Question for any Christians here.

[PeterWarrick9]

In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus teaches us to "enter through the narrow gate" to Heaven and proclaims "many are called and few are chosen", does this mean that most of humanity is doomed to Hell?

What do you think?

[GenMish]

One of the main theological differences among Christian denominations is justification. Justification is a term for being saved from paying for ones sins in hell. Different Churches have different understandings how justification takes place..

Since I am a Reformed Christian, I would understand that verse in the paradigm of Reformed Churches, and the doctrine of 'Limited Atonement' as outlined in the Canons of Dordt.

Simply put
-all mankind is born in Sin and destined for hell without Christ
- few will come to faith
- GOD gives the Spiritually dead Faith to believe
 

While most all Churches will agree on the first two points, Reformed Theology differs in the last. In Reformed Theology GOD is sovereign, and gives faith to His people. Apostolic Churches like Orthodox and Catholic tend to believe there is a cooperation between GOD and human works to achieve salvation. Whereas the common Evangelical position is that it is up to man to choose if he will be saved or not

[krimster2]

ya know what I don't get?
Genesis!
how could GAWD have created the world in six days?
isn't a day the period of time represented by one complete rotation of the Earth?
so what was rotatin so he could do it in 6 rotations
remember he had to create the planets and stars
durrin those 6 days, so it couldn't been one of those
what was it?

[PeterWarrick9]

ya know what I don't get?
Genesis!
how could GAWD have created the world in six days?
isn't a day the period of time represented by one complete rotation of the Earth?
so what was rotatin so he could do it in 6 rotations
remember he had to create the planets and stars
durrin those 6 days, so it couldn't been one of those
what was it?

Genesis is not meant to be taken literally as a science book would be.

It doesn't surprise me that you're an atheist, btw.

[PeterWarrick9]

One of the main theological differences among Christian denominations is justification. Justification is a term for being saved from paying for ones sins in hell. Different Churches have different understandings how justification takes place..

Since I am a Reformed Christian, I would understand that verse in the paradigm of Reformed Churches, and the doctrine of 'Limited Atonement' as outlined in the Canons of Dordt.

Simply put
-all mankind is born in Sin and destined for hell without Christ
- few will come to faith
- GOD gives the Spiritually dead Faith to believe
 

While most all Churches will agree on the first two points, Reformed Theology differs in the last. In Reformed Theology GOD is sovereign, and gives faith to His people. Apostolic Churches like Orthodox and Catholic tend to believe there is a cooperation between GOD and human works to achieve salvation. Whereas the common Evangelical position is that it is up to man to choose if he will be saved or not

What's your opinion on the amount of people that will be saved?

[GQBlues]

Genesis is not meant to be taken literally as a science book would be.

When I was still in the Philippines as a kid, I asked that if Adam and Eve were created by God, and after the original sin they were forsaken and banished from the garden - eventually having two sons....so-

I was simply dismissed to never doubt my faith...

 

[krimster2]

"Genesis is not meant to be taken literally as a science book would be.

It doesn't surprise me that you're an atheist, btw.


an honest atheist
vrs
a dishonest "I'm no fundamentalist"

[PeterWarrick9]

"Genesis is not meant to be taken literally as a science book would be.

It doesn't surprise me that you're an atheist, btw.


an honest atheist
vrs
a dishonest "I'm no fundamentalist"

I don't think you even know what a fundamentalist is...

[krimster2]

first rule of being a fundamentalist
deny that you're a fundamentalist

[PeterWarrick9]

first rule of being a fundamentalist
deny that you're a fundamentalist

A fundamentalist is someone that takes all of the Bible literally.

I don't.

[GenMish]

Peter,
The promises to Abraham are that his children will be like the stars in the sky, and the sand in the sea. So that is a lot of people. Was the comment you earlier quoted specific to the Gospel generation that denied Christ? or all generations? I do not know.

However, I am confident that GOD will save ALL his people. Those that LOVE GOD are saved

GQ

Adam and Eve lived 900 or so years, and had many more children than Abel and Cain. Those children populated the earth till the flood. At the time of the flood, GOD limited a mans lifespan to 120 years

[PeterWarrick9]

Peter,
The promises to Abraham are that his children will be like the stars in the sky, and the sand in the sea. So that is a lot of people. Was the comment you earlier quoted specific to the Gospel generation that denied Christ? or all generations? I do not know.

However, I am confident that GOD will save ALL his people. Those that LOVE GOD are saved

GQ

Adam and Eve lived 900 or so years, and had many more children than Abel and Cain. Those children populated the earth till the flood. At the time of the flood, GOD limited a mans lifespan to 120 years

How many people love God in our modern culture? I'd estimate far less than half do.

I personally believe relatively few will be saved. What do you think?

[tfcrew]

Perhaps there can be one thread on the subject as bible chat and other so called forums are for the most part...disappointing. And as this has been started---

  Adam and Eve were created by God,   eventually having two sons....so-

There were two that were specifically mentioned...However, Genisis 5;4---  ^" And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
Daughters could very well have been born by the dozens before Cain.

  "enter through the narrow gate" to Heaven... 

Actually, the passage is stated ...

Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

I know that traditional church teaching states..you die and go to heaven [or not]
That grandpa is looking down from heaven etc. That is all very sentimental and all that...but
I have never found a single bible passage that says someone dies and goes to heaven.
Therefore, there must be something else. So..I do believe in the Resurrection.

ya know what I don't get?  the world created in six days?

 

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

We can only comprehend the time that we see.
A week has always been seven days as far back as time can take us. Sunday..Monday..Tues etc The deeper I got into bible prophecy the more I seemed to understand. We have all heard that someday the Lord would return I had found this one...

Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

The world I see now..time is short. I've said it before- I would rather believe and be wrong than to not believe and be wrong. What is two thousand years to someone who lives forever?
 

[krimster2]

yes, just what RWD needs to make Trump supporters feel more at home here
Bible Study!!!

[DaveNY]

Perhaps there can be one thread on the subject as bible chat and other so called forums are for the most part...disappointing. And as this has been started---There were two that were specifically mentioned...However, Genisis 5;4---  ^" And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
Daughters could very well have been born by the dozens before Cain.

Since Adam and Eve's daughters weren't really highlighted in the Bible does that mean God prefers men over women?

If Cain and Abel married their sisters and had children with them does that mean God endorses or prefers incest? Is humanity a product of incest and that's why we don't live as long? Because we aren't as healthy as Adam and Eve?  After all God is all powerful and all knowing he/she (I watch Supernatural remember Amara?) could have created more people all at the same time so there wouldn't be incest? 

So..I do believe in the Resurrection.

We're coming back? Any chance I can wait until after we've made contact with space aliens and humanity is something like Star Trek TNG?

  We can only comprehend the time that we see.
A week has always been seven days as far back as time can take us. Sunday..Monday..Tues etc The deeper I got into bible prophecy the more I seemed to understand. We have all heard that someday the Lord would return I had found this one...
The world I see now..time is short. I've said it before- I would rather believe and be wrong than to not believe and be wrong. What is two thousand years to someone who lives forever?
 

If God is all powerful, all knowing surely he/she could have done all the creation at once? Why 6 days and a rest on the 7th?

Sorry I love discussions about religion. Devout atheist myself and IMO the bible or Koran or Torah don't make much sense.

[PeterWarrick9]

Here's an interesting article on the fewness of the saved...

http://stevensperay.wordpress.com/the-fewness-of-the-saved-most-christians-go-to-hell/

[PeterWarrick9]

Since Adam and Eve's daughters weren't really highlighted in the Bible does that mean God prefers men over women?

If Cain and Abel married their sisters and had children with them does that mean God endorses or prefers incest? Is humanity a product of incest and that's why we don't live as long? Because we aren't as healthy as Adam and Eve?  After all God is all powerful and all knowing he/she (I watch Supernatural remember Amara?) could have created more people all at the same time so there wouldn't be incest? 

We're coming back? Any chance I can wait until after we've made contact with space aliens and humanity is something like Star Trek TNG?

If God is all powerful, all knowing surely he/she could have done all the creation at once? Why 6 days and a rest on the 7th?

Sorry I love discussions about religion. Devout atheist myself and IMO the bible or Koran or Torah don't make much sense.

The creation story in Genesis is not meant to be taken literally. Think of the Bible as a library and not a science book...

That being said, I don't find atheism rational myself. The average lifespan of a man in the west is 78 years or so, then we're dead forever.

Atheists best case scenario is oblivion after death because they've rejected all other good outcomes.

I love to debate with my atheist friends because I used to be one of them

[DaveNY]

The creation story in Genesis is not meant to be taken literally. Think of the Bible as a library and not a science book...

In your opinion Genesis should not be taken literally many others disagree. Does that mean the Bible shouldn't be taken literally? If not, whose opinion should prevail? The Pope's? Protestants? Baptists? Muslims?

That being said, I don't find atheism rational myself. The average lifespan of a man in the west is 78 years or so, then we're dead forever.

Atheists best case scenario is oblivion after death because they've rejected all other good outcomes.

I love to debate with my atheist friends because I used to be one of them

Yes. Once we die that's it. No playing the harp in the clouds or suffering in hell or doing whatever in purgatory.

[krimster2]

“That being said, I don't find atheism rational myself."

why not, ever watched someone die?
I have, when the brain stops functioning they’re gone...
your mind is a byproduct of your brain
the moment these cells stop functioning
you literally disappear
forever...

I’m actually looking forward to it one day
confronting death
i’ve come pretty close a couple of times
so I’m not afraid
I’d be more afraid
to NOT HAVE EVER LIVED, LIKE SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD

this is your loss, and not mine
that some of the most amazing life experiences
you could possibly have
remain unexplored by you
and will always remain that way
how could someone like you
ever know the "truth"

[jone]

If God is all powerful, all knowing surely he/she could have done all the creation at once? Why 6 days and a rest on the 7th?

Actually, he partied for six days and pulled an all-nighter.

[BillyB]

In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus teaches us to "enter through the narrow gate" to Heaven and proclaims "many are called and few are chosen", does this mean that most of humanity is doomed to Hell?

What do you think?

I seen many people find God and feel they are called on a greater mission. Many aren't qualified to teach so few are chosen.

If God is all powerful, all knowing surely he/she could have done all the creation at once?

He probably did but we don't really understand His version of time.

[JayH]

yes, just what RWD needs to make Trump supporters feel more at home here
Bible Study!!!

 

[PeterWarrick9]

In your opinion Genesis should not be taken literally many others disagree. Does that mean the Bible shouldn't be taken literally? If not, whose opinion should prevail? The Pope's? Protestants? Baptists? Muslims?

Yes. Once we die that's it. No playing the harp in the clouds or suffering in hell or doing whatever in purgatory.

I'm Roman Catholic so I prefer the Popes.

Let me ask you this, if death is the end, how come 80% of people that are born blind can see when they are clinically dead?

http://www.magiscenter.com/visual-perception-of-the-blind-during-clinical-death/

[PeterWarrick9]

“That being said, I don't find atheism rational myself."

why not, ever watched someone die?
I have, when the brain stops functioning they’re gone...
your mind is a byproduct of your brain
the moment these cells stop functioning
you literally disappear
forever...

I’m actually looking forward to it one day
confronting death
i’ve come pretty close a couple of times
so I’m not afraid
I’d be more afraid
to NOT HAVE EVER LIVED, LIKE SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD

this is your loss, and not mine
that some of the most amazing life experiences
you could possibly have
remain unexplored by you
and will always remain that way
how could someone like you
ever know the "truth"

What if you're wrong about death...have you ever studied the near death experiences in medical journals? How can we explain that without believing that humans have an immortal soul?

http://www.magiscenter.com/the-definitive-guide-to-near-death-experiences-ndes/

You're always talking about how great your life experiences are. How can you judge someone else's life experiences you don't even know, who isn't even middle age and is much younger than you?

What if you're selfish, hedonistic and self-indulgent lifestyle was actually a complete waste in the end?

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul?

[PeterWarrick9]

I seen many people find God and feel they are called on a greater mission. Many aren't qualified to teach so few are chosen.

He probably did but we don't really understand His version of time.

Are you Christian, Billy?