This came up in my Facebook feed today:
With this caption:
“When I die, my kids will never have to wonder why certain books are in my library.” -Nate Pickowicz
It’s just the sort of thing that makes me reluctant.
Even so, I’ll try to never stamp “Pharisaical garbage” on anyone’s book (or Facebook post) because Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
And even Paul said,
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
The best words ever!
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I was excited to find a copy of Love Wins at the local Goodwill for less than a dollar. I’ve recently begun to read it and the author makes quite a few fair points. I’ve also read books that are often lauded as sound theology and threw them across the room because they’re so unforgiving. Calvinism is all the rage and the idea that God would make most people who have ever lived to be destined for Hell and a minority of people who have ever lived to be destined for Heaven bothers me because it absolves me from any obligation to have to care about most people because they’re going to Hell anyway and it’s waste of resources to feed, clothe, advocate, or provide medication for them. What kind of message is that?
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Thank you Jamie. I haven’t read Love Wins, but I know the gist of it. And whether I agree with the author or not, I believe all Christians have a right to be where they are on their faith journey without the condemnation of their fellow Christians. Judgment is Jesus’s job; conviction of sin/wrong-thinking is the Holy Spirit’s job; loving forbearance is my job.
Calvinists would likely argue that it isn’t a waste of resources to care for others. Since we can’t know who is predestined for hell/heaven, we ought to care for everyone.
I, however, believe that we can know who is destined for heaven and who is destined for hell: ALL who put their trust in Jesus are destined for heaven and those who won’t are destined for hell. It’s the means by which we get to heaven that God predestined, if that makes sense.
It saddens me that their harsh views are so popular right now. They ignore what Peter said about God not wanting anyone to perish. They ignore the major theme of Revelation – wave after wave of God’s amazing, relentless, powerfully controlled and perfectly skilled judgments designed to give us all chance after chance. I don’t think He’d put us through all that for nothing. They ignore the whole reason God created us in the first place. Let us make mankind in our image, so we can destroy a vast portion of our image? Hmm.
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Very well said!
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Thank you.
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