Over a period of months now, I've been contemplating the absolute nature of what is said about salvation...in that one MUST be born again in order to enter into Heaven. There are loopholes, no bypasses, no end arounds, no tunneling under the wall and no flying over it. Christ Jesus is the ONLY means to salvation, and there is no other...at least, that's what the Bible teaches and most of us here believe.
So, when we find ourselves faced with another seemingly contradictory doctrine that is not stated in scripture anywhere that I can find, and we realize we're faced with utter silence on the issue, and we still pit the emotional doctrine against the absolute doctrine, the emotional doctrine seems to win on all counts! Why is that?
Well, the seeming "end-around" doctrine that seems to win the day with most, and only on the basis of emotion so far as I can see, is the fate of infants, both before and after birth, up to the POINT of accountability...not age, since that deals only with some arbitrary number, which is fallacious since different children mature at different ages from child to child.
Please do not assume anything into what you think I will say or conclude. Read this to the end.
It's assumed that they all will be in Heaven in spite of the proportions Christ revealed concerning all of humanity:
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Do you see what the above quotation is saying. It reveals the intentionality of which path one is upon, and that the narrow path must be intentionally sought out. We see no indication that anyone just so happens to land on the narrow path on the basis of their life having been snuffed out before what we affectionately call "the age of accountability." Now, I'm not saying they're going to Hell, and I'm not saying they go to Heaven or some limbo in between as some religions seem to enjoy teaching their followers. Neither am I saying that they cease to exist, so just in case...
When we seek the mind of God, and His ways, and have the courage to ask the Lord for those things, we have to be prepared for what may seem radical to us, but in God's economy, is filled with meaningful and wise insight, grounded in His perfect justice and consistency to His written word to us.
In short, what has occurred to me about this topic, which is not stated in either direction within scripture that I can find, apart from the many traditionally emotional injections so many out there have practiced all their sacred lives, including myself, I would like to put forth another thought for your consideration.
In the economy of God's perfect justice, and given that the majority of all babies and children would have ended up rejecting Christ, as is address in the above scriptural quote, it just doesn't seem reasonable to assume that those who would have eventually landed themselves in Hell by their own choices would be forcefully taken and kept in Heaven in spite of their own choosing of the path in life on this earth.
So, how can they all be brought to that point in their life to make that choice between two opposing directions for eternity that we all have encountered and decided upon?
The Millennium.
You likely see where I'm going with this...
My oldest son used a modern term as to how that will happen...he called it the RESET.
Now, I don't know if this concept is at all in keeping with God's plan, and if it is, HOW He will accomplish it...whether through another birth to parents in that time, or they simply come into being and are delivered to couples in that Millennium...the Lord can and will accomplish it all as He sees fit. In that environment, they will then have reached that point of choosing, and be judged accordingly as is ALL of humanity.
So, I'm offering this as food for thought and conversation. Those who have unbridled emotions, I don't have time for emotional outbursts since I am not bringing up a concept that is worthy of such. Please keep emotion out of this, and let's just talk about what IS said in scripture that may serve as a constellation of supporting doctrines that most of us DO believe are absolutes, and therefore beyond question.
MM - at it again...
So, when we find ourselves faced with another seemingly contradictory doctrine that is not stated in scripture anywhere that I can find, and we realize we're faced with utter silence on the issue, and we still pit the emotional doctrine against the absolute doctrine, the emotional doctrine seems to win on all counts! Why is that?
Well, the seeming "end-around" doctrine that seems to win the day with most, and only on the basis of emotion so far as I can see, is the fate of infants, both before and after birth, up to the POINT of accountability...not age, since that deals only with some arbitrary number, which is fallacious since different children mature at different ages from child to child.
Please do not assume anything into what you think I will say or conclude. Read this to the end.
It's assumed that they all will be in Heaven in spite of the proportions Christ revealed concerning all of humanity:
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Do you see what the above quotation is saying. It reveals the intentionality of which path one is upon, and that the narrow path must be intentionally sought out. We see no indication that anyone just so happens to land on the narrow path on the basis of their life having been snuffed out before what we affectionately call "the age of accountability." Now, I'm not saying they're going to Hell, and I'm not saying they go to Heaven or some limbo in between as some religions seem to enjoy teaching their followers. Neither am I saying that they cease to exist, so just in case...
When we seek the mind of God, and His ways, and have the courage to ask the Lord for those things, we have to be prepared for what may seem radical to us, but in God's economy, is filled with meaningful and wise insight, grounded in His perfect justice and consistency to His written word to us.
In short, what has occurred to me about this topic, which is not stated in either direction within scripture that I can find, apart from the many traditionally emotional injections so many out there have practiced all their sacred lives, including myself, I would like to put forth another thought for your consideration.
In the economy of God's perfect justice, and given that the majority of all babies and children would have ended up rejecting Christ, as is address in the above scriptural quote, it just doesn't seem reasonable to assume that those who would have eventually landed themselves in Hell by their own choices would be forcefully taken and kept in Heaven in spite of their own choosing of the path in life on this earth.
So, how can they all be brought to that point in their life to make that choice between two opposing directions for eternity that we all have encountered and decided upon?
The Millennium.
You likely see where I'm going with this...
My oldest son used a modern term as to how that will happen...he called it the RESET.
Now, I don't know if this concept is at all in keeping with God's plan, and if it is, HOW He will accomplish it...whether through another birth to parents in that time, or they simply come into being and are delivered to couples in that Millennium...the Lord can and will accomplish it all as He sees fit. In that environment, they will then have reached that point of choosing, and be judged accordingly as is ALL of humanity.
So, I'm offering this as food for thought and conversation. Those who have unbridled emotions, I don't have time for emotional outbursts since I am not bringing up a concept that is worthy of such. Please keep emotion out of this, and let's just talk about what IS said in scripture that may serve as a constellation of supporting doctrines that most of us DO believe are absolutes, and therefore beyond question.
MM - at it again...