Hi Everyone.
Have just finished the first draft of Chapter Six and have hidden it in the usual spot at http://users.ncable.net.au/~barrytatt/c6.pdf. Please have a read and feedback your comments.
I received some really helpful suggestions and feedback for the last two chapters I posted, so please keep them coming.
You should now have received .....
Preface, Introduction, Prelude and Chapters 1 - 7
So now after 4 years, the first draft of the book is completed. And because it has taken so long, it will need a fair bit of editing as my writing style has probably changed over the time, my understanding of some of the theological concepts keeps developing, and, because I have written each chapter "in isolation" from the other chapters, will have to check the linkages between them.
I have also been working on a website to support the book and researching my publishing options.
Anyway, that's the news at the moment,
Please attack Chapter Six for me. I really appreciate it.
Blessings, Barry
Showing posts with label c6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label c6. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2014
Thursday, April 11, 2013
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Last night we watched a British comedy called "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."
It's the story of a group of misfit British pensioners who were enticed to retire to a hotel in India that was in very poor repair.
It didn't grab me to begin with, but it grew on me, and by the time it was finished I had been well entertained.
A quaint line often repeated by the Indian manager of the hotel went something like,
Since all are not yet reconciled to God, we are definitely not yet at the end.
How beautifully true.
God still has the remainder of this age, and more ages to come, in which to complete His mission.
But complete it He will, or the Saviour of the world will have wasted His time.
Blessings, Barry
It's the story of a group of misfit British pensioners who were enticed to retire to a hotel in India that was in very poor repair.
It didn't grab me to begin with, but it grew on me, and by the time it was finished I had been well entertained.
A quaint line often repeated by the Indian manager of the hotel went something like,
"Everything will be all right in the end. So if it is not all right, then it is not yet the end."How that resonated with me as a person believing in God's plan to reconcile all of creation to Himself in the end.
Since all are not yet reconciled to God, we are definitely not yet at the end.
How beautifully true.
God still has the remainder of this age, and more ages to come, in which to complete His mission.
But complete it He will, or the Saviour of the world will have wasted His time.
Blessings, Barry
Friday, January 4, 2013
Les Miserables
This afternoon I went to see the latest release of the movie "Les Miserables" with four of my grandchildren.
I'm not a grant fan of musicals, but I so love the story line of this novel that I couldn't resist the invitation to join the expedition to the cinema.
One of my favourite lines is spoken by Valjean while speaking to Cosette, his "adopted daughter."
He says to her,
"You will learn.
Truth is given by God
To us all in our time,
In our turn."
As I read the Bible it seems clear to me that the truth
that God exists,
that he is love and sovereign,
that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world and to reconcile all of us to himself,
is indeed given to all people, and in their turn.
In fact, the only difference between us (believers) and others (unbelievers) is God's timing in revealing truth.
The only thing that makes us different from others is timing.
We, the believers, the “called," the "firstfruits," are simply further along God's ordained track than the rest of His creation.
God is doing an early work in us. It is only the timing of His grace that makes the difference.
But not only are we further along the track. We are chosen early for a reason - to be ministers or messengers of reconciliation to all others.
Valjean in Les Mis declares a profound truth that is only seen by a few at this time.
Blessings, Barry
I'm not a grant fan of musicals, but I so love the story line of this novel that I couldn't resist the invitation to join the expedition to the cinema.
One of my favourite lines is spoken by Valjean while speaking to Cosette, his "adopted daughter."
He says to her,
"You will learn.
Truth is given by God
To us all in our time,
In our turn."
As I read the Bible it seems clear to me that the truth
that God exists,
that he is love and sovereign,
that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world and to reconcile all of us to himself,
is indeed given to all people, and in their turn.
In fact, the only difference between us (believers) and others (unbelievers) is God's timing in revealing truth.
The only thing that makes us different from others is timing.
We, the believers, the “called," the "firstfruits," are simply further along God's ordained track than the rest of His creation.
God is doing an early work in us. It is only the timing of His grace that makes the difference.
But not only are we further along the track. We are chosen early for a reason - to be ministers or messengers of reconciliation to all others.
Valjean in Les Mis declares a profound truth that is only seen by a few at this time.
Blessings, Barry
Saturday, May 19, 2012
5 Good Questions
Mainstream Christians of the "eternal torment" variety often haven't thought very much about what they say they believe.
Just a few simple questions soon gets them to realise this.
In fact, I am beginning to use the following set to actually get some conversations started.
But they're still reluctant to give up their original position.
Go figure.
Discussion, Bible verses, logic, don't work very often.
Truth just needs to be revealed.
I guess that's never changed.
Blessings, Barry
Just a few simple questions soon gets them to realise this.
In fact, I am beginning to use the following set to actually get some conversations started.
1. What do you think is God's plan for mankind and the world?Most church-goers, regardless of their stated "eternal torment" position, will be inclined to answer these questions in ways that are far more consistent with the universal reconciliation view than with their own.
2. Do you think he will be successful?
3. Do you think Satan is more powerful than God?
4. Do you think our will is more powerful than God's?
5. Whose sins did Jesus pay for?
But they're still reluctant to give up their original position.
Go figure.
Discussion, Bible verses, logic, don't work very often.
Truth just needs to be revealed.
I guess that's never changed.
Blessings, Barry
Monday, December 20, 2010
Christmas Greetings
Isabel and I are now on the prayer list that is distributed from the church where we currently fellowship. The first one arrived by email the other day, and I got to thinking .......
There are so many Christians who are regularly praying that God will save all the people in the world, and yet these same people laugh at you (or worse) when you tell them that HE WILL. Isn't that strange?
Thank you for your support and encouragement through the year. It's been a most interesting one and I've learned a lot. The first book is well on the way and you have been seeing bits of it coming through the posts on the blogsite. I am hoping to have it ready to publish by midyear 2011.
I know very few comments have come in re the posts, but ........ if anyone would like to critically review the chapters of the book as each draft is completed, please let me know and I will get them to you.
There are so many Christians who are regularly praying that God will save all the people in the world, and yet these same people laugh at you (or worse) when you tell them that HE WILL. Isn't that strange?
Thank you for your support and encouragement through the year. It's been a most interesting one and I've learned a lot. The first book is well on the way and you have been seeing bits of it coming through the posts on the blogsite. I am hoping to have it ready to publish by midyear 2011.
I know very few comments have come in re the posts, but ........ if anyone would like to critically review the chapters of the book as each draft is completed, please let me know and I will get them to you.
There is a preface and an introduction, 6 chapters and 3 appendices - a total of 11 sections. The drafts should appear about 2 per month starting in January.
But please don't put up your hand to do this if you already have a full plate. I don't ever want to be a burden or to be putting pressure on you for your comments and review. But if you have the time and the interest to serve me this way, I would be really pleased to hear from you as I would appreciate some peer review by those I know love me.
But please don't put up your hand to do this if you already have a full plate. I don't ever want to be a burden or to be putting pressure on you for your comments and review. But if you have the time and the interest to serve me this way, I would be really pleased to hear from you as I would appreciate some peer review by those I know love me.
Trust you have a great Christmas with your families, as we are planning to do here.
Love Barry
Friday, August 13, 2010
Where Do We Start to Form our Biblical Views?
Since I am still away from home and on holidays with friends, I have not had the "privacy" to do any serious study or to write a well-thought through post. But I have been doing a lot of thinking in the "privacy" of my mind, so I am writing this from some of that thinking.
Most Bible students try to understand the Bible and form their theological views using two rules:
1. Allow the clear, straight forward verses to help us understand the meaning of difficult or more complex verses.
2. Force the interpretation of verses that challenge a particular theological view we hold into harmony with the verses that support our already-formed view.
The first of these seems sound and sensible, so I won't comment on it any further.
The second raises some problems.
Firstly, it raises the prospect of us using our current understanding (theology) as the only determiner of the meaning of some difficult verses, thus hiding other possible views from our consideration.
Secondly, it raises the possibility of starting with the wrong set of verses to determine our theology and then trying to make everything else fit.
Let me give an example of this second problem that is very relevant to the topic of this blogsite.
Most people use the verses that describe God's judgement and punishment to form the view that all those who do not get to hear about Jesus and accept him as Saviour before they leave this planet will be tormented in hell forever. We shall call these the judgement-punishment verses - JP verses.
The verses that talk of God's salvation for all and promise that He will be glorified in all things at the end of the ages are paraphrased or interpreted to fit that torment-hell view. We shall call these the universal reconciliation verses - UR verses.
Mainstream christianity always seems to start with the JP verses and the torment-hell conclusions they invite and either ignore the UR verses or interpret them in a way to fit. There seem to be very few people who start with the UR verses and the obvious conclusions they demand, and try to interpret the JP verses in a way that is consistent with these conclusions.
Let's be more specific.
JP verses include verses like .....
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them." [John 3 : 36 TNIV]
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." [Matt 25 : 46 TNIV]
"Then I saw a great white throne ..... The dead were judged according to what they had done ..... All whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire." [Rev 20 : 11 - 15 TNIV]
UR verses include verses like .....
"As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." [1 Cor 15 : 22 TNIV]
"..... we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe." [1 Tim 4 : 10 TNIV]
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. [1 John 2 : 2 TNIV]
Taking a particular example, readers starting with Rev 20 : 11 - 15 quickly draw the conclusion that unbelievers will be tormented in hell forever. They then paraphrase 1 Cor 15 : 22 so that it reads something like "For as in Adam all die, so all who are in Christ will be made alive." to fit in with their conclusion from Rev 20, and not contradict it.
However, readers who start with 1 Cor 15 : 22 and draw the conclusion that everyone will be saved eventually, then see all of God's judgements and punishments, even the lake of fire, as remedial and, like all good parents, God is using these to produce better attitudes and behaviours and attitudes in His children so that their relationship with Him will eventually be restored.
So where is our starting point? Do we start with a God of unconditional love who desires all his children to be saved and in relationship with him eventually, or with God as an angry, vengeful judge who will punish forever his rebellious children (and those of his children who have never heard of Jesus)?
Is the gospel we proclaim one of good news for all, or a mixture of good news for some and very bad news for others?
Jesus said the truth will set us free. Does the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection set all of his creation free, or only those chosen to belong to Him during their short lives on this planet?
Most Bible students try to understand the Bible and form their theological views using two rules:
1. Allow the clear, straight forward verses to help us understand the meaning of difficult or more complex verses.
2. Force the interpretation of verses that challenge a particular theological view we hold into harmony with the verses that support our already-formed view.
The first of these seems sound and sensible, so I won't comment on it any further.
The second raises some problems.
Firstly, it raises the prospect of us using our current understanding (theology) as the only determiner of the meaning of some difficult verses, thus hiding other possible views from our consideration.
Secondly, it raises the possibility of starting with the wrong set of verses to determine our theology and then trying to make everything else fit.
Let me give an example of this second problem that is very relevant to the topic of this blogsite.
Most people use the verses that describe God's judgement and punishment to form the view that all those who do not get to hear about Jesus and accept him as Saviour before they leave this planet will be tormented in hell forever. We shall call these the judgement-punishment verses - JP verses.
The verses that talk of God's salvation for all and promise that He will be glorified in all things at the end of the ages are paraphrased or interpreted to fit that torment-hell view. We shall call these the universal reconciliation verses - UR verses.
Mainstream christianity always seems to start with the JP verses and the torment-hell conclusions they invite and either ignore the UR verses or interpret them in a way to fit. There seem to be very few people who start with the UR verses and the obvious conclusions they demand, and try to interpret the JP verses in a way that is consistent with these conclusions.
Let's be more specific.
JP verses include verses like .....
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them." [John 3 : 36 TNIV]
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." [Matt 25 : 46 TNIV]
"Then I saw a great white throne ..... The dead were judged according to what they had done ..... All whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire." [Rev 20 : 11 - 15 TNIV]
UR verses include verses like .....
"As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." [1 Cor 15 : 22 TNIV]
"..... we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe." [1 Tim 4 : 10 TNIV]
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. [1 John 2 : 2 TNIV]
Taking a particular example, readers starting with Rev 20 : 11 - 15 quickly draw the conclusion that unbelievers will be tormented in hell forever. They then paraphrase 1 Cor 15 : 22 so that it reads something like "For as in Adam all die, so all who are in Christ will be made alive." to fit in with their conclusion from Rev 20, and not contradict it.
However, readers who start with 1 Cor 15 : 22 and draw the conclusion that everyone will be saved eventually, then see all of God's judgements and punishments, even the lake of fire, as remedial and, like all good parents, God is using these to produce better attitudes and behaviours and attitudes in His children so that their relationship with Him will eventually be restored.
So where is our starting point? Do we start with a God of unconditional love who desires all his children to be saved and in relationship with him eventually, or with God as an angry, vengeful judge who will punish forever his rebellious children (and those of his children who have never heard of Jesus)?
Is the gospel we proclaim one of good news for all, or a mixture of good news for some and very bad news for others?
Jesus said the truth will set us free. Does the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection set all of his creation free, or only those chosen to belong to Him during their short lives on this planet?
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