** They are manipulated by man rather than born of God, and it has filled our churches with false converts,” he said. **
I firmly agree with him on that. Here is a great analogy explaining why I no longer believe in ECT:
Suppose for a moment that a wonderful man—Mr. Right, if you will—offers a marriage proposal to the woman he loves. “Marry me,” he says, “and I will give you a life like you’ve never dreamed of before. You will be loved with the greatest commitment and passion that any woman has ever known. I will give you the finest house with all of the wonderful things you’ve ever wanted, and you will be happy for the rest of your days!”
Now suppose the woman is very flattered by the proposal, but is uncertain about whether or not she is ready for such a commitment. Asking for a few more days to think it over, Mr. Right answers, “You are welcome to take more time, but it’s only fair that I warn you what will happen if you decline my generous offer. Your only option, other than spending paradise with me, is to be thrown into my underground dungeon, have your eyes gouged from their sockets, and be subjected to unimaginable pain every hour, on the hour, for the rest of your long, miserable life.”
What do you suppose would be going through the young woman’s mind at a time like this? I imagine that would change the way she feels about the man considerably. She might have previously accepted Mr. Right’s proposal because of her love for him, but is there much chance of that now? Surely not. If she takes him seriously, she’ll undoubtedly marry him, but not as much for love as out of genuine terror at the alternative.
Is this God’s way of doing things?
I do not think your example is appropriate. A more accurate one IMO would be if the woman was already living a degrading life of beggary, thievery and prostitution, and Mr. Right offers her a better life if she will only ask for it. The person who has not accepted God is already living the life you describe as a punishment.
If she does not feel that her current life is one of pain, then she will not accept the offer and will not feel she missed anything.
Is this God’s way of doing things?
Jesus seems to think so:
Luk_12:5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, He’s the One to fear.
God must be just. Mercy is at his discretion, he does not have to be merciful.
As much as you don’t like it. GOD MUST BE JUST, HE IS HOLY.
Until one understands what we deserve, we can never fully understand His mercy.
The very nature of your question states you want to define God because you want to decide what is right and wrong (familiar?), instead of letting him tell you who HE IS.
While it is true that God is preparing the church (i.e. people who believe the Gospel and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior) to be the bride of Christ, this is NOT the invitation of the Gospel.
The Gospel is a call for sinners, currently under God’s wrath, to flee for refuge and escape. It is an offer of life.
Comparing the Gospel to a wedding PROPOSAL is not Biblical. Jesus did, however, compare it to a wedding INVITATION. There is a big difference between the two.