“The corrective effects of kolasis aionios last forever. But as a means to an end, it will not last any longer than is necessary to produce the end for which it exists in the first place.
When we finally weary of our own selfishness, petty jealousies, and lust for power; when we learn at last, perhaps through bitter experience, that these lead only to ruin and cannot bring enduring happiness, that nothing short of union with God and reconciliation with others will satisfy our own deepest yearnings; when we discover that the Hound of Heaven has finally closed off every alternative to such a union, we shall then, each of us, finally embrace the destiny that is ours.”
The problem with this thinking/teaching is this: it ultimately denies the doctrine of the depravity of man, especially in the worst of souls. I don't like to speak about "degrees of sinfulness" because Jeremiah tells us that the human heart (not the worst of human hearts, but every human heart) is desperately wicked, who can understand it. Paul speaks very, very clearly in Romans 3.11––"no one understands; no one seeks God." Why? Because of the sinfulness of their heart. They are in bondage. Now granted, there are some who long to be free of such bondage and God is gracious. But no one, according to the plain truth of Scripture, longs for this unless God has begun to do a work in their hearts in the first place. And some, let's fact it, just flat-out don't want God in their lives! How can God be justified as a completely righteous God to "save" these people, who have clearly always rejected Him during their life on this earth, during which they had the opportunity to repined and turn to the Living God? How can God be just to save them alongside those who came to Him during this life and did respond to His call upon them. No where––let me make this perfectly clear––no where in all of Scripture does it speak of God calling out with the gospel to the "lost" in Hell during anytime in the ages to come. NO WHERE. Jesus Himself, the very Son of God, told the allegory of Lazarus and the rich man to make this very point: you get the gospel in this life, not in the next.
You may wonder why I keep putting these quotes up for discussion. One of the reasons is simply to show how unscriptural these false teachings are. Even in this lifetime, unless God calls out to us, draws us to Himself, gives us into Jesus hand, we'll never tire of our sin. We just love it too much. There aren't enough bitter experiences for us to ever learn that they don't bring happiness, therefore we should just give up and turn to God. Consider the woman who is beaten and abused by her husband/boyfriend, yet doesn't press charges, doesn't leave him, even if for only her own safety. Why? Because, even in a warped manner, in her own mind, she is happy in her deplorable situation than she can ever imagine being apart from it. So why should I even hope to believe that petty jealousies are going to be enough for me to grow tired of them and drive me to Jesus. THEY MAKE ME HAPPY. I get my delight in them, not in God. That's the whole point.
Argh! Typing words alone can't help me express my utter frustration at these kinds of deplorable false teachings. So, learn and use discernment. Don't let these kind of Scripture twisters into your home, into your live, into your church. Kick them out. Be rid of them.
As I now am.
Well, okay, I'll add just a bit more:
I pretty much loved it. If this isn’t how you want God to be, then I am so very sad for you. Other than the stereotypical “God as old, bald Rip Van Winkle” image, everything about this cartoon makes me smile all over.
I am convinced that this sentiment is what drives much of the universalists' movement: I just can't picture God that way, sending people to suffer for eternity. I don't like to think of Him that way. Or, as the above blogger said, "If this isn't how you want God to be, then I am so very sad for you.
Like we have a say in who God is and how He'll act! I fear there are far too many people sitting in pews in churches throughout this country who would fall for such claptrap simply because it suits them or it makes them feel better about the God they like or want Him to be. When we began to abandon the notion of truth as absolute and that God's Word contains such truths about God and that God's Word is authoritative by virtue of being God's Word, then "dung heaps" of teaching like this come about.
Okay.
Now I'm done.
For this week, at least!