seems like a sick,twisted game to me.
2007-08-20 03:29:12 · 24 answers · asked by dali333 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God gets what He wants. Period.
Otherwise, He would not be God!
Therefore, your question is a good one!
The answer lies here:
Where did you, or other Christians, get the idea that God wills that none perish...?
What about this verse:
"What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessles of wrath fitted to destruction?" ....and all the other verses in Romans, chapter 9...?
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The verse that you and others are misunderstanding is 2 Peter 3:9...which, many would take as proof that God does not want anyone to perish...
However, if you look at the original Greek (or just look in the KJV)...and study this verse - you will see that this verse speaks about how God is patient with those for whom He died:
"...longsuffering to US-WARD, not willing that any should perish...." (2 Peter 3:9)
Pointedly: Jesus Christ ONLY died for those who did believe, believe, and WILL believe in Him. He did not die for every human who has ever lived, lives, or will live.
When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He PAID the penalty for sin. He did not pay for the opportunity to be forgiven, but actually suffered the wrath and punishment itself for the sin!
If the penalty is paid, then the person for whom He paid it will not and cannot pay it (i.e. Christians CANNOT go to hell). If Jesus died for EVERYONE, then it would mean that EVERYONE is going to heaven...
But we know by other Bible verses that hell is real...and that many (and likely, most) will go there.
= = = =
EDIT:
I know this is a difficult teaching, but you asked a difficult question...but let me follow-up with this truth:
ALL who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!
Indeed, salvation is NOT outside the "reach" of any person.
No one will be turned away...
One would then say, "Well...what if I am a 'vessel prepared for destruction'...that is, what if I am a person for whom Jesus Christ did not die?"
Then I would say, quite simply, "Well, then...you would not call upon the name of the Lord!"
If the other says, "Well, what if I DID call upon the name of the Lord?"
Then I would say, quite simply, "Well, then...you would be one for whom Jesus Christ DID die!"
Therefore, repent or perish...
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God bless.
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2007-08-20 03:42:00 · answer #1 · answered by yachadhoo 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
God has and always is trying to show us he has made a way for us to love him, not perish but have everlasting life. That doesn't mean our bodies won't be snatched away or rot. Our spirits will go to heaven and receive new untarnished bodies to last eternity. All we have to do is accept his gift, take his only son that he let suffer for us, into your heart and live as brother to mankind but remember one day you will go home. No matter what is happening with war, sickness etc... Our souls/spirits will live on. How they live on is our choice, all we have to do is have Faith, Believe he really loved us enough to accept the precious gift of his sons blood so that he will not see our sins but only his sons blood and how much he loved/loves us. Just like a child is defiant to his parents, we do have that free will to choose to believe or not. The blood of the souls of those taken away before they know Christ is on our hands for not telling them about this gift from God so that they too could choose.
2007-08-20 03:57:19 · answer #2 · answered by Nanny Poo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
None of His 'elect' to perish, it does not include everyone.
His sacrifice was sufficient for all, but only efficient for the elect, chosen, or 'born again' in the spirit.
This also does not include all those who claim to be born again, for most of them are deceived into believing they are saved because they've proclaimed that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is something devils confess too, but they are not saved either.
2007-08-20 03:43:22 · answer #3 · answered by my_my_now 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God does want all to come to the knowledge of the truth- however let us look at this issue, just like a lot of people look at the abortion issue. We can choose, if we perish or not- Jesus came to earth to die in our place, and pay the price that we could no longer pay- CHOOSE TODAY WHOM YOU SHALL SERVE-
2007-08-20 03:49:09 · answer #4 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He didnt. Man did. He already provided a way for us to be saved but man choose not to take it. Denying God means you wish to perish then be with him.
2007-08-20 03:36:59 · answer #5 · answered by ReliableLogic 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Free will (agency) is just that important to Him. It pains Him to know that not all of His children will return to Him after their life here on earth, but He will not force His will upon us. He wants us to choose Him freely and not because we are compelled to do so. To me, if everyone were guaranteed a ticket back to Him after this life, life would be pointless because there would be no learning nor growth...we'd just be biding our time until we left.
2007-08-20 04:33:42 · answer #6 · answered by pennstateldsgirl 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The possibility exists because God cannot force us to love Him. He won't save us against our will. Death itself is the result of man's disobedience in Paradise. Man could only be disobedient there because again God would not force humans to do His will.
2007-08-20 03:36:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You mean you don't want the right to chose what you like, whom you want to obey?
It is a matter of free will and the love of God. Those that really love God obey his commandments. These are the ones that are saved if they endure until the end.
2007-08-20 03:33:25 · answer #8 · answered by Fuzzy 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
She never did create this possibility.
It is a figment of the religious imagination.
Love and blessings Don
2007-08-20 03:37:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
He wanted people to worship Him on their own, not like robots, He wouldn't want forced worship. When a person chooses Jesus and salvation, he will worship God with his free will.
2007-08-20 03:34:12 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋