How Do You Deal With This?

[Greatfull]

Thanks to all who have contributed their thoughts. Fortunately I do not have the time to just sit around all day and think about my feelings about being chosen and how bad it makes me feel when I think of those who have not been chosen. Feeling bad for those who have not been chosen is very human I think. Humbling is the thought that it is through no merit on my part that I am saved. Even my decision to accept Christ as my Savior was initiated and followed through by God. The thought of people I know who will spend eternity in Hell sickens me but like I said before, I don't have the time to sit around and just think about that. I like hearing peoples thoughts and scripture references. Thanks again

 

[heymikey80]

My quandry wholly consists of the aspect of love in this. God loved me first of course. Freely loved me. Is this not a 2 way street? (rhetorical question)

Actually, the Bible asserts, "we love because He first loved us." As the Bible states there's an effective cause, the effect can't be free.

We love because He loved us, freely. We don't love freely, but in gratitude for His love.

This does not mean we love unwillingly. There are great moral reasons for us to love Him with every fiber of our being, and to want to love Him for His great love for us. And on the contrary we don't love Satan. So we're led to conclude that one has caused the other.

 

[Hackett]

You've been saved because God had mercy on you.

Honestly, escaping any trauma in which people like you undergo violence, that brings about thoughts of guilt. Why am I saved? Why didn't I go through that? How am I any different?

You're truly not different, at least not in your own thoughts & actions. It's not you. It's God. And it's not capriciousness on His part. If any of us deserved saving, then all of us would, and we might have something to condemn God for. But none of us deserves saving.

In fact we so richly don't deserve it, our guilt feelings, our embarrassment over receiving it -- is richly deserved. But that embarrassment shouldn't be directed at people who also richly deserve it -- and neglect so great a salvation. Many are nice people. But they're not good people. Many treat others kindly -- just not justly. Many have a human level of hygiene, social awareness, love for those around them, and social action. That justification won't even justify their actions in the next century, much less eternity. Look at the past: why will future generations justify us? We haven't affirmed any past generation as just.

God knows this. God judges. We all are guilty -- far more than even we can see simply by looking into the past for some perspective.

We are far worse than we've ever imagined.
And far more loved than we've ever conceived as possible.

absolutely

 

[ReformedChapin]

nevermind

 

[chestertonrules]

((Please provide scriptural support for "free will" or a "choice" other than going to hell.)))

- Romans 2:6-7 "For He will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life."

- Mark 8 34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

- Matthew 6:14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you don not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

- Matthew 19:16-17 "'Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?'...'If you would enter life, keep the commandments.'"

 

[edie19]

closed for staff review of debating and off topic posts

 

[edie19]

ok folks: thread clean-up has been completed and we're reopening the thread.

We're also continuing to monitor the thread.

Per CF rules please do not derail this thread from the OP

How Do You Deal With This?

I believe in Election. Was exposed to it in a Christian college. Then I remember now that I tried to forget it. I have not really forgotten about election but I have not thought about it like I have been since reading about it again. I have guilt thoughts. Why have I been saved. There are people in this world that are not evil people who try to hurt others but they will spend eternity in Hell if they don't apply the plan of Salvation to themselves. I feel really bad about that. It makes me realize the tragic situation they are in. If they live a long life and experience many beautiful things of this world then have to spend eternity in Hell...........................It's just hard to understand that. Eternity is forever and the good life that they have here on earth seems meaningless to me. It was just a time that they were not in Hell. My tag is Greatfull because that is how I feel. That God chose me. But the guilt thoughts don't go away. But that would be such a light burden to bear when I think of the lost and what is in store for them.

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