Hello, New Guy

[James]

Hi everyone.  Just a quick note to register as a new member.  Long-time believer, introduced to UR by God app. 1.5 years ago.  Learning, pondering, but ever convinced that I can not go back to the previous concepts of eternal hell and the frying of most of humanity.  Too much scripture that says God's going to fix it all after our (individual/collective) Lakes of Fire when He makes everything right.  ALL the nations will be blessed!  We serve a God that's even bigger and better than we'd ever dared to dream.

Although never much of a traditionalist, I still was involved in the music ministry (praise team, keyboard/vocals) of a large congregation in the Baptist denomination.   I have left there this year, finding my way, rather, God directing my steps. I work in the behavioral health field, married, 2 grown kids.

God's blessing, I'll be around.  James.

[Beloved]

Welcome James

Glad you joined the forum, We all need to learn more of God's plan and all of us have been in Babylon and have had our eyes opened to their false doctrines. This ia a place where we can fellowship and hopefully exhort and lift each other so we can go on to maturity.

Whenever the posting is slow and at odd time of the night, there are so many things to read here and on Ray's main sight. Feel free to use the search engine as well. There are many wonderful comments. It is also nice to learn about members through their postings.

UR and the false concept of Hell are two of the easier mans traditions to see, No free will and sovergnty are stumbling blocks for some, but these and others let us go on a see the true beauty and love of our Maker.  Understandn the depth of purpose and function of Fire (LOF)  who the chosen will be , real brotherly love and dying daily and carry the cross and more are more challenging.

I will be looking forward to your posts.

beloved 

[OBrenda]

Welcome to the Forum...James!


Brenda

[Kat]

Hi James,

I'm glad you have joined us  
I too was in a Baptist church for quite a while, been out about 3 yrs now.  We've had a number of people here that were involved in the music ministry, interesting.  
I hope this will be a place you can find rest from the world.  We want the newer believers as well as those who have had their eyes opened for some time to feel comfortable here.  I find this proverb to be fitting to this place, "But in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Pro 11:14).  
As Beloved mentioned we have many things to offer for additional study, here are a few links.

Forum Indexes & lots of Info.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,14.0.html

Ray's Audios  
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2641.0.html

Transcripts of Ray's Audios
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/board,12.0.html

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[iris]

Hi James,

Welcome to the forum!


Iris

[Stevernator]

Welcome to the forume James! We are glad to have you here.

[WhoAmI]

Howdy James!

I did music as well James, in a Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist church. My  Mom and step-dad both belong to a Baptist church. My father was also a Baptist. Glad to have you here.

Jeff

[EKnight]

Oh James, behavioral health field?? You could really be a help to me these days.  You may regret giving me that info.

Anyway, welcome to the BT forum.  Hope to hear from you often.

Eileen

[Heidi]

Welcome on board James!!  You are in for the ride of your life  ....hope that God will bless you and keep you so that we can all endure and stay fast to our hope to the end.

Love in Christ
Heidi

[hillsbororiver]

Hi James,

Welcome to the Forum, I look forward to fellowshipping with you,

Joe

[judster]

Welcome James!!!

From a fellow newbie.

Jud

[Douglas Wayne Thomas]

I do not understand what UR stands for, can anyone fill me in? 

[Dave in Tenn]

UR stands for Universal Reconciliation...a little doctrinal shorthand.   

I didn't know either till somebody told me.     

Better to believe it than to have a code for it.

[Douglas Wayne Thomas]

This is one definition for "UR" that I found. - Universal reconciliation, also called universal salvation or sometimes simply universalism, is the Christian doctrine or belief that all will receive salvation due to the love and mercy of God. This is the main belief that distinguishes Christian Universalism from other forms of Christianity. Universal reconciliation states that all people will eventually experience salvation, and most forms of the doctrine assert that the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the mechanism that provides reconciliation for all humankind and atonement for all sins. This concept is distinct from Unitarian Universalism.

Universal reconciliation is intimately related with the problem of Hell. There are various beliefs and views concerning the process or state of salvation, but all universalists conclude that it ultimately ends in the reconciliation and salvation of all mankind.

The belief in the eventual salvation of all humankind has been a topic of debate throughout the history of the Christian faith. In the early Church, universalism was a flourishing theological doctrine. Over time, as Christian theology experienced growth and expansion, it lost much of its popular acceptance. Today, most Christian denominations reject the doctrine of universal reconciliation.

Maybe I am missing the point here - it seems to me that this definition aligns itself very well with Ray's teaching. Please correct me, pr explain further if this viewpoint of mine is not correct. Thank you for any guidance one can afford to me.

[Richard D]

Hello James, My name is Richard; I'm also new to this forum. Just wanted to say hello and God bless.

[EKnight]

Maybe I am missing the point here - it seems to me that this definition aligns itself very well with Ray's teaching. Please correct me, pr explain further if this viewpoint of mine is not correct. Thank you for any guidance one can afford to me.


Hi Doug,

I think this email answers your question.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,7992.0.html

Eileen

[Dave in Tenn]

Doug, that's as good an 'explanation' of the term as any.  You are right to assume that Ray's teachings fall under this broad category. 

It gives me considerable confidence (though I did NOT know this when I first encountered B-T) that this was a common belief in the early church.  It has always been the 'ancientness' of this truth that has appealed to me rather than the 'newness', though it is in great measure 'new to me'.  Understanding that this is the Gospel preached by the Apostles and expounded by all the great statements of scripture, both Old Testament and New, means the Bible makes sense.  But in the end, it's not any argument of man that opens spiritual eyes.

[James]

Hi everyone, thanks for the warm invite.  I was surprised by so much response, thank you. 

Interesting, yes, wrt all the music folks.  Baptists too...I also have to add Assembly of God to my portfolio..grew up a preacher's kid in that denomination.

Behavioral health/"comfort in the midst of counselors"...been a counselor for 25 years...the comfort part depends on what type of counselors we're in the midst of  .

I prefer UR because to me it a) avoids the "universalist" term, which has so often been misapplied, misunderstood, and abused (read Unitarians), and b) I see it as a beautiful description and summary of what I call God's "Big Plan".  It is utterly fantastic to have a little glimpse of All being reconciled to Him...everything on, above, and below the earth...that God will make everything right, that He's in His big process of fixing everything.

EKnight, I'm around if I can be of a little comfort.  We all need a hand.

God's blessing, James.