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To: LouieFisk
I’ll play the “Devil’s Advocate” (heh) here and ask what about the millions that lived and died before Christ was even born or who otherwise never had the opportunity to reject Jesus?

Your trite old phrase is the standard phrase of those who are antagonistic toward Christians and our beliefs. You even do a giggle (heh) in the same place that people who are trying to provoke us, do.

But, the answer is still the same:

First, there is a natural revelation of God the Father in nature: "What may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse," (Romans 1:19,20).

Second, the vastness of the universe gives testimony about God the Father: "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them," (Psalm 8:3,4).

Bible expositor Don stewart (not the televangelist Don Steward), notes alongside these passages, that God is not nature. God is divine and Holy. Nature, after the sin of Adam and Even, is corrupt and fallen from the level of God's perfect creation. Stewart notes that nature itself proclaims the Heavenly Father in Psalms 19:1-6: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
These passages make it very clear that God has pointed to Himself in nature. Even the people you point out, ". . . the millions that lived and died before Christ was even born or who otherwise never had the opportunity tio reject Jesus," have always been accountable to God for understanding, responding to, and honoring the revelations that God has given them.

In the New Testament, Matthew points out that there are various degrees of God's judgment: "Then He [Jesus] began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you (Matthew 11:20-22).

Again, Stewart points out, "There is a principle found throughout the entire Bible which teaches that judgment is based upon the amount of knowledge that the person has [responded to]. According to the Old Testament, those who belonged to the covenant people, Israel, were judged on a much stricter basis than those who did not belong.

Humans are clearly held responsible for responded to the degree of revelation God has given. God will apparently visit judgment up people who recognized that He has given clues and responded however little they could. He will visit horrendous judgment upon men and women such as the Hitlers, Stalins, and Maos et al who committed heinous, grievous sin.

The awesome (or awful) truth is, you have been made aware of God's revelation to mankind. How will you respond, remembering that you will be held accountable for the revelation that has now been given you?
55 posted on 10/29/2016 4:39:17 PM PDT by righttackle44 (Take scalps. Leave the bodies as a warning.)
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To: righttackle44

“Your trite old phrase is the standard phrase of those who are antagonistic toward Christians and our beliefs.”
==
You need to brush up on phraseology and meanings:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/devil-s-advocate

“You even do a giggle (heh) in the same place that people who are trying to provoke us, do.”
==
You might need a humor transplant also, if you don’t get the humor of using the term “Devil’s Avocate” in a religion-themed thread. Ah, well...

(Not to mention the fact I’ve been a Christian for likely more years than you’ve been alive. Ooops, I mentioned it. That’s another “heh”!)


64 posted on 10/29/2016 4:52:06 PM PDT by LouieFisk
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