Zone1 Does anyone else here believe (as I do) that ALL who ever lived will live forever with God in his kingdom?

[K9Buck]

^ This is another wrong assumption and strawman.

Of course God loves all! I believe that, and every Christian I've ever known believes that.

But at the same time, God honors freedom, He gave us free will and He respects free will.

So just because God loves all doesn't mean that all love God, or that all will accept the gift of salvation.

I was done here, but when I read that strawman I had to come back to address that. But again, we're going in circles, so I'll leave you to argue with others on this.

The faithful Christian thirsts for the word of God, but that's not you.

You should be happy and excited to read the scriptures and to gain a better understanding, but you're not. You're too proud and vain to even be swayed by God's word.

I offered to share more of God's words to show you that he loves all and will save all, but you don't want to hear God's word.

So be it.

 

[K9Buck]

Some parts of your translation are also a bit off.

To the reader, Meriweather is a member of the cult known as the Catholic Church. He is blind and lost and NOBODY should rely on his opinions on anything relating to God.

 

[K9Buck]

Then you know nothing. Goes double when it is about me.

You're a false teacher and a heretic.

 

[buttercup]

The faithful Christian thirsts for the word of God, but that's not you.

You should be happy and excited to read the scriptures and to gain a better understanding, but you're not. You're too proud and vain to even be swayed by God's word.

I offered to share more of God's words to show you that he loves all and will save all, but you don't want to hear God's word.

So be it.

Why the personal attack on me and false claim that I don't believe God loves all when I just finished saying that God loves all....nearly all Christians believe that, so you posted a strawman when you claimed that we think God doesn't love all.

Again, assumptions. You make a lot of assumptions, and that's where you go wrong.

Ad homs on a Christian thread is not cool, and against Zone 1 rules. I believe you are projecting in ^ in your reply here.

 

[Meriweather]

To the reader, Meriweather is a member of the cult known as the Catholic Church. He is blind and lost and NOBODY should rely on his opinions on anything relating to God.

You're a false teacher and a heretic.

One of the signs that a discussion may be over is discussing a poster(s) instead of the topic.

 

[K9Buck]

Ad homs on a Christian thread is not cool, and against Zone 1 rules. I believe you are projecting in ^ in your reply here.

Then report me. If you're lucky maybe they'll ban me.

 

[K9Buck]

One of the signs that a discussion may be over is discussing a poster(s) instead of the topic.

You pretend to have authoritative knowledge and you mislead the reader into believing lies. You will have to give an account to Jesus for the words you have expressed to lead people astray.

 

[MarathonMike]

I always refer to the scriptures. A lot of people believe and teach false doctrines taught to them by well-intentioned but mistaken, fellow Christians.

From what I recall from bible study, the scriptures are not all that consistent and not all that easy to understand what the "true meaning" is.

 

[K9Buck]

From what I recall from bible study, the scriptures are not all that consistent and not all that easy to understand what the "true meaning" is.

The doctrine that God loves all people and will save all people is consistent in the scriptures. In fact, the Bible is the story of humanity and how it was temporarily lost from God but were then saved by God.

God didn't create people to suffer forever in some torturous place called Hell.

I'll share some more verses and you can ask me about them, if you want.

1 John 4:14 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Lamentations 3:31 For the Lord will not cast off forever[

Romans 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Romans 11:32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL people to myself.”

Revelation 21:5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Luke 3:6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God

Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

2 Samuel 14:14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.

Ephesians 1:10 As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

1 Corinthians 15:22-28
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God[c] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

 

[K9Buck]

Here's how it normally goes.

1. I tell people that God loves all people and will save all people.

2. They tell me I'm wrong and that it's unbiblical to teach that God will save all people.

3. I give them the scriptures and they either ignore the scriptures and slip away or they go into a gymnastics routine of doing backflips to explain how these verses don't actually mean what they clearly state.

 

[Slade3200]

The Lake of Fire is an allegory to a refiner's crucible that would be understood by the people of that era. It's not a literal lake of fire.

How do you determine what is allegory and what is to be taken literally?

 

[Slade3200]

The Lake of Fire is an allegory to a refiner's crucible that would be understood by the people of that era. It's not a literal lake of fire.

Many verses that reference the LOF will include words such as torment, sulphur, and brimstone. All of those words are describing refining agents and processes. Again, Jesus doesn't literally use sulphur. Again, these are descriptive terms that people of that era would understand.

It was understood that ALL would eventually be with God. It was communicated that people who do not repent and seek forgiveness would be damned to this refining process while the rest of us are enjoying paradise with God.

What a the purpose of the refining process?

 

[K9Buck]

How do you determine what is allegory and what is to be taken literally?

That's a good question. Sometimes the Bible is literal and sometimes things are explained figuratively. I guess it requires discernment to determine which.

May I ask you a question? Do you believe in God?

 

[Meriweather]

You pretend to have authoritative knowledge and you mislead the reader into believing lies. You will have to give an account to Jesus for the words you have expressed to lead people astray.

Sigh. I am not an authority on anything...the quintessential example of someone who knows a little about a lot and not a lot about anything. Any "authority" is a figment of an overactive imagination.

As far as giving an account to Jesus...almost always I have a brief consult with him before hitting 'submit'. His picture is close, a reminder

 

[K9Buck]

What a the purpose of the refining process?

To purify people so that they can live in God's kingdom.

We are ALL being refined and purified here on Earth. I believe that most people, regardless of their faith system, go straight to Heaven. I believe that only the truly wicked are sent to the "LOF".

 

[Meriweather]

From what I recall from bible study, the scriptures are not all that consistent and not all that easy to understand what the "true meaning" is.

Exactly! All my Bible Study classes have been made up of great people, all with slightly different takes because we have all come from slightly different backgrounds.

 

[K9Buck]

Exactly! All my Bible Study classes have been made up of great people, all with slightly different takes because we have all come from slightly different backgrounds.

Why does God allow multiple translations of his word? Why does God allow us to be deceived and misled?

 

[Slade3200]

That's a good question. Sometimes the Bible is literal and sometimes things are explained figuratively. I guess it requires discernment to determine which.

May I ask you a question? Do you believe in God?

I believe in God in the sense of the unknown but not as described in the Bible. I grew up going to church and was really into it for many years. I’ve studied many of the major religions and recognize that they all have good things to offer but are also very flawed and abused by the man made institutions around them.

 

[Meriweather]

Why does God allow multiple translations of his word? Why does God allow us to be deceived and misled?

Humans are the one who thirst over translations of God's word. Most of us do not read Hebrew. Two things, both originally from rabbis:

• All of scripture may be summed up in one sentence: Love God, love your fellow man. The rest is just commentary.
• Scripture is meant to be studied, not read.

God made each of us unique, and despite our common humanity, we all find ourselves in unique situations. I don't know who first said this, but I've heard it often: The Bible is for all. One may splash in the shallows or dive deeply into its depths.

There is always something new to learn about God and always so much we do not know of Him.

 

[Meriweather]

I believe in God in the sense of the unknown but not as described in the Bible. I grew up going to church and was really into it for many years. I’ve studied many of the major religions and recognize that they all have good things to offer but are also very flawed and abused by the man made institutions around them.

Back in the 1500s, Teresa of Avila wrote the Interior Castle, a castle with seven levels, and enumerable rooms at each level. She noted that the limitation of the Church is that there is so much to be done leading up to the entry way and the foyer, we can only expect the Church to guide us through the first level, perhaps the second. After that, we are pretty much on our own.