Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
You claim that God is the exclusive domain of Christians, yet you deny YOUR sense of exclusivity.
You claim to "know thousands of Christians who are walking and living by the divine nature", yet you say, "it is not my place to assume to put either my stamp of approval or critique of judgment on the other believers" when asked if "you believe that Georg e what is keeping you from Truth.
You could retitle this thread "Self-Righteousness".
Would you like me to open a thread on self righteousness? I am more proud then you could ever imagine. That is why I need the Lord Jesus Christ as a Savior. I have no trust in my own self humility. I have to enjoy Christ Himself as my attitude in all things.
Do you deem yourself to be much more humble than me?
I guess real humble people like you don't need the blood of Jesus to cleanse them from their pride. Humble people like you can afford to formulate lots of arguments against God and the Bible.
Now to exclusivity. Did you thank God today for ANYTHING? You condemn me for teaching God only loves Christians. But did you turn around and thank God for your sound mind, your shelter, your family, your employment? God has granted you many happy days in your life. In spite of the problems, of which we all share, my God has alloted you many happy days. Did you give thanks to God today for His goodness to you?
Jesus said that His Father
" ... He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (Matt.5:45)
It is interesting to me that this verse shows no partiality of the care of God upon the people on the earth. He mentions the evil first and then the good. Then He reverses the order and mentions the just first and then the unjust.
" ... He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (Matt.5:45)
I have no doubt that my God has rendered loving care on your behalf. If you have not stopped to thank God for His care why do you turn and condemn me for being exclusive? Why don't you rather join me in offering thanksgiving and praise for God's non-exclusive care and supply to you?
I don't have any intimate fellowship with Georg Bush. I pray for anyone who has to make the kinds of decisions someone in that position has to make. I understand that he says he is a brother in Christ. I take him as a brother in Christ who is still growing.
I don't know if you want to change this into a political discussion of some kind. At any rate if I did have daily fellowship with George Bush I am sure there are some areas in which I could be of help to him and he to me.
"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son the whosoever believes into Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16)
A glimpse into eternity in Revelation reveals that God receives people from the four corners of the earth.
" ... I saw, and behold, there was a great multitude which no one could number, out of EVERY nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes ...They will not hunger any more, neither will they thirst any more, neither will the sun beat upon them ... and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes ..." (Rev. 7:9)
Exclusivity? Do you have a philosophy which promises such universal blessing to the peoples of the earth ? Will your philosophy be the cause to wipe away the tears from the eyes of people from every tribe and nation on the earth? I doubt it.
Here again:
"And the nations shall walk by its light [ New Jerusalem ]; and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. And its gates shall by no means be shut by day, for there will be no night there. And they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
And anything common and he how makes an abomination and a lie shall by no means enter into it, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life" (See Rev. 21:24-27)
So I see
"the kindness and severity of God". On one hand the symbolic gates of the eternal city are opened in four directions toward all the earth. That is very broad and very wide opened. On the other hand those who rejected the salvation of God will not enter into that kingdom.
So sin is excluded and rebellion is excluded. Unholiness is excluded and unrighteousness is excluded. And those who know Christ is the Lord but are afraid to trust Him will be lost. And those who reject His redemption ( I said reject. I did not speak of ignorance ), will have what they want - just themselves in a godless damnation.
Where God is not can only be discribed as a damnation. So those who like their world Godless and their lives Godless will go off to the reward of their Godless eternal punishment. The Godless are excluded.
But now while there is time to repent and believe the gospel He cares for you as He cares for me. Your charge of exclusivity of my faith is a slander against Christ Who died for all.
I think that behind the facade of your accusation of exclusivity may be your rationalizing why you should not trust in the love and redemption of Christ.