An interesting take on salvation

When I got home from SC, I was so angry at Janet. I wanted her to be wrong about God's inflexible nature on the idea of salvation for only those who say the Jesus prayer in a certain, good-little-Protestant way. I wanted to prove her wrong. I wanted to get her back for being so callous about my sister's salvation (or lack thereof), and in the next breath balking at the idea that Katherine may be going to the same place she is.


I searched the Internet for passages disproving the idea that you only have this one life to accept Jesus. I found something, an article by Richard T. Ritenbaugh, and I cut and pasted it below. 


A few days later, I researched Ritenbaugh. He's a quack. He doesn't even believe in the triune God. So back to the drawing board I go. But I'll leave what I found below, because this is the post I wrote, and it's all part of the growth process, I suppose.


2 Peter 3:8

Isaiah says that God "inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15), so time to God takes on different dimensions. He can function outside of time if He so desires. These verses, however, give us a rough guide that a thousand years equal one day in God's prophetic revelation to man.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
God's Master Plan

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2 Peter 3:8-9

Three times in four brief verses (I Timothy 2:1, 3-4, 6), God states He has planned for the salvation of all. Since He desires to save all men, they must all be given an opportunity for it. It is very obvious from human experience that very few among all mankind have ever heardthe gospelor come to the knowledge of the truth.

Verse 6 also says that Christ is a ransom for all, and this will be testified or witnessed of in due time. The way Paul wrote this shows that the testifying is still future. In other words, many had not heard of Christ's ransom forsin, and Paul indicates that he expected many then living and many yet unborn would also die without hearing of it. But it would be witnessed to all in due time becauseJesus Christis the only name under heaven by which men can be saved.

God's plan, humanly speaking, covers a long time. Like Paul, Peter clearly says that God does not desire anyone to perish. Other scriptures indicate that some will, but it is not God's will that they do so.

The critical factor in these verses isrepentance. How can a person repent if he does not have knowledge of thetruth, if he does not know the purpose God is working out, of what he should repent, why he should repent, or by what means his sins are forgiven? The overwhelming majority of people who have ever lived on earth fit into this category! These things remain untestified to them.

I Corinthians 15:21-23adds another important revelation to this mystery. "For since by man came death, by Man also came theresurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."

Simply put, God is proceeding according to a plan. All die, but that sameallwill also be made alive, resurrected in a certain order according to God's plan. Verse 26 reads, "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death"—it has not yet been destroyed! This means that God's plan is still continuing, and in due time the opportunity for salvation will come to all, even though God must resurrect many to that opportunity. Most churches exclude most ofthis worldfrom salvation because they are not part of their group. Why do people scoff when we point out that God will give all mankind the chance to conform to His image?

John W. Ritenbaugh

Read more:http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/bible.show/sverseid/30531/everseid/30531#ixzz1KjWRpJSj

Easter

Easter weekend was difficult. Lee's mom is a Christian with all the trappings--the right words, the right Scripture passages memorized and at the ready. But she is not gentle, kind, patient, understanding. She is like a bulldozer, trampling anyone who gets in her way.

My sweet Lily wasn't on her best behavior. Her precious pout was on display a lot. Lee's mom didn't have the patience for her. Isabel, though sweet, wasn't able to keep herself from sticking her finger in the jello, the cake, and whatever else appealed to her. Lee's mom sighed angrily and rolled her eyes.

If this woman's behavior is the result of following God, I don't want any part of it. But of course, there were other Christians there, better ones, with gentler demeanors. Lee's sisters, his brothers-in-law. It's these who make me cry when I think about them. Goodness makes me cry for some reason. Lee's mom just makes me angry.

The worst part is that when I condemn her and judge her, I'm immediately reminded of my own failings. It makes me feel hopeless. I want to run to the Bible, but its words are the words that she uses. She poisons them.

We discussed the Rob Bell book. You can imagine her take on it. She draws a line in the sand (she would say Scripture draws the line), and no one can cross it. She's safe, heaven-bound. People not like her, well. My sister? Well. She's praying for her. My sinful, mean-spirited heart says, "No she's not."

Like I said, hopeless.

Lord, I'm self-centered. I have too much pride in my own wonderfulness. I look down on her, and I strongly dislike her, like I have a right to look down on anyone. I'm sorry for the way I acted. I should have kept my mouth shut. 


I want to return to You and Your words without thinking about how she uses them. I have so much anger. Please help me to let it go, to respect my elders (in my heart as well as in action). Gentleness is the way. So hard to be that way unless I read Your words. 


I believe that love wins. Your love wins. Once I've had a chance to let these emotions cool, I will move forward in Your love. 


I pray for Lee, for my family, for Sara. I pray for Your presence.


In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Grace

I move through my days like God does not exist, and for all I know, He doesn't. But then something works out, or I'm surprised by something, or I experience a moment of grace. And then I think about Him.

I'm trying to put together the VBS drama. At PCNP in New Jersey, I was just one of the people that Gina gathered together to coordinate schedules and plan costumes and rehearse. Now I'm the organizer.

It's been hard finding actresses. I've asked a lot of people that I wouldn't otherwise have talked to. Most have graciously said no, but I'm glad I had something to talk to them about. It's helped me to inch my way into the community. Still have a lot of inching to do. But still.

Allison S, the children's minister, has been helpful and thankful for my willingness, but so far she hasn't appeared to get it. She wrote a message in the bulletin, looking for "dramatic people" to participate in the skit. I knew that no one would come forward, the way she didn't sell it. And no one did.

Until one did. An older woman named Debbie told Allison that she'd like to do it. Allison pointed her out to me. I smiled and said, "Great!" but on the inside I was rolling my eyes. Was it so hard to find some younger women, women with children in VBS, to join the drama team?

Last night, I introduced myself to Debbie. And it was a moment of grace. She is old, yes. But she's naturally funny. She wants to be in the skit, but she also doesn't. And her eyes widened at the thought of performing for anyone other than children, which I relate to. (On Sunday we have to do it for the whole congregation.) I really like her. She is reluctant, but I think she'll do it. And I'm glad.

Lord, I desperately need You. Luckily You are working behind the scenes whether I regard you or not. The VBS drama is a silly little thing without much consequence. But it's still relevant, because it (a) is about You and (b) sets the tone for the whole VBS, and a strong VBS will help to raise Eastminster's profile. The drama is Yours. I imagine You will use my neurotic planning and fear of failure to accomplish Your aims.


I pray for the VBS drama, that You would assemble us together and guide us in our imperfect-but-best-we-can-do effort for You.


In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Passivity

Today's Isaiah passage (53:7-9) is about Jesus' passivity. He didn't open his mouth while being tortured and taunted with false accusations from the very people he was dying for.

He knew they were wrong, and what they did was sinful. But he kept his mouth shut because what they did was the right thing to happen. His very suffering was the right thing.

I think of times when I need to keep my mouth shut, even when my first instinct is to stop something negative from happening. This is the trick: Knowing when to keep your mouth shut even when you think you're right so that a greater good can be accomplished.

I think of Lee and our differing views of spending money. He's so carefree and optimistic! I'm so careful. The trick is knowing when to keep my mouth shut, so that a greater good (a peaceful marriage) can be accomplished. Even as I write the words, I can hear my father's chastising me to be stronger, to stand up against irresponsible spending. This is an ongoing conflict that I will continue to struggle with. But I'm working on it.

Yesterday was Isabel's first rehearsal for the school musical, 'Bugz.' I volunteered as a parent helper. The teacher/director, Mrs. Irwin, was an older woman with a close-cropped bob, a crisp, pink button-down and dark blue jeans, proper jeans. Older but still rail-thin (someone, it seems, who wouldn't dream of letting her body go).

She made it clear to the children from the start: She required silence, all eyes on her, good posture. She held up fingers as signs for the children--one for stand up, two for sit with a straight back, three for sitting comfortably but quietly. She called these signs "their secret." Her discipline M.O. was singling one child and then another and then another for praise, constantly and repeatedly affirming their widely opened mouths, or their strong voices, or their ability to stay on beat.

Of course, my eyes stayed on Isabel. She was the picture of adorable--the delicate features of that sweet little face! But she was tired from a long day of school. She didn't smile much, and she slouched (when allowed, on three fingers). She tried to stay focused on Mrs. Irwin, but her attention would drift. She tried to follow the hand motions and learn the words. Mrs. Irwin never singled her out for praise. Each time the woman singled out Hannah, who sat next to Isabel, I died a little death inside. Hannah, our rambunctious and often disrespectful neighbor, was in her element. Was Isabel dying too?

Isabel hates this, I thought to myself. I've forced her to do something she's not cut out for. Being in a room full of boisterous, extroverted kids can't possibly be helpful for my introspective little thinker. If she wants to quit, I thought, I'll let her quit.

After the practice, with my heart in my throat, I helped to walk all the kids out. "We wasted all this time that we could have been playing," Isabel told me. Outside, I asked, "Do you want to do the play?" She was torn--yes and no. She'd just been told that her part was a caterpillar that turned into a butterfly. That was cool. But she didn't want to go to all the twice weekly practices. They may be fun for the other kids. But playing with her friends or with her sister, out in the backyard, was her version of fun. (Mine, too, actually, when I was a kid.)

I resolved to let her quit.

Then the rest of the afternoon passed. She watched a little TV, and then she said she was going outside to play. 'Isabel, before you go out there, I need you to be thinking about whether or not you want to be in the play, OK?' I said.

"I'll do it," she said, and the screen door banged shut behind her.

So...she's doing it. As the night progressed, she excitedly told Grandma and Papi about it on Scype. She had Lee play the musical's CD, and she danced and danced. She talked about her costume. She woke up in the middle of the night, and talked about her costume again.

I kept my mouth shut. I don't have all the answers, and my passivity (it seems, for the time being) won the day.

I am hyper-aware of my own passivity in social situations. At the rehearsal, one of the other moms, Julie, flitted about, correcting kids and actively helping. I just stood there. If Mrs. Irwin needed me, she could direct me. Was I being too passive?

Nothing is clear cut, or black and white! Passivity is an art. It has nuances, and it takes discernment to tell how passive to be.

I'm talking too much this morning, and not listening enough. Passivity. Sometimes, Jesus turned over tables and challenged prominent intellectuals and leaders. In this passage, he shut his mouth.

Lord, I'm sorry that I talked and talked and didn't listen just now. I pray that You'll show me what You want me to know about passivity. I pray for Isabel in this play, that You would use it as You develop her into the kind, loving person You plan for her to be.


In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Like sheep

Today's Isaiah passage (53:6) is a famous one...

We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

I come to today's Scripture from a place of nervous quibbling over inconsequential matters. 

I'm anxious. (Big surprise!) I haven't figured out what to do with the girls this summer, and this morning at 10 am is the Roswell Recreation sign-up for summer classes and camps. I'd planned to sign them up for something. But I poured over the brochure last night, and I haven't found anything that is (a) a good price, (b) ongoing and works with my schedule, and (c) something I wouldn't have to force both kids to do.

I sent out an email to other mothers. The only three who got back to me were the mother of a child Isabel is not friends with, and Hannah's mom, who already has Hannah scheduled up all summer. And Audrey's mom, who suggested some things I don't think Lily would like.

I think I'll probably let the 10 am moment pass, like I did with the Cobb County deadline. It doesn't feel right--that nothing is jumping out at me.

Back to today's Scripture, which regards life-and-death matters of the soul. It's about God's ultimate sacrifice and humankind's rescue from Hell.

Lord, I am like a dull-witted sheep. I am stuck on the ground, fretting about my little life. I can't see Your grand plan, or even any plan. Of course I go astray. 


You know what's best for me and my children. I want to lean on You. Will You show me what You have for us this summer? I can't see anything. In the context of You, what do you have for us this summer? I go astray so easily, and then I worry. 


Lord, I will lean on You.


In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Inner beauty

Today's passage is Isaiah 53:1-3. It describes Jesus as "despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." Also: "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him."

This reminds me of the NGM verse I memorized yesterday (while sitting in the dentist chair for two and a half hours). Part of it goes, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as elaborate hairstyles or the wearing of gold jewelry or fancy clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, that unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth to God."

I'm not a big fan of the male-written directives for women in the Bible. But this applies to both men and women, if you relate it back to Jesus in the Isaiah passage. It's just a universal truth, not a female one. Outward appearance is important to me, and that's not necessarily bad. But my focus and energy should be on my inner self. This plays out in life, clear as the nose on your face. You don't have to be a Christian to grasp that inner beauty is the greater goal.

Today I have so much to do. On days like these, I can't relax and listen. The quiet and gentle spirit floats out the window! I have the usual posts to write. But also:

Check on the house that Dad and Mom are buying. Figure out the girls' swim lessons, and summer activities, and order photos, and dog training, and laundry, and clean the house (a full day's job in itself).

In the midst of all the activity, Lord, I am to remain focused on You. How can I do that? Show me.


I pray for Lee, for healing. He's been in pain now for weeks. I pray for wisdom in disciplining Lily, who's becoming increasingly defiant as she closes in on five. I pray for Isabel and Lily, that they will discover their strengths and gifts, and that I might guide them and nurture their talents. I don't want to waste the summer, and I need time to do my work. Please, please show me if there's an activity You have for them.


I pray for Sara, who is so precious to me. She is Yours, and You walk with her. You love her more than I do. I pray for her, though I don't know what anymore. I just pray for her.


I pray for my character, my ability to love. I want my patience to increase, and my desire to be generous and loving and welcoming to all. I want that gentle, quiet spirit that isn't so worried about money all the time. I pray for our houseguest, Tom Conlon, that he will feel comfortable in our home. I pray that I will lavish him with hospitality.


I pray for protection over my sweet children--my favorite of the gifts You've given me. I love them "too much," as they say about their love for me. I really do love them too much. 

100th post

"He will sprinkle many nations [with his sacrifice of himself].
And kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see.
And what they have not heard, they will understand."
(Isaiah 52:15)

The passage is talking about Jesus' suffering for others. The verse previous talks about him being so disfigured that he could scarcely be recognized as human.

The response from kings: They will shut their mouths.

Love wins.

Eventually, ultimately, how can anyone not be won over by God's love? Rob Bell says it might not happen in this lifetime, as we perceive it. But that it will happen.

When I was little, I used to feel awe and wonder at my mother's sacrifices for me. It overwhelmed me, made me cry. I don't even remember what they were, or what she did exactly. But I remember the feeling of awe, and it was also tainted with a little sadness. Because, of course, a sacrifice had to be made, whatever it was.

This is the central story of love, and by extension, of everything. This is religious truth.

Tom Conlon will play a concert tonight at our church, Eastminster Presbyterian. I pray that there will be a good turnout, that people will come and experience his music and be moved by it. 


I pray for Lee today as he makes his way through his work day. I pray that I'll be what he needs in a wife.


I pray for protection over my sweet children.


I pray for Sara, for You to intervene.


I pray for my work situation, that I would have an opportunity to write a book that glorifies you by September 2011. Should I keep up this deadline element to my prayers?  I have no idea.

In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Baby Harrison

Lord, You alone are holding the universe together. You preside over all the life that springs forth and the restoration we can see so clearly in spring. The plants spring up, the flowers bloom, the roots venture down and the stems sprout up--all by Your hand. The bees pollinate each flower by Your hand. They know just what to do. 


You, who are in control of all of this, are the Father of baby Harrison. Today, even now, they are filling his body and kidney with fluids without sedation. But You are presiding over everything that happens. I pray that You will keep your baby comfortable and guide the doctors in their work. I pray that You will sort out his ailments as You see fit, healing him of them completely and swiftly being my first choice!


I'm anxious, again. So much going on. I have to drop Lily at school, and buy dog food, and do my posts, and pick up Lily and her horrid friend Alexia, and write my gallery assignment, and pick up Isabel from the bus, and drive us all over to East Cobb Park for a play date with Hannah H, and continue to write my gallery assignment, and somewhere in all of this figure out dinner, which includes Tom Conlon, who's staying with us. Yesterday I asked Emily's mom for a play date today and then had to reply back to her "yes" that actually I'd already committed to another play date (so sorry for being such a knucklehead, etc.) and now I haven't heard back from Emily's mom and so I may have Emily on my doorstep as well.

Lord, I want to go through my day in peace. I want to have the unfolding beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great worth in Your sight. I pray for peace. I can do all things through You.


In Your son's name I pray.
Amen

Rob Bell

I read the book Love Wins by Rob Bell. I liked it, and I agreed with it, more or less. Based on the "Christian culture" reading of the Bible, God is presented in a wildly contradictory way. On the one hand, He loved us so much that He sacrificed His only son for us. On the other hand, those who don't get the message about Jesus and receive him in a very specific way will have to burn in Hell for all eternity. And that includes billions of people. 

Bell points out that God's love is endlessly patient and inexhaustible. Even if a person seemingly rejects or disregards Jesus during the timeline of his or her life, that doesn't mean God gives up on him or her. Whatever happens to us after death is in the realm of speculation. The idea that you have one life to accept Christ or burn in Hell forever, without any more chances to be won over by His love, is speculation. It could be otherwise.

Then I read what some established Christian leaders are saying about it--that Bell twists Scripture for his own purposes, that there's not a shred of evidence to support his ideas--and I was troubled. Their attacks didn't shake my initial feeling of agreement with his ideas. But it bothered me that those Christian leaders didn't address the problem that Bell brings up: this contradictory presentation of God in the Bible. No one answered the question, Does a 15-year-old atheist burn in Hell forever? And if so, how could a loving God allow that?

One thing I love about Jesus' gospel message is that it's not about what I do that counts most. It's about what He did on the cross. My best intentions, my attempts to be a good person, don't cut it. Only Jesus's sacrifice does. So there is no measuring stick, no grading system I'm judged upon when I die. The idea of a measuring stick always confused me. (Murderers go to Hell, but white liars don't, etc.) So I was glad to find out that there was no measuring stick!

But Rob Bell points out that there still is a measuring stick. Now the measuring stick has to do with timing. Have you accepted Jesus by the time you die? If you haven't yet, but you're only 11 years old, do you get a free pass into Heaven? But if you're 17, you ought to have done it by then? Or maybe make that 18, like voting rights? Or 21, like alcohol drinking rights?

Bell says that this idea, too, is false. The fact is, we don't know how God works. Our minds can't fathom the power of His love, which is timeless and reaches beyond the three dimensions we experience with our senses. 

I'm still working this out for myself. The take away, for the moment, is just trust Him.

Submission Part 2

Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your own husbands, so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives.

It must be hard from Lee's perspective when I resist his spending choices. It's not just a matter of him potentially not getting his own, selfish way. It's also a matter of me judging his financial acumen, of me saying "you're not smart about money." This is not my intention, but that's what he hears. When your own wife/best friend doesn't have faith in your ability to manage money, it's a setback, emotionally.

I've said before that my problem is this dual role I feel I have to play in his life. On the one hand, I'm his lover and supporter. On the other hand, since I'm the only one he opens up to, I'm also the only one to hold him accountable. I've been told that I need to restrain his spending, which confirms my impulse to do so. But when I do that, I wound him.

These years of marriage, the ones that have already passed under the bridge, have taught Lee my strong views about his spending. He knows. That's a help to me now--an example of all things (even negative ones) used for my good. I can relax the "reigns," I think. He knows how I feel.

It's not just about money. He doesn't like to do anything that he himself didn't set his mind to. For months now I've been concerned about our swingset, which is over 30 years old and quite wobbly. When three or more kids are swinging at the same time, the whole thing rocks raucously. A few times, I've asked Lee whether it's safe. He dismisses me. "Yes, it's safe."

Last week, Hannah's dad (our neighbor), passed a comment about the swingset, with sort of a jokey, indirect offer to help make it more sturdy. He himself is a passive aggressive and sensitive guy (oh, these husbands!), and I acknowledged that yes, it's wobbly, without going any further. What could I say? This is Lee's department.

Later, I told Lee about it. I knew Lee's reaction would be sensitivity and a feeling of being attacked. I knew that Lee would see it as me and the neighbor ganging up on him, that he'd immediately turn it into "us against him." So I was careful to put it in such a way that Lee knew I saw things as us (me and Lee) against him (the neighbor). I wasn't drawing battle lines, but I knew that Lee would, and I wanted him to know that I was on his team. Because I am!

This worked. Lee was annoyed, but not at me. Then I dropped the subject. As I expected he would, Lee went out the next day and steadied the swingset a little bit. It's still not good enough, but it's better. And he's open to buying a new swingset, and so am I. At some point, hopefully, we'll find an affordable one. I checked Craigslist and then spent about an hour scouring the Web. Nothing. But maybe one of these days I'll find one for under $300.

I want Lee to know that I'm on his side, always. In the situation above, I relayed the information to Lee, and then I dropped the subject. This is submission, I think. It's not about leaving your brain at the door. On the contrary, it's about knowing when to back off, which takes a great deal of brain power.