I understand your concerns, actually. I think they're valid ones. I just think that Hell is a more valid concern.
My universalism is more a very firm faith that God will work it all out, somehow. Or rather, God will let us work it out somehow; I very much believe in grace as God enabling us to do things ourselves. There's an important distinction there.
My universalism is more a very firm faith that God will work it all out, somehow. Or rather, God will let us work it out somehow; I very much believe in grace as God enabling us to do things ourselves. There's an important distinction there.
Well, yes, God HAS worked it out, somehow; I just went over that. But Grace isn't entirely about what we accomplish, using Gods gifts or otherwise, and it's vitally important to realize that while that's no license to sin, it's still first and foremost a God centered thing. We're offered salvation by Grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, "it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them".
God lets us accept His Grace, but He also lets us refuse it; to do otherwise would be tyrannical, which God is not. Confronting us with our need for Him in this world or another very much forces the issue; at that point whether Hell exists in any sense is largely irrelevant, because we face the undeniable fact that we depend upon God for our very existence, both its inception and its continuance. It's possible, automatic, I think, to then choose God, but for our own sake, not His, which is the wrong motive, because that's once again human oriented rather than God oriented.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 28/01/2011 at 10:41:44 PM
Ted Haggard Would Be Bisexual If He Was a Hot 21-Year-Old
27/01/2011 05:01:12 PM
- 1258 Views
Not sure what the point of this post was *NM*
27/01/2011 06:50:59 PM
- 464 Views
It was something that made me laugh?
27/01/2011 06:53:09 PM
- 777 Views
yeah you were only insulting people's religion, no reason to get worked up. *NM*
27/01/2011 09:24:55 PM
- 466 Views
Er, pretty sure just laughing at what one guy said, plus a pun on the word "hard"
27/01/2011 09:40:29 PM
- 699 Views
I am an athiest so I don't care
27/01/2011 10:10:26 PM
- 761 Views
Or he'd still be closeted because of twisted, hateful strains of Christianity. *NM*
27/01/2011 06:56:04 PM
- 374 Views
If your religion states homosexuality is wrong, then it is a position of principle...
27/01/2011 06:59:04 PM
- 844 Views
Wow, you really don't understand what it is to be human
27/01/2011 08:51:17 PM
- 702 Views
I'm sure you'll agree that a religious debate is not really called for here...
27/01/2011 09:10:38 PM
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Homosexuality =/= homosexual sex.
27/01/2011 09:16:50 PM
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Err...no.
27/01/2011 09:23:54 PM
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Re: Err...no.
27/01/2011 09:42:00 PM
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You seem to want to argue about what is allowed and what is not allowed...
27/01/2011 10:08:10 PM
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Nah, I know better than to argue with you. I just thought your phrasing was rather silly.
27/01/2011 10:14:50 PM
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I completely and utterly disagree
27/01/2011 10:39:10 PM
- 719 Views
The carnal nature of the flesh just happens to be the way we're all innately broken.
27/01/2011 11:30:09 PM
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Replace "Christian Faith" with "hardcore Calvinism" and I'll go away.
28/01/2011 12:35:36 AM
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Is it possible to have faith, but not agree with your church's stance on subjects?. *NM*
27/01/2011 09:15:14 PM
- 426 Views
Of course. Faith is a broad concept. But...
27/01/2011 09:20:54 PM
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I was thinking along the lines of Christans who are gay or or believe in gay rights.
27/01/2011 09:29:50 PM
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Well, at least you're not disputing the nature of my claim.
27/01/2011 10:23:24 PM
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I thought acceptance meant rejecting anything with which you're uncomfortable?
27/01/2011 11:39:48 PM
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Don't even know what that means.
28/01/2011 12:31:23 AM
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Actually, that first line is my problem with Universalism
28/01/2011 01:54:00 AM
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"Carnal flesh" is redundant, you know.
28/01/2011 04:27:30 AM
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Point of emphasis.
28/01/2011 05:52:28 AM
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Agreed. *NM*
28/01/2011 06:33:55 AM
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Then I'm confused, either about what you believe or how you reconcile it with my second paragraph.
28/01/2011 10:54:13 PM
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At the risk of simplifying: All roads don't lead to Cleveland, nor do they lead to God.
01/02/2011 03:47:57 PM
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...I can't believe of the three posts, this is the only one with replies
27/01/2011 09:48:14 PM
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It is nothing new, there are always people "who protest too much"
27/01/2011 10:26:49 PM
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This guy needs serious mental help, in my humble laymans opinion.
27/01/2011 11:42:00 PM
- 736 Views