Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!tektronix!uw-beaver!fluke!ptl
From: ptl@fluke.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian,talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Salvation questions
Message-ID: <671@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Oct-86 13:28:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: cal-asd.671
Posted: Mon Oct  6 13:28:04 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 6-Oct-86 23:58:03 EDT
References: <998@tekcrl.UUCP> <2691@burdvax.UUCP> <2716@burdvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: ptl@cal-asd.UUCP (Mike Andrews)
Distribution: na
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 40
Keywords: love




Hi,

In article <2716@burdvax.UUCP> devonst@burdvax.UUCP (Tom Albrecht) writes:
>...I agree that Christ freely chose to die for the sins of His people, but not
>for that sins of those who would reject Him.
>Tom Albrecht

You and I see God differently.  Jesus died for sinners.  When a Christian
sins, that sin is rejection of God; the same rejection as for someone who
isn't Christian and rejects God.  Sin isn't lessened by claiming to be
Christian.  It is by acting on our Christian faith, approaching God and
asking for His forgiveness, that makes the difference.  And it was only
Jesus' self-sacrifice that makes up for our sins; nothing that we ourselves
can do or say.

God says to love our enemies.  Someone who rejects you, even hates you,
can qualify as an enemy.  God wouldn't ask us to do what He hasn't already
done; meaning He even loves His enemies.  And He showed His love for sinners
by dieing for sinners - no greater love.

The God I believe in loves unconditionally.  Jesus is the only way to
the Father.  And I believe God has ways that go beyond anything
anyone else can come up with to save those who never had the opportunity to
meet Jesus.  And I'm not the judge, I'm not God, to determine who has and who
hasn't had the opportunities, though sometimes I fall into that trap.

All I can do is what Jesus says to do - love God with my whole being,
and my neighbor like myself.  Neighbor includes non-Christian and
anti-Christian, as well as Christian.  I am a sinner in need of God's
forgiveness and mercy, I am also loved and forgiven by Him.  It is not
easy to believe much of the time; but how I feel doesn't affect what God
says is truth.  He died for me before I even knew Him, but He already knew me.
And He did the same for everyone else, too.

God Bless,

Mike Andrews