A FAIR AND INCLUSIVE RANSOM
MOST CHURCHES TEACH ALL MUST CHOOSE CORRECTLY NOW OR THEY ARE DOOMED!
Almost without exception the contradictory beliefs now being proclaimed to be a confused world have one thing in common,which is the use of fear as a method of making converts. It may be a fear of enternal torture or the fear of death in Armageddon. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul wrote:"As in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive."(1 Corthians 15:22) In Romans 8:19-23. Many of the Lord's people down through the age failed to realize this and so made the mistake of supposing that all were lost who did not accept their message. But where does this thinking come from? This taken directly from the offical Billy Graham Web Site Q and A's found at:
http://www.billygraham.org/qna/qna.asp?size=0&i=480
Will we have the opportunity to accept Christ and get right with God after we die?
"The Bible teaches that our decision for Christ must be made this side of the grave.We find no hope in the Bible for people who do not get right with God in this life.
The most important thing we have to settle in this life is our eternal salvation. Those who ignore God's warnings and invitations do so at great peril. Proverbs 29:1 says: "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed -- without remedy."
God is giving us opportunity now to receive Christ and eternal life. "Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7)." First of all we need to examine who God is talking about here when He speaks of, "Those who remain stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed -- without remedy."
First here, God is talking about those who already fully know all the facts about God's true plan for humanity and then rejected it. So if one knows all the facts this would NOT discribed an "unbeliever." Also this quote: "Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7). It says clearly hear that you must first , "Hear His voice." So this indicates NOT a non-believer but rather someone who hear and listened to God's message and then rejected it.
This is also discribed as "grieving The Holy Spirit," and is called "The Unforgivable Sin." To comitte the "unforgivable sin," you must first understand what it is. If our "progress" has lead to a resticted view of the grace of Jah, if in our new understanding we have reached the conclusion that ONLY those will be blessed who agree with US and accept the message which,at best,we are able to present imperfectly,then we have retrogressed,and the glorious light of the true knowledge of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ is far out in front,while we have been left behind in the darkness.
CHRIST DIED FOR ALL
Jah's love for the sin-cursed and dying race has been made operative through the gift of his Son to be humankind's Redeemer. In John 3:16 we read,"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believes in him should not perish,but have everlasting life". But,as Paul asks,"How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?"(Romans 10:14) And the same apostle also explains that"Satan,who is the god of this evil system,has made them blind,unable to see the glorious light of the Gospel that is shinning upon them,or do not understand the amazing message we preached about the Christ,who is the image of God",(2 Corthians 4:4)
CHOOSES NOT TO OR 'CAN NOT' SEE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST NOW?
This indicates that,as long as Satan continues to rule this"present evil world",even those who do have the Gospel imperfectly presented do not have a fair opprotunity to believe. Paul explains that a knowledge of the ransom will be testified to all in due time".-1 Timothy 2:2-6.
AGAIN CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE FOR 'ALL'
Paul explains: "The sin of this one man,Adam,caused death to be king over all,but all who will take God's gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man,Jesus Christ".-Romans 5:17-18. The apostle Paul emphasizes the largness of this number when he says that Jesus gave himself a ransom for "all"-that is,for the intire human race. This does NOT mean,of course,that the entire human race will be enternally saved as a result of the ransom,for it is mandatory that there be an individual acceptance of this of this provision of Jehovah's grace,in has been made for all.
JESUS THE "ONLY" MEDIATOR BETWEEN JAH & HUMANKIND
We believe as the Bible tells us that:"For there is but ONE mediator between God and humankind,Jesus Christ",-1 Timothy 2:3-6 and so we believe that his power is NOT being excercised through any human representives. The work of the King now is merely the dashing of the nations to pieces like a potter's vessel. We can see evidence of this from the stand point that"Our King is marching on". But the earthly phase of his kingdom has NOT yet been established,and NO ONE is authorrized to exercise Kingdom authority in his name.
The apostle makes it clear that ALL who have received the Holy Spirit are ABLE to UNDERSTAND the precious thoughts of God's writtings written in his Word. ALL the Lord's people have the privilege of assisting one another in the study of the Bible, and EACH ONE has an INDIVIDUAL responsibility to "search the scriptures", and to hold fast ONLY to that which is found to be in FULL harmony with the Holy Word. The responsibility set forth in this injunction can NOT be delegated to or left in the hands of others.
THE GOD OF LOVE
Yes, a knowledge of the grace and love of Jah inspires us to reverence and love him.(Isaiah 29:13). We should delight to proclaim the love of God,and fear should NEVER be used to indue people to believe in him and in his beloved. Jah's people today,as in the past,are called to show forth praises,how better can we do this than by proclaiming the glorious Kingdom Gospel of God's love and grace!
JAH ALONE CAN READ HEARTS
Jah,and he ALONE can read the hearts of the people and know the extent to which each individual is responsible for his/her wrong doing. So while we leave the the work of judgment up to with God,let us proclaim the truth of Jah's love and grace far and wide!-Psalm 66:8;Isaiah 52:8.
The grace and love of Jah toward his people,and toward ALL humankind,should inspire his people to render full obedience to him. However,obedience based on fear,tisk-tasking or minipulation or shaming is NOT pleasing to him. If we catch the inspiration of his love,we will rejoice that he has blessings for others besides ourselves,and will want to proclaim this heart-warming message to all humankind. We will want to tell the whole world about these good tidings of great joy which shall be to ALL people".-Luke 2:10.
It will be after the people are awakened from death,as Paul indicates,that the glorious truth of the ransom and the manner in which it gives evidence of God's love will be "testified' to them. That will be the "due time" when the "sea will be converted to Jah. Satan, the great deceiver,will then be bound,and the knowledge of Jah will fill the earth.
