Posted on 07/01/2005 9:55:00 AM PDT by Rhadaghast
FWIW: I have a consciousness of the truth of YOU without actually knowing you.
Are you willing to insinuate that this isn't precisely what Rev. Graham meant? I think it's exactly his point; that the Holy Spirit gives people an awareness -- a conciousness -- that there is truth in the gospel message, and that this conciousness is what finally nudges people to cross the line and make a personal declaration of faith in Christ and apprehend the salvation purchased for them at the cross.
There is no deep, dark, insidious thing going on, here; it's entirely in sync with the message of the gospel and compatible with the work of the Holy Spirit as he woos the hearts of men toward faith in Christ.
All you daemon-seekers, take a powder.
What does book mark mean?
I am new to this forum.
I certainly can agree. I should have thought more carefully about the title.
We're coming to get you! ;-)
Please search for the reference. Never beleive what people say, look it up.
David stats, after his son an infant dies, "I will go to him be he will not return to me." We know that David is with God, and that he meant that he would see his son there.
LOLOLOL!!!
See: Book of Genesis.
So, then, answer this:
When John wrote "For God so loved the world...", who is excluded, there?
I see God seeking man, but not man wanting to be re-united. Man runs & hides, God pursues.
With all due respect, Rhadaghast, I'm willing to bet that Billy Graham's honor and glory before the Great White Throne will be greater than yours and mine combined.
I sincerely doubt that Moses was confronted by an existential projection of "being" when he first beheld the BURNING BUSH.
Men use the word "I" when expressing outprocessings of their own awareness....in faint reflection of God who uses "I" as well.
But you'd expect that of men...having been made in GOD's image and likeness after all!
Look again.
David was a Jew, not a Christian. After Jesus' Resurrection, everything changed.
There are many people who lived and died before Jesus was born, who will be in heaven. They had a faith in the One who was to come, though they had not yet seen him (or knew his name).
The truth is that many will be in heaven who have not known the name of Jesus.
And it's the truth that it's only through Jesus that we are saved.
Everyone on this thread, though, has heard the name of Jesus, and is without excuse....
How do you make a personal declaration of faith in Christ without knowing His name? Will Buddha do?
I tried to make a transcript of the point in the talk where Reverand Graham makes the comments so many seem concerned about.
I am not a theologian But I think that knowing what Reverand Graham has said in the past, you need to take these considerations if you are not going to view him as having radically changed his views. The first is that he appears to take the Trinity - God and Christ and the Holy Spririt are one - in the fullness of what that means. The second is that he seems to be saying that he has met people that sought God, met God and tried to live as their prayers with God tried to guide them. They did not profess a belief in the Christian "bible", but in Grahams opinion they had been led to an honest belief in "God" and in that honest pursuit God was there for them.
Here is the text, as best as I could type it.
Robert Schuler, speaking to Graham: Tell me what do you think is the future of Christianity?
Billy Graham: Well, Christianity and being a true believer - you know I think there is the body of Christ which comes from all the Christian groups around the world or outside the Christian groups.
Billy Graham: I think everybody that loves Christ or knows Christ whether they are conscious of it or not they're members of the body of Christ.
Billy Graham: And I don't think we are going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time.
Billy Graham: I think James answered that - the apostle James in the first council in Jerusalem when he said that God's purpose for this age was to call out a people for his name and that's what God is doing today.
Billy Graham: He's calling people out of the world for his name. Whether they come from the Muslim world or the Bhuddist world or the Christian world or the non-believing world they are members of the body of Christ because they've been called by God.
Billy Graham: They may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their heart that they need something that they don't have and they turn to the only light that they have. And I think that they are saved and that they're going to be with us in heaven.
Robert Schuler speaking to Graham: What I hear you saying is that it's possible for Jesus Christ to come into a human heart and soul and life even if they have been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you are saying?
Billy Graham: Yes it is. Because I believe that.
Billy Graham: I have met people in various parts of the world and travel situations that they have never seen a bible or heard about a bible and never heard of Jesus. But they believe in their heart that there's a God and they tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived.
God does love the Muslims.
Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
Your turn, verse for man desiring re-uniting, is?
Hebrews 11 speaks of the saving faith of those who didn't know Jesus. Here's an excerpt:
"These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."
Again, everyone reading this particular post is exempt, as you have *heard* of Jesus and have opportunity to follow him.
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