For this God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should perishing, but may be having life eonian
Johns Account 3: 16, Concordant New Testament
I was reminded the other day of a perfect response to someone who is hell bent upon condemning someone to hell for whatever behaviors and/or actions they have done. When that topic comes up, the question might be, would they send their own son to hell if the behavior dictated it? In the film Come Sunday, bishop Carlton Pearson poses this very question to the church leaders who were condemning him for his belief that there is no hell. "If you could save your own father from hell, wouldn't you?" Of course, when faced with this choice, who wouldn't do all that they could to save their loved one? Well, God did just that. When faced with the decision whether to condemn His children for their behaviors which were contrary to Him, He made His choice. That choice was to send His one and only Son to die on a Roman cross for the sins of many {Johns Account 3:16-17}. Who does that? I certainly know very few people who have willingly sacrificed their own for someone else. The prevailing Christian theology has been that there are good and wicked people in this world. In that theology, the good shall be rewarded and the wicked suffer their eternity in hell. Yet the Father, in His unending love for His creation, has chosen to place that punishment upon One man, Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul speaks to "One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering" {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. I don't cast blame on my friend for his belief that the wicked need to be punished by God, for this is what we have been taught for thousands of years in the mainstream church. I used to sit in those pews as well. In fact, my own belief that the wicked need to be punished often permeated my own life as well. With every bad behavior, I would live in fear of the Lords impending punishment. Every time the pastor would mention a day of judgement my heart would be tied in knots. Because I had been led to believe that I remained guilty in the eyes of God. But the Father had already made His choice on my behalf. In the Fathers eyes, I was a new creation {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:17}.
"What are you supposing? If it should be occurring to any man, with a hundred sheep, that even one of them should be led astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine sheep on the mountains, and go and seek the one that is straying? And if he should come to find it, verily, I am saying to you that he is rejoicing over it, rather than over the ninety-nine that have not strayed. Thus it is not the will in front of your Father Who is in the heavens that one of these little ones shall be perishing."
Matthews Account 18: 12-14, Concordant New Testament
Jesus Himself clearly states in His parable of the lost sheep that it has never been the Fathers desire that one of His own should perish {Matthews Account 18: 12-14}. so, one might ask, who is it that the Father considers to be His own? Well, I would definitely say that those Whom the Lord created in his likeness will be considered to be His {Genesis 1:27}. Those whom His one and only Son gave His life for will be considered to be His as well {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 6:20}. Therefore, I believe that we are all His. Not only that, I believe that this is the way in which the Father looks upon us as well. For I am no longer a stained sinner, as those in the church might believe. When God looks upon me, He sees His own Son. Jesus Himself speaks to our union life in the Father {Johns Account 14:20}. The contradictory paradigm of the mainstream church has undoubtedly led far too many astray. On the one hand, they preach the crucifixion of Christ for the forgiveness of the sin of mankind. On the other, they proclaim that it is the sin of man which separates us from God. Well, which is it? Are we indeed steeped in sin as the church proclaims? Or, as the scriptures assure us, that Christ has indeed died for those iniquities. If you adhere to the doctrine of the church that the wicked indeed are in need of punishment, what is your view of Jesus? Did He or did He not give Himself for all? The Father made that choice long ago.
~Scott~
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