Comments on: The Face of the Gracious God

By: Ruben

Ruben — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:14:05 +0000

Thanks for this, I came from a fundamentalist background and still suffer from seeing God as too perfect to care. Your description of Religion #1 is on the spot, the attitude I had then was motivated by fear, I felt like a cornered rat. I saw the Kirk Cameron interview with John McArthur, as much as I loved the way that John gave it to them straight, I also feel that he was pointing to a Religion #1 version of God. Someone who just wants to save us from Hell, someone who expects us to suffer. He only loves us because of His Son’s sacrifice, other than that we are pretty worthless. Sinners in the hands of an angry God. I just cannot live this kind of religion.

By: Headless Unicorn Guy

Headless Unicorn Guy — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:02:26 +0000

“Goliath:

I’m sure that can be arranged.”

Ah, the typical Christian response: when all else fails, threaten with hellfire, perdition, etc. Way to show that Christian “love”! — Goliath

You mean you’d rather kiss a Wookee?

By: Chrissl

Chrissl — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:31:20 +0000

This was a great post, iMonk.

Protestants aren’t the only ones who fall into Religion #1, though. The reports of many of the people who see visions of the Virgin Mary tend to be heavy on the “wrathful God” thing. According to them, there will be dreadful punishments very soon unless everyone follows certain rules. Some of the rules are extremely nitpicky, too.

And Catholics have an opportunity to fall into even more error here, because there are quite a few cases in which Mary supposedly tells them that *Jesus* is extremely angry and that *she* is the one holding him back from destroying anything.

Fortunately most of the Catholics I know well don’t think this way.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:23:15 +0000

Maybe I’ll be stuck between Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden. I hope so; it would make for some fascinating dinner conversation, at the very least.

Hell is a choice or it is not hell. Grace is unconditional or it is not grace. We, all of us, are dead in the law: tried, convicted and executed. Only the unmerited love and favor of God offered through Christ can bring us back to life.

Just my two cents…

By: Elephantschild

Elephantschild — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:45:28 +0000

“You may even have to sit by a Lutheran.”

::she takes a bow:: Can’t wait to shake your hand and buy you a drink.

Thanks for the most fun I’ve had reading about the generous grace of our Lord all month.

By: Mich

Mich — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:06:03 +0000

iMonk,
These sermons on God’s Grace are truly wonderful–it is the indwelling Spirit speaking through you, filling you to overflowing with God’s Grace.

I believe you are absolutely correct–God’s Grace is so loving, so undeserved, so liberating it’s absolutely RADICAL–and religious folk cannot deal with it. So, mirroring Galatians, they want to return to the Old Testament and the Mosaic Law–not even realizing this is apostasy and denies Christ Jesus and the Gospel.

The most convicting thing about all this is I find it necessary to pray for those Christians who preach this false Gospel and to LOVE them.

Amen.

By: Surfnetter

Surfnetter — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:13:07 +0000

Oh — I get it. Goliath — “Go ahead, little man — see if you can kill me a with smooth theological stone.”

While you sit there alone in your defiant unbelief hoping to disrupt this open and mostly loving discussion of the similarities and differences in our faith and worship of the One who made us and saves us, every molecule, atom and particle of your being is singing praises to our Great God in perfect beautiful harmony.

Thank you for showing up with your beautiful symphony.

By: Goliath

Goliath — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:50:20 +0000

“I’d rather burn in hell for all eternity than follow Goliath’s (above poster) god.”

And just what makes you think that I worship a god?

By: Goliath

Goliath — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:49:31 +0000

“Goliath:

I’m sure that can be arranged.”

Ah, the typical Christian response: when all else fails, threaten with hellfire, perdition, etc. Way to show that Christian “love”!

By: al

al — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:18:39 +0000

Michael,
I like what you said about hope in near universalism. I feel as though I am needing to hope in that too in order to have any hope at all. I recently just had to start taking prozac because the bible was freaking me out so much. Since I seem to be heading down the same path as you with the near universalism, i wonder if you could give me a little guidance. I suppose you have to have some hope for another chance at repentance at the resurrection right? Otherwise it would already be case closed for the billions who have died in ignorance of the gospel. And I wonder what verses of scripture help you hope for that last chance of repentance for those who have already died. thanks for any insight for a fellow pilgrim.