Here is an excerpt from the book I wanted to share with you. It comes from chapter 5 entitled Good Dad v. Bad Dad.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter six, Jesus teaches about how much His Father loves us. In the NLT, verse 25-30 says, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”
God loves people more than the birds. He loves us more than the flowers. He takes care of both of these and they do nothing to deserve or earn it, they just receive the gift without any choice in the matter. Doesn’t it make sense that God would also take care of people, His most important creation? He is a good father, isn’t He? That’s a belief I start with. It’s something I have confidence in. How good would God be if He took care of us here on Earth but after we die, we are on our own? He’s a good Father and He has a better plan than many Christians think He has.
In the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus keeps teaching. This is a passage familiar to Christians and non-Christians alike. Nestled in between a message to not judge others unless you want to be judged and the golden rule of treating people like you want to be treated is a description of the type of father that God is. Verses 9-11 in the NLT says, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
If earthly parents know how to give good gifts, wouldn’t God the Father know how to give better gifts? In fact, the gift of salvation is the best gift of all. A gift with strings attached is no gift at all. A gift that requires the recipient to do something, anything at all, is by definition not a gift. You can’t have it both ways.
It’s either a gift or it’s not.
Just like the verses we looked at in the previous chapter, salvation is for all. It belongs to the entire world. Christians agree with that statement but claim you must receive it in order for it to apply to you. I believe you need to receive the gift of salvation by putting faith in Jesus Christ. However, if someone does not receive this gift, I do not believe they are lost for all of eternity. There is an important distinction between the two thoughts. There will be a very real judgment day with very real consequences. The punishment will fit the crime. Eternal punishment does not fit the crime for a handful of years lived on Earth. Do we receive salvation by grace but receive eternal punishment by works?
well said! It gives my heart joy to know that someone is adding to the growing body of knowledge that will help free even more people from the bondage of fear of an eternal burning torment. I’m starting to think our best hope of reaching more people is for all of us that God has blessed with this revelatory understanding of His love and His scriptures to create blogs and websites and even get more published works out there. So much negativity and outright lies have been hammered on humanity for two thousands years now, and truly it may be that we are the generation that will finally break through that ecclesiastical wall! God bless you for having the courage to take this stand against the deliberate mistranslation of God’s message to all humanity, for Jesus is, indeed, GOOD NEWS!
Thank you for going after the truth here on this blog and in your upcoming book! As far as the subject of the Fatherheart of God it really is that simple isn’t it? I have had to apologize to our web designer, who is an agnostic, for all the theological mumbo jumbo we have had to present in order to convince people of something so simple and plain that a child can understand. Even though there are revelations to be shared about God and His salvation plan, people know instinctively that if there is a God He must be loving in all His ways toward the crown of His creation, His children.
Jon
godslovewins.com
Thank you both for your responses. This is the Good News and the heart of our Father!
The lillies of the field verse is what shook my world! Watch how they grow…they simply receive from a loving Father that does it all! I love it!!!!
That’s beautiful and true, thanks for stopping by
Thanks so much for sharing the TRUE Gospel!
Amen! Thanks for posting
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An interesting point you bring up…may I inquire as to whether or not you take the Bible as a whole? Because the God you paint is one who would never do turn people into salt, who would never destroy a Sodom and Gomorrah, and would never be in a Book that says that “fear of Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Pro. 1:7) It is starting to sound like there is nothing to fear…..
Thanks for joining the discussion! Yes, I do take the Bible as a whole but not all of it is literal. For example, the book of Revelation is apocalyptic, full of dramatic language, imagery and symbolism. I go as far as to state it’s apocryphal and if you study it out, you’ll find that to be a true statement. It’s not meant to be taken literally and John opens up by stating it was revealed to him in a vision. The Old Testament is full of metaphors. That’s a lengthy discussion I’d love to have for another day (maybe I’ll write a blog about it soon so I can devote the proper time & study to it). The New Testament is a literal, historical document that is supported by other writings of the time.
We both agree that Jesus is the only way to the Father and that God will punish those who reject Christ’s sacrifice. We disagree on the length of the punishment and that’s what this book is about.
Jackson
Though…His love and mercy is indeed absolutely amazing, that He could and would forgive a sinner like me, who does not deserve it….though I forget it so easy, I am in constant awe of of how loving He is. He is perfectly good and there is no evil in Him. It seems we agree on this note, not so much on the other…
This is certainly some thing I need to do more research into, thanks for the posting.
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“Christians agree with that statement but claim you must receive it in order for it to apply to you.”
Those who love Jesus AND try their hardest to follow His Words in this life, will be the leaders, managers, and supervisors, for lack of a better term, over the people that are tested and refined through the fire after judgement.
I see it as a literal and a symbolic, as well as internal and an outward meanings. As much as I want to believe that all people will be saved, I do not see God forcing anyone to except His gift of savalation. He also gave everyone the gift of free will. I have intertained the ideal that the lake of fire is God’s refining fire and the possibility of reincarnation. From things said/asked by the disciples and even some thing said by Jesus, it suggest reincarnation was a belief by then. Of course the person would not come back as the same person, their soul would come back as another person with new opprotunities. Most of the eastern religions believe in reincarnation..and even some of the Jews. I know for sure the Kabbalist Hebrew/Jews do.
I forgot to say, I do agree with you about there not being an eternal punishment for the lost. The lake of fire isself is what is eternal, not the punishment itself, is the way I see it.
I see what you’re saying Linda. What would you say happens in the end to those people who reject Christ?
Today I read your blog page about Julie Ferwerda and what she says about the second dead and it is simailar to how I was seeing things, but not associating it with the second death. Have you ever heard the phrase burn now, not later? Everyone who lays down their life to follow Jesus goes through the refiner’s fire which I see as part of the Holy Spirit’s baptism. Matthew 3: 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
We are cleanse and transformed from mortals to immortals by the washing of the word, the covering/cleansing of sin by the blood of Jesus, and by the fire of the Holy Spirit. That is why I have entertained the possibility that the lake of fire as being same as the refiner’s fire. Hebrew 12: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
As I was meditating on this subject this morning, it came to me what is the difference in Rev. 20:10 where the devil is thrown into the lake of burning sulfer and in Rev. 20 14 where the dead/unblievers are thrown and here it is called the second death. Satan and his fallen angels/demon are immortally beings so they cannot experience death but are tormented forever by the fire. The unblievers/the lost are mortal so they experience both the first and second death. First , the death of their physical body and second the death of their soul. Being mortal beings they do not experience eternal punishment as the devil and his demons.
For believers who lay down their will (and/or soul) for God’s will to be worked through them, “the second death (refiners fire)” and the blood of Jesus transforms us to be immortals, so we do not experience a “permenant second death” as do the unbelievers who reject Jesus’ gift of salvation. All those verses in Rev. do not say that the unbelievers are punished forever as it says in Rev.20:10 for the devil. It just says the lake of fire for the unbelievers and evil doers is the second death. Death is their punishment, not torture forever. Which goes along with the wages of sin is death. Second death for them would means separation from God forever. I am thinking that until judgement day they will be in torment (conscious) of what is to be their lot, but on judgement day, the second death to them will be the end of their consciousness and soul, the end of their punishment, although they may experience some torment as their soul is consumed by the fire.
I was age thirty when I became a christian, although I did go down at age 6 to except Jesus as my saviour. I was told I was not old enough. Until I gave my life to Christ Jesus a second time at age 30, I did not have any rest or peace. I would say I was in torment/torture all those years. Even though I still suffer in the physical body caused by it’s slow death, I am no longer in torment. I believe that even though my physical body is dying, I am already an immortal being.
Wow, thank you! Keep the focus on Jesus!
I think the bible says the knowledge of Gods existence can be seen in nature. This is multi-faceted, but look a minute at parenthood. Animals and people. The goal is NEVER to destroy the offspring. It is to produce a copy of the parent.
Pain and punishment is often needed, but the goal remains the same.