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| Is this man saved? |
When the article I was privileged to help with today is published I will link to it. Can anyone explain why this topic is being discussed again all of the sudden? If it becomes an issue for the Church which is His Body again I will write on it myself.
Here's a serious question though: Why is my grammar so much improved when I'm reading someone else's work? Working with an editor is a severely humbling experience. If I could manage to improve my grammar when I'm writing my own stuff perhaps the experience would be more pleasant; like living on a desert island might be!
2 comments:
Am I permitted to ask what will possibly be called an ignorant question by GES?
That ignorant question is, why on earth did this "desert island scenario" start in the first place? I know Hodges made it up to make some point, and I think I've heard Wilkin talk about running alongside someone that was trying to catch a plane, and you have so little time to share the Gospel with them as they run to catch their plane, so what will you share with them as you run alongside?
But these scenarios are, well I'm sorry, but they're just stupid. They just don't happen. Nobody on a deserted island has John 6:47 show up apart from the rest of any other Bible text, and I've never been in a situation where I didn't have time to say all of "Jesus is God, died for our sins and rose again, and believing in Jesus to save means going to heaven". That takes five seconds, literally. Try it. To think that there is some scenario in reality where I don't have the five seconds to say all that, is just false.
I'm not an expert with words and verbiage, so I'm sure I don't sound scholarly in the way I'm saying this. But I hope my point, if there is one, is coming through. This argument is so dumb. This was my reaction to all of it over these years, as I watched people fight and break apart from one another.
But then I thought, no, I'm glad it happened. Because:
1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you.
Is it an approved message with the Lord Jesus, to say that we just don't have time to take three extra seconds to add that He died for our sins and rose again, when we're preaching the Gospel?
And so what is the content of the Gospel? That is the question GES is asking, using these illustrations to ask it. So I guess I figured out that it's not really about debates, but it's really all about having the true beliefs of certain people exposed, people that I love and respect, but people that I just can no longer agree with on what is simply the most important issue in all the universe.
And that makes my heart sad. I know God still uses them, but, I'm just sad. The Lord will comfort me.
Hi Anonymous, your point is well made. That is one of the many things which challenge the GES position. These situations just never actually happen. They are at best mere though experiments.
Unfortunately, the person who only has enough time to hear "Believe Jesus for Eternal Life!" but has no idea who this Jesus is, why they don't already have Eternal Life, or that there is such a thing as Eternity, that they are sinners in need of salvation, and that this salvation was provided for JUSTLY at the Cross... well that person is not saved. Romans 1 applies to them. They have rejected God who has been revealed to them through Creation. Just like every other person on the planet who never believes the Gospel....
Creating a scenario, that won't ever happen, doesn't change the fact that if a person doesn't believe the Gospel they are not saved.
1Cor 11 has been on my mind a great deal these last few days. I am sad along with you. Sad, and greatly distressed. Yet I know in Whom I have believed, and He is faithful.
Thanks for your comment!
Kev
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