Heaven populated w/out the cross?

That which I underlined, I still stand by!! The Prodigal Son was safe as long as he was in his Father's house. It's when he left that "safety net" that he got in trouble. When he "came to himself", he realized the condition of his life, and he thought of his Father's servants, and the abundance of bread they had! This is where Total Depravity kicks in. When he came back to Father's house, Father met him, hugged and kissed him, dressed him from head-to-toe, and they killed the fatted calf and they ate because He said my son is "alive again". Notice that in this parable, that Jesus used the words "alive again". Now these are Jesus' words, and not mine. I didn't write this book, so if you have a problem with this, then you can take it up with God. I will stand by my position until God shows me something different. Babies are under God's Grace until they have a rational mind to make a choice. This is my last post on this topic. No, I am not tucking tail and running, I just see this discussion as being one sided, with you not even giving one thought to the subject at hand. The only reason why you can't agree with anything I post is because what I post isn't seeping, dripping, oozing, saturated, with the DoGs. I do love you Brother, but I through on this topic. Have a good week!!

i am I am's!!

Willis

 

From www.christsnotes.org:

This is from Matthew Henry's commentary on the Prodigal Son:

The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly of sinners, and that which ruins them, is, being content in their life-time to receive their good things. Our first parents ruined themselves and all their race, by a foolish ambition to be independent, and this is at the bottom of sinners' persisting in their sin. We may all discern some features of our own characters in that of the prodigal son. A sinful state is of departure and distance from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners misemploy their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time and all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinners want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raiment for them, nor any provision for hereafter. A sinful state is a vile, slavish state. The business of the devil's servants is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that is no better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constant discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the senses will not even satisfy our bodies; but what are they to precious souls! A sinful state is a state which cannot look for relief from any creature. In vain do we cry to the world and to the flesh; they have that which will poison a soul, but have nothing to give which will feed and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is a lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy prevent not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few are sensible of their own state and character!

Even Matthew Henry used phrases such as "bless those who return to Him", and "returning to God". So even he agrees(apparently) that the Prodigal Son belonged to the Father before he left his Father's house. A baby is under the Grace of God until He imputes sin unto them!

i am I am's!!

Willis

 

I have a much clearer understanding of the admonition in Scripture to "avoid foolish arguments."

Thanks for the enlightenment...

 

Luke a couple of questions for you:

Has the law entered babies? A simple yes or no.

Consider these scriptures as you answer.

(Rom 4:15) Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

(Rom 5:13) (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

I do not need a thesis for an answer.

 

Luke
Please do not shout at me. I understand Ephesians 2:3 and I understand psalms 143:2.
I also understand that the law of God is for every living person. You did not answer the question. Once again I ask you: Has the law entered babies? A simple yes or no.

 

Not a horrible doctrine at all. It shows God's love. The infants are covered by Christ's blood as they are not old enough to make a choice. It is when we are old enough, mature enough to know right from wrong and we select wrong willingly that we become in need of God's grace and salvation by accepting Christ.

Following the logic of the OP all humans who are so mentally retarded that they are not capable of making a decision for or not for Christ will spend eternity in hell. Now that is a horrible doctrine and that is what the OP says.

 

Yeah, no answer.
Why ?
Because in the end EVERYONE must bow to God's sovereignty.
I believe I am one of the wretched sinners whom God in eternity past decided to have mercy on.
Based on what I see and read from the Bible.
That is MY interpretation, and that is what my faith is, and in that light I see God as merciful and gracious.
Same thing with you.
So you come to the conclusion that God is as you picture Him to be, and understand Him to be, in your reading of your Bible, and according to your denomination's teaching.
But WHAT IF (not yelling, just emphasizing).....
WHAT IF, we are wrong.
WHAT IF, God should tell me, "I never knew you......"
What then ?
Am I going to throw a tantrum before Him and say, "But I believe you were a God of mercy and that you elected me, I fought for that belief, I argued heavily for that belief"...
Am I going to make God change His mind about me because I believed that way ?
Are you going to make God have second thoughts about sending babies to hell if that is what He is indeed doing ?
Nah.
In the end, we all bow down to one fact.
God is Sovereign.
His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts, our thoughts.

 

Rom. 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Grace of God goes farther than any of us knows!

Babies are under Grace until sin is imputed unto them by God.

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

My friend.....great summation......you should become a full time...LOL

 

The real problem in this debate, is that the "all infants are saved" crowd refuse to heed Christ's admonition NOT to judge according to appearance, but to judge righteously. When the infant dies, they picture an infant-shaped spirit with infant mentality puzzled and confused about the judgments pronounced against him.

But they have no reason to think that way except the appearance of the infant body and their interaction therewith.

Once the infant dies, the physical constraints are gone. There is no puzzlement. There is no question. There is no excuse. Just the simple confession that Christ is King and that His judgment is righteous, whether that judgment is condemnation or justification.

 

Of all the squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching interpretations (and I've heard some doozies), this one wins the prize.

 

One twisted understanding there, Aaron.