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I’d like to see you reply to what I said, instead of side-stepping.
How does MY answer just above your post suit you? The proof is in the application of the NATURE of the Spirit to those contradictory perceptions whether expressed in "scripture" or by other means.
But as I stated it does not say He is righteousness, He is justice, He is holiness. It does say He is love.
And since Jesus summed up the entire OT by stating love God with all your mind and strength and heart, and love your neighbor as yourself, why do you add to it by stating you have to be "righteous," or "not believe in universalism?"
If one lives by love in all circumstances there is no sin that they can commit that will separate them from God.
Yet you lift Scripture from the Bible as much as anyone else---because the Bible remains contradictory on many subjects. But if one applies LOVE to every subject in the Bible, one will always make the choices Jesus made. The Bible is full of inconsistencies, hundreds if not thousands of them. The only way to "reconcile" them is to have a yard mark. For me that yard mark is Jesus. Anything, any action, any purpose that does not fit in with how God in the Flesh revealed Himself to us means nothing at all.
So what about universalism bothers you other than you "don't believe it." If God decides to save all is He somehow a lesser god than if He shows us all He can bring down fire and brimstone upon the greater part of humanity?
I would suggest you read the book of James slowly and carefully once again--and then again---and then a third time in hopes that you will absorb the importance of love above all other attributes.
As Paul said, "The greatest of these is love."
Warden: That my friend is a class post! Thank you for taking the time to share it with us.
I have found 4 passages of Scripture that define the essence of our Creator and Lord.
Here's 4 more aspects of his Person that define the essence:
"Godisjealous" Nahum 1:2
"Godisangry" Psalm 7:11
"Godisjust" 2 Thessalonians 1:6
"Godisfaithful" 1 Corinthians 1:9
You can continue to attribute our human weaknesses to God, but that requires tremendous psychological ignorance about their origins within the human psyche.
Here's 4 more aspects of his Person that define the essence:
"Godisjealous" Nahum 1:2
"Godisangry" Psalm 7:11
"Godisjust" 2 Thessalonians 1:6
"Godisfaithful" 1 Corinthians 1:9
Not quite Twin! Justice flows from the essence of God, it does not define the fabric of what He is. The essence of Abba is not anger, that again flows from His Person (He is the judge of the upright.) God is a "jealous God" but again, not His essence! You did nail one other essence of Abba>>>>>
I think those who cannot embrace a fair degree of universalism are evil.
Think I will just Ramble in General man, sorry.
Meh, they just don't understand Judaism, I suppose that if I never looked into the feast of Tabernacles or the design of the temple meant to mirror the afterlife, I might be telling everyone they is going to hell also. The meanings were purposely hidden, and I have my ideas as to why, nevertheless, there is so much hidden that a person really has to go back and put himself in the shoes of a Jew who was raised to be a rabbi all his life, and we don't even have all the information to try and imagine what was in the mind of the average Jew being raised to be a Rabbi. Even the Koran gives clues to what was on the Jewish mind, things you wouldn't hear no place else except maybe the Oral Traditions handed down and of course some of those opinions contradict other's opinions. You have to know the Talmud if you want to understand the New Testament, you have to know the ways and duties of the priests, things only found in Oral tradition just like Revelation detailing the fall holy days and exactly what is taking place on what day in the Temple. All of Matthew 24 is about those fall holy days but if you don't know them, you just don't know them, and you miss out on so much because there is so much language, prayers, idioms, traditions and rituals that bring understanding and all these things are shunned by the Christian. Christians would not open the Talmud on a bet, but if you want to understand everything, you MUST refer to the oral traditions.
This coming up boldly to the throne of grace is done on the same exact day every single year, and every single year a person comes up to that throne, and the ONLY reason he comes boldly is because he knows that he has been sealed and marked with protection on Rosh Hashanah, and he knows that because he was sealed in his forehead and right hand for keeping the Sabbaths and feasts of God, he comes in boldness knowing that he was sealed on Rosh Hashanah and his name written in the lamb's book of life because of the promise of God, and he is standing in front of the throne on Yom Kippur.
Revelation speaks of the 30 min of silence observed in the temple when the incense is lit on fire, the people back up and prostrate in silence, and you can't find this in the bible.
Daniel 7:9-10 Rosh Hashanah
I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened
On Rosh Hashanah, the thrones are set in place and the books are opened.
Romans 14:10 "But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God 2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad"
Corinthians 3:9-15 Christ the Only Foundation
(Isaiah 28:14-22; 1 Peter 2:4-12) 10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. You are God's Temple
(Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise
NOT A JUDGMENT OF SALVATION ~ EVERYONE IN THIS JUDGMENT IS SAVED. verse 15^^^^^^look up ~ HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED
NOW EVERYONE STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS JUDGMENT AS BEING A JUDGMENT SENDING PEOPLE TO HELL. WHAT IS STATED ABOUT THIS JUDGMENT IS NOT ABOUT SALVATION, DOES EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THIS?
This IS JUDGMENT DAY OF YOUR WORKS AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU RECIEVE REWARD, IT IS NOT ABOUT SALVATION, EVERYONE JUDGED IS SAVED, EVERYONE JUDGED IS SAVED IN THIS JUDGMENT EVEN IF THEIR WORKS BURN, EVEN IF THEY BURN, THEY ARE STILL SAVED.
This is known as the Bema judgment where the book of life is opened up, the council has sat down and a trial has begun. Each year on Rosh Hashanah, the thrones are set down in place, and your name is spoken, and you are being judged.
If everyone studied and knew Rosh Hashanah, the day no man knows, there wouldn't be so much confusion.
I think those who cannot embrace a fair degree of universalism are evil.
Not sure what a “fair degree of universalism” means, but all Christians should understand and work toward this:
1 Tim. 2
3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
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