Why be different?

Certainly everyone else isn't wrong, are they?  These are questions that come to my mind as I had to ask myself as I took the steps to begin this endeavor. 

These are the basic conclusions I've arrived at during my approaching 20 years of seeking God through the Bible and prayer:

God is all powerful

God is all knowing

God is just

God is merciful

Jesus is the Savior

What's the problem? That's what you believe too? 

I had a problem several years ago as I contemplated the above attributes of God and tried to reconcile them with contemporary Christian doctrines. It all boiled down to: How God could be all powerful and knowing, just and merciful, and allow the bulk of the human race to end up in the endless torment and suffering of hell? That is what seems to be taught in Bible based churches. 

If you believe in the doctrine of "free will", then God has allowed humanity to act independent of Himself and, with a few exceptions, is racing off a cliff like a herd of lemmings into eternal torment. Never mind that God, if all powerful, could stop it! Never mind that God, if all knowing, knew in advance that this was going to happen! Never mind that God, if just, is sentencing the bulk of humanity to eternal torment in exchange for not making the right decision during a 70 or 80 year time span! (or if you haven't quite got beyond the "works" syndrome, 70 or 80 years of bad deeds) 

Never mind the fact that Jesus paid the price for everyone's sin on the cross! Is Jesus a potential Savior, or is He a real Savior? If he is a potential Savior and the rest is up to you, then aren't you actually your own savior? If you are saved, then it is because of what YOU did?

If you believe in the doctrine of "predestination", or "election", then God has created humanity to, with a few exceptions, race off a cliff like a herd of lemmings into eternal torment. God had all the power He needed to design it differently, but chose not to! God knew in advance that this was going to happen! God, apparently not really just, is sentencing the bulk of humanity to eternal torment in exchange for doing exactly what He predestined them to do!! 

If you were charged with believing in eternal torment, would you be convicted? When the investigators examined the evidence, would your daily journal, your checkbook, and your activities reflect the kind of evidence that would be expected from someone who believes that their friends, relatives and neighbors were in danger of being eternally tormented? Would those who know you be good witnesses in your defense? Think about it. Do you honestly believe that a just God sentences people to an eternity of torment?

Fortunately, we aren't dependant on some people's interpretation of scripture. Sorry folks, but the Bible doesn't actually teach the doctrine of eternal torment.  To learn that for yourselves, you'll have to go beyond believing what you've been told in the past, and do some open-minded Bible study of your own.

If you want to at least explore the possibility that the doctrine of eternal torment is an error (along with some other popular modern Christian doctrines), you're welcome to join us. Give me a call (715.723.0411) or send me an email (mike@chippewavalleymedia.com) 

Read one of my favorite articles by Jeff Priddy: 

The Ludicrous Threat of Eternal Torment

Sincerely,

Mike Aasen