I put this up on facebook, and thought I would share it here as well.
---
Does a starving human being deserve food? Or does that starving human being deserve to starve perpetually?
Grace, Mercy, Love, these things are not about what we deserve, they are about things that we need.
No one deserves Eternal Damnation, the wages of sin is Death, not vindictive perpetual torture in a state of consciousness. We by ignorance, or purpose have earned Death, the absence, and separation from Life.
But no one "deserves" to be eternally, or forever separated from God anymore than anyone deserves to be perpetually, and purposefully in the state of starvation. It isn't about "deserving" it is about basic human need for survival at least - happiness at medium, overwhelming triumph at best.
We don't deserve God, because we cannot earn him - We need him. We don't deserve Eternal Damnation, because it serves no purpose to our God given needs. We earned Death by our actions, but we were against our wills put under the curse of it.
We are acting on our fallen nature you see, we are like the child who cries because his belly is empty, or steals a piece of bread because he cannot live without food and knows of no other way to fill the void of his hunger. According to The Law, which is the minister of Death - he has earned the wages; Death, but not perpetual torture, let alone perpetual starvation of a worse kind than what lead him to steal the bread in the first place. What he NEEDS is Life. Life, that God who is Life has promised to provide, providing for the needs of his creation.
Nothing is about "deserving", but everything is about Need, and fulfillment of Need. What Father does not provide the need of those whom he has brought into the world? Certainly our Good Father provides.
---
I hope it will bless people. But I'd also like to see what the assembly thinks of it, and if they could provide any bolstering material, or thoughts to add. :)
Did we really deserve or earn death? Or is death just a way to immortal life? We have to be born to die, we have to die to become immortal. I believe it is just steps we have to go through not that we are deserving or earned any of them.
CHB
I wonder how this verse would fit into all this?
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave this charge to you: that "If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat."
Quote from: Paul Hazelwood on October 07, 2010, 01:21:47 AM
I wonder how this verse would fit into all this?
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave this charge to you: that "If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat."
I was just reading this scripture :). Reportingly there are busybodies among you who are causing trouble, so distance yourself from them that they may learn to eat bread quietly with meekness.
I don't think Paul is saying watch them starve to death for another scripture says to feed one's enemies even, but at least give the brethren them hunger pains so they can go out to work, rather than doing nothing but cause problems in the church.
Quote from: CHB on October 07, 2010, 12:37:11 AM
Did we really deserve or earn death? Or is death just a way to immortal life? We have to be born to die, we have to die to become immortal. I believe it is just steps we have to go through not that we are deserving or earned any of them.
CHB
:thumbsup:
Quote from: thinktank on October 07, 2010, 02:01:22 AM
Quote from: Paul Hazelwood on October 07, 2010, 01:21:47 AM
I wonder how this verse would fit into all this?
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave this charge to you: that "If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat."
I was just reading this scripture :). Reportingly there are busybodies among you who are causing trouble, so distance yourself from them that they may learn to eat bread quietly with meekness.
I don't think Paul is saying watch them starve to death for another scripture says to feed one's enemies even, but at least give the brethren them hunger pains so they can go out to work, rather than doing nothing but cause problems in the church.
for me those are two whole different topics, firstly the ones paul speaks of, they wont starve to death, when they get hungry enough they will work for food.
feeding our enemies both physical food and spiritual food is a different ball game.
feeding those who
cant work, different ball game.
if one has time to be a busybodies, then they have time to work :thumbsup:
blessing to all
chuckt
Quote from: CHB on October 07, 2010, 12:37:11 AM
Did we really deserve or earn death? Or is death just a way to immortal life? We have to be born to die, we have to die to become immortal. I believe it is just steps we have to go through not that we are deserving or earned any of them.
For everything there is a time:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant,
and a time to raise up that which was planted!
"Sown in weakness, raised in power."
The idea that everyone in the world *deserves* eternal torture/separation from God just for being human is one of the main things that turned me off of Christianity for awhile. I quite like this little tidbit, it's much more positive and uplifting.