by AllanS » July 28th, 2006, 9:13 am
Only an evil man looks at his biological family and says "I don't love them because they don't love me. I refuse to take any further responsibility." This was not the attitude of the prodigal's father, but it was the view of the elder brother.
In the same way, only an evil God refuses to love and take responsibility for his biological family.
The whole point of the Incarnation is that God had to become a man, the new Head of the human race. The Firstborn. He adopted us. He suffered Hell as our representative head. He alone found the narrow way. We are elect in him. In Christ, all shall be made alive.
As for "Depart from me", I agree. Many will be lost. Many will mourn in outer darkness, weeping and gnashing.
But why do you inexplicably forget that Christ came to seek and to save the lost? Are these lost souls not lost, for God's sake? Do you know so little about God's personality-- his patience, his compassion, his faithfulness, his determination that not one of his elect will slip from his grasp? Why do you forget that Christ will comfort those who mourn and wipe away every tear? Who do you think Christ ministered to, when he descended into Hell, leading forth the prisoners and setting the captives free?
Your Christ, on the other hand, will drop'em in, bolt the door and never give them a moment's thought. Ever. So much for 'his compassions never fail'! The Blessed in your Heaven will shrug and say, "Bad luck, Grandma. You had your chance", before heading off to the Heavenly Party. So much for their being perfected in love.
You have turned God from a loving Father into a strict magistrate, very like a Roman Governor. Which is interesting, since historically, universalism was only condemned as heresy in the fifth century, just as the official Church and the Roman state were really snuggling up. Before that, many of the greatest theologians were universalist (especially those who spoke Greek as their native tongue), and no one blinked an eye.
“And turn their grief into song?" he replied. "That would be a gracious act and a good beginning."
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