Thanks Paul. Yes I had a very good Thanksgiving. Turkey was super duper. Dressing was a hit.

No one goes to the Father but by me. Thanks for praying for me.

You don't seem to realize that someone can believe in Jesus and not think in the way you and most evangelicals think about Jesus and Hell and salvation and eternal life. We think differently. God Created us in his image.

Actually, the problem you have is a university degree. You touted your degree and you have no idea how that hinders your thinking. You spent $$ and hours listening to those professors telling you what the scripture meant. I feel for you

I am an universalist. To be honest, there is no amount of debate that will sway me, because your arguments are full of holes. We serve a living, loving God that loves EVERYONE.

If you want to keep on this discussion, I'll be perfectly okay to provide my side of the scriptures that provide plenty of scriptural proof of my side of the argument.

Romans 5:18: "One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men"

Jesus "is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

"Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:8)

"At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should gladly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10:11)

"God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Col. 1:19, 21, 22)

This one is special because God was the Father that was PLEASED to have all fullness dwell in Him.

Jesus "did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” (John 12:47)

But to be honest, you already know the scriptures. You, if you are worth your salt would have already figured out my side of the debate and had your defense already waiting.

But hey,

Lawyer stuff.

Let me know if you want to continue this debate. Love,

Sal

Paul?

Hi Sally, Merry Christmas, yes, communication for edification. Jesus had an answer for those that did not agree with his desciples.
Mark 9:38-41 (KJV) 38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is on our part. 41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Many who have accepted Christ into their hearts do not agree on traditional doctrine. I see it every day. Additionally, early Christians met in homes not churches. 1 Corinthians 16:19 (KJV)
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Hope your season is filled with JOY,
Paul

Oh, I detect a chink in your armor. Very good. In time I may well influence you into the preterist/universal camp. Even though you will scoff.

Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. The difference is that I believe it and you may not. To acknowledge God made sub standard folks who will never acknowledge Him is a bit perplexing. I do think that free will allows us the ability to somehow pigeonhole God. He created all of us for a reason.

You have to decide if His creation allows all humans to continue to enjoy an existence after our time on earth or if you think that our life here on earth is somehow the contingent to say if someone enjoys Gods grace and everlasting life. This is a big question.

You my friend are fighting a loosing battle. A loving God does not create Wars and crack heads and murderers.

A loving God Creates man and women in his image, allows them to do what they do then nurtures them. The fallen, the lost , the broken, the sick, tired, and hungry. I believe there will be a place for the most abhorrent vile pieces of human crap that we can think of.

This is not to say that I in any way I think that I condone sin or crime here in this life. I absolutely do not. 

I just think that maybe God is a bit more intelligent than me.

Having said all that, you Paul and your family please have a great Holiday. Remember to watch the George C Scott version of 'A Christmas Carol'. Try not to cry during the last scene.

Best wishes,

Sal

 Hi Paul {or whoever wants to comment) Holiday is over so let's get back to explaining why or why not folks need to or don't need to do anything to be saved. dmacmanes, you should chime in. (I notice you changed your avatar..)

So let's start with Colossians 1, 15-20

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; ¹⁶ for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. ¹⁹ For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

So God created the world, and to him all Glory is due. In everything. He Himself will bring all things to Himself through the cross. We need to do nothing.

Now many will be saying, if that is so, why can't people just sin and do evil if they know that in the end they will be with God? What keeps them from just having their way and knowing that they will one day be with God?

Man has from the beginning been given free will. The free will of the Adam and Eve episode is what we are told was the sin of the first Adam. Christ came to nullify the sin nature of man. My contention is that he did this out of love for His creation, and does not really need us to do anything to facilitate the forgiveness. Christ took all sin with him on the cross. Thus we are all already saved.

Many are going to say something like what about severely evil people like Hitler and such.

Well, i feel that first of all, God's way for us to live is a peaceful way of life. When we follow God, I believe our life is abundant and fulfilled. Even if we experience setbacks. Faith gets us through those times.

I think that when anyone, who has done evil in their life, comes before the Creator God, That they will be broken beyond imagination. And only God's love will be able to put them back together again.

So many will quote scripture that they think alludes to having to do or proclaim something to be in the grace of God, or for the Calvinists, there is nothing you can or can't do to be in Gods fold, because of pre destination.

Univesalism is the only logical place we can land if we say God is loving and God wills all persons to come to him.

Amen

Sal