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NASB | Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire. |
Subject: reassurance of lambs book of life |
Bible Note: Hi Hank: I don't mind in the least your responsse to this thread. Let me ask you this in reference to your first point. IS KJV better than New World Translation ? If as many on this forum claim that NWT is not right, then you have not taken that stranger's or translator's word on trust, but you have tested what they wrote to see if it is true. That is all I am saying. We need the Holy Spirit as an outside source to test all things we hear and read. Once we know the scriptures are authentic through this same source, we have a wealth of good advice to draw on, provided the Spirit open it to us. Knowing God. If you were to read carefully again what I wrote you will find that I do not equate knowing the scriptures to knowing God. I clearly understand that knowing God is possible without knowing any scriptures at all. Adam knew God. Did he have scriptures? Eve knew God. Abel knew God. Enoch knew God. Noah knew God. Abraham knew God. Moses knew God. Did any of these have scriptres to go by? Did God not reach them without the aid of scriptures? He did so through Holy Spirit speaking directly to ones whom HE chose. Moses and all of the above knew God before any of the OT scriptures were written, or heard of. Therefore one can know God without having access to scriptures, at least in the past. But what about from the time of Christ to today? Does one have to hear the gospel to be saved ? All the people living in the Americas since the time of Christ to the time of Columbus better hope so. It is probably a safe bet to assume the gospel was not preached in the Americas before that time. Yet is says in trustworthy scriptures that "Christ died ONCE and for ALL." This "ALL" would have to include a lot of people who never heard the gospel, else they are not included and Chist did not die for them. A native living in North America would have had the same chance of being saved as anyone in Jerusalem shortly after the death of Christ. If this were not so, God would be a respecter of persons which it clealy states He is not. John 14:6 " I am the way" It does not actually say one has to read the gospel to reach Him. It does not say the gospel is the way,but that Christ is. If you can find a passage that says one has to read or hear the gospel to be saved let me know. Act 4:12 Also simply states that one is saved by Christ and no one else. No mention of reading scriptures here either. That is a notion erroneously assumed to be the case. John 20:31 Having the scriptures available for reading surely can be helpful, but not having them or not being able to read cannot be an obstacle to salvation, since most people throughout history have not been able to read, or have a bible. This passage states that the scriptures are good for learning abut Christ, but does not state not having them means one is excluded from salvation. Hebrews 1:1 says that God can communicate in many ways. In the last days, He communicated through His Son. This SON , before He left, said He would send the Holy Spirit to teach us, so we can believe that the Spirit is here, and dwells in us to teach us as Christ said it would happen. Is it hard to believe that Natives in North America before Columbus could also have received the Holy Spirit to teach them the things of God, if they showed an interest in knowing Him? Is it easier to believe that they were left out of the offer of salvation when it is written Christ died ONCE for ALL? Romans 1:16 Of course Paul was no ashamed of the good news he taught to people. Neither am I. The gospel is a treasure to be sure, and if believed, and followed, it leads to salvation. This passage also does not address the case where one never hears it, and that having not heard it cannnot be saved. That is read into this passage erroneously again if it is. 2 Tim 2:15 It is good to handle the words of the gospel well as it is stated, but again mention of those that have not heard the gospel, so draw no conclusion that those who do not hear it are excluded. They have another avenue (NOT another Saviour). Hebrews 4:12 Sure the word of God is all it claims here, but the scriptures being wholly the word of God, are not the entire word of God. There's more that we have not yet heard. The Holy Spirit is able to teach anything to any one God wishes. The Spirit can not only teach what is written of the word of God in scriptures, It can teach the word of God that is not written to one who read scriptures or one who has never seen or heard of them. I think I have answered to all your passages listed, and do not believe any one of them excludes God reaching people directly throughHoly Spirit as He should be doing with you. HOW CAN PEOPLE KNOW IF THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? HOW CAN THEY HEAR UNLESS A TEACHER IS SENT? Explanation to follow: |