Punishment
Linda inknews@acsnet.com
Sun, 01 Mar 1998 10:01:06 (00888768066, 3.0.1.16.19980301100106.48cfe5a8@acsnet.com)
My Dear Friends,
Why does it seem that in the "church world" everything must be
"absolute"... black and white... right and wrong. We all know in the REAL
world there is good and bad in everyone. There is some truth in many things
and some falsehood in all things.
Yet, when it comes to spiritual things, every denomination and creed has
the one kernel of "truth" that unless the same is possessed by others, are
rendered "lost" - "unsaved" damned ... may even considered an "abomination"
... (well so is a woman in "pants" or a man with an improper haircut)
Many would assert that the Bible is ABSOLUTE truth yet its very own pages
nullify that assertion. They illustrate damnation and salvation but the
stories portray the guilty as being delivered (David and Uriah) and the
innocent and best... punished and persecuted (Christ).
Somebody tell me... God is a god of LOVE... he doesn't punish the innocent
for the apostasy of the guilty. He does not punish the child for the sin of
the father - or the husband for the wife. Show me the verses that say the
innocent children which were sacrificed to Baal went to "heaven" or that
those who offered them spent eternity in "hell"...
What is it that we seek through our "faith" or our "religion"... Do we seek
the reward of "heaven" ? Or is it really peace of mind we seek? Why are
some satisfied with the promise of "heaven?" while others reject post death
reward/punishment? Still others might accept natural laws of cause and
effect... unhappy consequences of our actions - which to us... might seem
like punishment (from God) knowing it is deserved...
But does God punish a person twice? Once in this world... and again in a
burning hell forever? Where does the Bible teach this?
If this is "the future" and this is what an in-errant Bible teaches, I
guess we should all be aware of that fact.
Just wondering,
Linda