blog-maryBlog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 


John 14:6 (Continued) – 20 August 2006
By Mary T. Hoffman

Isn’t it probable that Jesus (as “Gatekeeper” – see yesterday’s Blog) would “read the heart” of those who die? Since according to Matthew 7:22-23 (see below) He will reject many claiming to be believers, doesn’t it make sense that anyone, including “a nonbeliever” who has selflessly lived by Jesus’ standards of compassion (not motivated by ulterior motives) and who has “lived in the light,” would find favor?

John 8:12

12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."
~ New American Standard Version

Matthew 7:13-14

13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.

14 "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
~ New American Standard Version

Matthew 7:22-23

22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
~ New American Standard Version

Those who are dishonest and may think that they can fool God, in the way that they may be fooling people here in the world, are really fooling themselves:

Hebrews 4:13

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
~New King James Version

There aren’t any pat formulas for salvation. Just consider the ancients who lived before Christ’s birth and resurrection: The decent, conscientious among them would have welcomed His “radical” teachings of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5).

To summarize, it is un-Christian to play god by arrogantly excluding others on the basis of human-made religious doctrines.

Go on to: Is a Christian Nation Possible? – 21 August 2006
Return to: John 14:6 – 19 August 2006
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