Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of slavery. The "1,000-year prison" teaching should not be received uncritically as if it were from God. Question it - challenge it - test it - prove it.
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Yes & AMEN - for FREEDOM! (shades of William Wallace in Braveheart) We do need to test these things and not be under the yoke of fear!
A balancing word, as discussed, is what Christ tells the faithful servants in Matthew 25: "You have been faithful IN A FEW things . . . enter into the joy . . ." ("a few things" is not the big onerous demand that we often may imagine the Lord is going to be pleased with!)
So I want to bring these three things up again, as we didn't get many responding aye or nay.
Can we have consensus on these three basic principles?
1. The Father loves us and we are reborn with a gift of new life - His life - in us, and therefore children of God who are true believers are thereby saved eternally.
2. There are many warnings in the OT and NT telling us we are accountable - there is some degree of scrutiny by God in the next life (and also this life) - for our works after we receive the new birth.
3. God is righteous and His judgments are just. He is firm yet He is fair in all His ways.