God sent His Son, Jesus, to an environment where they brutally scourged and crucified people ...and would undoubtedly do the same to the Son ...which they did. Why did God allow that??
Well, when He returns a second time ...He won't allow it!!
And the people will need to be separated ...otherwise, the heaven He has prepared for us would be no different than places on earth.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
When it says that God gave His Son ...the reason for that giving, was so Jesus would be crucified. Why??
The salvation message clearly explains that Jesus died on the cross (was crucified) for us. Jesus accomplished this, and we say we are now saved. Saved from what??
Saved from sin??
I'm not saved from it ...most assuredly, I still sin.
Saved from the consequences of sin??
It often seems like there are not many consequences for telling lies in politics & in the media.
But, what if you were to steal??
Do you tell the arresting officer you are covered because you are a Christian??
No, not saved from consequences either ...what then??
The verse seems to say we are saved from the alternative to everlasting life ...or everlasting death. And it's not just unconscious death either.
(We've been reading from the Apostle John ...but this one comes from Luke, though it is still Jesus speaking. And Jesus tells of another Lazarus, other than the one most of us are probably more familiar with.
This Lazarus was a beggar who was full of sores, and came to the gate of a rich man ...desiring even crumbs that the dogs would eat, but the dogs licked his sores. When the rich man died, he lifted his eyes up from hell, being in torments ...and asked if Lazarus, who was now being comforted in his death, could dip his finger in water and cool his tongue, as he was tormented in flame. These are the words of Jesus, not what I'd imagine it to be ...and you can read it in the Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 16, starting at verse 19.
Jesus told that the rich man then requested that Lazarus be able to go to his five brothers. Even though the rich man was likely familiar with having servants ...this does not give me reason to think he was asking for Lazarus to serve him, it was more likely that his brothers treated men like Lazarus the same as he had ...as the rich man feared they'd end up in the same place as he now was.
Though none of them had listened to, or followed the ways of the forefathers of the faith, or the prophets ...the rich man felt that seeing a poor man who had died, would be reason enough to cause his five brothers to believe.
But, the rich man is told that neither would they be persuaded though one would rise from the dead.)
There is a definite point being made here. Jesus also appears to be speaking of what He was soon to do ...and how many would believe after His own resurrection??
And many others were also seen, as we can read in the Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 27, verses 50-54: " ...and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose ...and went into the holy city to appear unto many ...now the centurion and those watching with him saw all these things, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
So, there were some who did eventually realize ...and believed.
How many of us also believe??
And if we believe in Jesus, do we also believe what He said??
Many people say a loving God would not allow a hell to exist ...but, didn't you just read the words of Jesus?? Jesus did not tell of things like this for no reason, neither did He tell scary stories around the campfire. Real events that happened often with the Roman soldiers was scary enough. How much more hellish can you imagine than having Jesus have the flesh ripped off his body, as He was beaten and whipped ...then was to face a crucifixion?? I absolutely believe in a loving God ...who being One with Jesus, allowed His Son to come to one of the most hellish environments. Yet, we say a loving God would not tolerate torment.
Or are we missing something??
Would it be too hard to comprehend that Jesus actually told us of that which He came to save us from??
Saved from sin??
I'm not saved from it ...most assuredly, I still sin.
Saved from the consequences of sin??
It often seems like there are not many consequences for telling lies in politics & in the media.
But, what if you were to steal??
Do you tell the arresting officer you are covered because you are a Christian??
No, not saved from consequences either ...what then??
The verse seems to say we are saved from the alternative to everlasting life ...or everlasting death. And it's not just unconscious death either.
(We've been reading from the Apostle John ...but this one comes from Luke, though it is still Jesus speaking. And Jesus tells of another Lazarus, other than the one most of us are probably more familiar with.
This Lazarus was a beggar who was full of sores, and came to the gate of a rich man ...desiring even crumbs that the dogs would eat, but the dogs licked his sores. When the rich man died, he lifted his eyes up from hell, being in torments ...and asked if Lazarus, who was now being comforted in his death, could dip his finger in water and cool his tongue, as he was tormented in flame. These are the words of Jesus, not what I'd imagine it to be ...and you can read it in the Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 16, starting at verse 19.
Jesus told that the rich man then requested that Lazarus be able to go to his five brothers. Even though the rich man was likely familiar with having servants ...this does not give me reason to think he was asking for Lazarus to serve him, it was more likely that his brothers treated men like Lazarus the same as he had ...as the rich man feared they'd end up in the same place as he now was.
Though none of them had listened to, or followed the ways of the forefathers of the faith, or the prophets ...the rich man felt that seeing a poor man who had died, would be reason enough to cause his five brothers to believe.
But, the rich man is told that neither would they be persuaded though one would rise from the dead.)
There is a definite point being made here. Jesus also appears to be speaking of what He was soon to do ...and how many would believe after His own resurrection??
And many others were also seen, as we can read in the Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 27, verses 50-54: " ...and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose ...and went into the holy city to appear unto many ...now the centurion and those watching with him saw all these things, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."
So, there were some who did eventually realize ...and believed.
How many of us also believe??
And if we believe in Jesus, do we also believe what He said??
Many people say a loving God would not allow a hell to exist ...but, didn't you just read the words of Jesus?? Jesus did not tell of things like this for no reason, neither did He tell scary stories around the campfire. Real events that happened often with the Roman soldiers was scary enough. How much more hellish can you imagine than having Jesus have the flesh ripped off his body, as He was beaten and whipped ...then was to face a crucifixion?? I absolutely believe in a loving God ...who being One with Jesus, allowed His Son to come to one of the most hellish environments. Yet, we say a loving God would not tolerate torment.
Or are we missing something??
Would it be too hard to comprehend that Jesus actually told us of that which He came to save us from??
No comments:
Post a Comment