Playdough Scripture John 12:25

The man who loves his life will lose it live a tormented life for eternity, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life in heaven.

John 12:25 (Playdough Version)

Does everyone live for eternity?

My 95 Thesis - Point 4 - Hell

Here's my 4th Point in My 95 Theses.

Does Scripture say Hell is eternal punishment?

Or does it teach that the wages of sin is death, perishing, being destroyed, a second death, or not getting to live for eternity.

If Scripture was clear, I don't think I'd be asking this question. But there are enough verses to give me doubt. I'd rather admit I don't know for sure one way or the other, than give someone a potentially false image of God.

Here are some questions to consider:

• If God chooses to destroy (or allow to perish) those who do not choose to love Him.. is that not just and fair? The death penalty is pretty severe... why do some think it is not harsh enough?
  
• Would God find pleasure in torturing the wicked for eternity? (Does God hate sinners?)
• A loving parent will often use forms of punishment or consequences because they want their children to learn something and make better choices next time. Our choices sometimes bring consequences that last forever. But what would be the benefit to an eternal conscious punishment in hell? There may be a difference between a consequence lasting forever and punishment lasting forever.
  
• Why the threat? Does God need to threaten us with eternal punishment to win our love and devotion?
• Does religion need this threat to manipulate people with fear?
  
• Is Christianity about getting and selling fire insurance?
• Is Jesus going to hell?
  

Either way eternal life with Jesus is still the obvious choice. I'm just questioning if the doctrine of Hell, that most denominations support, is clearly true to scripture. To be destroyed or perish may simply mean that those who do not choose life with Christ do not get to live eternally.

I think the traditional teaching on hell deserves a second look, and is worth discussing.


Other Related Posts:

• Does Scripture Say Hell is Eternal Punishment - a look at lots of Scripture
• Do you support torture
• Literal or figurative death
• (and links in above questions)

Gospel in other NT verses

Most definitions of the gospel are centered around Christ on the cross as payment for sin. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is frequently used as a main proof for why this message is the gospel. But are there other verses that may give us a different view of the gospel?

In past posts I've noted that the words 'gospel' or 'good news' show up 23 times in 'the gospels' (mostly pre-cross). And Jesus and His disciples went about preaching the good news of the kingdom (or reign) of God from town to town.

What about the rest of the New Testament?

There are many verses that speak of the early church sharing the gospel with others. Here are a few that may help understand what that gospel message was.

Acts 5:42 (NIV)

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 8:12 (NIV)

But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 10:36 (NIV)

You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

Acts 11:20 (NIV)

Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

Acts 13:32-33 (NIV)

"We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:" 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'

Acts 14:14-16 (NIV)

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way.

Acts 17:18 (NIV)

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

Romans 1 (NIV)

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NIV)

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Colossians 1:5-6 (NIV)

the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

1 Thessalonians 2:8-10 (NIV)

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

2 Timothy 2:8 (NIV)

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,

Revelation 14:6-7 (NIV)

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Thoughts? Is it just me who doesn't see all of these references centered on the cross?

Why don't we center the gospel message on "Christ is Lord... Jesus is King... turn from worthless things and worship God... " Yes the work of the cross marked the end to the old covenant, our sins died with Jesus on the cross. The cross provides us life... it is part of the gospel.

Is the main focus on the Jesus of the past, providing a way to be with Jesus in the future?

Or is the main focus on the Jesus of the present wanting to work in and through us now?


Related Posts:

• Good News -Mark 1:14-15
• What is the Gospel? - lists some verses to consider
  
• Kingdom of God - lists verses about the good news of the Kingdom of God
  
• What Gospel does you neighbor need to hear?
  
• What does evangelical mean?
• Dr Dwight Pryor on-Kingdom Of God - Part 1
• Dr Dwight Pryor on-Kingdom Of God - Part 2
• Rob Bell on Good News

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has snuck up on me again. I've known about this focus on prayer for unity for a few years, but I confess I've never gotten my act together to put it on the calendar and show up. One year I phoned all the churches I could think of in my area, and nobody knew if anyone was doing anything for it (and I was too late to plan anything). This year I see there is one local church participating, but it's the same night as my small group study. I may try to make it to another night at a further location... I'll see if I can find someone to drag along. And it's on my calendar for next year.

Anyways... there's my confession.

Here's info and resources from a Canadian site: http://ecumenism.net/wpcu/

And from a US site: http://geii.org/wpcu_index.htm

And from World Council of Churches site: http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/events/ev/se/article/1634/week-of-prayer-for-christ-8.html

Jesus prayed for our unity, we should too.

I will continue to pray for Christian unity, so the world can recognize the One Lord through us. I pray that we will recognize the reality that all who have Jesus as their Lord of their lives are united with Him.

Take a look at the above websites and see if there is a way to participate.

Return to the practice of brotherly love

Fist Clement CHAPTER 48 -- LET US RETURN TO THE PRACTICE OF BROTHERLY LOVE.

"Let us therefore, with all haste, put an end to this [state of things]; and let us fall down before the Lord, and beseech Him with tears, that He would mercifully be reconciled to us, and restore us to our former seemly and holy practice of brotherly love. For [such conduct] is the gate of righteousness, which is set open for the attainment of life, as it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go in by them, and will praise the Lord: this is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter in by it." Although, therefore, many gates have been set open, yet this gate of righteousness is that gate in Christ by which blessed are all they that have entered in and have directed their way in holiness and righteousness, doing all things without disorder. Let a man be faithful: let him be powerful in the utterance of knowledge; let him be wise in judging of words; let him be pure in all his deeds; yet the more he seems to be superior to others [in these respects], the more humble-minded ought he to be, and to seek the common good of all, and not merely his own advantage."
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-roberts.html

You'd think Clement was writting about the sad state of divisions that the church is in these days... but no, this is one of the earliest letters we have of the early church (80 - 140 C.E.).

I think it's good words for us today too.

My 95 Thesis - Point 3 - God is Love

Here's my 3rd Point in My 95 Theses.

I fear many get confused about God's love.

"He loves me... He loves me not...", we go back and forth.

There is the idea out there that God wants to zap us, but Jesus steps in the way and says: "No, God, you can't touch that one, I've got him covered".

I don't think so anymore. Other religions can have the angry God that needs to be appeased.

God is love.

Related topics:

• Commanded to love - If someone put a gun to your head and commanded you to love them - would you?
• Don't fear God
• Does God hate the world?