(November 2, 2015 at 1:30 am)snowtracks Wrote: [hide]Scripture teaches that unbelievers are trending towards salvation or blasphemy. Most likely, this trend is in a staircase that has ups and downs but overall trending towards one of these two exclusive possibilities. Both salvation and blasphemy have their own thresholds.
Salvation: When trending in this direction, the person is coming to an understanding of what’s required to inherit ‘eternal life’. That person recognizes what God requires (repentance, acceptance of God’s forgiveness, and surrender to God’s authority).
Blasphemy:* When trending in this direction, there is an ongoing animosity towards God (here again, maybe some trepid steps towards salvation’s direction but not enough to change the downward trend).
Thresholds - 1) Salvation, a person crosses over by accepting the Holy Spirit’s promptings towards humility and submission to God’s truth & grace.
2) Blasphemy, a person crosses over when the will of God in one’s life becomes so weak and the rebellion so strong it’s impossible for the individual to then reverse course; they have ‘crossed the Rubicon’** which means they have willingly and permanently entered into eternal separation from God’s active influence. Not many are living that have crossed this threshold since God has accessed their condition is permanent and final so He removes them to limit their sinful influence on others.
So probably, the most egregious aspect of hell is the company of the people there. But God shows his love and protection even there by restraining (‘restraint’ is the best translation of the word ’torment’) persons by the amount of evil they are capable of inflicting on others. The more expression of sin from their earthy life, the more restraint.
*N.T. Mark quotes Jesus as saying ‘blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; … guilty of an eternal sin”. The Holy Spirit prompts persons to salvation; the blasphemer repeatedly and knowing defies God.
**Phase by Julius Caesar when he broke the Roman Empire’s law of Imperium.[/img]
1) We know what "crossing the Rubicon" means, historically. Pretty much anyone who is literate knows that one.
2) I have carefully considered your assertions, above, and my reply is as follows:
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=media.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FiqfYgtx8oWw4o%2Fgiphy.gif)
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
