Now that I have your attention I hope you read my little sermon completely before you have your rebuttles.lol
Often times I have heard of people who while their hearts a broken because of the loss of a loved one who out of desperation for relief ended their life, because they were overwhelmed by grief or lonely isolation. Or to the wayward child or parent who succumbed to addictions and overdosed on a substance giving them a counterfeit happiness. Hears a preacher say that they have committed an unpardenable sin and will burn in he'll forever. And then when people are at their most sensitive time, be told that the only comfort to be had is that the lost soul can be a reminder of how we need to repent and come to Christ before it's too late.
I can say that I hate such instances and they are done by such ignorant and thoughtless people who deny mercy and the atonement of Christ and in a way teach about a God who is unmerciful and unjust.
Before I continue. Let me share some scriptures and then frame the context behind my conclusion.
1) Luke 4:18:19 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
2) 1 Peter 3:18,19 KJV
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
3) 1 Peter 4:6 KJV
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
4) John 5:25 KJV
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
5) 1 Corinthians 15:29 KJV
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?
God in his perfection is perfectly just but also perfectly merciful. And it would not seem just to cast off his children who need his mercy the most. When someone is suffering so much that the only way that they feel they can make the pain stop is by making it so that they can physically feel pain any more, when they feel that life is so hard that they can't go on, for those pleading with their soul in a way they can't express verbally, yearning for vedine help and feeling that it isn't there. How could the Lord justly punish such a confused and hopeless soul? How does that show an infinite love to them?
God loves his children. And says that his are is out stretched all the day long if we would but come unto him.
He has prepared a way that the atonement of Christ can reach out to everyone who will take hold of it. That even in death people can hear a message of hope, that there is still a chance before their resurrection they can accept Christ. That even though they may be condemned by those left behind they can still be spiritually saved. That those who loved them can still do a work for them and help them recieve the baptism they have missed. That when they are resurrected they can be resurrected with the just unto life instead of the resurrection of the unjust unto a spiritual death.
I believe that this gives a perfect balance of mercy and justice. That all of the law may be fulfilled and exact. Yet mercy can be extended without robing justice. That all can be done for God's children that he loves unconditionally, but greaves when we turn from him and like the parable of the prodigal son can say. "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
Often times I have heard of people who while their hearts a broken because of the loss of a loved one who out of desperation for relief ended their life, because they were overwhelmed by grief or lonely isolation. Or to the wayward child or parent who succumbed to addictions and overdosed on a substance giving them a counterfeit happiness. Hears a preacher say that they have committed an unpardenable sin and will burn in he'll forever. And then when people are at their most sensitive time, be told that the only comfort to be had is that the lost soul can be a reminder of how we need to repent and come to Christ before it's too late.
I can say that I hate such instances and they are done by such ignorant and thoughtless people who deny mercy and the atonement of Christ and in a way teach about a God who is unmerciful and unjust.
Before I continue. Let me share some scriptures and then frame the context behind my conclusion.
1) Luke 4:18:19 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
2) 1 Peter 3:18,19 KJV
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
3) 1 Peter 4:6 KJV
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
4) John 5:25 KJV
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
5) 1 Corinthians 15:29 KJV
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?
God in his perfection is perfectly just but also perfectly merciful. And it would not seem just to cast off his children who need his mercy the most. When someone is suffering so much that the only way that they feel they can make the pain stop is by making it so that they can physically feel pain any more, when they feel that life is so hard that they can't go on, for those pleading with their soul in a way they can't express verbally, yearning for vedine help and feeling that it isn't there. How could the Lord justly punish such a confused and hopeless soul? How does that show an infinite love to them?
God loves his children. And says that his are is out stretched all the day long if we would but come unto him.
He has prepared a way that the atonement of Christ can reach out to everyone who will take hold of it. That even in death people can hear a message of hope, that there is still a chance before their resurrection they can accept Christ. That even though they may be condemned by those left behind they can still be spiritually saved. That those who loved them can still do a work for them and help them recieve the baptism they have missed. That when they are resurrected they can be resurrected with the just unto life instead of the resurrection of the unjust unto a spiritual death.
I believe that this gives a perfect balance of mercy and justice. That all of the law may be fulfilled and exact. Yet mercy can be extended without robing justice. That all can be done for God's children that he loves unconditionally, but greaves when we turn from him and like the parable of the prodigal son can say. "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
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