Re: [TruthTalk] The Mediation of Christ

[Dave]

Judy Taylor wrote:   daveh:  From what I've learned previously in TT, anybody who dies without believing in Jesus is condemned to the lake of fire.  (I assume you agree???)  Yet there are literally billions who have lived and died without even hearing the name of Jesus, let alone hearing the gospel.  So......if they (through no fault of their own) don't believe in Jesus and end up being eternally tortured in the lake of fire......what commentary does that speak of a loving God?  Or......do you believe that they will be given the chance to believe in Jesus after their death?  I think virtually all I've chatted with about this deny this possibility though.   judyt: It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27); the Church has been given the great commission (see Matthew 28:19,20) and Romans 1 addresses this also.  Jesus created the worlds and everything is held together "by the word of His power" which means he also created us and Romans 1:20 tells us that "From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result people are without excuse..."   daveh:  My personal world is immersed in Jesus.  However, I can think of many instances of people(s) who could/would not have heard of him.   judyt: Your Jesus is not the Creator of the worlds Daveh, DAVEH:  ???   Huh......Why would you say that, Judy?  I'm not an expert on Mormonism but from what I do understand your church teaches he is less than what the scriptures teach, DAVEH:  FTR.......LDS theology teaches that our Heavenly Father commissioned Jesus to physically create the world. so this is "another gospel" and a "different Jesus". DAVEH:  I respectfully disagree, Judy. daveh:  Do you suppose the wrath of God might possibly refer punishments of mortality, rather than punishments that extend beyond the grave?  I've not done a study of it, but it sure seems to me that God has shown his wrath to mortals when they happen to be engaged in efforts to thwart the gospel.   One of these days (if I ever find the time), I'll have to see what relation there is between the wrath of God and hell.  Perhaps you already know, and can quote some passages that connect the two?   judyt: My understanding is that it happens while we live and the wicked are reserved for the day of destruction. DAVEH:  That has been my thinking too. God disciplines those he loves and he uses the instruments of his wrath to do this. DAVEH:  I don't see it that way, Judy.  I always considered God's wrath to be the punishment (if that is the right word.....and I'm not sure it is) he has doled out to those who are preventing the gospel to unfold. daveh:  If we keep the commandments, we shall know the truth....   judyt: What chapter and verse is this?   daveh:  It is my summation of a couple passages......Jn 8:31-32   judyt: He actually said "If ye continue in my word DAVEH:  I have always considered continue in my word to mean keeping the commandments.   How do you understand it, Judy? then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" and he said this to the Jews which believed on him. So what commandments did you have in mind? DAVEH:   Hmmmmmm.......all of them.....  Failure to keep any commandment makes one a slave of that transgression, does it not?  -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dave Hansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.langlitz.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you wish to receive things I find interesting, I maintain Five email lists... JOKESTER, OPINIONS, LDS, STUFF and MOTORCYCLE.