Such a great statement here, and keen insight as to what the tenor of this forum has become (unfortunately), which is why it has become rather ugly around here (and I'm not exempt from it, either).
The question is actually very simple.
Let's say a sinner goes to hell.
How long does he or she live?
Or a saint goes to heaven, same...
I'd suggest that was God's original intent, for He is in a sense, re-creating what He started before we fell into sin, but this time, the populace has been "filtered" by means of justification and adoption as sons before the fact.
I very much enjoyed reading through the thread, even if I skipped over posts discussing specific points.
I grew up in an American Baptist Church, but at age 15 when I put my trust in Christ and was baptized, I did not go through a "discipleship" program, so I did not know much about the doctrines that divide.
So my journey was more of going from generalized beliefs (i.e. whatever the preacher said) to specific doctrinal positions based on personal bible study.
I started out as a once saved, always saved kind of guy.
Still am.
Traditional dispensationalism to progressive dispensationalism
From KJV to modern translations, especially the NASB
From tithing 10% to free will offering.
I started out trying to defend Calvinist positions, but found I could not. I than tried to embrace Arminianism and found it closer to my heart but still missing the mark.
So I developed a hybrid soteriology, using points from Calvinism and Arminianism and from some in between views.
I do not know what to do about understanding Genesis 1, other than say as I was there and do not know, as taught in Job 38.