Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bnr-fos!bnr-public!davem@watmath.waterloo.edu (Dave Mielke) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: None should perish (was Re: Williamson's Regulative Principle) Message-ID: Date: 8 Jul 89 04:56:49 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada Lines: 48 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article fibercom!lab@uunet.uu.net (Lance Beckner) writes: >I agree that there is probably no human being who *completely* understands >the Bible. I also agree that we need to look at scripture in the light of >other scripture. I look at the *whole* Bible and I see God working >throughout to bring people to Himself. I do not see God trying to "hide" >from people, and then punishing them for not finding Him. To me, this >describes a very cruel god. I am not describing a cruel God at all. I am describing an overwhealmingly caring, merciful and loving God. He is not punishing anyone because he couldn't figure out what salvation is; He is punishing him for his sinful nature. The truth of the whole matter is that no single one of us hopelessly sinful people deserve even the most minute amount of His grace. Because He took it upon Himself to endure the equivalent of eternal damnation for all those who would believe on Him, He has clearly reserved the right to decide exactly who it is that He suffered for. You quoted 2 Peter 3:9 which says "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.". You highlighted the words ANY and ALL. I suggest that you have placed the wrong interpretation on this verse. Matthew 19:26 tells us "But Jesus beheld {them}, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.". Matthew 7:13-14 tells us "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide {is} the gate, and broad {is} the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait {is} the gate, and narrow {is} the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.". If nothing is too difficult for God to do, and if He really meant that He is not willing that any single person should perish and that each and every one of us would be saved, then why will hell be so heavily populated? If this is what He really meant, and since He cannot lie, He would merely force everyone to believe in Him. The only way to make the Scripture you quoted agree with the rest of the Bible is to realize that the terms ANY and ALL actually refer only to those whom He has chosen. He is letting this world continue to exist, sinful as it is, because He is not willing that any (whose names are written in the book of life) should perish but that all (those whom He has chosen) can become born so that He can save them to share eternity with Him. If any of us ever thought for a moment that failure to figure out what salvation is would be a valid complaint against God then he would be attempting to gain salvation by a work. Dave Mielke, 613-726-0014 856 Grenon Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 6G3