Without the key, how dark, how inconsistent, these statements appear! But when we find the key to God’s plan, these texts all declare with one voice, "God is love." This key is found in the latter part of the text last quoted. "Who gave himself a ransom for all, TO BE TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME."

God has a due time for everything. He could have testified it to these in their past lifetime. But since he did not, it proves that their due time must be future.

For those who will be of the Church, the bride of Christ, and share the kingdom honors, the present is the "due time" to hear. Whosoever now has an ear to hear, let him hear and heed, and he will be blessed accordingly. Though Jesus paid our ransom before we were born, it was not our "due time" to hear of it for long years afterward. Only the appreciation of it brought responsibility; and this, only to the extent of our ability and appreciation.

The same principle applies to all. In God’s due time the ransom will be testified to all, and all will then have opportunity to believe and to be blessed by it.

The prevailing opinion is that death ends all probation. But there is no scripture which so teaches. All the above, and many more scriptures, would be meaningless, or worse, if death ends all hope for the ignorant masses of the world.

The one scripture quoted to prove this generally entertained view is, "Where the tree falleth, there it shall be." (Eccl. 11:3) If this has any relation to man’s future, it indicates that whatever his condition when he enters the tomb, no change takes place until he is awakened out of it. And this is the uniform teaching of all scriptures bearing on the subject.

Since God does not propose to save men on account of ignorance, but "will have all men to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4) – and

Since the masses of mankind have died in ignorance – and

Since "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave" (Eccl. 9:10) –

Therefore God has prepared for the awakening of the dead, in order to knowledge, faith and salvation.

Hence his plan is, that "as all in Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be made alive, but each one in his own order."

First, will be the Gospel Church, the Bride, the body of Christ.

Afterward, during the Millennial age, all who shall become his during that thousand years of his presence (mistranslated coming), the Lord’s due time for all to know him, from the least to the greatest. 1 Cor. 15:22

As death came by the first Adam, so life comes by Christ, the second Adam. Everything that mankind lost through being in the first Adam is to be restored to those who believe into the second Adam. When awakened, with the advantage of experience with evil, which Adam lacked, those who thankfully accept the redemption as God’s gift may continue to live everlastingly on the original condition of obedience. Perfect obedience will be required, and perfect ability to obey will be given, under the righteous reign of the Prince of Peace. Here is the salvation offered to the world.

God will save all men, but will not specially ("to the uttermost") save any except those who come unto him through Christ. God’s arbitrary salvation of all men is not such as will conflict with their freedom of will, or their liberty of choice, to give them life against their wills. "I have set before you, this day, life and death; choose life, that ye may live."

Simeon contrasted these two salvations, saying, "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation,...a light to lighten the nations, and the glory of thy people, Israel[ites indeed]."

This is in harmony with the declaration of the Apostle, that the fact that Jesus Christ, the Mediator, gave himself a ransom for all is to be testified to all IN DUE TIME. This is that which shall come to all men, regardless of faith or will on their part. This good tidings of a Savior shall be to all people (Luke 2:10,11). But the special salvation from sin and death will come only to his people (Matt. 1:21) – those who believe into him – for we read that the wrath of God continues to abide on the unbeliever. John 3:36

The general salvation, which will come to every individual, consists of light from the true light, and an opportunity to choose life.

As the great majority of the race is in the tomb, it will be necessary to bring them forth from the grave in order to testify to them the good tidings of a Savior. But attainment to all these blessings will depend upon hearty compliance with the laws of Christ’s Kingdom – the rapidity of the attainment to perfection indicating the degree of love for the King and for his law of love. If any, enlightened by the Truth, and brought to a knowledge of the love of God, and restored (either actually or reckonedly) to human perfection, become "fearful," and "draw back" (Heb. 10:38,39), they, with the unbelievers (Rev. 21:8), will be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23) This is the second death.

Thus we see that all these hitherto difficult texts are explained by the statement – "to be testified in due time."

In due time, that true light shall lighten every man that has come into the world.

In due time, it shall be "good tidings of great joy to all people."

In no other way can these scriptures be used without wresting.

Paul carries out this line of argument with emphasis in Rom. 5:18,19. He reasons that, as all men were condemned to death because of Adam’s transgression, so also, Christ’s righteousness, and obedience even unto death, have become a ground of justification. As all lost life in the first Adam, so all, aside from personal demerit, may receive life by accepting the second Adam.

Peter tells us that this restitution is spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets. (Acts 3:19-21) They do all teach it.