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How could He freely release the guilty and be Just?
How would you feel if convicted criminals like Sandusky (raping little boys), Colorado shooter (shooting and killing children) were just let free?
There would be riots in the street.
Yet we don't grasp how GOD can not let us go free without payment for the guilty.
How does a just God justify the guilty (you and me)? Only the cross of JESUS in which the creator Himself bled. The covenant is in the blood.
Satan thinking by taking Christ to the cross sealed His own doom. God can now justify us as the guilt of what WE deserve was laid upon Him.
So we can not "work" our way to the infinite God, but accept that He took the initiative by providing salvation through Jesus.
Religion is man's attempt to reach God through His efforts whether it be rituals, moral laws, or even the ten commandments.
God makes it clear that none of this will justify us before His throne. Only by Faith in Jesus which works repentance.
Religion is Man attempting to reach up to God. Salvation is by God reaching down to man... God so loved the world that He gave. He's initiated, all we have to is respond to His Works.
Thus the prisoners (us) can be set free simply by God's Grace as we cannot pay the debt.
How does a Just God Justify sinful Man/the guilty?
How could He freely release the guilty and be Just?
How would you feel if convicted criminals like Sandusky (raping little boys), Colorado shooter (shooting and killing children) were just let free?
I don't think that most of us did anything nearly as bad as Sandusky or the Colorado shooter. I try to be considerate to others, patient, and I use my turn signal when driving. The notion that I deserve to be tortured forever is just really bizarre. Even the worst of criminals do not deserve to be tortured forever.
I don't think that most of us did anything nearly as bad as Sandusky or the Colorado shooter. I try to be considerate to others, patient, and I use my turn signal when driving. The notion that I deserve to be tortured forever is just really bizarre. Even the worst of criminals do not deserve to be tortured forever.
Have you ever told a lie? Stolen anything? Used God's name in vain? Gotten angry unjustly? Always honored your parents? Go down the list of the 10 commandments. I guarantee there is not 1 person here that has been perfect their entire life.
Problem is....God's standard is perfection. Unless you are perfect, you've offended an infinitely holy and just God. Such an offense warrants an infinite punishment.
Problem is....God's standard is perfection. Unless you are perfect, you've offended an infinitely holy and just God. Such an offense warrants an infinite punishment.
God is infinitely merciful and benevolent and empathetic. "He knows our frame, that we are but dust." He is "not willing that any should perish". Given all that, and a hundred other passages that one could cite, how do you reconcile this to the cranky version of god who wants people to burn in hell for all eternity for the slightest infraction?
I don't suppose you'd agree that the vengeful god of the OT has been married to the meek and mild Jesus of the NT and it's a bit of a shotgun marriage. Or that you trot out the OT version when you want to intimidate and the NT version when you want to entice.
Just the "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" thing, if it actually means anything when coupled with a max-omni deity, nixes any eternal punishment. If an all powerful god, all knowing, all loving god wanted everyone to repent then the scales would instantly fall from everyone's eyes and everyone, myself included, would convert today. Or even more efficient: everyone's past, present and future transgressions are unconditionally forgiven with no further action / understanding needed on anyone's part.
But that's not what happens, which mean god actually IS willing that some should perish and not come to repentance. And in many cases, to perish infinitely for very finite and often tiny sins.
The issue is 'God's Mercy and Grace', not Justice or anyone's personal merit.
'Justice' is what all mankind deserves ... Mercy and Grace ... which produce Salvation and eternal life are what God freely offers; ... not something that people 'compete' for on the basis of their own relative 'goodness.'
The question of 'Why should God save those whose sins are particularly egregious" -- Should actually be, "Why should God save any man, none of whom are good?" When we start replacing the latter question with the former, we began to replace 'Grace" with legalism and justice.
I can't survive a system based on 'Justice!' Give me God's Mercy and Grace instead!
Have you ever told a lie? Stolen anything? Used God's name in vain? Gotten angry unjustly? Always honored your parents? Go down the list of the 10 commandments. I guarantee there is not 1 person here that has been perfect their entire life.
Problem is....God's standard is perfection.
Unless you are perfect, you've offended an infinitely holy and just God. Such an offense warrants an infinite punishment.
Have you ever told a lie? Stolen anything? Used God's name in vain? Gotten angry unjustly? Always honored your parents? Go down the list of the 10 commandments. I guarantee there is not 1 person here that has been perfect their entire life.
Problem is....God's standard is perfection. Unless you are perfect, you've offended an infinitely holy and just God. Such an offense warrants an infinite punishment.
Kirk? Kirk Cameron, is that you?
Personally, I've told lies and gotten angry once or twice. Plus, I HATE bananas. I'm pretty sure I'm headed for hell.
Of course! This place is so uplifting! The warmth here just draws people...
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In other words, you are headed for hell?
This place is so uplifting! The warmth here just draws people... 
