“It is so hard for sinners to abandon their excuses and admit the humbling truth that they themselves are all wrong, and that God is all right.”

 

My Friend, you seem to have forgotten how to listen to the wisdom of your own conscience – you seem to have neglected the Spirit of Truth that resides within your Heart (see John 14:16-17); the Advocate Within that continually reminds you of what is Right and what is Just and what is Fair and what is True (see John 16:8-13); the Logos that allows you to remain forever connected to God Himself (see John 1:1-11 + John 14:20) …

 

And this perfect Spirit within you – this perfect facet of the Great Divine, knows just as well as you do that if God does indeed condemn homosexuals to an eternity in Hell – even those homosexuals (unlike Oliver Clyde Allen) who have indeed commited sins that have intentionally caused others harm, then God IS indeed wrong – and much more than merely wrong.  Such a version of God would be downright cruel; even evil!

 

Of course, at least according to Jesus Christ in the Gospels, God does not make such wicked judgments against His children … Please consider the following biblical facts:

 

Fact:  As I have mentioned to you before, there are 1944 verses in the Gospels that contain the words of Jesus Christ – only 60 of them directly or indirectly refer to “Hell”, while 192 of them speak of “Heaven” (That’s over three hundred percent more Jesus-references to salvation than to damnation!) … It is also important to note that over 90% of Jesus’ references to “Hell” are found in the Gospel of Matthew, a book written primarily for a Jewish audience, Jews who would have understood the symbolism of his reference to Gehenna – the actual name of the actual smoldering garbage-dump located outside the walls of Jerusalem in those days! … Thirdly, as fas as the “punishment” for sin mentioned in the New Testament, it is extremely important for all judgmental Christians to realize that Jesus himself noted that everyone receives a purification by fire (see Mark 9:49) and indeed, that such a “burning” was actually the very baptism that he came to offer all of humankind – Christian & non-Christian; gay & straight alike!

 

“I baptize you with water … And yet after comes one … who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with FIRE.” ~ John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11)

 

“For EVERYONE will be salted with fire.  Salt is Good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can you restore its saltiness?  By having salt in yourselves and being at peace with one another … For the Son of Man came to seek out and offer the lost salvation.” ~ Jesus Christ (Mark 9:49 + Luke 19:10)

Fact:  As the Bible itself makes so clear, God’s Love is far beyond the limitations you & yours place upon it.  He is God – the heavenly Father of Jesus Christ, and as such His perfect LOVE is without condition (see Matthew 5:48), his Mercy is without limitation (see Luke 6:36), and His Forgiveness is without end (see Matthew 18:21-22) …

 

 

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast Love.  The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made.” ~ Psalms 145:8-9

 

“I will not execute my fierce anger … For I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst – and I will not come in wrath … [As such] when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.” ~ Hosea 11:9 + Jeremiah 29:13

 

“Ask, and it will be given; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened … And thus all flesh shall see the salvation of God … So it is not the Will of your Father in Heaven that not even one of these little ones should be lost … And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:7-8 + Luke 3:6 + Matthew 18:14 + John 12:32)

 

 

Fact:  As Jesus himself makes most plain and explains so clearly, neither he nor his heavenly Father judges or condemns anyone for their sins – ever!

 

“The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son … You judge by human standards; I judge no one … I do not judge anyone – even he who hears my words and yet does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to show it salvation.”

~ Jesus Christ  (John 5:22 + John 8:15 + John 12:47)

 

P.S.  By the way, my dear Friend, you cannot correctly speak of others’ need of humbling themselves while simultaneously refusing to humble yourself.  Indeed, it is impossible for you to truly LOVE them as long as you are doing so!

Filed under: Burnishing Bigotry by Scaughdt