ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE - JUST A PORTION OF A LETTER L. RAY SENT TO THE BELOW MENTIONED THAT REALLY BLESSED MY HEART AGAIN.
"EXPOSING THOSE WHO CONTRADICT"
[Titus 1:9 Concordant Literal New Testament]
An open letter to T.B.N. critiquing
two sermons by:
James Kennedy, A.B., M.Div., M.Th., D.D.,
D.Sac.Lit., PhD., Litt.D., D.Sac.Theol., D. Humane Let.
and
Dr. John Hagee
GOD'S LOVE FOR THE WICKED DEAD
Let me show you some very easy to understand Scriptures in relation to the "wicked dead" and God's love for them:
Israel committed the most wicked sins against their God. "But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whether they went." (Ezek. 36:21). "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes." (Ezek. 36:23). Where do you suppose this takes place, Dr. Kennedy, Heaven or Hell?
" ... I will take you from among the heathen ... bring you into your own land ... ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you ... a new heart will I give you ... a new spirit will I put within you ... and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments...and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." (Ezek. 36:24-28) " ... all Israel shall be saved ... " (Rom. 11:26).
Notice that GOD CAUSES all of these things to happen.
" ... the valley which was full of bones ... Son of man, can these bones live?... Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live ... and ye shall know that I am the Lord ... Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel ... Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves ... and ye shall know that I am the Lord ... And shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live ... then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it, saith the Lord" (Ezek.37:1-14).
Does this take place in Heaven or Hell?
"The whole house of Israel" who blasphemed God's name, who worshipped idols, who were filled with filthiness, and did not "know" the Lord are now pictured as dry bones in their graves. God raises them from their graves, puts His spirit in them, they live again, gives them a new heart, causes them to walk in His statutes, and blesses them in their own land and finally they know that God is the Lord that blesses them. Since God "opens their graves," and "brings you into your own land," just maybe, this takes place on this earth. What do you think?
Here are wicked, sinful people who died in their sins not knowing the Lord. God will resurrect them (back to life from the dead) and bless them. What do you think? Are these Scriptures too hard to understand? Did you never read them? I'm not trying to be your judge. I'm trying to help you to see just how simple and consistent God's Word is. These Scriptures glorify God. They demonstrate God's character. " ... though He punishes, yet will He have mercy." Yes, even " ... the HEATHEN [Africans and Gentiles] shall know that I am the Lord."
Next you turned to the Scriptures to attempt to relieve God of His responsibility toward His children. You show in Romans that man has "creation" to prove God's existence, and "conscience" to show him right from wrong. But you do err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power and love of God.
True, the creation does prove a Creator, but without a revelation from that Creator, what would we know about the Christ? True, God has given man a conscience, but how can a man's conscience save him? Where in the Scriptures does it teach that if a person believes there is a God and has a clear conscience, it will save him? Where?
Have you never read in the Scriptures that regardless of a man's belief in God and his conscience, nonetheless:
"Not one is just-not even one." (Rom. 3:10)
"Not one is understanding." (Ver. 11)
"Not one is seeking out God." (Ver. 11)
"All avoid Him: at the same time they were useless." (Ver. 12)
"Not one is doing kindness: there is not even one!" (Ver. 12)
" ... it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (Jer. 10:23)
" ... For all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)
"No one is good except One, God." (Mk 10:19)
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6)
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness [including our 'good' consciences] are as filthy rags ... " (Isa. 64:6)
And here is their only salvation:
"And there is NO salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among men, in which we MUST be saved." (Acts 4:12)
How could anyone have the audacity to suggest that Africans and Chinese by the billions are responsible for their own salvation through their "conscience" without any knowledge of God or Christ's blood and His sacrifice for them? If a person can be saved by his "conscience," then he doesn't need Jesus Christ. Do you really want to teach such a farce?
Look at the twelve hand-picked Apostles. They walked and talked with Jesus day and night, seeing miracle after miracle for three and one-half years. Yet in Gethsemane they all forsook Him. Peter cursed His Savior three times in one night. And you would have us believe that man, in himself, has the ability to do right and walk the walk and qualify for salvation? You might respond: "But I never said that." Sure you did. You only say it's all of God and pretend to give God all the credit for salvation, but in the end, your teaching always holds man responsible for his own salvation. Why else did you invent your own analogy?
According to modern Christian teaching, if the twelve Apostles had all been killed that night in the Garden by the Roman soldiers, they would have all gone to "Hell!" Theologians would say: "They had their chance." Well, if salvation is a thing of "chance" then I guess they had a better "chance" than most people. But they blew their "chance" didn't they? Why can't we learn from these simple Scriptures? These twelve Apostles lived closer and longer in an intimate relationship with our Lord than any other human beings in the history of the World, and yet, after three and one-half years they all rejected and forsook Him, all in one night.
This Scripture doesn't require protracted study to understand - just plain read it.
" ... It is not in man ... to direct his steps ... "(Jer. 10:23).
Or are you telling us that if a man "by nature" does what the law demands, and has a "clear conscious" and "believes" there is a God, that then " ... it is in man ... to direct his steps?"
No, Dr. Kennedy, it is "not in man" because God never put it there.
"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directs his steps" (Prov. 16:9).
"Man's goings [Heb. steps] are of the Lord: how can a man then understand his own way?" (Prov. 20:24).
"For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?" (Job 14:16).
"The steps of a man are ordered [Heb. established] by the Lord" (Psa. 37:23).
It just wasn't in the Apostles to "direct their own steps."
Was it a good thing that the Apostles all forsook Christ in the Garden?
I'll ask you another question: Was it a good thing that Joseph's brothers sold him for a slave to the Ishmealites? Not from the relative perspective. Joseph was frightened and disappointed in his brothers, his father was heartsick, and his brothers did evil from their hearts. That's the relative viewpoint. But what's the absolute? Who was behind this whole drama? Who caused it to happen by the "operating of all through the counsel of His Will?" Of course it was God. And He plainly says so: "Nor therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send you before me to preserve life." (Gen. 45:5).
If only we could believe this simple Scripture. The evil that Joseph's brothers conceived and carried out (for which they will be held accountable in judgment) is the relative truth. That it was God who actually "did send me" is the absolute truth. But since God only occasionally tells us that it was He Who was behind a certain action, people think that it is only occasionally that God does such things. Maybe we should read it again until we really get it:
" ... according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will ... " (Eph. 1:11)
" ... seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen!" (Rom. 11:36)
"Yet all is of God ... " (II Cor. 5:18).
Our Lord was about to be crucified and resurrected. Then He would return to Heaven. The Apostles would no longer commune in the flesh daily with their Lord as they did for three and one-half years. What better way to show them their absolute inability and irresponsibility than to have them all reject Him in His hour of greatest need. You know they never forgot. Nor did they ever forsake Him again. Yes, they'll give an account of this in judgment, but they also will be saved, and they also will be in the Kingdom, and they also will sit on twelve thrones-it is written and it will be done. God knows what He is doing. And all will turn out perfect, because it's God Who is operating all, not men-they only think so, and for now God lets them wallow in their ignorance.
Back to your sermon. The man asked a good question. You just didn't answer it. Listen to your tape. The man asked a legitimate question and you didn't answer it. You pretended to answer it. You set up a foolish straw man analogy. You quoted scriptures on conscience. But the best you could do was to suggest that there are "degrees of punishment in hell." What does that mean in the context of billions of people who have never heard the name of Christ (the only name), or never read the Scriptures, and never heard a missionary? Are all of these billions of peoples going to hell, albeit some of them to cooler sectors, because they had "good consciences?"
By the way, the Scriptures know nothing of "degrees of punishment in hell." This is another man-made invention of the church. In Luke 12:47-48 where "many lashes" and "few lashes" are presented in a parable, it is the Jews, not the nations or the Africans, who are the subject. Christ is talking about "slaves of the lord" at His coming. This punishment is meted out at the Lord's coming not eternally in a place called Hell. Now, how could or would that same Lord take eternity in hell fire to administer just a few lashes? Eternity? ETERNITY? For a "few" lashes? And you have the audacity to tell us: "Hell is fair!"
Dr. Kennedy, that statement is too absurd for comment.
Christ taught the masses in parables so that they would not understand (Matt. 13:10-15). Well, I guess, not too much has changed there.
This parable is about "the faithful and prudent administrator" (the Jews) whom He entrusts with His goods "to be giving them the measure of grain in season." This parable has nothing to do with the unbelieving nations that know not God.
The more I think about your non-answer to the man's question, the more I believe you were very careful to avoid directness. I understand your predicament: your own unscriptural doctrines boxed you into a corner, where neither a misappropriated scripture nor a straw man analogy will get you off the hook. The fact is that the theology of Christendom has no place for the salvation of the billions of peoples who have never heard the Name of God.
But, thanks be to God! And I really mean thanks be to GOD, that His Word provides for the salvation of all nations. There are literally dozens of Scriptures that tell us how and when God will save all nations, all peoples, and all creatures.
Let's look at a Scripture regarding who God is calling and who God is not calling at this time:
"For you are observing your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh; not many powerful, not many noble, but the stupidity of the world God chooses ... " (Cor. 1:26).
Notice the categories of men that are not even called at this time. How can they be saved when they aren't even called?
But He will call them all at a later time.
"And I, if I should be exalted out of the earth shall be drawing ALL to Myself." (John 12:33).
Israel didn't comprehend their own Messiah-they killed Him! Why? Because "God gives them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to be observing, and ears not to be hearing, till this very day." (Rom. 11:
. "But in their offense is salvation to the nations" (Ver. 11). "For if their casting away is the conciliation of the world, what will the taking back be if not life from among the dead?" (Ver. 15). " ... for God is able to graft them in again." (Ver. 24). " ... that callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus ALL Israel shall be saved ... Whenever I should be eliminating their sins." (Vers. 15, 24, 25-27).
God blinds Israel until He finishes calling those of the nations. Then He recalls Israel and saves the nations: "For God locks up all [both Israel and Gentiles] together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all [Israel and Gentiles]. (Ver. 32). Then follows this marvelous verse:
"O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! For, who knew the mind of the Lord? or, who became His adviser? or who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory of the eons! Amen! (Rom. 11:33-36).
I am trying to get you to think and really check the Scriptures thoroughly. Any other motive would be childish. So bear with me. If you really believe that God is only going to save a few of His billions of children, then please read on. I'll show you "good news" like you've never dreamed of.
As for you, you can't have it both ways, Dr. Kennedy. You can't teach that "For in grace, through faith [the faith of Jesus Christ, not our faith-it is not our faith until God gives it to us], are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's GIFT, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus ... " (Eph. 2:8-10) and then out of the other side of your mouth teach that man, "himself," is the main ingredient in his own salvation by being wise enough through his own so-called free will to make the right choice for God out of a clear conscience, in accord with his own responsibility, without which God cannot or will not save him.
These two are diametrically opposed one to the other. The first is Scriptural; the latter is a man-made perversion of the love and sovereignty of God.
Author
Topic: Africa (Read 1020 times)