What We Learn from the Costa Concordia

I gave you this one yesterday by email, but thought it was worth putting on the blog.

Because each new post or comment on the blog is sent to all of us by email to keep us in touch with what is being added to the blogsite, you will have a double up in your email INBOX,  Sorry.  Barry

In the largest passenger ship loss since the Titanic, 33 of the 4,252 passengers and crew of the Costa Concordia perished. The captain of the ship was arrested on preliminary charges, including manslaughter.
Despite the fact that some 99.2% were saved, it remains a tragic loss of life. Every life on board the ship was of unique value, and their individual death is a great tragedy.

Just the other day, my dear friend and brother, Jim Burson, shared with me an astute illustration spawned by this cruise ship incident.

"There was a large passenger ship with a thousand people on it. The captain assembled all passengers and announced to them, 'The ship is about to sink, but I have GOOD News. Fifty of you will be able to make it to dry land.'

"This is the 'Good News' of traditionalism, but I contend that it is not 'Good News' at all. For the nine hundred and fifty who are about to perish, it certainly is not 'Good News.' For those fifty who will not perish, it is not 'Good News,' because they likely will leave behind children, wives and husbands. Most of all it is not 'Good News' to the captain because he knows it was his responsibility to assure the well-being of his passengers."

Here is what we learn from the Costa Concordia: the captain is always responsible for his ship – and all under his care. Any loss is unacceptable, even .8%. This is even truer concerning the Sovereign of the Universe. He is responsible for all He has made – for His entire creation – and He emphatically declares Himself to be the "Savior of all men" (I Timothy 4:10).

In effectually discharging His responsibility God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), proclaiming Him to be the actual "Savior of the world" (John 4:42).

In spite of all of this, Christianity has the faithless audacity to bring an indictment against God: the vast majority of His creation will be eternally lost, and His Son will utterly fail, being guilty Himself of dereliction of responsibility for His Saviorhood.

Our Lord Jesus Christ "came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10), and He Who leaves the 99, tirelessly and unfailingly will "go after that which is lost, until He finds it" (Luke 15:4). Some of Christianity would have the nerve to suggest that only a fraction will eventually be saved. However, if Christ's rate of salvation was that of the Costa Concordia's – 99.2% – He would be an utter failure, as He was not declared to be the "99.2% Savior of the world."

Salvation is not the responsibility of the crew or passengers, but of Salvation's Captain (the "Captain of their salvation" – Hebrews 2:10, KJV) – the successful "Savior of the WORLD." He, and He alone, will see to its full and complete accomplishment. The Good News is that the ship Salvation is in unwaveringly capable hands. Father and His Son are in absolute control.

Rest, and enjoy the cruise.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.  

You'll have to excuse the American spellings in most of these quotes, but it is truly amazing how many people have held this "universalist" position, in one form or another, over the centuries.

Since discovering all these authors I have been tempted several times to stop writing my book as it has all been said before, but I am definitely continuing, as my presentation will be much "lighter" and more geared to 'the man in the street' than most of the books and sites I have discovered.


Blessings, Barry

Burning Sons and Daughters

In my research, I am coming across dozens of authors of books and websites who hold similar positions about the eventual reconciliation of all as we do.

Here is a quote from one of them.

"For the people of Judah have done evil in my eyes," declares the LORD. "They have put their detestable idols in the house that is called by my name in order to defile it.

They have built high places at Topheth in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I didn't command this, and it never entered my mind!"

[Jeremiah 7:30-31]

God calls burning children an abomination, but He burns His children – forever?

It has never even entered God's mind to do such a thing! Yet, it is a common and very acceptable idea that that's what God is going to do to His children, and not only burn them as the Hebrew's did, but the common belief is that God is even going to change their bodies such that they cannot have the luxury of dying!

NO! He is going to do no such thing! By the sacrifice of His son, ALL are redeemed.

Grant Miller
Author of "Think, and Be Free"

Blessings, Barry

A Frequent Question

A question I am often asked is, "If everyone is to be eventually saved, why do you bother to evangelise?"

Yes, everyone will be eventually saved.
That was decided by God, by his grace, before the ages even began.
And Jesus showed God's intention in that by dying for the sins of the world 2000 years ago.

But how many of us will rule with Christ in his coming 1000 year kingdom?
Being saved (by the short or the long route) and being in the kingdom are two different things.

To qualify for the kingdom, we need to be reconciled to God in the now.
And once reconciled, to be in training for kingdom responsibilities - being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, becoming more Christ-like in character and being an overcomer in the circumstances where God places us.

So why do I evangelise?
I want as many people as possible to be reconciled to God NOW and enjoying living in fellowship with him NOW.
I want as many as possible to be ready to participate in the kingdom age with Christ.
I want as few as possible to have to travel the long, tough route to fellowship with God.

Are they good enough reasons?

I think so, but I have one more for good measure - actually it is one of Paul's reasons.

"That is why we labour and strive, because 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  NIV ]

I want to serve this magnificent God of love and grace also.

Do you have any questions?
Then fire away (no topic is off-limits) and let's tackle them together.
Let's use the BLOG in 2012 to clear some of the fog from our minds.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year.  Barry

Two Opposing Orders of Truth?

Hi Team
I wasn't going to write anything more before Christmas.
However I found this is my devotions this morning and wanted to share it with you.

It is claimed that Science and the Bible contradict each other.
This is true, since Science is incomplete in its knowledge and the Bible incorrect in its translation.

Yet this is not the same as saying, There is conflict between Nature and Scripture.

Nature is the product of the hand of God and Scripture the result of the breath of God; 
between them no conflict is possible for each of them is out of God.

(Written by Frank Neil Pohorlak in a Los Angeles newspaper column.)

Beautiful eh?

Blessings, Barry

Irreligious Thoughts about the Consequences of Sin

I have been thinking a lot about Jesus' death lately and have had some interesting (maybe naughty) thoughts about it.
Let me share them with you and, as always, invite your feedback.

When Jesus carried the sins of the whole world to the cross, he took the sins of every individual who has ever lived, is currently living or ever will live.
He carried the sins of the worst sinners ever, plus everyone else's.

So, if the future of people who die in their sins is everlasting torment in a place called hell, then surely Jesus should still be there enduring that punishment.
Shouldn't he?

Now let's remember that Jesus went to his death without repenting of any of the sins that he was carrying, that were now his.
Just like the majority of mankind will.
YET he only remained in Hades (the unseeen) for three days and was neither singed nor tortured.
AND he was resurrected.
AND he was given eternal life.
AND he was perfectly acceptable to the Father.
AND he was placed at the Father's right hand, and in perfect fellowship with him.

Doesn't that sound a bit odd?

Here's another cute thought.

The Bible tells me that the wages of sin is death.  [ Romans 6 : 23 ]
Yet what I hear preached all the time is that the wages of sin is everlasting life.
Really?
Yep.
Most preach that those who die in their sins will be tormented alive forever in hell.
That sounds more like everlasting life than death to me.
Doesn't it?

That's the best I can do in the lead up to Christmas.  :-)

Have a great one - and rejoice in God's incredible plan to redeem us all through the one who started his earthly life as the baby Jesus.

Blessings one and all
Barry

Is God a Sinner?

In the Greek, the word for sin is "hamartia", which means to miss the mark or target, or fail to reach the goal.

Paul tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  (Romans 3 : 23)
God created mankind in his image and our purpose was to reflect him and his glory on the earth.
But we failed to achieve this, so we are sinners, miss-ers of the mark.

We probably all agree on this.

But do we realise that most of the world (including most of mainstream christianity) believe God is also a sinner, or at least will be?

Paul tells us that God's plan is to reconcile all things to himself through Jesus (Col 1 : 20).
But most people think he will not achieve this and so will miss the mark, will sin.

Jesus said he would draw all mankind to himself (John 12 : 32).
Most people feel this will not happen and so Jesus will miss the mark, will sin.

Paul said God is going to have mercy on us all (Romans 11 : 32).
Most people believe God will punish the majority of mankind forever and therefore will not reach his goal, will miss the target, will sin.

I believe what the Bible says 
and therefore believe God will achieve all his purposes.
God is no sinner - nor ever will be.

What do you think?

Blessings, Barry

Answering Salvation Questions

All of us have heard sermons preached about how to get saved. 
And most Christians specialise in telling others how to get saved.

Here's a related question ....
When were you saved?
Most of us have been asked that question at one time or another.

What are our answers to these salvation questions?
Consider this ......

God saved us and called us to a holy calling,
not because of our works
but because of his own purpose and grace,
which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began
[ 2 Tim 1 : 9 ]

So, how do we get saved?
We don't get saved, we got saved.
God saved us.

And, when were we saved?
A long time ago, before the ages began.

Have you heard anyone giving these answers?
I can assure you, they get an interesting response (especially from other Christians).

Blessings, Barry