Hi again #####, I think I somehow didn't get
my point
about--commitment-across clearly enough. Drat! Trying
to
commmuicate in *typed print* sure has it's limitations,
doesn't it? This may seem shocking, but I hope my heart
is
coming through in a way that TRANSCENDS mere words, so
here
goes---- I could never--not ever--love a "God" whose
commitment to you or me or anyone else was conditional
on
our performance in THIS short lifetime in this veil of
sorrow and tears. And... that was my problem for decades
before He healed my life by REVEALING (don't mean to
"shout" no italics on this webtv) His eternally committed
love to unite all of us in Christ. Oh yes, earlier I
SAID
that I loved him. I TRIED DESPERATLY to love Him. How
dare
I not? I suppose that even a part of me DID love Him--my
deepest spirit-man that was created to love God. But
I
could never even get to "square one" on fulfiling the
commandment to love Him with all of my *MIND*. Far less
with my emotions! Can you imagine the torture of being
constantly in church services wherein you're invited
to
"worship and praise" the "God" that--bottom line--is
only
as reliable as YOU are, and in THIS lifetime? Sheeeesh...
No, #####. From my standpoint, your understanding of salvation
is renders it less than being a TRUE "gift." Jesus "gives" (not merely
offers) life to the world, says John 6:33, and Rom.11:26-29 tells us that
God's GIFTS ar irrevocable, therefore all the world will be saved--even
as all of Israel will be saved. You're not talking about a true gift, therefore.
You're talking about a--GAMBLE--that most people will miss out on in this
life time. Also, I have no conscious recall of being in the Garden of Eden
or of following Moses when God spoke through the law, or even of being
at the scene of our Lord's crucifixion. Therefore, whatever you may (sincerely)
say about these meaning "commitment" they have NO PRACTICAL BEARING on
my life in this 21st century --I mean by way of having "been there" to
savor this "commitment" you speak of. No, I (along with the rest of this
pain-wracked world) AM NOT looking for "a chance to make it to heaven"--if--WE
keep believing and trusting and obeying and praying and hoping and praising
and worshiping and don't die in sin. What are we REALLY looking for? Are
you ready? We yearn for a Love that never fails--even if WE fail miserably.
That's what the trashed out and burned out of this world are looking for.
I'm talking about people who have lost ALL ABILITY to
hope "one iota" in their ability to keep relying on themselves
to keep relying on God. For Arminianism's message is that you MUST rely
on yourself to "execise" faith--or else--Unfailing (?) Love is out of here
forever.
So... Can you see now the "wall" you're up against with
a REAL believer in the restoration of all things? Your (present) understanding
of the good news of Jesus is BAD news to people who KNOW that they can't
possibly rely on themselves to keep on relying on God. They KNOW their
miserable track record. And they simply know that they also can't possibly
return to "loving" (?) and "trusting" the "God" they also once "believed"
in--who is no more reliable than themselves. If I thought there were the
SLIGHTEST chance that our Father of Tender Mercies and All Compassion would
"forever" abandon me (or you) to
hell forever, I would cease to love Him. So what would
be the point of "serving" and "worshipping" Him if my heart only abhored
and feared the very though of Him? Will God accept EXTERNAL "obedience"
in the absence of a worshipful HEART--and *mind*--inclined toward Him?
We both know the answer to that. It was the assurance of His ETERNALLY
COMMITTED love that set me free to love Him.
And...delivered me from horrific sin-patterns. Is there
any chance of turning back to a "God" of conditional commitment? Ha! No
more of a chance than there is one that I could change the number of hairs
on my old head. (And I do wish I could change that, too!:-) The REASON
I--can--joyfully and authentically love Him today is BECAUSE I know His
commitment to me is--UNfailing, at all times and in all worlds forever.
Nothing less than that kind of commitment ever did or ever can spell "love"
in my books. Not MEANINGFUL love...
Hope that gives a little insight. My intention
was not to shock or hurt. Hope you know that, too. But I do believe we
serve the same Christ, though I'm convinced you're going to discover a
whole new diminsion of understanding of Eph.3:14-21.
love and prayers,
Charlie
Hating Sin 1
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