Two questions about the Bible....?

Question

I want to see people's opinion on these two questions....

1) How can the following two messages in the Gospel of Matthew be reconciled: punishment in Hell for wrongdoing and ‘love thy neighbor unconditionally’?

2) According to his letter to the Romans, is St. Paul justified in distinguishing his version of Christianity with that of Judaism? Why or why not?

Thank you.

Answer 1

1) Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment. Men have a choice, here on this side of eternity, to either accept Jesus, for the forgiveness of sins. Or to reject Jesus & stand before God guilty. If they choose the latter, they will be found guilty & suffer the consequences of their actions (which they knew beforehand would be the case).

A believer, saved person, child of God, forgiven one (although they still do sin-but have been forgiven) is to live in a way that pleases God. One of those ways is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

2) The difference between Judaism & Christianity is what they do with Jesus. Both look toward the Messiah. The Christians follow Jesus (as did Paul), the Judaistic Jews don't believe Jesus was the Messiah. That is the major difference.
Remember, the apostle Paul was accepted by the apostles. The book of Acts, written by the apostle Luke, writes almost primarily about Paul. Peter, in his letters, supports Paul.
You can't remove Paul from Christianity- they walk hand in hand.

Now I will say that Paul is hard to read, as Peter said. He was well educated & is more philosophical in approach...which is difficult for many to get-especially the letter to the church of Rome (Romans).

I hope this sheds some light. Feel free to email me with any specific questions.

Answer 2

First of all, nobody will be punished in hell for any reason. Romans states that the dead are "freed from their sin." They will simply be dead forever.

It is a question of FALSE gods and the TRUE God! Only the true God can do anything, can save his own worshipers, and that he has promised to do.

He lets other gods do what they can to their worshipers -even if it means they can do NOTHING to save anybody.

Just like a father in New York only takes care of his own family. He doesn't rush to Los Angeles when he hears about some unknown family's troubles there.
In that way, God takes care of his own family, and lets others take care of their problems.

Thus when the Great Tribulation comes, he will only save his own. And he will only resurrect his own (kind of, see HP below, or ask me).

Also God is not anybody's neighbor! He is their Judge through Christ, and God is their Creator. So he will pay back impartially everybody what their works make them deserve. Since he created them, he owns them and has the right of ownership and can destroy or keep his belongings.

Answer 3

God loves everyone but those that reject Him can NOT go to heaven, they must go to Hell.
Paul's version of Christianity only is distinguished from Judaism by the fact that Christ is Messiah and God, He died for our sins, therefore we do not need the etiquite laws (those are the ones about what to and not to eat, etc. and they no longer apply to those that are in Christ, also they do not apply to the gentiles, because they are the burden of the covenant people, Israel) anymore, because Jesus fullfills the law, if you truelly follow Christ then you will want to follow the laws of conduct, which include the ten commandments (which still apply).

Answer 4

I don't know much about Paul's writings so I'll answer the first one: It's God's job to judge us. He is the one that punishes us for our wrongdoing, we are not to do that to each other. We are to love our neighbor no matter what, and leave the judgement to God.

Answer 5

1. If you spend your entire life telling someone you don't want to have anything to do with them, is the "loving" thing to do FORCE you to be with them, or to let you go?

2. Well of course. Didn't you read in Acts where the Apostles decided what they tell the new church?