Hi Claypot,
Kat, are you saying here that the tares are the called? According to you does Ray teach that there are only the chosen and called? Just the 2 classes of people?
Generally the Scriptures speak primarily of the Called/many/church and the Chosen/few/Elect. Of course this is not all the people in the world, there are those in the many other religions and the atheists, agnostics and nonreligious.
This particular part of the parable seems to be speaking of the Tares, which are those that 'look' like Wheat/Elect, but are not, that is why they will be burned/judged in the Lake of fire.
do you see God as austere? Do you see this parable as defining God as austere?
Luke 19:21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man.
That statement is made by one that was not a true Elect, therefore his judgement of Christ is not correct.
"The number of persons in these parables are relative to what is being specifically spoken of."
I don’t understand what you mean here Kat.
This particular verse (21) of the parable was about the man that was not the true Chosen (tare), this is a specific segment of the called that dwell among the Elect. So the number is relative to that segment, not the entirety of the called.
Do you see vs 27 as saying that all that is not of God will be harshly eliminated?
Not eliminated, but in the Lake of fire their carnality will be slain in all of humanity, this is not a physical death.
Isa 66:15 For behold, the LORD will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
Isa 66:16 For by fire and by His sword
The LORD will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the LORD shall be many.
In this age only the Elect/Chosen/few are dying to the carnal self, this is being "crucified with Christ."
Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me;
The whole human race must go through this process of killing/destroying the carnality/beast/flesh as the Elect are going through now. The 'fire' in the Lake of fire will be harsh, but only as each deserves as in few stripes, many stripes in Luke 12, but all will be ultimately saved.
1Cor 3:13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
v. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
v. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
mercy, peace and love
Kat