that be?

Or a person dying of thirst. And they're just barely able to crawl along. And you say, Look, I saw you sure dying of thirst. And you're begging and crying out for water. Well, right there's a whale. Look right over there. Look right in front of you. If you just crawl five more yards, there's a whale right there. Fifty feet down is the purest, clearest, best tasting water you'll find anywhere. Life-giving water.

But there's no bucket, and there's no rope, and there's no way for you to access it. Sorry!

Be filled with life-giving water from that whale, though you've got no way to get to that water. That'd be crazy.

A human being that would operate that way, you wouldn't want anything to do with them. It would be that cruel and that mean. God doesn't operate that way, but He does operate in a way to set examples, to allow lessons for everyone's good. And the one the example is set through will also have His opportunity if He hasn't had it. And Pharaoh hasn't had it, and Judas hasn't had it. And truly, when you understand Adam and Eve haven't had it, because God is God, He will give everyone a chance, because He's looking for success. That's why He has the last great day. That's the reason for tagging on that third and final day of salvation.

But my point is that no human is automatically destined to fail in the ultimate final outcome. Because again, that would mean that that individual in reality was not a free moral agent, but they were pre-programmed to self-destruct. Now, let's understand something. Some may self-destruct, but it will be by free choice after a full and fair and complete exposure and opportunity. And that is sad, but that is reality. But it will happen to no one by, quote, predestination. God does predestinate a purpose, a plan, a family, and His desire and will is our success, not our failure. And any failure in the final outcome will be by free choice. Not by predestination, but by free choice. And yes, some may fail, but not because that's what God's intentions in any sense are for that person, but because of free moral agency or free choice. The fate of the wicked is ultimately and truly in every sense brought on themselves by themselves. It's in their hands. It's the work of their hands. And the sad reality is that not everyone chosen of God in this age and in the age to come, to truly be of the truth, will choose to remain in it always.

See, here's a reality that again sometimes is overlooked. There are three wills involved. There are three wills involved, not just one. Obviously God's will, obviously Satan's will, and our will, our personal will. Satan's is obvious. My failing is Satan's desire. That's his goal. My failing is his goal with me. His goal is my failure, and that's obvious. Now, we know God's will. Notice with me Ephesians 1.5. Ephesians 1 and verse 5.

Now, remember what we read in Thessalonians, has appointed us to obtain salvation. Has appointed us to obtain salvation.

To obtain. Having predestinated us, having predestinated or purposed us, what's our calling to? When did God call us? Why did he call any of us? When does he call anybody, whether it's in this age? When does he call anybody in the millennium? When does he call anybody in the next age? When does he call in any age? For the same purpose, purpose of the adoption of children, same root, same motive, same motivation, same basic purpose, same basic plan, but Jesus Christ Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.

Satan's will is obvious. God's will is obvious. What about our will? See, in Philippians 2, and we can never get away from the fact that our will is involved.

Our choosing. When Paul said you're in Philippians 2, in verse 12, work out your own salvation with fear and trailing. That's your will involved. It goes on to say in verse 13 about how God's will is involved also in helping you in the area of will and motivation and heart. For it is God which works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure because God wants us to be successful. But our will is involved in the process. And there may be a question about our will. There could, a question could arise about our will. But there's no question about God's will. But automatically, predestined to succeed or self-destruct? No way. Purpose to succeed? Yes. Predestined would mean that we're programmed. We're set. We have no choice. And again, remember, our will is involved. God who is love never intended, never intended from the beginning that anyone had to fail in the final outcome. When they planned the human race, the Father and the Son did not sit down, so to speak, and say, okay, we must predestined this number so and so, have or many, whatever. We must predestined some that no matter what they want, what they do, they're going to fail. We've got to have some that fail. That was never, never, ever planned in any sense or intended. But for those who do choose to fail, the most merciful thing to do for all involved is to take them out of existence. It is not God's will that any should perish in the final outcome, but it's also not His will to have anyone in His family that is a potential Satan. See, God will not have anybody in His family that, well, you know, Jesus' son, we've got to keep an eye on that daughter. We've got to keep an eye on that son. I don't know about them. You know, we've got to watch them closely because they may turn into another devil. He's not going to be held hostage by that for eternity. It's not His will to have anyone in His family that is a potential Satan. And this is one reason it says in Matthew 13, 41 what it does. Matthew 13 and verse 41, The Son of man shall send forth His angels. They shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, all things that offend and them which do iniquity. It will be with sadness, no gladness, that God throws anyone into the lake of fire. But that won't stop Him because He knows, is aware of, the greater pain that would come later if He didn't address that issue. And the saddest moment in man's events and histories is that third resurrection to the lake of fire. Okay, yeah, but it all seems to be making sense up to this point, but I got another yeah, but here. Why did God create or plan for hellfire? Why did God create or plan for hellfire? Would He create it without a reason? What was? What is the reason? What was and is the father, the fuel for it? I mean, did God expect? Did He intend or designed for man to fail? For at least wouldn't He have to plan for at least one person to fail?

So He'd have a reason for the lake of fire? I mean, when and why did He plan for it?

What caused God to have to put the lake of fire into His plans, His blueprints? Well, why is it there? Why did He have to put it there? Who or what was the cause? And again, did God predestinate some to have to fail and therefore He created the lake of fire to take care of that? So I'm going to make a very pointed statement based on the authority of the Bible. It's very pointed and strong, but it's based on the Bible, the authority. And we'll go there. The lake of fire was not created for man, period. The lake of fire was not created for man. At the time that Adam was created, God had already determined this fire. It was already on the books and had been for a long time. The lake of fire didn't come into existence. It didn't come into planning because of man and it doesn't go out because of man. And God does nothing without purpose. We know that. If God had planned the lake of fire specifically for man, if man was the reason, then God would almost have to predestinate at least one person to fail to justify the lake of fire. Well, okay, but if God didn't start out intending some of us to fail, then why did He come up with hellfire? You have the answer in Matthew 25 and verse 41. The Bible does have answers, a lot of them.

Matthew 25 and verse 41, Then shall He say to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed. Now notice this statement, In two ever-lasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

It was made for the devil and his angels, not for mankind.

The lake of fire, gohenna, and everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, not for the sake of destroying them, their spirit, but their works. Man was made for eternal life, but some because they choose and stay with the failing way, the devil's way, will have to come to extinction in the lake of fire. Wicked, being of Satan, part of Satan's realm, his works must also be destroyed with his other works into smoke and ashes. That's why you have scriptures like Psalm 37.20 about consuming away into smoke and ashes, the mortal, the human beings that would wind up in their, that's the fate of the wicked, the unrepentant wicked, after an opportunity, true opportunity for salvation. If they chose to stay as part of the works of the devil, they consume away. Matter does into smoke and ashes, Psalm 37.20, and of course, ashes of the wicked under the feet of the righteous, Malachi 4.3. Basically, they are simply those humans that would choose to stay in that way. They're sin, they maintain their sin, therefore, again, are works of the devil and thus bring their own destruction. Again, it goes back to Romans 6.16, whom you serve, you're the slave of, whether to righteousness, your God, and righteousness, or to sin, and the devil in sin's way. Here's what it boils down to.

The lake of fire was put in the blueprints because of Satan and the demons, the fallen angels' sins, and we'll look at a little bit more of the reasons for that. But God will simply utilize what He already had on and has on the books to also carry out the second death of any humans who fell in the final outcome. It's kind of like this. I'm a rancher. I have livestock. There's a bear that's been killing some of my livestock. And I take my 30-alt-6, and the last kill he made, I'm going to that kill and taking my 30-alt-6, and I'm going to go track him. I've got to kill the bear. In the process of tracking the bear, I come across a mountain lion up on a ledge. It also kills livestock. I've got a 30-alt-6 in my hands. Going after that bear, I need that 30-alt-6 for that bear. A 44 magnum liver action would do fine on that mountain lion. I've got to run back to the ranch and get my 44 magnum liver action, come back and kill the lion, and then get my 30-alt-6 and continue on. No. I use my 30-alt-6 on the mountain lion as well. It might be overkill, but I use it on the mountain lion as well, and then proceed on my way. I just simply utilize what I've already got in my hands. Same thing. The lake of fire will be utilized. See, if every single man and woman period attained to the kingdom, if none failed, if there were no failures, there would still be a lake of fire. If every single human being were to wind up in the family of God, there would still be a lake of fire. It is not automatic that some man or some woman will have to partake of it. But if any man does fail, or any woman person does fail, that's where they will be consumed. But if no matter woman were to fail, then why would there still be the need for the lake of fire? The original reasons would still be there. And there's two reasons. You could put down two reasons. Number one, to destroy the works of the devil. And number two, and this is something that people don't stop to think about, to cleanse the heavens and the earth. To destroy the works of the devil, and to cleanse the heavens and the earth.

Part of the answer, Job 15.15. Job 15.15.

The second sentence in verse 15 of chapter 15 says this. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight. What does he mean? The heavens. You know, we speak of the first heaven, the atmosphere around this earth. The second heaven, the celestial, terrestrial, or let's say terrestrial, heavens, the stars, the planets, the galaxies, all of that. And then, of course, the third heaven, the location of God's throne. But the heavens around us, these physical heavens, they are not clean. They're not clean in his sight. Because, see, the earth had been polluted long before by Satan's rebellion. And God had determined at that time to purify it by fire. And it's not just the earth that was polluted. It's the universe that's also polluted. See, God uses fire to purify. Fire is a cleansing, purifying agent. The sacrifices were burnt with fire. I mean, you know, the burnt offerings. Elijah, when he called down fire from heaven there, you know, at the end of that day on Mount Carmel, that fire that was sent down by God licked up everything, even the dust. Sodom and Gomorrah, that whole area was cleansed by fire. God will purify the earth and the heavens with it, with fire. And this is what Peter was talking about in 2 Peter 3. 2 Peter 3.

2 Peter 3. Verse 7, But the heavens and the earth, which are now, that we see now around us and here, by the same word, are kept in store, reserved, the earth and the heavens unto fire.

Against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, reserved, kept in store, unto fire.

Verse 10, But the day of the Lord will come. And by the way, when you read verses 10 through 13, you do have a chronology that's here. There is a chronology involved here. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Because this chronology covers a range of events that take place over a period of time. But it's just encapsulated in a short, brief statement.

But the day of the Lord will come as the thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, dissolved hell with fire. What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conduct and godliness? Because we at that time will be spirit. And it won't have any effect on us. Looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire, the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. See, there is a chronology of events, and there will come a time when there will be a lake of fire, and it will expand, and it will expand, and it will expand, and it will reach beyond just this earth. The earth will be cleansed with fire, the heavens around it will be cleansed with fire, the works of Satan, and the wicked will be burned up, and any who have chosen to stay in his way will be burned up, will cease to exist.

But those humans who fail, if anyone chooses to fail, and when a person fails, they're choosing to fail. They're choosing by default or by activity, but they're not programmed to fail. They're not fated to fail. They're not predestined to fail.

It will be of their own choice, any that do. And if no one dies, this will still happen that the earth and the heavens will be on fire. And, of course, in this chronology, there will come a time that will expand, and it will be generated by God's power and energy to accomplish that.

And it talks about a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness. See, when you read that verse right there, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness. That's what John is talking about in Revelation 21 when he says, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven, which is made of matter, and the first earth, because those stars and planets, that's matter. In one form, in one form or another, it's matter. The first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea, because the earth is about to become the headquarters of all the universe.

That's why it goes on to say that God the Father is coming here with heavenly, holy, Jerusalem. But that's after the earth has been made permanent. No longer matter. You're no longer walking on dirt when you walk on it. It's something to walk on, but it's permanent. It's of spirit and the heavens around it. The earth will become the headquarters of all the universe, of all there is.

See, God the Father will have nothing to do with sin, nor reside where its effects are. And the heavens and the earth eventually are purified and dissolved with fire. That's why it says in 2nd Peter 3, 12, that we read the heavens being on fire. Then the earth and the heavens will be made permanent. You know, Hebrews speaks of that change coming in Hebrews 1. I'm not going to turn there, but in Hebrews 1 verses 10 through 12, it speaks of that change coming, how the heavens, earth and the heavens, will be changed.

See, a physical earth made of matter could not contain the creative power of God, his throne, his city, as headquarters of the universe. Just like we, as a flesh and blood human being, could not literally approach God and all of his power would be vaporized. But as spirit beings, we will be able to. But nowhere in God's Word can you find that God wants anyone to fail in the final outcome.

And again, but some may, but if so, it's of their own choosing. But God clearly expresses his desire, his will, his intent, his desire, and that is our personal success and salvation. And I will close over in Romans 8. Romans 8 and verse 31.

As Paul so emphatically stated here in Romans 8 and verse 31, What shall we then say to these things if God be for us? And oh, he is! Who can be against us?

Verse 37, No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

He is for us. That is 100 percent. 100 percent encouraging and leaves us without excuse.