how do you interpret "narrow is the way and few there be that find it"?
Many never find LIFE in this world they struggle and strain their whole life, few there be that find it. How many believers do you know that are walking in LIFE? Which means they are abiding in Christ all the time, He is the way the truth and the life. We will only be complete when we see him, this is the course that we must run to get there. Some enter the narrow path now and are being changed day by day into His likeness, some just struggle to survive another moment and another day.
This is not an issue of salvation, Jesus came and reconciled the world to himself, the ultimate end of humanity is predetermined by what Jesus has already completed. The question is what path will one take to reach that final destination.
Each of us with be held responsible for what we do in this life, what is good and acceptable to God will be rewarded, what is evil will be burned up. Each of us will be salted with fire, to test what we have become.
__________________ For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11- NASB)
Many never find LIFE in this world they struggle and strain their whole life, few there be that find it. How many believers do you know that are walking in LIFE? Which means they are abiding in Christ all the time, He is the way the truth and the life. We will only be complete when we see him, this is the course that we must run to get there. Some enter the narrow path now and are being changed day by day into His likeness, some just struggle to survive another moment and another day.
This is not an issue of salvation, Jesus came and reconciled the world to himself, the ultimate end of humanity is predetermined by what Jesus has already completed. The question is what path will one take to reach that final destination.
Each of us with be held responsible for what we do in this life, what is good and acceptable to God will be rewarded, what is evil will be burned up. Each of us will be salted with fire, to test what we have become.
that's interesting crakjak. you are saying that life in mt 7:14 refers to abundant life in the here and now and not eternity? cool, never thought of that.
Universalism is the ultimate rejection of the authority of God. It is so disgusting imo that the term "holiness" always has to be apologized for. To anyone who has come to a true relationship with God it should be a given that holy living is being joined to Christ.
And there is nothing wrong with teaching HOLINESS is a life separated to and obedient to the teachings of Yeshua.
To be obedient to Yeshua IS equated with holiness in the Bible.
13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober , and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;16 Because it is written , Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16
Many Universalists believe that God calls us to be Christlike. The term "Christlike" is superior to "holy", because it's an arbitrary and subjective term used in the "holiness movement" to denote various lists of standards that y'all argue about. You know, like will wearing a wedding band send you to Hell. (That's what my first pastor taught.) So, Universalists believe that we are called to "Christlikeness". You know, we are commanded to love our neighbours and even bless our enemies. But what troubles Universalists is that God isn't very Christlike. Instead, traditional views have God taking a page out of Hitler's play book wherein He either burns His enemies forever in an oven called the lake of fire... or He vaporizes them destroying them forever in an oven called the lake of fire. To a Universalist, this is equally disgusting.
that's interesting crakjak. you are saying that life in mt 7:14 refers to abundant life in the here and now and not eternity? cool, never thought of that.
Many never find LIFE in this world they struggle and strain their whole life, few there be that find it. How many believers do you know that are walking in LIFE? Which means they are abiding in Christ all the time, He is the way the truth and the life. We will only be complete when we see him, this is the course that we must run to get there. Some enter the narrow path now and are being changed day by day into His likeness, some just struggle to survive another moment and another day.
This is not an issue of salvation, Jesus came and reconciled the world to himself, the ultimate end of humanity is predetermined by what Jesus has already completed. The question is what path will one take to reach that final destination.
Each of us with be held responsible for what we do in this life, what is good and acceptable to God will be rewarded, what is evil will be burned up. Each of us will be salted with fire, to test what we have become.
We're often told that God is just and holy and therefore God must judge sin tormenting sinners without end or vaporizing them forevermore.
There's a problem with this as I see it. First, it's not "just" to torment a person with unending torments for a temporal act. Stealing a peice of bubble gum is a sin. But does it warrant a literal eternal torment. According to tradition... yes. Anyone in their right mind can see that this is insane.
Second, God IS love. We read...
1 John 4:8
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
So, LOVE is the very essence and nature of God. Yes, God is holy... but God isn't holiness. Yes, God is just... but God isn't justice. Yes, God is vengeful... but God isn't vengence. God IS love.
Therefore, if an interpretation of Scripture doesn't embody the highest measure of love (agape) on God's account... there's a high probability that something is wrong.
In the opinion of many... Universalism reconciles God's essence of being love with God's justice. Therefore, it defines God's judgment as being loving and remedial.
We're often told that God is just and holy and therefore God must judge sin tormenting sinners without end or vaporizing them forevermore.
There's a problem with this as I see it. First, it's not "just" to torment a person with unending torments for a temporal act. Stealing a peice of bubble gum is a sin. But does it warrant a literal eternal torment. According to tradition... yes. Anyone in their right mind can see that this is insane.
. . . .
Though I, of course, agree with you on this point, let me be the first to say:
Who are you to tell God what He can or can't do?!
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
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