What is the anticipated end result of God's scheme for mankind, in the Christian view?
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What is the Christian God's end game?
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I feel like my knowledge of that area is only partly realised. It is hard to say what Gods reasons are for things. However he gives a picture of how things will be in the gospels. It is primarily about seperation, seperation of the good verses the bad. Those who practice good will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven. Those who practice evil will be eternally seperated from any good in hell. I don't think those things come as any suprise to you, but it is difficult to elaborate any further on those themes.
He gives specific examples of what is good and what is bad through out the bible. Those who remember the poor, i.e. give to the poor are good. Those who feed and cloth the poor are depicted as good. Those who do good to the least significant ones are seen as good. Those who keep them selves from sexual imorallity are seen as good. The bad are those who practice sexual imorality, war mongers, those who refuse to help the poor are seen as bad. This is just a general list but it might help clarify things a little.
He gives specific examples of what is good and what is bad through out the bible. Those who remember the poor, i.e. give to the poor are good. Those who feed and cloth the poor are depicted as good. Those who do good to the least significant ones are seen as good. Those who keep them selves from sexual imorallity are seen as good. The bad are those who practice sexual imorality, war mongers, those who refuse to help the poor are seen as bad. This is just a general list but it might help clarify things a little.
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Thank you for your reply, Future. 
Everyone I know has done some good things and some bad things. What do you think is the end result for such people (i.e., everyone)? How are they to be "separated"?
What do you think happens to the separated "good" and "bad" people? Do the "good" people continue to do good? Do the "bad" people continue to do bad?
Everyone I know has done some good things and some bad things. What do you think is the end result for such people (i.e., everyone)? How are they to be "separated"?
What do you think happens to the separated "good" and "bad" people? Do the "good" people continue to do good? Do the "bad" people continue to do bad?
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Bryanfromiowa
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John 3:16 says that the only way to get to the father is through Jesus Christ. God's end game as you put it is eternal life for those that chose to follow Jesus as their lord and savior.
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ebia
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All that is wrong with creation will be wiped out, every tear wiped away, and creation will be able finally to go forward as it was always intended to, led by a restored humanity once again properly reflecting the image of God.
I would highly recommend reading Surprised by Hope (Tom Wright). He does a good job of explaining the historic Christian hope of restoration and resurrection and dealing with the current distortion that talks about eternal life in heaven/hell.
Scripture is about God restoring and redeeming all Creation - with humanity in and for that creation. Anything framed primarily in terms of individuals, or an eternity in heave, is not the biblical Jewish or Christian picture.
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DeaconDean
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To glorify Him.
"That God in all things may be glorified." -1 Pet. 4:11
God Bless
Till all are one.
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Bible2
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Greetings.
God's scheme for mankind includes mankind's free will, which mankind
has misused in order to commit sin: "Let no man say when he is
tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil,
neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth
forth death" (James 1:13-15). Mankind has become very sinful: "in
the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). So "the whole world lieth in
wickedness" (1 John 5:19).
God's end game, near the end of this present, wicked world-system,
will be to send a strong delusion upon the unrepentant portion of
mankind, so that the unrepentant portion of mankind will believe the
lie that Lucifer (Satan) the dragon and his human son the Antichrist
(the beast) are God, and are to be worshipped: "And they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they
worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is
able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto
him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in
blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle,
and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make
war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given
him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell
upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in
the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world"
(Revelation 13:4-8).
God will send this strong delusion upon the unrepentant portion of
mankind in order to make sure that the unrepentant portion of
mankind will end up being damned: "And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). "If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead,
or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of
the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no
rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" (Revelation 14:9-11).
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Bible2
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It's true that everyone has become very sinful: "What then? are we
better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both
Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There
is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the
way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that
doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:9-12). The end result for sin is
death: "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). But sinners can
still be separated into two groups by some of them having faith in
Jesus' substitutionary death on the cross for our sins: "Whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God" (Romans 3:25).
Because everyone has sinned, only God is "good": "none is good,
save one, that is, God" (Luke 18:19); "for thou only art holy"
(Revelation 15:4). What happens to the separated people with faith
depends on their subsequent actions: "Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Jesus is "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him"
(Hebrews 5:9). God "will render to every man according to his deeds:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are
contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness,
indignation and wrath" (Romans 2:6-8). "Ye see then how that by
works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:24).
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Bible2
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The people with faith should continue to do good: "This is a faithful
saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works"
(Titus 3:8). But not all do: "His lord answered and said unto him,
Thou wicked and slothful servant ... cast ye the unprofitable servant
into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
(Matthew 25:26,30). "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he
taketh away" (John 15:2).
And the people with faith should continue not to do bad: "Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that
doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is
not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1 John 3:6-10).
Some people with faith do continue to do bad. But "if we sin wilfully
after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries"
(Hebrews 10:26-27); "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish"
(Luke 13:3). "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die" (Romans 8:13).
Ultimately, God's end game is to separate saved people and unsaved
people into two places: saved people will reside in bliss forever with
God in the city of New Jerusalem on a new earth, while unsaved
people will reside in torment forever with Satan and his fallen angels
in the lake of fire: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for
the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there
was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with
them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with
them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are
passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make
all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true
and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit
all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone"
(Revelation 21:1-8); "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ... And these shall go away
into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal"
(Matthew 25:41,46). "And the devil that deceived them was cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever ...
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:10,15).
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Inan3
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Well, in MY opinion, and I believe, also, God's, the "Christian" view should be based upon the scriptures, specifically the New Testament. So I will use the scriptures to explain this question. I have highlighted what I believe is "the anticipated end result of God's scheme for mankind." I want to let the scriptures speak for themselves but if you will read them through, you will, also, see it is not our good works that save us, as some think, it is sheerly the grace and goodness of God. We are required to believe that and in doing "call" upon the name of Jesus and we will be saved. That's it in a nutshell. God loves us and wants us to have life. So He sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins so we could live and not die. We only have to receive this kindness and believe it and we will be saved. That's the simple good news. And anything that is not good news is not the gospel but merely man's MISinterpretation of it.
These are only a few scriptures and only the tip of the great salvation that God has provided but if you have other questions I'll try to answer them.
2Pe 3:9 KJVThe Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:9 CEV The Lord isn't slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
1Ti 1:15 This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them,
1Jn 4:9 And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him.
1Jn 4:10 This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.
Eph 2:1 In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.
Eph 2:2 At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.
Eph 2:3 Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger.
Eph 2:4 BUT God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great,
Eph 2:5 that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God's grace that you have been saved.
Eph 2:6 In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world.
Eph 2:7 He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.
Rom 10:9 If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.
Rom 10:11 The scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."
Rom 10:12 This includes everyone, because there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles; God is the same Lord of all and richly blesses all who call to him.
Rom 10:13 As the scripture says, "Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved."
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As far as the end-end game would be concerned, it would be best expressed by this scripture.
"..That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, 'You are My people." (Is 51:16)
What happens between now and then to all the people that have ever lived and will live, the views held by the A to Z groups within Christianity differ greatly.
They can range from an Ophray Winfrey school of theology that 'there are many ways to God', meaning Buddists, Hindus etc are also included, to a Christian only version of that, then to a one church the rest are deceived. Also someone would have to factor in the different versions of "salvation", ranging from the different versions of universalism to only a relatively few elect and select will attain it.
When it comes to the state of affairs in the world as visible today with the history of all peoples that came before, here's a link below that deals with the subject of all nations and their inclusion into the gospel of Christ and His Kingdom. It offers the most hope but acknowledging the visible nature of Christianity today, it is disputed. Which is why I'm not summarizing it myself, everyone can come to their own conclusions, rather than a back and forth debate on the subject. That would derail your thread.
Offer of Salvation
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Inan3
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I am sorry to contradict your post, but you did say "I feel like my knowledge of that area is only partly realised" and I have been an avid student of the Bible for 38 years. I live my life based on the scriptures and I am in hope that I can help not only the OP but others who may not realize the true meaning of the scriptures.
By the true meaning, I do not intend to put my "spin" on the scriptures but to let you know what the scriptures themself say. The general rule to avoid being deceived is to let the scriptures interpret themselves.
Now while what you have said above, that there will be a separation between the good and the bad in the end, is true, we need to understand what the meaning of that is. Although, I am not denying that as Christians we should live good lives or at least be inclined to do so and pursue the Chrisitan (Christ like) manner of living but the reason for this is not to attain acceptance with God. That is accomplished in what Christ has done FOR us. We live a Christ-like life for our own benefit and to be lights to others in the world. There's a whole more on that, which I won't get into in this post.
As a starting point....I think it is important to get into the difference between God's works and good works.
The Bible teachs that there is a way that seems right to men but it only leads to death.
NOTE: I will probably used different versions of the Bible because I think some explain it a little more clearly at times than others.
Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. KJV
In the Garden of Eden God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil. Have you ever considered why He didn't want them to eat of that tree. Why was it forbidden? He didn't want us to partake of evil is understood but why not good? Because the "good" here is referring to our works. Our attempts to be moral apart from Him. Our efforts to say we know what is best for our lives or we know better than God. When you study out the whole Bible you will find that God never intended for us to follow rules and regulations to gain His approval. We already had it in the beginning. His intent was to give us the keys to success and peace and joy and He knew the way to attain it, and that as yet, we did not know. His intent was to impart that to us through relationship not rules and regulations. Just as a father imparts that to his children, this was the way He wanted to teach us. Through relationship.
He walked and communed with Adam in the garden. It was when Adam partook of that tree that the separation between them occured. Not because God was angry and upset with them and wanted nothing more to do with them but because they now had partaken of an alternate way that would take them away from God completely. (Please bear in mind that there is so much more explantion to all of this and that I am trying to explain it as simply as I can.) He (God) prevented this by the consequences of expelling them from the garden. He also promised that One born of a woman would afterwards come and redeem them from their bondage to satan. (Another explanation...another post)
Jesus was that One and God's plan and design was that "in" Jesus all would be saved. They only had to LEAVE their "Good and Evil" ways and accept God's free gift of His Son and the sacrifice that Jesus made for all mankind. Once again God KNOWS the BEST way and ONLY way out of the clutches of satan's bondage and He provided it and ONCE AGAIN it is our choice, as it was in the Garden of Eden, to believe Him or to pick the fruit that looks so good and tempting. We can choose to believe and trust that God loves us completely and has done it all for us OR we can choose the way that satan that great serpent is advocating, which is to say the Tree of Good and Evil is enough...it will make like GOD! That is the lie that Adam and Eve bought and it is the lie that men and women are buying today and that is that they can do it on their own...they can attain a righteousness that is acceptable to God apart from doing it His way. The world is FILLED with that. The scripture says, BROAD is the way that leads to destruction and NARROW is the way that leads to life. (remember the scripture above that says where the way that "seems" right leads to) Unfortunately and to God's dismay, many more going their own way and only few choosing God's way.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Please forgive any misspellings or grammatical errors. I will go back and correct them as I see them.
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Inan3
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See my post #12 and I think it will answer "some" of the reasons for the A to Z Christianity you speak of. For it is my observation that many times Christians do not themselves understand that it is "not by works of righteousness that we have done but according to His mercy He saved us"
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
I would blame it mostly on the teachings that are out there. Jesus pointed out....
Luk 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
I would take it one step further to say also, that confusion lies in some Bible translations. The scripture says....
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
It's important that we know what God's word says. We don't want to think we are going or doing the right things only to find out one day that we will be ashamed of our works or our ignorances.
Let's take a couple of scriptures that I used in post #12.
King James Version
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Good News Bible
Mat 7:13 "Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it.
Mat 7:14 But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.
Looks harmless enough unless you look closely at the wording. The KJV doesn't say anything about how "hard" or "easy" it is but the GNB brings out that difference. I have looked it up in the Strongs concordance and find no leaning toward "hard or easy" in the Greek words. They were imposed by the translators, probably based on their own understanding or lack thereof, of God's way to salvation.
Why do I bring that up? Because if one were to teach the GNB version they would tell people it is "hard" to travel the narrow path to life, and that would be in direct contradiction to what Jesus taught in another place.
Mat 11:28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mat 11:30For myyoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Jesus was the One teaching in both these scriptures. Why would He in one place say it was "hard" and another place say it was "easy"? Truth is...didn't. It was what some perceived to be what was meant because the didn't understand the whole of the message. That is why we have to be diligent and study the scriptures. We need to know for ourselves what they say and prove what others are teaching. We don't want to be the blind following the blind. Too much of that goes on in Christianity and that is why there are so many that want nothing to do with it.
One more thing, if a person is trying to do it on their own merit,they are missing the mark, and will NEVER be able to partake of the many victories provided for us "in" Christ Jesus. There is a way we can "become" righteous without our own good deeds or act of righteousness.
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So the "end game" is simply to go on as better human beings, continuing to live and die as we do now, but with more virtue?
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Bible2
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Greetings.
The "end game" in this evil time before the second coming of Jesus
is that those who are obedient to God continue obedient, while
those who are disobedient continue disobedient: "He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still:
and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be"
(Revelation 22:11-12).
The "end game" after the second coming of Jesus (Revelation 19:7-
20:3), and after the subsequent millennium, Gog/Magog event, and
great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:4-15), is for the obedient
to live forever in bliss with God on a new earth (Revelation 21:1-4)
while the disobedient die forever in eternal torment with Satan and
the fallen angels in the "second death" of the lake of fire (Revelation
21:8, 20:10,15, 14:10-11, Matthew 25:41,46, Mark 9:45-46, Isaiah
66:24).
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Bible2
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"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man
minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in
all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Here "glorified"
is the translation of the original Greek verb "doxazo", from the noun
"doxa", which means honor, praise, worship. 1 Peter 4:11 means that
those obedient to God through Jesus Christ should do all things to
God's honor, praise, and worship.
But God's "end game" is that he will end up being eternally glorified
not only through those who are obedient to him, but also through
those who are disobedient to him, for the latter are God's "vessels of
wrath" through whom, when he casts them into the eternal torment
of the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15), he will eternally "shew his
wrath, and make his power known" (Romans 9:22, cf. Revelation
14:10-11).
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That's too broad a scope, if you've ever studied Hitler's speeches and 'Mein Kampf', he was saying the same thing. You see when it comes to any such conditions are they man made or are they of God?
Today many religions and Atheists largely share among themselves a similiar but not always the same moral code. A good example would be, even among some Atheists there are those who do not approve of abortion.
"for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)" (Ro 2:14-15)
In other words on the most simplistic level. A person doesn't even need to know the bible exists but at the same time their conduct agrees with the moral understanding that is explained within the writings. The end game goes further than that, even if it were possible for all mankind to share in virtuous behavior, stop human suffering and be at peace, that leaves someone out. Establishing men's ideas about the ultimate measuring stick, how they interpret God above (superseding) His own ideas about what constitues righteousness and justification.
"Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?" (Job 40:8)
"... I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them" (Is 42:7-9)
But when the whole scope between man and his Maker is bridged, the end game condition is, "... the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Cor 15:52)
As in Isaih, "And My glory I will not give to another", it's about a very real acknowledgement by all peoples to know and understand who Jesus Christ is. "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
However the specifics of 1 Pe 4:11 is more a comment directed to those who already know and understand that. That their conduct should already be 100% relecting of Him in what they do.
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ebia
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No, that's not what I said at all.
At the final resurrection all that is wrong with the world - all evil and sin, all idolatory, all death and suffering, all that marrs the world - will be done away with in a fresh act of God's creative Word allowing life the full. Live compared to which this is a shadow. The veil between heaven and earth will be lifted. All the faithful dead will rise as Jesus rose to be part of that restored, redeemed, creation.
That's what Easter and Jesus' resurrection anticipates. The life of that future Kingdom is what Christian lives are called to anticipate.
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So God's end game is to have some people eternally praise, honor and worship him, and him to eternally torture others in a lake of fire? Your statement of the division between the praisers and the tormented is as between the "obedient" and the "disobedient." This indicates that the cardinal virtue of Christianity is obedience. That is what God values. Is that correct?
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