Re: [TruthTalk] Eternal Judgment

[Bill Taylor]

Terry writes  >  I do not understand you very well, so I have no idea as to whether this will sink in, ...  Hi Terry. I'm sorry you have such difficulty understanding me. I try to be a good communicator, but obviously fall short of that task. My question was this: Why do you see reconciliation and forgiveness as something which is "offered" to humanity, but is not a reality until individual humans do something (repentance, evidently) to activate it? Col 1.19-20 -- For it pleased the Father that in [his Son, Jesus Christ,] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Col 2.13-14 -- And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. As I understand it, both reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins were made a reality for all humanity by Christ Jesus at the cross. They are already fully accomplished, made actual and true in him. It is therefore not our repentance that makes these things real. What repentance does is align our thinking and actions with that which is already real and true in Christ. Repentance is thus first of all a change of mind, as we let go of false beliefs and begin to believe the word of truth, the good news of our salvation; it is secondly a change of behavior, as our newly established belief in Christ Jesus, who is now Christ in us through the Holy Spirit, begins to produce fruit in our lives. Anyway, thanks for your response. I will try to do a better job of communication in the future. Bill     ----- Original Message ----- From: Terry Clifton To: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 5:04 PM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Eternal Judgment Bill Taylor wrote: Terry wrote  >  Those who ignore God's offer of reconcilliation remain enemies, die in their sin and spend eternity in torment. Hi Terry. I'm wondering how we can be so far apart on something so seemingly basic to us both. Will you please demonstrate to me how it is that you consider God's reconciliation to be only an "offer" and not an act already fully accomplished in and through his Son? In other words, what is the biblical basis for your belief?     Thanks in advance,   Bill Bill, it's so simple that you cannot possibly miss it.  The key word is repentance.  No turning from your sin equals no forgiveness and no salvation.  Jesus died as a sacrifice perfect enough to save all the people in the world, but there are those who say, "Don't bother me, go away.  I'm too young or too busy or too horny or too selfish."  They reject forgiveness for any number of reasons, all having to do with selfishness and pride.  I know.  I was one of them.  I was lost.  Now I am saved.  Once I was an enemy of God.  Now I am His child for two reasons.  He died to make it possible and I took advantage of that possibility.  I turned from my sin, to Christ. I do not understand you very well, so I have no idea as to whether this will sink in, but I think you should at least consider it.  That is pretty much what the Bible teaches in a very condensed form. Terry