This doesn't comport with the idea that God had no other way to deal with man's sin other than going to the cross (as evidenced by what Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane). Could you explain your reasoning for this belief?
Could God destroy a human being?
- Thread starter JudgeRightly
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This doesn't comport with the idea that God had no other way to deal with man's sin other than going to the cross (as evidenced by what Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane). Could you explain your reasoning for this belief?
Derf
Well-known member
Good topic, JR.
Lon
Well-known member
I've been in general agreement with Clete on this: God can do anything BUT if you mean "would that be consistent with His character?" then: "Good point. God in 'ability' can easily unmake us. 'God in His being, would/could He annihilate man?' and I might have to side with you."
Will watch this one.
Idolater
"Matthew 16:18-19" Dispensationalist (Catholic) χρ
I think He did this way more so, prior to the Flood. Literally only eight people were saved. But by the time of the Flood, the Lamb had been slain from the foundation of the World (some say He was slain "eternally" outside of time, but at the very least it must have been right around the Fall, and not after the Flood) so the die had been cast.
There was no other way to deal with man's sin - that kept mankind in existence.
"The Lamb slain from the foundation of the World" is simply conveying the idea that God had made the decision to sacrifice Himself to save some of Adam's race, should the need arise, from the very beginning.
Ok, that makes sense. And it seems kind of obvious now, too.... However...
If you'll allow me to pick your brain a bit further, what about Hell/the Lake of Fire then? Why can't God eliminate from existence just those who reject Him? (Reminder, this is coming from someone who rejects annihilationism...)
Well, "remove from existence" is something of a figure of speech. I meant, "kill them on the spot and send them along with Satan and the rebellious angels to their eternal fate", whatever that would have been had He decided go that route.
Derf
Well-known member
Why isn't "remove from existence" an option?
Impossible to destroy something that is designed to last literally forever.
You cannot destroy that which is indestructible.
What an excellent question!
If it were, Christ need not have died. The debt is not finite. If it were then God could have simply created another creature of sufficient value to pay the debt. As it is, God's own life is the only coin of sufficient value.
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He clearly had plans and contingency. The tree of knowledge of good and evil is parallel to the law. It reveals right and wrong and sin.
Eat from the tree of life and live forever. Choose for yourself and roll the dice before the judge. I'll take the former and not the latter for $200.
Book of Life of the Lamb slain
I think He did this way more so, prior to the Flood. Literally only eight people were saved. But by the time of the Flood, the Lamb had been slain from the foundation of the World (some say He was slain "eternally" outside of time, but at the very least it must have been right around the Fall...
theologyonline.com
That Tree was the first manifestation of the law and, indeed, the law came that the offense (i.e. the eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) would abound. Also, that Tree and the Law are the only two things in scripture that had/have a ministry of death. In effect, the Law is the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and just as Adam was forbidden to eat of the Tree, we are forbidden to partake of the Law (Gal. 5:2). The parallels are striking, unmistakable once seen and almost universally unknown in the modern church.
In hindsight, the choice does seem to be rather an obvious one, doesn't it?
I wonder, though, how well any of us would have done in Adam's place?
ttruscott
Well-known member
This must be true for eternal hell to have any meaning...
IF we were created as eternal beings, eternally self and other aware spirits and
IF we were all created with a free will and
IF there is an unforgivable sin, a sin that puts the person outside of all grace and
IF some of HIS creation chose by their free will to sin the unforgivable sin and
IF it is true that a little leaven / sin leavens / corrupts the whole lump / person / community, then
IF the only way to protect HIS Church and heavenly Family from these eternally evil people was to banish them from HIS heavenly reality,
THEN an eternal hell is an absolute necessity to keep the eternally evil ones from corrupting HIS heaven.
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The late Bob Enyart had a TV show on cable in Denver in the 90s. That is where I saw him. He pointed out to someone something along those lines. "Considering man's track record".....I can apply that to myself.
I watched that show every single night it was on. For some time it came on during my shift at a call center I worked at which was in the satellite television industry and so we had TVs all over the call center and I always put the TV nearest me on Bob Enyart live. It was well tolerated by everyone whether they were Christians or not. It was a very entertaining show!