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Archive - Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff
"Cautious"Hi gang,
Just to say I'm still alive and kickin'... And to share a thought in response to something I read here awhile back about "erring on the side of caution" where believing in endless punishment is concerned.On the surface it sounds logical, doesn't it? Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes. It is okay to "believe" in God's grace, but when it comes down to the wire--DON'T count on it. It just may well be possible that He plans to torture alive "forever" some people (if not most) so BE CAREFUL. Hope for infinite grace ...but...LIVE as though it is limited to those who perform in a wise and timely manner "before it's forever too late."
Problem is, such a mentality is impossible for me. For if I thought there were the *slightest* possibility that God's grace would fail for ANYONE "for eternity", then I would no longer be able to love Him or trust Him. (I have no problem with the idea of "punishment", by the way. I'm talking about God's supposedly subjecting people to ENDLESS punishment and abandonment, for those of you who may not know me.)
So once having decided to "err on the side of caution", what good would it do to live performing EXTERNAL acts of "obedience" just to save my own hide, when my HEART cannot perform those acts from an overflow of love and trust? Zero. Had my earthy father ever *seriously* threatened to punish me (or anyone else) "endlessly" I would not have loved him at all. I would have loathed the very thought of him and yearned for either his or my own nonexistence. (Wonder which is the most popular today, suicide or atheism? Just a thought...)
And yet... Would you believe that an unthinking church today is advertising our Heavenly Father is such a way that He seems to demand that we love Him "wholeheartedly"--while also believing--that He punishes people "endlessly"? This is the sheer essence of spiritual abuse. It is the root of all spiritual abuse, in my opinion--from my own backwash of life-experience, anyhow. The subtle or overt demand that we love God more than he loves us... Sheesh!
Jesus said that if a man LOVES Him He will keep His words. The Lord does not judge by the outward appearance, but by the heart, right? So any acts of "righteousness" that do not stem from a foundation of love and trust for God are only hypocrisy and game playing.
So what am I saying here? I'm merely sharing that--for me--the idea of "cautious grace" doesn't work at all. It has to be lavish grace--unfailing and infinite grace--grace that will succeed in saving the WORST of sinners that will woo my heart to love and trust the Lord. That is, to actually love and trust Him as opposed to TRYING to love and trust Him. Nope. Won't work, folks. I've already been there and done that.
But... to those who prefer to err on the side of caution, I will say this--
If the doctrine of endless punishment ENHANCES and NURTURES your own heart-bonding with God, and your love and trust for Him--by all means--cleave to it. It is breath and life to you. One person's pie is another person's poison, I've been told, so I definitely don't want to dogmatize in a way that makes anyone feel pressured to function as I do.
Love you guys!
CharlieSpirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff