There's
something about this "going to heaven" idea that seems off. It reminds
me of the idea that one should "go to church. " Makes me want to shout,
"You don't GO to church, you ARE the Church. " Wake up and get on with
it. Quit playing around.
I'm not studied enough to mess with
the going to heaven idea, so I'm hoping that some of you are. If I read
Revelation 21:1 and Isaiah 66:22 aright, then there will be a whole new
deal at the end of this mess. It seems to me that our salvation is
KEPT in heaven, but that it will be revealed on earth.
Someone,
please set me straight. Everywhere you look, folks are trying to get to
heaven. I'm not convinced that it should be our main ambition.
Actually, it seems a bit enemy-motivated. Heaven is the home of the
deity--are we to move God into the streets and take over His house?
Sir
welcome to the forums. I think we are encouraged to set our affections
on things above not on the things of this earth. If you think of all of
the places in this universe... then there is no special or temporary
place.Now i know there will be a sort of transition of this earth... but
even this earth will not be destroy because God is eternal... this
earth is essential in His eternal plan that did not start by chance...it
was eternally set into existence by the will of God... it was His
disposition to bring pleasure to Himself in creating this time frame to
be continued in the final renewal by fire. So that we can think of this
earth as His footstool. If there is no where that we can go from the
eternal presence of God than there is nothing that He has planned that
is subject to the will of chance. Other wise we place the idol of
contingency before Him.
All of the events of time have their
final and real reasons of existence in Jesus who is the eternal Son of
God. We cannot escape His understanding of every thing that has its
connection to reality. If He knows our thoughts before we think them
then every thing that has an existence... that is those things that are
meta physical are eternally set in order by the will of God. So that
every thing has a purpose as time ...as it exist... is eternally present
before Him. We want so much to bring God down to our understanding. But
God calls that scheming against His reasons and His causes in all
connections to reality in this universe. The earth truely is attached to
His throne... His rule... it is His footstool!
"What my mind
on this momentous subject is, my "Institute" furnishes a full and
abundant testimony, even if I should now add nothing more. I would, in
the first place, entreat my readers carefully to bear in memory the
admonition which I there offer: that this great subject is not, as many
imagine, a mere thorny and noisy disputation, nor a speculation which
wearies the minds of men without any profit; but a solid discussion
eminently adapted to the service of the godly, because it builds us up
soundly in the faith, trains us to humility, and lifts us up into an
admiration of the unbounded goodness of God towards us, while it
elevates us to praise this goodness in our highest strains. For there is
not a more effectual means of building up faith than the giving our
open ears to the election of God which the Holy Spirit seals upon our
heart while we hear, shewing us that it stands in the eternal and
immutable goodwill of God towards us; and that, therefore, it cannot be
moved or altered by any storms of the world, by any assaults of Satan,
by any changes, or by any fluctuations or weaknesses of the flesh. For
our salvation is then sure to us, when we find the cause of it in the
breast of God. Thus, when we lay hold of life in Christ, made manifest
to our faith, the same faith being still our leader and guide, our sight
is permitted to penetrate much farther, and to see from what source
that life proceeded. Our confidence of salvation is rooted in Christ,
and rests on the promises of the Gospel. But it is no weak prop to our
confidence, when we are brought to believe in Christ, to hear that all
was originally given to us of God, and that we were as much ordained to
faith in Christ before the foundation of the world, as we were chosen to
the inheritance of eternal life in Christ." Uh....thats John Calvin
there.
| 5370
|
Forums / Key Life Forum / Re: The Wrath of God - Q&A 10/24/08
|
on: March 05, 2009, 09:21:39 PM
|
God is angry at sin, it is filthy in His sight. But, through Jesus, all the filth was thrown on Him at the cross.
But not if sinners don't repent.
An
"angry" God would not bother, He'd sit on His throne and "lord" His
righteousness over us; thus, Christ's sacrifice on the cross would mean
nothing.
If God were not angry at sinners, then the Bible would
not say that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living
God.
He wants to be my Loving Father, not my Totalitarian Policeman.
But for the sinner, He is the Judge.
Think of it...what could be more like a lake of fire then seperation from God and all the fruits of His blessing.
A literal Lake of Fire, like the one the Bible describes.
Why
would God be angry at the believer? The sin issue has been taken care
of. God is angry with the wicked every day. Now... we know that Gods
anger is not expressed to the wicked as repaying evil for just
recompense on this earth. In fact God blesses the wicked more than the
righteous. So if God is not held to a standard of being angry at the
wicked that is consistently displayed to unforgiven sin, do you think
His anger would be toward those who belong to His Son... the most praise
worthy sacrifice. I mean ... here we as believers in your scheme have
less ability to enjoy Gods gifts than the unsaved. Sir ... it makes no
sense. Anger is expressed in man. When a man feels guilty... his
first reaction is to hide. Now why do you think a man would hide from
God? Because men naturally think that God is offended by their sin. But
if God is offended at sin of a believer the He hasnt removed the sin ...
the cross is of no value. I mean... why would we consider a reaction
the chief avenue in which God communicates Himself to us, when He has
promised not to react to us? The chief way in which God deals with us is
in a dis position of love. Its not a relational way... its a covenant
way. I mean... all things equal ... and one negates the other. Come ...
come now... you entertain ideas that we all know are anti grace
doctrinal positions. I challenge you to find one place in the confession
where God deals with our sin as believers in any other disposition than
love! And then...i challenge you to find a Reformer that says that God
disciplines His children out of anger. Please with all of your
confidence in yourself ...please show me. You dream my friend. If
God says that He has broken down every wall so that we have peace with
Him through our Lord Jesus Christ, then how does that give us any
substitutionary advantage if He stands accusing us of a sin? I mean that
our relationship to His is expressed as being in a position and then we
understand our identity. Lets see now.... if He no longer accuses us
then how is He going to convince us that He is displeased with us if we
are no longer accused? Now please... i wasnt born yesterday. I know what
accusations are like... i live in this world. So in what way does this
kind of peace get interfered with from His view of me? You say my sin.
Well then you say that He saved me and gave me His righteousness. So
then i have a new ability to live without stumbling? So why do i need
His grace if i have a new ability to obey? And if grace is not that
important... i mean all things equal.. one negates the other... then
why did the apostle say that it was not in His power but it was all of
grace.. then He says i am what i am by the grace of God.Seriously i have
yet to find a person who believes this dreamy stuff to explain to me
the parts of their belief. It is truely an expression of mysticism.
|
 |
My husband and I have been discussing free will, which neither of us
can find referenced in the Bible. (But, we can find many references to
predestination. ) 
Quote
Notify
No comments:
Post a Comment