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Any other so-called "good news" that involves people suffering endlessly or people being annihilated out of existence is less-than-good. The good news brings fruits of joy, peace, love, and happiness. Not terror, pain, or sadness. That is why anything less than universal salvation can not be called truly good news.
People ask what we need to be saved from if there is no hell or annihilation. But there is plenty to be saved from in this world we live in, not the least of which is our own carnal self. Addiction, hate, war, murder, pain, disease, death, and yes, sin - it is all temporary in this life only. That is good news.
The good news is this: God sent His only son into the world to save it, not to judge it. Anyone who believes in Jesus will not perish but will have eonian life now. Eonian life is understanding and knowing God - it gives us faith and hope that we all will be saved from this corruption we live in now. But that is not all. Eonian life is knowing God and knowing the love of God. To know God is literally to love your fellow man. That is why His commands are to love: love God, love your neighbor, even love your enemy. But anyone who does not know God does not have this eonian life. God's wrath remains on them for a time - but even this is for a purpose. We all reap what we sow in time. However we are promised that God's wrath is not forever; but God's mercy is forever. In time every knee will bow and even swear allegiance to God. In time every single soul will praise and worship God and even love God.
God didn't just send his son for you and I, but He made Him the atonement for the whole world. He is the lamb who takes away the sin of the world. He is the savior of all men. In doing so, He rose again from the dead - He defeated death so that all can live. In Adam all died (through sin), but in Christ, all will live - but each in their own order. This is so Christ can eventually bring together all things so that God can be all in all. That is the whole point of everything. That is the good news. There is hope - which leads to joy, peace, and love - the fruits of the spirit: God will be all in all.
So, you may have been taught many things about God that didn't quite make sense, perhaps you have rejected these beliefs, perhaps you have accepted them but in the back of your mind it doesn't make sense to you. Don't be afraid to ask (and even try to answer) questions.
Remember the fruits of the spirit: joy, peace, and love - this is what the good news is about. And there is only one thing that can truly be called good news: the ultimate restoration and reconciliation of all things back to God - then God will be all in all.
The good news brings fruits of joy, peace, love, and happiness. Not terror, pain, or sadness. That is why anything less than universal salvation can not be called truly good news.
Well, I am not a universalist and Christ gave me joy, peace, love, and happiness and not terror, pain, or sadness.
Finn, do you honestly have complete peace? Do you have any feeling of empathy or sadness for those you think will suffer forever?
Do you? Do you have any feeling of empathy or sadness for those who suffer today?
Don't try to spin my words. Yes, God has given mr peace and I feel joy in Christ. Is that supposed to mean I don't feel sad about anything? Of course not. Even God grieves.
Do you? Do you have any feeling of empathy or sadness for those who suffer today?
Of course I do. But I know their suffering will end one day. But you are trying to compare temporary suffering in this life - that will end - to suffering that will never end. Two completely different things.
Quote:
Don't try to spin my words. Yes, God has given mr peace and I feel joy in Christ. Is that supposed to mean I don't feel sad about anything? Of course not. Even God grieves.
I'm not trying to spin your words.
These are simple questions, that is all.
Wouldn't you be sad forever knowing others are suffering with no hope? How can that bring any joy or peace? You may have peace over your own destiny, but what about others? How can there be any peace knowing billions are suffering forever with no hope and no end?
It is not good news to know that you yourself one day will be fully healed and restored while your best friend and your grandmother are burning in torment forever.
Eonian life is knowing God and knowing the love of God. To know God is literally to love your fellow man. That is why His commands are to love: love God, love your neighbor, even love your enemy. But anyone who does not know God does not have this eonian life. God's wrath remains on them for a time - but even this is for a purpose. We all reap what we sow in time. <snip>
<snip>Don't be afraid to ask (and even try to answer) questions.<snip>
Remember the fruits of the spirit: joy, peace, and love - this is what the good news is about.
I know you won't appreciate this, but the question I asked is if it is truly necessary to "believe in Jesus" to know what it is to love others and the answer, I believe, is no. That being the case, the good news does not revolve around faith in Jesus as Christians claim. As a matter of fact, the evangelical Christian propensity to hammer the idea that seeking to be in an all-consuming relationship with Jesus is the be all and end all is detrimental. How does spending hours upon hours studying the bible and praying and singing praise songs and hoping for some rush of "love" for Jesus have anything to do with loving others? If actively loving others is the goal then those things are a colossal waste of time.
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