That's a cop out. A touchy, feely, liberal cop out. You either need to defend your position, or give ground.
The Bible is VERY clear that Christ preached repentance. In Matthew 4:17, it tells us that "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This is literally the first thing he did after baptism and his 40 day fast. What was the last thing Jesus did? He stood with his disciples and told them: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have ccommanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20). And what did he command them to teach? Repentance. How about in our day? Let's try D&C 19 on for size: 13 Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the acommandments• which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., in my name; 14 And it is by my almighty power that you have received them; 15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I asmite• you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your bsufferings• be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. 16 For behold, I, God, have asuffered• these things for all, that they might not bsuffer if they would crepent; 17 But if they would not repent they must asuffer• even as I" So, while he will forgive IF we repent, we must suffer even as He did, if we do not. In fact the blessing of forgiveness and mercy is something I truly hope and wish for, but I don't gamble on it. I work for my salvation, repenting as fast and as hard as I can, to ensure I merit that forgiveness. As to those who believe Christ is super-forgiving of sinners, let's see what Nephi says in 2Nephi28: "8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat•, drink, and be bmerry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify• in committing a little sin•; yea, elie• a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a fpit• for thy neighbor; there is gno• harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. 9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish• cdoctrines•, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark. 10 And the blood• of the saints shall cry from the ground against them. 11 Yea, they have all gone out of the away•; they have become corrupted•. 12 Because of pride•, and because of false• teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up." So, Nephi tells us that some in the last days are going to push the extreme forgiveness idea of Christ. I'm sure you aren't as extreme as some evangelicals who think that a mere belief in Christ merits exaltation. But such are called false teachers with false doctrine. And, in fact, the blood of the saints shall cry against them! Now, I believe God is very forgiving. After all, he offers a kingdom of glory to almost all his children. However, that does not extend to exaltation. D&C 76 describes the exalted as the valiant ones, not the wishy-washy. In Revelation, God says he will spew the lukewarm out, so as to give us no misgivings as to what is required for exaltation. Now, just where are these scriptures that you seem to believe in? And no, it isn't a matter of semantics. We agree that Christ is merciful, but modern prophets have also told us that mercy cannot rob justice. Gary Smith Ron Scott wrote: > > Gary: > > Look, I don't think we're ever going to agree. I'm probably as > aware as you are as to what God taught and what he didn't. I > think are differences are in approach. I'm inclined to teach the > gospel, you seem inclined to preach repentance. I'm inclined to > believe that God must be a pretty forgiving God if he's willing > to forgive the sins of repentant sinners like you and me. I > believe that God wants to include as many people as He possibly > can...and that it's my job to do my bit to ensure the roster is > as large as possible. You take a different tack. Good luck to > you. Our purposes are the same, more or less even if our methods > are different. > > Ron > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Gerald Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 1:42 PM > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Subject: [ZION] Vote Now! > > > > > >How about his prophecy that Jerusalem would be > >destroyed by God for its > >sins? Since Christ is God, he was doing more than just > >foreseeing an > >event - he was being Judge, Jury and Executioner. He > >will do it again at > >the Second Coming. > >We must remember that the Mosaic Law was a lower law - > >but still a law of > >God. Regardless of the punishment, the sin of > >homosexuality was still a > >sin that was punishable under the law. In earlier days > >in the USA, it > >was also considered a crime punishable under the law. > >And Just because it is no longer punished, does not > >make it heinous or > >sinful. > > > >And what Christ taught was not forgiveness, but > >repentance. Forgiveness > >is what was given AFTER people repented. Christ did not teach > >forgiveness to the Pharisees, but called them to > >repentance. He did not > >preach forgiveness to the Jews or Samaritans, but > >repentance. He > >forgave, because it was within him to forgive those He > >chose to forgive. > >Had his mission been nothing but forgiveness, he would > >forgive all > >mankind, including Cain. > > > >Instead, he came to bring balance between Justice and > >Mercy, but only on > >condition of repentance, which is what he preached. > > > >I think too many get fixated on what seems to be God's > >leniency. In > >reality, the commandments are clear, as are the rewards > >and punishments. > >We are not to judge where a person goes to in the next > >life, but we are > >to judge right from wrong. The JST of Matthew 7:1 tells > >us to judge > >righteous judgment. I don't condemn people to hell, > >that is God's job. I > >DO condemn sin, telling the sinner that if change does > >not occur in > >his/her life, the person risks hellfire. Calling > >people to repentance is > >a good thing to do, because only in repentance can God > >bring forgiveness. > > > >K'aya K'ama, > > > >Gerald (Gary) Smith > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >http://www.geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html > >LDS Evidences, > >Family History, Food Storage, etc. > > > > > >RB Scott wrote: > > > >> Seriously, I don't > >>recall Christ preaching "death" for any offense...well, murder > >>perhaps (but I don't recall it). > > > >Notwithstanding fairly twisted and bizarre interpretations, what > >Christ taught was forgiveness, not death. > > > >I think too many get fixated and judging others, relishing > >damning others to hell. What Christ taught was that it is our > >responsibility to forgive all, to leave judgements to Him. I > >suspect when that great and dreadful day arrives, more > >than a few > >of us will be very, very surpised. > > > >> > > > >//////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > >////////////////////// > >/// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > >/// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > >//////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > >///////////////////// > ----------- > > > > > > Gerald (Gary) Smith geraldsmith@ juno.com http://www.geocities.com/rameumptom ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------
