Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Abundance (06/08/06)
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TITLE: Perdition vs. Pardon | Previous Challenge Entry
By Edy T Johnson
06/15/06 -
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“I would be happy to. The title is ‘Heaven Is Not Your Home!’”
“Thank you, Dr. Fordon. Our second guest is Dr. Jerusha Plennie, professor of communications at Troy College. Dr. Plennie, you take issue with Professor Fordon’s thesis.”
“Most definitely! In my website response (titled ‘God? or Molech?’) I argue the position of universal restoration.”
“Thank you, both. Dr. Fordon, please begin by explaining your controversial thesis.”
“Thank you and good evening to all. In arguing that ‘Heaven is not your home,’ I speak from conviction that the vast majority of the population is headed for the Lake of Fire, otherwise known as Hell. Sin, after all, needs to be punished. If you recall the story of Noah, only eight righteous people were saved when the entire sin-filled world was destroyed by the flood. In the 1656 years between Adam and the Flood of Noah’s day, something in the vicinity of ten trillion, yes trillion, people could have been generated, given an initial population of two people and an estimated two percent annual growth rate. This is the first of many points I address in my book. Not very good odds, ten trillion to eight, wouldn’t you say, Dr. Plennie?
“Dr. Plennie, as part of your response to Dr. Fordon, please define the term ‘universal restoration,’ and explain your title 'God? or Molech?' as well.”
“I’m happy to explain. Universal restoration speaks to the final recovery of ALL people, from sin and alienation from God, into a state of joyful reunion with Him. Allow me to make an important distinction. Jesus died to save people FROM their sin, not to leave them IN sin. Second, my title refers to the blasphemy against the Almighty that the church at large has committed. We, the church, have consigned God’s blood-bought children to the fire of Hinnom, or ‘hell,’ in effect turning the Savior of the world into the idol Molech connected to Baal worship.”
“I beg your pardon, Dr. Plennie! I must protest. This is such inflammatory rhetoric that I fail to see what possible benefit can come from allowing this debate to continue!”
“I apologize for the shock of my statement, Dr. Fordon, but it is scriptural. In Jeremiah the Lord grieves over the Israelites’ sacrificing their sons and daughters to the fire-god, Molech. In His words: ‘...neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’ If throwing one’s children into a fire never entered God’s mind, would He be planning to do the very same thing to most of His children? Yet, what has the church accepted as ‘true,’ but the abominable doctrine you, Dr. Fordon, preach, namely that Jesus’ crucifixion death was not sufficient to save the whole world, but only a select few....”
“Let’s give Dr. Fordon the opportunity to answer your charges.”
“Thank you! Dr. Plennie, you’re actually claiming that people such as Haman, Judas, or Hitler, after the horrific sins they committed, could wind up in Heaven with the saints? Where is God’s justice, if He turns a blind eye to the sin of men such as these?”
“Dr. Fordon. Did Jesus NOT die for the sin of the whole world? Are some sins not covered by the blood? If the first Adam made us all sinners....”
“Hold on, Dr. Plennie! The individual has responsibility. If he doesn’t accept the gift it is worthless to him. We must turn away from sin and be born again, or we will be gathered up and burned....”
“I’m afraid, Dr. Fordon, that you place the burden for ‘finding salvation’ on the shoulder of the sinner rather than the Savior! Jesus said He would leave the 99 in the fold and go search for the one lamb that went astray until He finds him. That abundant mercy flies in the face of your horrible book! Your ‘odds’ have no bearing, whatsoever, in scripture.”
----The debate continues.----
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Isaiah 55:7 (KJV) ...and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Reference:
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/unselfishness-of-god.htm
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Very thought-provoking piece. I loved the scripture reference at the end.
He did not die in vain! Your heart of love shines through!