The Wonders of the kingdom of God.

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amadeus

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What if I understand it?
Your understanding or God's? Even if we were completely wrong on this, mocking would still not be proper if no other reason than that... we don't believe we are wrong. I doubt that you really would like for people to mock what you believe...

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecc 3:1

"...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc 3:7

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt 12:36
 
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Waiting on him

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Your understanding or God's? Even if we were completely wrong on this, mocking would still not proper if no other reason than that... we don't believe we are wrong. I doubt that you really would like for people to mock what you believe...

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecc 3:1

"...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc 3:7
Agreed!!!
 

Waiting on him

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VIJ shared this with me recently
Psalm 19:1-5 KJV
[1] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. [2] Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. [3] There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. [4] Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, [5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.


Tecarta BibleJesus says I and my father will make our abode with you.
That is if we do his will(love him).

When Jesus was demanded of the Pharisees, where is the kingdom of God, He replies. The kingdom doesn’t come with observation, it’s within you.

Isn’t a tabernacle and an abode the same thing?

After all my fathers house has many mansions?
 

stunnedbygrace

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All people are forgiven all sins and reconciled to God by Jesus' death, and none will enter eternal torment.

When I read, I see that death and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. We also read death will be done away with, so I read that as death will no longer exist. Done away with, annihilated. Is death a person to be in an eternal torment? And so, if death is annihilated in the lake of fire, hell will be annihilated too. The scary part of it all is that this isn't so concerning the outer darkness (based on what I read). The outer darkness appears to NOT be done away with. And who goes into outer darkness? Look it up. It is reserved for religious hypocrites and playactors and for wandering stars.

This appears to make the verse about how it will be better on the day of judgement for Sodom than it will be for some others, make sense. In other words, there is a fate worse than being thrown in the lake of fire to be annihilated and that fate is wandering forever in outer darkness.

So there is a reason Jesus' harshest words were for religious men. It is because their fate will be worse.

This is how I read it.
 
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stunnedbygrace

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Episkopos is a man who has a billionaire convinced!! that he's poor, and hoping one day to be rich. He has billions of dollars in the bank, but he doesn't believe it's his, so he lives in poverty,

Would it be better to live in poverty or would it be better to say you are rich and in need of nothing?
 

stunnedbygrace

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And why does Jesus say about some men, it would have been better for them if they'd never been born? Is it because they will be annihilated in a second death? Or is it because there is a fate worse than death?
 

Waiting on him

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When I read, I see that death and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. We also read death will be done away with, so I read that as death will no longer exist. Done away with, annihilated. Is death a person to be in an eternal torment? And so, if death is annihilated in the lake of fire, hell will be annihilated too. The scary part of it all is that this isn't so concerning the outer darkness (based on what I read). The outer darkness appears to NOT be done away with. And who goes into outer darkness? Look it up. It is reserved for religious hypocrites and playactors and for wandering stars.

This appears to make the verse about how it will be better on the day of judgement for Sodom than it will be for some others, make sense. In other words, there is a fate worse than being thrown in the lake of fire to be annihilated and that fate is wandering forever in outer darkness.

So there is a reason Jesus' harshest words were for religious men. It is because their fate will be worse.

This is how I read it.
The way I see it is the outer darkness is something we witness right now. It’s spiritual blindness. There will be gnashing of teeth.

Stephen experiences this
Acts 7:54 KJV
[54] When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.


Tecarta BibleI’m not sure of the scripture but, surely Christ also experienced this.
 

stunnedbygrace

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When I read, I see that death and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. We also read death will be done away with, so I read that as death will no longer exist. Done away with, annihilated. Is death a person to be in an eternal torment? And so, if death is annihilated in the lake of fire, hell will be annihilated too. The scary part of it all is that this isn't so concerning the outer darkness (based on what I read). The outer darkness appears to NOT be done away with. And who goes into outer darkness? Look it up. It is reserved for religious hypocrites and playactors and for wandering stars.

This appears to make the verse about how it will be better on the day of judgement for Sodom than it will be for some others, make sense. In other words, there is a fate worse than being thrown in the lake of fire to be annihilated and that fate is wandering forever in outer darkness.

So there is a reason Jesus' harshest words were for religious men. It is because their fate will be worse.

This is how I read it.

But I also have some knots and they are surrounding eternal existence. I don't believe we humans are born eternal. So I have a problem with how it seems men, who don't have immortality, can wander in darkness forever. I come to a brick wall concerning that. It might be time to look up all the verses on outer darkness again and on weeping and gnashing of teeth. Maybe we will see something new in them.
 

Episkopos

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The way I see it is the outer darkness is something we witness right now. It’s spiritual blindness. There will be gnashing of teeth.

Stephen experiences this
Acts 7:54 KJV
[54] When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.


Tecarta BibleI’m not sure of the scripture but, surely Christ also experienced this.


When one sees things backwards the temporal becomes eternal and the eternal becomes temporal. Good appears as evil and evil as good.

Jude was specific in his warning as to the eternal destiny of separation from God into outer darkness. But don't take my word for it...

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

We see that so much these days. People speak from their own opinions and theories from a carnal knowledge...and without the slightest trace of fear. Making their own rebellious voices to be superior to the word of the Lord.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.


12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

A lack of fear today is seen as something good. A confidence in error.

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Outer darkness is an eternal destiny of they who have lost the fear of the Lord and refuse to be humble. So God will make an eternal example of these....who speak glibly of holy things they don't understand.

For those who look into the words of the Lord...there are many such warnings throughout the entire bible.
 

Nancy

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But I also have some knots and they are surrounding eternal existence. I don't believe we humans are born eternal. So I have a problem with how it seems men, who don't have immortality, can wander in darkness forever. I come to a brick wall concerning that. It might be time to look up all the verses on outer darkness again and on weeping and gnashing of teeth. Maybe we will see something new in them.

I hear what you are saying here. In my mind "eternity" encompasses the past as well as the future...everlasting though, I CAN understand but, I have to wonder why God would want this to begin with. That "outer darkness" is a tough one for me to understand.
 

stunnedbygrace

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I hear what you are saying here. In my mind "eternity" encompasses the past as well as the future...everlasting though, I CAN understand but, I have to wonder why God would want this to begin with. That "outer darkness" is a tough one for me to understand.

I've wondered if it has something to do with the judgement with which we judge others. Like...if you pronounce a judgement of eternal torment for others, that will be your judgement. Its really alarming. If you didn't say you can see it all (and can pass that judgement on others), you would have no sin...but since you say you can see, your sin remains...
 

Nancy

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I've wondered if it has something to do with the judgement with which we judge others. Like...if you pronounce a judgement of eternal torment for others, that is your judgement. Its really alarming. If you didn't say you can see it all (and can pass that judgement on others), you would have no sin...but since you say you can see, your sin remains...

I can see this for sure...and, I can also see a slew of self righteous and critical people there. I hope they like the out doors :eek: And I really hope I won't be there...would rather perish.
 

stunnedbygrace

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I can see this for sure...and, I can also see a slew of self righteous and critical people there. I hope they like the out doors :eek: And I really hope I won't be there...would rather perish.

Its best to be humble regarding these things. And to treat our body roughly and not give space for it to stand up in arrogance.