The whole purpose of God's laws, be they the Law of Moses, or the Law of Christ, is to prevent man from harming his neighbor. You know, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
THAT IS THE PERFECTION, GOD IS SEEKING, that people do not go out and hurt others. Is there some reason we can't do that?
The whole context of "be ye perfect, even as your father in heaven is perfect", is in regards to loving our enemies and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Again is there some reason man can't do that?
Love covers a multitude of sins. We may mess up in lot's of areas, and not be "perfect", in every word, thought and deed, but we can still love our neighbors as ourselves, and we can still love our enemies.
1 Cor 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,(in service to God) and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth:
That is what God wants us to strive to be perfect at. And since he knows that we won't always be perfect, then he made confession and forgivness of sin available. We fight the good fight primarily to walk in the love of God towards others. We may be all kinds of messed up and imperfect in areas, but we CAN walk in love towards others, and repent and confess not only to God, but say SORRY, to those individuals we might harm on occasion by our actions.
The Word describes TWO resurrections. The first resurrection is for those who for all time, have looked to the Christ, both OT and NT believers. And they are called "the elect" and are for a special purpose regarding God's plans for end of this world, before then next one begins.
But please read about the SECOND RESURRECTION, the last resurrection, when all the dead who were not of Christ are raised.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
(If you want to know who these people are that were thrown into the lake of fire BEFORE the devil read the context of Mat 25:41)
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: [b]and another book was opened, which is the book of life:[/b]
Now think about this. If no one who did not believe in Christ was going to be saved, then why open the book of life here? Surely God is not as unrighteous as the Church has made him out to be, in their teaching.
[b]and the dead were judged[/b] out of those things which were written in the books, [b]according to their works.[/b]
Just because people have not believed on Christ, or known the true God, does not mean they are damned. They will be judged according to their works. Many will in fact be saved in the end. God will take their whole life into account.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: [b]and they were judged every man according to their works.[/b]
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 [b]And whosoever was not found written in the book of life[/b] was cast into the lake of fire.
Now read what Paul said about the Gentiles which knew not God and did not have the Word or the Law.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, [b]do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:[/b]
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
There have been many people throughout time, who did not know the truth about God. But in their very nature, they walked in love and honesty towards their neighbor. God is not going to cast these people into hell. The main theme of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was to love God AND love your neighbor as yourself. God will judge men on how they treated their neighbors, how they treated other men.
Even at a time, when men have the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ, many times they have had a really bad experience with evil, mean, hypodritical Christians and Churches. They have been offended in God because of God's representitives. Yet these people lived lives of loving and helping others.
WOE unto those Christians that offended these little ones that originally believed in Jesus. It is better that a milstone was hung around their necks and they were thrown into the utermost part of the sea.
God is not unrighteous. God will NOT cast all men just because they did not believe in Jesus into Hell. Does that mean everyone is saved OH NO NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Many that believed on Christ and called him Lord, will spend eternity in hell, because of their evil inclinations towards others.
The bottom line with God is this.
1 Tim 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
There are going to be people who went to Church their whole lives and didn't miss a service, roasting in fire for eternity. There are going to be people who never steped foot in a Church, rejoicing with Christ in the new heaven and the new earth.
Read Matt 25 because that's really what it's all about in the very end. How you treat others.
You are in a lot of bondage, due to some misconceptions which are very common in Christianity.
You seem like a person who really wants to love others, and turn them also to this righteousness. This attack you are under is not from above, but is from beneith, and from the God of this world. Break free of these chains, by choosing to see what is truly important to God and Jesus Christ. "By THIS shall all men know that you are my disciples, by the LOVE that you have one to another."
Doctrines and teachings are important, but the end of the commandment is LOVE out of a pure heart...We of course seek knowledge and the TRUTH also, but the truth outside of love, will get us no where in the end. And if you commit yourself to just learn to walk in love and seek the truth, God will see to it that you have the truth. And LOVE NEVER FAILS.
Regards,
El Harris
