Will A Loving God will Send People to Hell?; Wrath vs. Mercy;
Does God Move Goal Posts?; Bible, The Source of Truth; “Come to Me”; Archeology;
Trinity; Evolutionary Transitional Forms…
Response to comment: "You're a bloodthirsty [believing that] it is ok for
God to kill children."
I do not think that killing children is ok. When men,
women and children die in war it is always a tragic thing. Is war necessary
sometimes? Unfortunately, yes, in a fallen world it is. We were speaking of
ancient wars in our dialogue. It was tragic then and it is tragic still today
when children get caught up in war due to the sin of: their parents, their
communities and their nations.
God is good in all He does (Ps 89:14). He is not the author of confusion (1 Cor
14:33). He is not responsible for evil. Man is (Gn 3). But God will use evil for
His own purposes (Psa. 7:4, 5; Psa. 35:12; Psa. 109:5; Prov. 17:13). Man was
tempted by Satan and His heart responded in disobedience. The potential for evil
was there because God gave man a will. The struggle in the garden is the same
struggle today: temptation and sin. God allows men to sin in order that He
might show His wrath (Ro 1:18). MacArthur. But He will change His
judgment of us if we will repent (e.g. God's repentance toward Nineveh).
When I read the Bible I cheer God on for destroying His enemies. I am
not "bloodthirsty". I am cheering for the right side. If
you read the Bible would you cheer for God's enemies? God is permitted to
take the life of the enemy. When man takes life without
cause it is murder. God's ways are higher
than our ways (Isa. 55:9) not lower.
Response to comment: “Christianity is a religion, nothing else…”
Christianity is trust in the person of Jesus Christ. It is not a system of works
or tradition which damns. It is not mere “cultural Christianity”. Some people
pose as ministers of light and they are not. Many can talk the talk but do not
walk the walk. Many sit in church pews and are headed to hell. Someone said
after the rapture, some churches won’t miss a member the following Sunday. Read
the book of Galatians. Paul makes the gospel clear. It is a gospel of grace by
faith not works...
“If God did exist, would you love Him?”
Answer: “’If’? This leaves the door open to your God's existence. And no, I
would not. Your God allows lairs like yourself to "spread his word", so your
God
is an idiot... but since it's not real, I don't really care...”
Does God exist or not? He can't allow for liars if He does not exist. He
cannot not exist and be an idiot. You have a logic problem. There
are logical, honest atheists but you are not one of them. Some atheists claim
wholeheartedly that God does not exist. He cannot exist and be a fool. His word does not return to
Him void so please be clear (Isa 55:11).
You further state: “...What I have issue with is the behavior of people like you.”
People like me remind you of sin which is why you "have [an] issue with the
behavior of people like [me]."
Men hate God and God's people because their deeds are evil according to
scripture (Jn
3:20).
Response to comment: “[You are] belittling and self-suffering. People are also
quite capable of kindness and great things. Your god made us with these faults -
so he's flawed and short sighted [and] cruel. Just using [your] so-called facts
here. An all-knowing god would not make people who would be flawed, yet yours
did. An all loving god would not make a hell to send people to, even if they
didn't follow him. A merciful god would not suffer from human arrogance and
jealousy. Your ideology is broken form the start. Resolve those please.”
Christians are not enslaved by the god of self-esteem. We make an honest
appraisal of ourselves. We believe that we are sinners who were saved by God’s
grace. Positionally, we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness (Ga 3:27). We are
right with the Lord. The unsaved sinner remains in his dirty diapers.
There is a general mercy that God gives the world. By His mercy we breathe His
air. Evil people are capable of doing good things (Lk 11:11). But if you want
the best of things, that is only found in Christ. He wants to give you His best
but in your sin and rebellion, you prevent Him from doing so. J. Vernon McGee
described it like an umbrella. The sun is shining but sometimes we prevent the
light from reaching us.
You claim that God made flawed people. No He didn’t. He made perfect people (Gn
2). You claim that God made evil and is responsible for it. No He isn’t. Man
chose evil and He made a way back for man to their God in His Son Jesus. “God is
separate from all evil and is in no way responsible for it. Moral evil arises
from man’s sinful inclinations (Jas. 1:13–15). Wood, D. R. W.: New Bible
Dictionary. InterVarsity Press, 1996, c1982, c1962, S. 349.
We are responsible for your own evil. It’s like a creepy baby that we gave birth
to: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when
he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has
conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth
death (Jas 1:13-15).” There is an evil baby and a good baby inside. The one you
feed lives. Every time you indulge your sin say “Get in my belly.”
Response to comment: “I've been in countries where "the word of God" rules and
I've seen the beatings, the death and the inhumane treatment given to people who
do not follow the law of god. I will fight that till the day I die.
Let me ask you a question: As a non-Christian, would I be given the same rights
and freedoms as a Christian under your idea of government? Would I be allowed to
vote, hold a job and live my life without interference from your government?”
Do you confuse Arab nations with America? Arab nations are Muslim dominated.
They kill the infidel when you do not agree with them. The fact is, at the
founding of our nation, we allowed for other faiths to practice their religion
freely. That is why a Jew or a Muslim is able to life in America without fear of
retribution. Some consider confrontation of their belief retribution, I am not
speaking of that. I am speaking about sawing off your head if you do not
practice Sharia law (a perversion of God’s law). I will fight their attempt to
overtake our nation, too.
God is gracious. If we ask Him to leave our nation, He will. He will remove His
hand of blessing on our nation and we will have to fend for ourselves. I and
other Christians, pray that He listens to us, not them and stays. We need Him no
matter how many people cry otherwise.
Response to comment: “Your God was supposed to have made everything with
knowledge of the outcome of all things. Therefore, your God made people
[knowing] they would fail, how they would fail and exactly who would do so. Then
your God chose to create hell.”
You are assuming that the future is settled. It isn’t.
Further reading:
Battle
Royale X: Open Theism: Does God Know Your Entire Future?
"Your God chose to create hell." God created for the devil and his
angels (Mt 25:41). It is the right and good to make a place to contain men
that reject God. God allowed for sin but He is not the originator of the
sin. Man is responsible for his own sin.
God's ways are higher than our ways (Isa. 55:9)
not lower.
Response to comment: “[Y]ou are one of the repeat posters who gets banned and
then comes back with a new name to post the same style and volume while ignoring
any attempt at actual conversation.”
We don’t silence critics like liberals. We dust off our feet and move on (Lk
9:5). We argue truth and most people despise the truth which is why they despise
Jesus, truth incarnate (Jn 14:6). It isn’t Christians who run from an argument.
Response to comment: “’Know’ means to have certain and stable knowledge. You are
confusing [your] belief with other people's knowledge.”
I could care less about my opinion. What I care about is what God said. And what does
God say in His word? The gospel is offensive because it is truth. I do not
follow the god of “do-not-offend”. I am a servant of the living and true Lord,
Jesus. People get offended when the Bible teaches don’t be a fall down drunk;
don’t be a fat glutton; don’t be a sodomite. The gospel will offend because it
tells us what not to do. God would not have to tell us what not to do if we were
not doing it.
My beliefs are all I have, that is right. I do not have another
person's beliefs.
Response to comment: “You are arrogant beyond words in stating that anyone is
headed anywhere based on your mythology!”
I am revealing truth from scripture. No one can know if a person goes to heaven
or hell, that is true. But we can discern. For example, I can tell whether you
are a child of our Father or a child of the devil based on the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit in you. If you have the Son, you have life. If you do not have the
Son, you do not have life (1 Jn 5:12). If He does not indwell you, then you are
not redeemed (or headed for hell). I would hope that you make a decision for
Christ before it’s too late (1 Cor 5:3).
You also wrote: “"When someone asks you what it feels like to shoot someone, you
tell them it feels like recoil!"
I like guns, too. There may come a day when people drag us out of our churches
and kill us. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’ll need a bigger gun. Liberals do
not know freedom so they are not willing to sacrifice for it.
Based on my "mythology" I would be correct to say that a person is headed for
hell if they do not have a right relationship with Jesus Christ. My
theology says that too.
Response to comment: “Other than the irritation that I have to deal with when
encountering such vanity as yours, my life is quite peaceful. You assume what
you do not have experience with and judge people whom you do not know. Vanity
and self righteousness beyond compare."
Bob Enyart likes to say: “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed.”
I am not giving you my opinion. I am merely stating a fact based on scripture.
"There is no peace for the wicked," says the Lord (Isa 48:22, NASB).” I’ll go
with Jesus. He knows you better than you know yourself. People can suppress
knowledge of the truth: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God
has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because,
although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the
incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and
four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up
to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among
themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served
the creature rather than the Creator. (The New King James Version. Nashville :
Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Ro 1:18-25).
Maybe you hate "having to deal with..." persons such as myself is
because you hate to be reminded of sin.
Response to comment: “[Pure] evasion! God ordered the killing of infants and
unborn children - Yes or no? God made all people - Yes or no? God [knows] all
that will and will not happen - Yes or no?”
Yes, God did command the killing of His enemies including their children if
unborn children if they had any in war.
Yes, God made all people.
No, God does not know how many hairs are on the boogie man’s head (Enyart). He
is sovereign and in control. The future is not settled but open. Love hopes all
things (1 Cor 13:7). Though I have all knowledge, but have not love, I am
nothing (1 Cor 13:2). God hopes you will humble yourself before Him, but
you are given the choice. God's ways are
higher than our ways (Isa. 55:9) not lower.
Response to comment: “Resolve the conflict between the idea of a ‘loving God’
and the one who creates hell to send people to.”
God prepared a place for the devil and his angels which we call hell (Mt 25:41).
It is His hope that we do not go there, but He gives us a choice. He has given
us every possible chance to be saved. He provided a way Himself at the cross.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us (Ro 5:8, NKJV).” God will not stop loving you but He
will live without you if that is your choice (McGee). As great as God’s wrath
will be, His mercy is bigger.
Response to comment: “So the children [of Israel] could not be raised to follow
a different path in life? That is insanity, cruelty and the same sort of mindset
that permits genocides and mass murders. You justify the murder of children. You
are a monster and I believe if not restrained by society would try to kill
people in the name of your God.”
God does not move the goal posts. He tells His children what to do and they
should do it. But time and time again, they disobeyed Him. He sought their best.
He gave them more light than anyone else. They had a responsibility before Him
(Deut 6, 7).
Only the Creator God can command the killing of His enemies. Lesser gods are false
gods (e.g. the Pagan moon god of Islam).
I do not justify the murder of children. If I killed children without
God's permission to do so, I would be a murderer. Has God asked me to kill
children? No. God's ways are higher than our
ways (Isa. 55:9) not lower.
Response to comment: “[Your sources] are not independent sources or supported by
[any] records external to the Bible!”
I am a student of the Bible. I believe it contains all that we need for living.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).”
Response to comment: “'God keeps you [evolutionists] guessing?' Then why do you
say God wants people to know the truth?”
God does want people to know His truth: “"Come to me, all of you who are weary
and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28, ISV).”
Maybe God smiles when archeologists unearth little tablets that prove that His
word is true. People can trust Him. It is encouraging to the believer.
"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to
search out a matter Pv 25:2, NASB)."
Response to comment: “I can't remember any math class where 3=1 [trinity].”
The trinity is one “what” and three “who’s” (Hanegraaff). Even we Christians
admit that the concept is hard to understand. When we get to heaven we will have
to ask Him the math.
I know when we meet Him, we see one figure in heaven on His throne. “Immediately
I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One
sitting on the throne (Re 4:2, NASB).” We will meet Jesus face to face.
Response to comment: “"Evolutionary
transitional forms?"
Let the reader decide:
“At times, creationists are ridiculed for pointing to gaps in the fossil record,
because, it is alleged, the finding of a ‘transitional form’ means that one can
now argue that there are two gaps whereas before there had been one. To begin
with, this argument is very disingenuous, if only because it tells us nothing
about the degree of morphological discontinuity remaining if two smaller gaps do
in fact replace one larger one….” (Does a ‘transitional form’ replace one gap
with two gaps? (By by John Woodmorappe. Vol. 14, Issue 2. First published:
Technical Journal 14(2):5–6, August 2000.)
Full text:
Does a
"Transitional Form" Replace One Gap with Two Gaps?
Response to comment: “The American Thunderbird (from memory…[I]s
the Bible completely true?”
Let the reader decide:
“[It] bears a strong resemblance to what are today known as duck-billed
dinosaurs…”
Full text:
Bunyips
and Dinosaurs
Response to comment: “…and the American Thunderbird.”
Let the reader decide:
“In Jurassic Park III, the most exciting part of the movie for me was the sudden
introduction of the pteranodons. I was on the edge of my seat as these monstrous
bird-like pterosaurs hotly pursued the search team working their way out of the
birdcage.
Of course, the standard long-age scenario of our evolution-riddled culture says
that such encounters between pterosaurs and man have never happened, because all
flying reptiles, along with the dinosaurs, allegedly became extinct some 65
million years before man came on the scene…”
Full text:
Thunderbirds: Did the American Indians see "winged dinosaurs"?
Text originally posted at EvilBible.com