While we are gripped in the drama of this worldwide pandemic and thinking frantically about our survival, let's pause and decide to embrace some positive opportunities.
Firstly, let's pray for our leaders.
Our PM and his national cabinet are under great stress as they grapple with very difficult decisions for the nation.
While there are some of us who will always be looking for a chance to criticise our PM, our Premiers and our First Ministers, most of us would not want to be holding their position at a time like this and would much rather value the support and encouragement of the populous if we did.
So let's appreciate the enormity of their task and support them in it.
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgivings be offered to God for all people;
for kings and all others who are in authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence toward God and with proper conduct.
[1 Timothy 1 : 1, 2 GNB]
Secondly, let's rebuild our families.
Over recent decades, family life has become so fragmented and in some cases, has completely disappeared.
Many homes have become houses - places of residence at best, or unfortunately, postal addresses for overnight accommodation.
With the prospect of community lock-downs staring us in the face comes the opportunity for families to restore family life again.
Parents and children getting to know each other.
Families doing things together.
Relationships inspired by loving and caring.
Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other.
[Romans 12 : 10 GW]
Thirdly, let's show love to each other.
Isabel and I are in the so-called vulnerable age bracket and so have decided to stay at home during this time.
We are blessed to have two sons and their families living close by as well as young neighbours who have offered to shop for us (as well as the offer of a beautiful young refugee lady who lives several suburbs away).
To genuinely love others is to want the best for them and, wherever possible, to do that best.
So, in addition to loving family as previously mentioned, we could be looking for ways to love our neighbours - those known and unknown to us.
How?
To shop thoughtfully leaving sufficient on the shelves for others.
To offer to shop for those in lock down or self-isolation.
To use our phones and the internet to check up on and keep in contact with friends.
To show appreciation and courtesy to those on the "front lines" - medical, education, transport and customer service people.
Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
This is the greatest and the most important commandment.
The second most important commandment is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' "
[Matthew 22 : 37 - 39 GNB]
Fourthly, let's restore our relationship with God.
So many people are being terrorised by the situation we are in.
- the health crisis caused by the importing and sharing of a new rogue virus.
- the economic crisis caused by the virtual total shut-down of business activity and subsequent loss of income.
I think the PM is doing a great job in this unchartered environment although he appears to be following the advice of his medical experts at the expense of his economic ones when a middle course of action might be better for the welfare of the nation in the longer term.
However, I won't get into that here - I am only a physics and mathematics man and these are medical and economic challenges.
For me, both these crises seem to have morphed into one - the crisis of fear.
Decades ago, the majority of Australians had the faith to trust God, no matter what the circumstances.
As a nation, we have lost that.
But God is still God, and is the Master of the universe.
Nothing, not even COVID-19, changes that.
Here is an opportunity to restore that relationship and experience the peace that God can give even in the most trying situation.
And, in any case, even if it is our time to leave this planet, there is much better in store for all of us.
We can trust God for that too.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
[Psalm 23 ESV]
Blessings, Barry
This is the eleventh in a mini-series of posts responding to the arguments offered by Dr Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum (Dr Arnold) against God's plan to eventually reconcile and save all His creation.
His arguments against Universal Reconciliation (UR) are offered under five headings, the second of which is b. The Fixed State of the Unbelieving Dead. (see a previous post "Opposition to Universal Reconciliation" here)
Under the b. The Fixed State of the Unbelieving Dead heading Dr Arnold claims that the unbelieving dead are seen in a fixed state that cannot be altered and then quotes numerous texts from the New Testament hoping to illustrate his assertion.
(i) The Matthew texts, (ii) The Rich Man and Lazarus parable, (iii) the John texts and (iv)Two texts from 2 Peter were discussed in previous posts - Parts 7, 8, 9 and 10.
(v) Two texts from Jude describing so-called "eternal" dark outcomes for sinners.
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal (Gk. eonian = age-during) fire. [Jude 7 NIV]
They are like the waves of a wild sea. Their sins are like the dirty water along the shore. They look like stars moving here and there. But the darkest place has been kept for them forever (Gk. for an eon = for an age).
[Jude 13 NIV]
Once again, the correct, literal translation of the Greek destroys the "traditional" doctrinal of eternal punishment and darkness.
I have written about this mischievous translation (eonian=eternal) on several occasions; even so, I am considering writing a series of posts concentrating on these wrongly translated texts exposing how they have been used to induce the fear of eternal torment by a loving God for all those who have not been given the faith to become members of the Body of Christ during their lifetime on this planet.
Clearly the correctly translated punishment and darkness verses do not over-ride God's promise of restoring all things and bringing unity and harmony to the universe as the Bible records and I have quoted so often on this BLOG site, but instead show that any loss or correction will be limited to the ages, to the realm of time.
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
[Revelation 21 : 5 NIV]
Heaven must receive him (Messiah) until the time comes for God to restore everything.
[Acts 3 : 21 NIV]
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
[Ephesians 1 : 8 - 10 NIV]
Correct translations make all God's plans clear and unchallenged.
Those not called into Christian service in the Body of Christ in this age only miss out on the kingdom age.
They cannot miss out on eternity if God holds true to his promises - which he always does.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[Romans 8 : 38 - 39 NIV]
Blessings, Barry
One of the responsibilities we have as members of the Body of Christ is to tell others about God's good news (which we discussed in the previous post).
"Why?" you may be thinking, "I've been doing that for years with so little success."
We should not be disappointed about that slender success rate as God's purpose during this age is solely to build the Body of Christ.
(A previous post "God Is NOT Trying to Save the World Right Now" discusses this and compares members of the Body of Christ to classroom milk monitors.
You can refresh your memory here.)
God has chosen to use our spreading of the gospel in this age to complete the membership of that Body.
As we share the good news, those whom God has chosen to join us are given the faith to believe that good news and commit their lives to Jesus and to his purpose in calling them, as we were.
So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.
[Romans 10 : 17 NCV]
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
[Ephesians 2 : 8 ESV]
This number of people will always be relatively small. So let's not be discouraged - we are God's means of achieving his purpose in this age.
Our view of the "success rate" totally ignores what God is doing at this time. God has pre-determined how many will be in this Advance Party and he'll have 100% success in achieving his purpose.
Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him.
Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose.
[Ephesians 1 : 4 - 5 GNB]
And when the Body is complete. God will turn his attention back to Israel.
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
[Romans 11 : 25 - 27 ESV]
(A previous post talks about this here.)
So let's be totally focused on God's plan for this time and become enthusiastic about the part he has chosen us to play in it.
Because ... when the Body is complete, and Israel has been saved, and Jesus has ruled in his millennium kingdom, then will come the salvation of the rest of humanity.
As everyone dies because of Adam, so also everyone will be made alive because of Christ.
[1 Corinthians 15 : 22 GW]
Blessings, Barry
