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From: REXLEX@fnal.fnal.gov
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: RE: Does God love you?
Message-ID: <Apr.16.23.15.18.1993.1830@geneva.rutgers.edu>
Date: 17 Apr 93 03:15:19 GMT
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In article <Apr.13.00.08.10.1993.28382@athos.rutgers.edu> jayne@mmalt.guild.org
(Jayne Kulikauskas) writes:

>I am uncomfortable with the tract in general because there seems to be 
>an innappropriate emphasis on Hell.  God deserves our love and worship 
>because of who He is.  I do not like the idea of frightening people into 
>accepting Christ.  

And yet, Jayne,  as we read the Gospels and in particular the topics that Jesus
himself spoke on, Hell figures in a large % of the time -certainly more than
heaven itself.  Paul, as we learn in I Thess, taught new believers and new
churches eschatology and did not hesitate to teach hell and damnation.  Rev,
chapter 20:11-15 is very specific and cannot be allegorized.  I think the word
"throne" is used 45 times in Rev and that the unbelieving come to receive the
assignment of the severity of judgement, for in John 3 we read that they are
already judged.  Rom 3 speaks that every mouth will be shut.  There is no
recourse, excuse or defense.
>
>I see evangelism as combining a way of living that shows God's love with 
>putting into words and explaining that love.  Preaching the Gospel 
>without living the Gospel is no better than being a noisy gong or a 
>clanging cymbal.

Yes I agree with you.  Life is often like a pendulum where it swings to
extremes before stopping at "moderation."  I think we have seen the extreme of
the "hell fire & brimstone" preacher, but also we have seen the other extreme
where hell not talked about at all for fear of offending someones
sensibilities.

I forget who founded the Word of Life Ministries, but I remember him telling a
story.  He was in a small town hardware store and some how a man got to the
point of telling him that he didn't believe in Satan or hell.  He believed
everybody was going to heaven.  It was at this point that the man was asked to
pray to God that He would send his children to hell!  Of course the man
wouldn't do it.  But the point was made.  Many people say they don't believe in
hell but they are not willing to really place their faith in that it doesn't
exist.  If this man had, he would of prayed the prayer because hell didn't
exist and there would have been no fear in having his prayer answered.  And
yet, they walk as if they believe they will never be sent there.

I'd use a different illustration however.  I have to include myself in it. 
When I watch, say a Basketball (go Bulls!) game, and I see a blatant foul that
isn't called, oi vey!.  What's with that ref that he didn't make that call. 
It's unfair.  And just so in life, righteousness demands payment.  As the
surgeon takes knife in hand to cut the cancer away, so God cuts off that which
is still of the old creation.  We must preach the Gospel in all its richness
which includes the fact that if you reject The Way and The Truth and The Life,
then broad is the way to distruction.

>
>Here's a question:  How many of you are Christians because you are 
>afraid of going to Hell?  How many are responding to God's love?

I think I would fall in there somewhere.  Actually it was both.  After all,
repentance isn't only a turning towards, but also a turning away from!
No, again, if Jesus used it in His ministry then I can surely see that we
should do it also.  In love, of course, but in truth most assuredly.  

I have thought about writing something on this topic, but not now and here.  I
would say that there are some good reasons for its existence and its
eternality.

1) God is Light.  Yes He is love, but His love has the boundary of Holiness.
2) Dignity of Man.  Either a man is a robot or he is a responsible creature.
   If responsible, then he is also accountable.
3) The awfulness of sin.  Today we have a poor, poor concept of sin & God.
4) Christ.  He was willing to die and go there Himself to offer an avenue to
   the "whosoever will."

--Rex
