Aapomp831
Crowing
Still just stories, I’m sorry.... I heard this same stuff for 20 years. Your devotion is admirable but it doesn’t make you right.God gave our first parents the wonderful but risky gift of CHOICE. They could choose eternal life, through obedience to God ... or the alternative, obeying a different voice. The serpent, the devil, deceived the woman and she persuaded her husband. They gave their allegience to another. God honored thst choice, but the consequences were that they lost their right to eternal life. Death entered the world. But God loved them and already had a plan. He would come as their substitute. He would pay the penalty. They did not have to endure ETERNAL death if they would accept the Substitute in their place by faith. It really is that easy! Those that do not - one day they will suffer eternal death, but it is not an everlasting burning as most churches teach. That is torture and a loving God would not do that. They will be BURNED UP and cease to exist. It is a fire that cannot be put out, but it will burn out. There will be nothing left but ashes.
So you see. God does not do that, either!
He did that! But unlike our chickens which are inherently stupid and we have to protect them, God warned our parents about the dangers and allowed them to make a choice. His kingdom is built on freedom and love.
There is more necessary to make us "save to save" than just saying, "that's okay, no worries, you're forgiven, forget about it." Man was now fallen, at enmity with a holy God. His firstborn son murderd his brother. Heaven, even the earth, was no longer a safe place. Harmony was lost. Mankind became selfish. The first thing the couple did was to blame others for their decision. They had to be converted, changed, restored. They needed to have new hearts.
He is not angry and vengeful. Do you have children? Have you ever had to discipline child to save them from a worse fate? I have. I had to smack my baby's hand to keep him from playing with electric sockets (I know, now we put plugs in them). This was back in the Dark Ages, lol, when it was still legal to spank little diapered bottoms. Sometimes God had to get His people's attention. They worshipped false gods by passing them through fire. Think He was going to sit back and just "forgive" that? No way! He had to do something redemptive to straighten them out. When they didn't listen to His prophets He sent heathen armies against them. They brought it on themselves. He warned them; they didn't listen.
You made an excellent argument! Coffee and scones, anyone?
