Christian Fellowship Community Group
A safe place for Christians who Love Jesus Christ to meet and ask for prayer and share scriptures from the bible. We value the posting of Christian music, poems, stories and also personal testimonies. Please let us know your needs, concerns and have some fun getting to know each other. We treat each other with respect.
The wisdom of the fathers
THE RECONCILATION AND RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS
Col. 1.20, 2. Cor. 5.19, 1. Tim. 2.4, 2. Peter 3.9
We have the promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all the truth. Therefore, He will bring about unity on this question too. Different levels of knowledge regarding certain truths should not lead to arguments among believers, but should cause us to search the Scriptures and find, together with others of divergent opinions in all openness, where the fault lies that hinders complete unity.
The main question we have before us is: What happens with the godless unbeliever when he enters eternity in his unconverted state?
In regard to this question there are three answers which all refer to the Bible. Therefore, we must thoroughly test which of these three answers is in line with the entire witness of Scripture.
The first answer is: They will surrendered to endless torture.
The second answer is: They will be destroyed and forever
annihilated. The Adventists and the Jehova's witnesses hold this teaching to this day.
The third answer is: The godless will be, partly after aeon-long judgements, finally saved so that God may be all in all.
1.To the first answer must be said that this is in total contradiction to the righteousness and love of God, for endless punishments for temporal transgressions are blatantly inconsistent with the righteousness as well as the love of God. Righteousness and love are a basic in the character of God; therefore this cannot be the right answer.
2. The second answer is quite inconsistent with the natural sciences according to which nothing created can be completely destroyed, but only transformed into different elements. How then can it be possible for the spirit - which originates from God - to be destroyed.
3. So we are left with the third possibility which is clearly testified to in the nature of God and in many passages of the Bible. If someone wanted to object that aeon-long judgements are not consistent with the love of God either, we must point out that divine love is holy and incapable of condoning sin in its presence. His holiness and love, therefore, are not opposites, that exclude each other, but basically one and the same. Boundless love and pitiless righteousness and holiness must not be torn apart but as the Cross of Calvary most strongly proves, they are two sides of the same coin, for on the Cross both became united; and the Cross keeps us from misusing the teaching of reconciliation of all by not using it as an excuse for a life in sin.
This doctrine does not give us licence to keep on sinning, for we can only be reconciled to God by a radical break with sin. And also, we must not forget that forgiveness of sins - purchased dearly for us at Calvary - does not automatically release us from punishment as Psalm 99.8 testifies: "You were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds."
It must be pointed out that if it had not been for the intercession of Moses, the people of Israel would have been wiped out. God's forgiveness did not mean they got off scot-free but despite of it they had to wander the desert for 40 years until the announced judgement was completed. It would be, therefore, a fateful mistake to interpret this doctrine as an abolishment of judgement and punishment for sin. to be continued
(by Christian Roeckle)
THE RECONCILATION AND RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS
Col. 1.20, 2. Cor. 5.19, 1. Tim. 2.4, 2. Peter 3.9
We have the promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all the truth. Therefore, He will bring about unity on this question too. Different levels of knowledge regarding certain truths should not lead to arguments among believers, but should cause us to search the Scriptures and find, together with others of divergent opinions in all openness, where the fault lies that hinders complete unity.
The main question we have before us is: What happens with the godless unbeliever when he enters eternity in his unconverted state?
In regard to this question there are three answers which all refer to the Bible. Therefore, we must thoroughly test which of these three answers is in line with the entire witness of Scripture.
The first answer is: They will surrendered to endless torture.
The second answer is: They will be destroyed and forever
annihilated. The Adventists and the Jehova's witnesses hold this teaching to this day.
The third answer is: The godless will be, partly after aeon-long judgements, finally saved so that God may be all in all.
1.To the first answer must be said that this is in total contradiction to the righteousness and love of God, for endless punishments for temporal transgressions are blatantly inconsistent with the righteousness as well as the love of God. Righteousness and love are a basic in the character of God; therefore this cannot be the right answer.
2. The second answer is quite inconsistent with the natural sciences according to which nothing created can be completely destroyed, but only transformed into different elements. How then can it be possible for the spirit - which originates from God - to be destroyed.
3. So we are left with the third possibility which is clearly testified to in the nature of God and in many passages of the Bible. If someone wanted to object that aeon-long judgements are not consistent with the love of God either, we must point out that divine love is holy and incapable of condoning sin in its presence. His holiness and love, therefore, are not opposites, that exclude each other, but basically one and the same. Boundless love and pitiless righteousness and holiness must not be torn apart but as the Cross of Calvary most strongly proves, they are two sides of the same coin, for on the Cross both became united; and the Cross keeps us from misusing the teaching of reconciliation of all by not using it as an excuse for a life in sin.
This doctrine does not give us licence to keep on sinning, for we can only be reconciled to God by a radical break with sin. And also, we must not forget that forgiveness of sins - purchased dearly for us at Calvary - does not automatically release us from punishment as Psalm 99.8 testifies: "You were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds."
It must be pointed out that if it had not been for the intercession of Moses, the people of Israel would have been wiped out. God's forgiveness did not mean they got off scot-free but despite of it they had to wander the desert for 40 years until the announced judgement was completed. It would be, therefore, a fateful mistake to interpret this doctrine as an abolishment of judgement and punishment for sin. to be continued
(by Christian Roeckle)
kathilee
God is a God of hope and reconciliation. Let us join together and Praise Him!
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