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To: Forest Keeper
I may have forgotten to ask this before, but do you believe that Mary was conceived in the normal sense? Or, was God the "bio-Father" for Mary too? I just looked up the Protoevangelion again, and it seemed like it was a normal conception. So, how was this "Immaculate"?

Physically, she was born the normal manner. Spiritually, she was prevented from contacting original sin - or from losing sanctifying grace.

However, you say that we have enough knowledge of God to make a choice, and some choose against. So, even though the choice is between eternal torment and eternal blessings in Christ, some, with this full information, still choose hell?

Brother, the choice presented to us depends on FAITH! It is NOT clear that a person who disobeys God will suffer eternal fire. EVEN IF this knowledge is made available by being taught Christian beliefs on this matter, it still requires faith that after one dies, one would go to hell - if they disobeyed a God that they cannot see. Faith is required to believe in this God AND to adhere to that promise of eternal hell (which we have no empirical evidence for). The daughter of our example, however, can be shown empirical evidence of the result of being struck by a car. The results do NOT require faith. Thus, "full knowledge" is based on faith, not on empirical evidence accessible to our senses.

That is felony child endangerment, Joe! :) God wouldn't do that to His children, He loves us too much. Doesn't the Good Shepherd always take care of His sheep? Does He let any of them get lost? No, of course not! And, He would never let any of them stray onto the highway! :)

Again, WHO are the sheep? The ones who hear His voice. We don't know who will continue to hear His voice into the future. Thus, we can only know whether we are CURRENTLY of the flock. God gives us a free will choice to hear His voice and to FOLLOW it. By following God's Will, we are making a free will decision to love God. That is what He desires. He desires our response to Him. God's ways are not our ways.

Regards

3,556 posted on 03/14/2006 11:55:11 AM PST by jo kus (I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore CHOOSE life - Deut 30:19)
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To: jo kus; Forest Keeper; stripes1776; HarleyD
By following God's Will, we are making a free will decision to love God

Amen. What Harley D calles "lovey dovey" Gospels clearly show that we can abide in Him only in love. To those who love Him, His love will nourish; to those who hate Him, His love will burn. Those who love Him see no anger, no vengeance in Him; unlike those who hate Him.

3,564 posted on 03/14/2006 3:01:29 PM PST by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: jo kus
It is NOT clear that a person who disobeys God will suffer eternal fire.

What about these?:

Rom. 6:23 : For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 14:23-24 : 23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

---------------

EVEN IF this knowledge is made available by being taught Christian beliefs on this matter, it still requires faith that after one dies, one would go to hell - if they disobeyed a God that they cannot see. Faith is required to believe in this God AND to adhere to that promise of eternal hell (which we have no empirical evidence for).

I am not sure I am following you. Are you saying that one has to believe in hell to be subject to going there?

Again, WHO are the sheep? The ones who hear His voice. We don't know who will continue to hear His voice into the future. Thus, we can only know whether we are CURRENTLY of the flock.

So according to you, Jesus DOES lose some of His sheep. They ARE snatched out of His hands. Some of the sheep He has today, He allows to be lost forever. This just isn't scriptural. If this is how bad a shepherd He is, I guess He should have stuck to carpentry. After all, what kind of shepherd allows his sheep to be lost forever? Certainly NOT a good one.

3,699 posted on 03/18/2006 1:30:46 AM PST by Forest Keeper
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