Hi Jerry,

On 12/23/05, Jerry <jelewis@...> wrote:
>
> 1) God loves all.

Does he love all equally?  Do you love everybody equally?

If God loves the sinner in hell who refused to repent the same as his
own blood-bought people, then doesn't that cheapen the love he has for
his own bride?

Amos says: You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
(Amo 3:2)

Does God really only know of one family or does he know everybody?  Of
course He knows everybody but he knows Israel (and the church - his
called out ones) in a special way and with a special love.

> 2) Christ died for the sins of all and paid the price of redemption.

If Christ paid the price of redemption for all then why does anyone
suffer in hell?  How can God demand payment for sins twice?

> 3) Christ rose from the dead.

No debate on this point.

> 4) Whosoever will "believe on Christ" and "receive Him" are saved.

Agreed.  But who will believe?  Does God take a "crap shoot" and just
hope that someone will believe or does has he selected those whom He
will give the faith to believe?  Doesn't Eph 2:8-9 teach that faith is
a gift?

> 5) Those who reject and do not believe remain in their condemnation ... and
> "perish."
>

Sure. But again, who will reject?  Does God know?  If He knows, then
why doesn't He do something about it?

> And He makes "dead men" .... "alive" by the means of "believing on the Son
> of God."  That cannot happen until they hear the Word of God and chose to
> believe on the One that the Word proclaims.
>

Agreed.


--

Grace and peace,
Kevin Sigafoos
---------------------
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be
glory forever. Amen. (Rom 11:36)