I read a book this past month that, had it not been co-authored by the pastor of a Friends church, I probably would’ve ignored. In fact, it probably wouldn’t have even crossed my desk if that were not the case.
The book, If Grace Is True, suggests that everyone will be saved in the end. It argues for the false belief that no one is going to hell, that a God who is love could not send anyone to a place of eternal torment. The writer then offers an alternative to what the Bible clearly teaches. People who refuse God’s offer of love in this life will be punished for a time, but not forever. They will be given opportunity to repent after death. Hitler will be in heaven eventually along with the Jews he gassed. Everyone of every religion will be admitted as well. Gandhi and all Hindus will be in heaven along with all Muslims, Buddhists, etc. Even atheists will be given a place at God’s table. When the authors of If Grace Is True say every person will be saved, they mean every person.
The problem with this message is that it contradicts God’s message given to us in the Bible. It ignores Jesus’ words. And Paul’s. And Peter’s. Taken as a whole, the message of God’s Word is that we are sinners who, without God’s loving help, will be condemned for our sins. An important part of the Bible’s message is that God loved the world enough to send his Son to die in our place. His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sinful nature. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.
If Grace Is True’s authors offer teaching that belittles Jesus, makes him a mere man who lived as an example for us. They quote Scripture, but often stop just before whomever they are citing says just the opposite of what they want to prove.
False teachers abound in this world. Beware of those who teach with words that make the cross less important and our Savior less necessary.
“Whoever believes in [God’s Son] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18, NIV)
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1 comment:
I think it's important to understand that we were formed before we came to earth: When God laid the foundations of the earth, all the sons of God shouted for joy, Job 38: 4-7. The spirit shall return unto God who gave it, Eccl. 12: 7. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, Jer. 1: 4-5. We are all his offspring, Acts 17: 28. God chose us before the foundation of the world, Eph. 1: 3-4. We are to be in subjection to the Father of spirits, Heb. 12: 9. The angels which kept not their first estate, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, Jude 1: 6
Everyone who lives, therefore, chose God's plan to live, forget the before, and come back to him if we choose to do so, and be rewarded for our efforts 1 Corinthians 15:41-42. While the lowest kingdom is "hell" it is still a state of glory, because we made the decision in righteousness to follow God before birth. The Devil and his angels and those called the sons of perdition, those who have felt the Spirit bear witness and have a knowledge of Christ that deny him will be cast into outer darkness and be removed altogether. Hitler, Stalin Pol Pot, Mao, and the like, will surely be held accountable for their sins, but even those most terrible examples, have had their sins paid for by the Atonement of Christ, if they choose to accept it, I can't personally say if they will or not, but their salvation is between them and Christ, not us and him. To presume to sit in judgment of them, is far beyond our place in the plan.
You are correct however that when we are judged our station cannot be changed. If we don't accept the Gospel and Jesus then we will be placed in the hell we've earned for ourselves. I think the question you had was at what point are we judged? If it is immediate upon death then those who die in sin are damned, but there is no mercy in that, those who live deep in the rainforests, or in communist China, or lived and died under the USSR without the Good News have no mercy under the law, no Grace of God. and I don't think he would condemn those who never had a chance, without giving them a chance. As with every choice in our lives, we can freely accept or deny that opportunity, but we can't be denied it and call God a "Just God"
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