ET...Yes or No
I was reading a sermon by a pastor of a local UR church tonight in which he asked three questions to those who believe in ET, ECT, Hell, or whatever you wish to call it. Here they are, please leave your own comments for all to read....
1. Did God ever threaten Adam & Eve with an endless burning Hell?
2. Is there a law given in the old covenant that if broken, was punishable by eternally torturing the law breaker.
3.If eternal torment in a devil's hell is the punishment for sin, then did Jesus NOT pay the penalty for our sins?
"I don't think that most Christians who believe in ET, ever stop to think what they are accusing God of doing, and even worse, of being".
(The above questions and last quotation come from a sermon delivered by Pastor Michael Spradlin of the First COvenant Church of Irving, TX)
posted by Don @ 10:40 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Good questions to be asking, some of these things I am also trying to figure out. ET, I am not sure about (not 100%) but I have to question the arguements both ways and look at what was written. I haven't come to an absolute conclusion on the issue but I will continue to ponder it. Great post and some of the best insights I have heard on the issue of ET.
If Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross then wouldn't he still be in hell today since the punishment for sin is eternal torment according to many mainline denominations. Also, how could Jesus grant forgiveness to many people, as the gospels plainly illustrate, when he had not yet been crucified (the punishment for our sins) and ressurrected? Great post! Thanks for the kind words on my blog!
societyvs- Take your time. It takes time to digest it all. I have quite a lot of info on the subject I'd be glad to share if you're inclined.
Chris-Absolutely, if you believe his payment was substitutional for us in all respects, He would still be there. That seems to be a point believers in ET can't quite grasp or answer.
what's ET and ECT?
As I heard someone say recently, most "believers" are appalled at the idea that Hitler tortured and burned 6 million people, most of whom did not believe in Christ, yet they readily accept, without blinking an eye, the idea that God will burn and torture over 6 billion, many of whom never had a chance to believe, and do it forever...quite unmercifully. How much does that contradict the scriptures that proclaim that His mercy endures forever.
But I can't be too hard on them. I too went along with the idea for most of my life.
Man how drastically it changes how we see God to believe that He was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself....not holding their sins (unbelief) against them. It also changes the way we see (and treat) others.
Good post Don.
Steve- That is exactly what finally convinced me that mainline Christianity had it all wrong when it comes to describing the character of God. The God I believed in could NOT do such a thing. The scriptures describe His character many, different places, none of which describe a God who would endlessly torment His own creation because they were unable to rise above the sin of Adam. It was my collective view of the character of God that finally led me to a concrete belief in UR.
Soulfood-
ET is "Eternal Torment" and ECT is "Eternal Continous Torment". I'm sorry about that.
Sometimes I wonder if I believe in anything at all. But, then I realize there is something deep inside me that yearns for one thing... life. If my heart perceives a condition which brings life, I embrace it. If it does not bring life, I ignore it.
Why does anyone believe in Heaven?
1. Did God ever promise Adam & Eve with it?
2. Is there a law given in the old covenant that if followed promised heaven?
3. If eternal destiny is unconditional than why did God give man the ability to love - or not?
Just a few counter-thoughts.
Bob...
People believe in Heaven because they love life... they want more of it, so badly that their souls refuse to accept death as final.
We have a new covenant with Jesus Christ. What do you think this new covenant is?
God gave man the "ability" to love or not to love because he wanted some to make the wrong decision and damn themselves forever. The exercise of this "freedom" is, after all, the pinnacle human splendor...it's just too bad that most chose not to love God. Oh well, this ain't so bad, since they are still so splendid in choosing freely.
Heck, God could've had us choose between chocolate and vanilla...chocolate choosers go to hell and vanilla choosers go to heaven. But God, for some reason we don't really know, decided to use love as the subject of glorious human choice.
NOT!!!!
The ability to love? Why would anyone strive to love unless love has already been working in them? Practice love and you will soon see that it's not about the unlover choosing his unlove...it's about YOU trying to get his heart to change towards love.
God made a world that he could redeem. That his is mystery.
Jathan
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