Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.PCS 1/10/84; site mtuxo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!adb1 From: adb1@mtuxo.UUCP (a.benson) Newsgroups: net.religion.christian Subject: Re: A primary reason for belief in Christ Message-ID: <909@mtuxo.UUCP> Date: Wed, 28-Aug-85 02:59:15 EDT Article-I.D.: mtuxo.909 Posted: Wed Aug 28 02:59:15 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 14:55:49 EDT References: <908@uscvax.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 38 The article that I am commenting on concluded that some churches and some people use fear in an attempt to get people to walk in the truth of God. Though certainly this could be true in isolated cases, it does not negate the truth of the scriptures. Here are my comments: I would not say that anyone is capitalizing on the death issue. Basically, I it is an attempt to portray the complete picture of God. Sure God loves each of us and desires that we have fellowship with Him . But God is also a God of standards and His standards will not be comprimised and a part of that is that the result of sin(falling short of God's standard) is death and eternal damnation. The eternal damnation and death part of it do no negate the love of God neither do they contradict it. To me it makes the love of God perfect because we we get a glimpse of a love that is without condition that expects an uncodnditional love in return. The scriptures say that "While we were yet siners, Christ died for us"/ It goes further to say that "God demonstrated His love to us by sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins' When the scripture talks of our love for God things like the following come up: "If you love me, keep my commandments" "I want obedience and not sacrifice" The scripture is also clear on man's status before God "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life" I wrote all this to say that God's love for mankind is evident. The scriptures even say that "His goodness is to bring us to repentnce". Sure God love people. But as people God gives us the will to make decisions. We either choose to follow Him or we choose to follow Satan. We make that choice. To choose God is to choose life. To choose SAtan is to choose death. This is no threat and no fear tactic just a statement of truth. What do you think? Angela