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I beg to disagree too. You only have to click on any thread on this forum to see what any main stream christian believes. There is no conditions if it's by amazing grace. It's amazing grace that produces faith,repentance and joy and peace in believing.Faith and repentance are not requirements they are the result of God shining his light in our hearts and revealing the love of Christ to us. Now that my dear brother is amazing grace.
That is a false statement. Mainstream Christianity recognizes that faith in Christ is a requirement for salvation. Faith, which is repentance [a change of mind toward Christ] is the means by which the work of Christ on the Cross is appropriated, resulting in eternal salvation.
If you are trying to paint Universalists as mainstream Christians, you are wasting your time. Universalism is a heresy.
Yes, the verses do say they lead to different places.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
The way I look at it is similar to giving directions, let's say to a pasture on a farm. "Enter in through the narrow gate because that path is straight and clear. Don't enter in through the broad gate because it's overgrown and has snakes there, and it's rocky, steep, and dangerous, so you might get hurt." That's what I'm saying. It can be viewed that way, but like Eusebius said, it never talks about a permanent place of torment anyway. That theology was interjected into it by human beings and taught as truth, when it's simply not there.
That is a false statement. Mainstream Christianity recognizes that faith in Christ is a requirement for salvation. Faith, which is repentance [a change of mind toward Christ] is the means by which the work of Christ on the Cross is appropriated, resulting in eternal salvation.
If you are trying to paint Universalists as mainstream Christians, you are wasting your time. Universalism is a heresy.
I am sorry but i totally disagree, fundamentalists have attached that many contradictory conditions on to Salvation it's untrue(see link below).You just don't see it, in fact that is why your posts are so long it's full of conditions
No man come unto me unless the Father draws him.
The most laughable thing about the message of christendom is that you can just decide to believe in Jesus on a whim, this is simply not true.The salvation of God is far more marvellous than that and when Jesus makes himself to known to the individual , there is always only one outcome "Lord i believe".
The way I look at it is similar to giving directions, let's say to a pasture on a farm. "Enter in through the narrow gate because that path is straight and clear. Don't enter in through the broad gate because it's overgrown and has snakes there, and it's rocky, steep, and dangerous, so you might get hurt." That's what I'm saying. It can be viewed that way, but like Eusebius said, it never talks about a permanent place of torment anyway. That theology was interjected into it by human beings and taught as truth, when it's simply not there.
that's right, nowhere does it speak of a permanent, eternal place of torture. Like you said above (bolded), it just simply isn't there.
I am sorry but i totally disagree, fundamentalists have attached that many contradictory conditions on to Salvation it's untrue(see link below).You just don't see it, in fact that is why your posts are so long it's full of conditions
No man come unto me unless the Father draws him.
The most laughable thing about the message of christendom is that you can just decide to believe in Jesus on a whim, this is simply not true.The salvation of God is far more marvellous than that and when Jesus makes himself to known to the individual , there is always only one outcome "Lord i believe".
I am sorry but i totally disagree, fundamentalists have attached that many contradictory conditions on to Salvation it's untrue(see link below).You just don't see it, in fact that is why your posts are so long it's full of conditions
No man come unto me unless the Father draws him.
The most laughable thing about the message of christendom is that you can just decide to believe in Jesus on a whim, this is simply not true.The salvation of God is far more marvellous than that and when Jesus makes himself to known to the individual , there is always only one outcome "Lord i believe".
There is but one condition for which God holds man responsible as a condition for eternal salvation, and that condition is non-meritorious, which means that man can't take any credit for it. Faith expressed toward Christ in response to the gospel message is the condition for eternal salvation. Man is required by God to use his God given volition to choose to come to Him in response to the gospel call. The issue is not whether man can respond to the gospel, but whether man will resist the call of the gospel. And he certainly can resist it.
You have an extreme Calvinistic view, and it is not Scripturally correct. As a result of what Christ accomplished on the cross, salvation is a potential for all mankind. But the potential only becomes an actuality, a reality for those who respond to the message of the gospel by placing their faith in Christ. The invitation for eternal life is extended by means of the gospel message. An expression of the invitation is seen in Revelation 22:17 'And the Spirit and the bride say, ''come.'' And let the one who hears say ''come.'' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.'
But man is fully capable of saying 'no' to that invitation. John 5:40 'and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.'' In context, the Jews did not believe Jesus because they had rejected the witness of John, the witness of works, the witness of God the Father, and the witness of the Scripture - [V47] ''But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words.'' So much for dismissing the Scriptures as unimportant, or as stale manna as some do.
You think that man can't seek after God? Not according to Paul! This is from Pauls Sermon on Mars Hill. Acts 17:26 'and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation. 27] That they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us,'' One of God's purposes for revealing Himself in creation and history is so that man would seek Him. Romans 1:19 ''because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20] 'For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.'
Because God has made Himself known to man, He expects and requires a volitional response from man with reference to the gospel call. A response of 'yes' means eternal life, while a reaction of 'no' results in eternal separation from God. That is the issue, that is why man was created and why anyone who has been born is born. To choose to have a relationship with God or to reject having a relationship with Him. God made salvation possible, He freely offers it to man through the gospel message on the basis of the cross. Man's eternal future depends on man's choice in response to God's call.
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