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The only thing that puzzles me about this, is why would God resurrect those who are already spiritually dead? I’m still searching for an answer to that question.
Originally posted by Jazzyguy
If people use their heart, they'll surely know that a Loving God doesn't condemn soul to eternal damnation. But what I often see is, creed over deed, lust to hate over love.
Meaning.. that kind of religious people like to feed their hatred rather than the opposite. But why a believer of God does that, since it's practically appeasing "the devil".
Anger and frustration are supposed to be a temporary state. But they have become a part of people's character.
Originally posted by Blue_Jay33
First your unprejudiced logic serves you well.
Originally posted by Blue_Jay33
God in his love for his creation is giving them a second chance, regardless of belief structure or sins. At that point they will be educated about God's standards and Jesus. They will be given a reasonable amount of time to accept and apply this. If they refuse this new reality, they will die eternally with Satan and his Demons, symbolically put into the Lake of Fire of non-existence.
28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.
2Many of those who lie dead in the ground will rise from death. Some of them will be given eternal life, and others will receive nothing but eternal shame and disgrace.
15Having [the same] hope in God which these themselves hold and look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous (the just and the unjust).
English Revised Version
for he that hath died is justified from sin.
Webster's Bible Translation
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Weymouth New Testament
for he who has paid the penalty of death stands absolved from his sin.
NWT
For he who has died has been acquitted from [his] sin.
Revelation 20:12
The Hebrew word translated "books" in Daniel 7:10 corresponds to the Greek word translated "books" in Revelation 20:12. This Greek word is biblia, and it is from this word that the English word "bible" is derived.
The books that will be opened are the books of the Bible! They will be opened to the understanding of thousands of millions of people-everyone who was unable to know and understand God's purpose and plan for them during their previous lifetime because they had not been called by the Father and given His Spirit of understanding.
Some, assuming that "judgment" means only the pronouncing of a sentence based on past behavior, have thought that these people, even if they repented, could do nothing to change their fate. Thankfully, God is merciful, always willing to forgive upon true repentance.
Originally posted by Blue_Jay33
Romans makes it very clear that from God's perspective death wipes the slate clean, the person pays the ultimate price for sin with death, just like Jesus paid that price, but not for sinning but to ransom humanity from Adamic sin. Combine these two and you have the second chances the other scriptures talk about.
Originally posted by Blue_Jay33
The judgment is not on their past life because God acquitted their past sins, it is only on their actions AFTER resurrection during the second chance, that is when the judgments these scriptures talk about happens.
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Originally posted by teapot
This thread has degenerated into a slanging match between individuals who appear to have lost the plot!
Hell exists.
Imagine your life as it is. Then remove from it all those things that make it tolerable; love, family, friends, good health, comfort, self esteem, etc., ie all those things that may be attributed to a God of Love. Such is hell. Just the elements that seek/work to undo God's Grace.
And remember this, in hell, there will be no placebo's to ease the pain of existance, no drink, no sex, no drugs, not even endorphine!
Free will is real. When God expelled Adam and Eve from Eden, He said, Thou May go forth and multiply and have dominion of the Earth. Adam and Eve had already rejected God's wisdom and relied instead on their own, perhaps believing that a loving God would not punish them.
Free will is the post expulsion gift that allows us another chance to trust God!
As for who of us will enter hell and who won't, remember this;
Only by Grace are we saved.
All those who think that by their own efforts they can 'buy' a place in Heaven, or as the JW's believe, the new earth, are very mistaken and have been deceived by Charles Taze Russell and his ilk.
I applaud anyone who has rejected the established churches in the world. Though the Bible makes clear, the True Church, Christ's Bride, is seen and known to all, if only we knew it.
Jesus also makes clear that he will not recognise some who claim to be his and that others who have never heard of him, will enter the kingdom of heaven.