For God so loved the world...

[jesushandsarekindhands]

John 3:16 >>
   
NIV©   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Is the 'believe' part here a condition?
I mean will honest unbelievers EVER be able to accept that a man they didnt know, written about by men they didnt know, who did incredible miracles, who think that God will send them to hell forever, who spoke in parables that not many could understand etc....Will the EVER be able to believe in such things? 
It seems a bit unfair for these people to 'perish' who didn't know what they were doing in the first place.
And yet...God is love?

I believe that God will save all men, but can anyone shed some light on this passage? 

[WhiteWings]

John 3:35  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
John 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Matthew 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
John 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

The way I read it the unbelievers won't be unbelievers forever.

[Paul Hazelwood]

John 3:16 >>
   
NIV©   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Is the 'believe' part here a condition?
I mean will honest unbelievers EVER be able to accept that a man they didnt know, written about by men they didnt know, who did incredible miracles, who think that God will send them to hell forever, who spoke in parables that not many could understand etc....Will the EVER be able to believe in such things? 
It seems a bit unfair for these people to 'perish' who didn't know what they were doing in the first place.
And yet...God is love?

I believe that God will save all men, but can anyone shed some light on this passage? 

In Corinthians it says no one is able to confess Jesus as Lord but by the holy spirit,  in Isaiah and Philippians it tells us that Every knee and Every tongue Confesses Jesus as Lord.


Do the math.   :laughing7:


Seriously, though, the perception of doubt here is a bias of the observable fact that not every human has confessed Jesus as Lord by the time they die on earth,  another valid question this raises is according to traditional Christianity once you die you either go to heaven or eternal hell.

If nothing can really take place other than that, then they have not explained why God takes the time to make someone bow before him to his glory right before they continue on to eternal hell.

The teachings don't even make sense.   So,. since we can PROVE scripturally that events take place for us after death, then it is a simple matter of understanding the implications of the scriptures and see if it would be consistant that God would make us bowbefore him and do something by the holy spirit that would equal eternal damnation or anihillation.

Again, do the math,  :bigGrin:

[jesushandsarekindhands]

So basically Paul what your saying is that we get the chance to believe in Christ 'after death'?

Sounds pretty reasonable to me.  Thank you.

[CHB]

It says "whosoever believeth". Not all believe at this time but there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and this will be done by the Holy Spirit.  Not all are saved now, well they are, they just don't realize it yet. God will have to open minds and show them the truth and this will be done because God so loved the world.

CHB

[Zeek]

It says "whosoever believeth". Not all believe at this time but there will come a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and this will be done by the Holy Spirit.  Not all are saved now, well they are, they just don't realize it yet. God will have to open minds and show them the truth and this will be done because God so loved the world.

CHB

so the "mind" goes beyond the grave??  or is separate of being human?? 

or do you believe these "non believers" will be resurrected "human" again so their "mind" can be changed?? 

Is this referring to literal "tongue" confessing (as in human) or "spiritual" tongue  and is this a "literal" knee (as in human) or "spiritual knee"?. 

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: The soul is the mind, will, emotions and desires. It DOES exist after the death of the body; it is what makes us, us. So as Paul said, you do the math, LOL........Blessings....

[jesushandsarekindhands]

John 3:16 >>
   
NIV©   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Is the 'believe' part here a condition?
I mean will honest unbelievers EVER be able to accept that a man they didnt know, written about by men they didnt know, who did incredible miracles, who think that God will send them to hell forever, who spoke in parables that not many could understand etc....Will the EVER be able to believe in such things? 
It seems a bit unfair for these people to 'perish' who didn't know what they were doing in the first place.
And yet...God is love?

I believe that God will save all men, but can anyone shed some light on this passage? 

In Corinthians it says no one is able to confess Jesus as Lord but by the holy spirit,  in Isaiah and Philippians it tells us that Every knee and Every tongue Confesses Jesus as Lord.


Do the math.   :laughing7:


Seriously, though, the perception of doubt here is a bias of the observable fact that not every human has confessed Jesus as Lord by the time they die on earth,  another valid question this raises is according to traditional Christianity once you die you either go to heaven or eternal hell.

If nothing can really take place other than that, then they have not explained why God takes the time to make someone bow before him to his glory right before they continue on to eternal hell.

The teachings don't even make sense.   So,. since we can PROVE scripturally that events take place for us after death, then it is a simple matter of understanding the implications of the scriptures and see if it would be consistant that God would make us bowbefore him and do something by the holy spirit that would equal eternal damnation or anihillation.

Again, do the math,  :bigGrin:

Paul when you said
In Corinthians it says no one is able to confess Jesus as Lord but by the holy spirit,  in Isaiah and Philippians it tells us that Every knee and Every tongue Confesses Jesus as Lord.

That really just hit me right between the eyes.  You really have a way with words.  Wow...I needed that one.

[claypot]

So basically Paul what your saying is that we get the chance to believe in Christ 'after death'?

Sounds pretty reasonable to me.  Thank you.

This is a big stumbling block to so many. If you don't do the gymnastics to be saved 'before you die', you're toast. I think this is the biggest stumbling block maybe. If people could see that all are alive to God and that passage in Hebrews is not what it seems (the one about it is appointed man once to die......) and if they could see that there is so much going on after our mere physical death, then they could move on, but they don't and they can't.

cp