Saturday, March 17, 2007
God and Hell
"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)
God doesn't have a desire for humans to go to hell; His desire is that each of us would choose life --- to make a decision to wholeheartedly follow Him as a result of coming to our senses about who He truly is and who we truly are. At some future point in history, God will bring all of creation to a crescendo --- but currently He chooses to allow time to pass in hopes that more people will turn to Him and be saved from His coming righteous wrath toward evil.
I found the following excerpts from Dr. Rick Cornish's book, "5 Minute Apologist," pp. 123-125 to be educational; his words (logical reasoning) also caused growth in my affections toward God.
"God did not make hell for humans but for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Humans go there as a result of rejecting God, expressing their persistent desire to avoid Him. He grants their wish, deporting them to the place of their dreams --- absence from Him, the central aspect of hell (2 Thessalonians 1:9)."
"... by a life of rejecting God and His salvation, people choose their own separation from Him. In effect, they get what they wanted by refusing God. In fact, wouldn't heaven be hell for those who hate God? What is God to do, force them to choose Him even though they don't want Him? Perhaps it's an act of grace that God allows them a special place where they can hate Him to their heart's content."
"God is gracious to everyone for eternity. He supplies exactly what they desire, a place suited for those who want Him --- heaven; and a place for those who don't --- hell."
God doesn't have a desire for humans to go to hell; His desire is that each of us would choose life --- to make a decision to wholeheartedly follow Him as a result of coming to our senses about who He truly is and who we truly are. At some future point in history, God will bring all of creation to a crescendo --- but currently He chooses to allow time to pass in hopes that more people will turn to Him and be saved from His coming righteous wrath toward evil.
I found the following excerpts from Dr. Rick Cornish's book, "5 Minute Apologist," pp. 123-125 to be educational; his words (logical reasoning) also caused growth in my affections toward God.
"God did not make hell for humans but for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Humans go there as a result of rejecting God, expressing their persistent desire to avoid Him. He grants their wish, deporting them to the place of their dreams --- absence from Him, the central aspect of hell (2 Thessalonians 1:9)."
"... by a life of rejecting God and His salvation, people choose their own separation from Him. In effect, they get what they wanted by refusing God. In fact, wouldn't heaven be hell for those who hate God? What is God to do, force them to choose Him even though they don't want Him? Perhaps it's an act of grace that God allows them a special place where they can hate Him to their heart's content."
"God is gracious to everyone for eternity. He supplies exactly what they desire, a place suited for those who want Him --- heaven; and a place for those who don't --- hell."
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Who do we think He is?
[7]"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. [8] With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles."
Later in the chapter, the Bible records that "the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king." (ref. 2 Chron. 32:21 NIV)
Why did God do that? Isn't God supposed to be this "anything goes, push-over" kind of God that we can all feel good about regardless of how we live our lives? Apparently not. God apparently opposes the proud. Not only does He say that ... He's been known to display that through earthly events. Sennacherib (the Assyrian King that was coming against Israel) and his officers spoke and wrote letters to Hezekiah and his leaders. Apparently Sennacherib didn't think too highly of the God of Israel ... comparing Him to the gods and idols of every other country the Assyrians had defeated. So God decided to call his bluff.
"Yeah, yeah!" you say. "Just another pesky Bible story!" Maybe. But read the following and check out the source for yourself .........
Excerpt from Encyclopedia.com:
Hezekiah , in the Bible, king of Judah, son and successor of Ahaz. During his reign Sennacherib of Assyria routed (701 BC) the rebellious Jews and exacted a high indemnity from them. However, a plague in the Assyrian army saved (690 BC) Judah from a second invasion by Sennacherib.
Hmmmmm, that plague sounds like an "Act of God" to me.
Later in the chapter, the Bible records that "the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king." (ref. 2 Chron. 32:21 NIV)
Why did God do that? Isn't God supposed to be this "anything goes, push-over" kind of God that we can all feel good about regardless of how we live our lives? Apparently not. God apparently opposes the proud. Not only does He say that ... He's been known to display that through earthly events. Sennacherib (the Assyrian King that was coming against Israel) and his officers spoke and wrote letters to Hezekiah and his leaders. Apparently Sennacherib didn't think too highly of the God of Israel ... comparing Him to the gods and idols of every other country the Assyrians had defeated. So God decided to call his bluff.
"Yeah, yeah!" you say. "Just another pesky Bible story!" Maybe. But read the following and check out the source for yourself .........
Excerpt from Encyclopedia.com:
Hezekiah , in the Bible, king of Judah, son and successor of Ahaz. During his reign Sennacherib of Assyria routed (701 BC) the rebellious Jews and exacted a high indemnity from them. However, a plague in the Assyrian army saved (690 BC) Judah from a second invasion by Sennacherib.
Hmmmmm, that plague sounds like an "Act of God" to me.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
The View From, er... Ninety-Two
In case anyone has ever wondered what The View From Ninety-Two really looks like .....
Though recent snow storms have dumped a lot of snow on "the front 40," the USPS's finest have not been deterred from trudging through the yard. It's all about persistence and diligence, through rain, sleet, snow .......
