Hi John doing well, thanks
I get your point about Jesus and the disciples, but they might have had a drink or two with their meal; they weren't sitting down at a bar and having drink after drink. I'm not saying Christians shouldn't drink: I'm saying it's not something that should be used as a tool for witness, nor as a common relaxation for Christians. I myself sometimes have a drink at home: my husband is unsaved and drinks quite often, so there is usually some around the home. I have to say that if I could, I would flush it all down the toilet. Even those who don't start out to get drunk can get drunk, and even those who aren't nasty when they're drunk can be stupid when they're drunk. I think there's no reason to give ourselves a chance to be unwise or blasphemous because we're not ourselves.

That said, how are things with you?

Yes, Roman Catholics who have died ARE in hell. They were trusting in the pope (a sinful man) to save them, instead of Christ (the sinless man.) Rob Bell is deceived, if not a deceiver; and he teaches what is not right according to the word of God. As much as sinful people wish to ignore the fact, God is a God of justice and judgement and righteousness as well as a God of love. He can't just forgive sin without payment, and only Christ was eligible to pay that price. And for the record, it is VERY necessary to tell people this. Why should we, as Christ-believing Christians, let others go to death and hell by lack of telling them their error?! Wake up, Christians!

Huh, there's an easy answer to these percentages. The people aren't born again Christians. No-one can truly be a Christian without believing that Jesus is the ONLY way to God and salvation ("There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus"). If you believe anything else, you are not trusting in Christ alone by faith for your salvation. As for those that believe in an airy-fairy feel-good gospel that all eventually will be saved: "He that believeth in me is not condemned, but he that believeth not in me is condemned already."

Don't forget that in old testament history, God frequently used the Israelites to bring judgment on the unbelieving nations. They were not pretty wars: men women and children were to be killed. This was God's judgment on their sin, as clearly stated in the Bible. The Bible also states many examples of God's judgment on the Israelites by unbelieving nations. I can't see that the holocaust is any different. Horrible, yes. But I believe that God is still glorified, and that it was for the ultimate good of the Jewish people.

Lucifer, in his own paradigm, fell from his position by choosing to sin. He's responsible for his actions then and now. As to this making God the author of sin, or being a party to it; I disagree. Everything that God does is righteous and true, because he is God. There is no higher authority or law. Logically, as Spock would say, what He does MUST be right because it CANNOT be wrong. It is only us as humans that can sin, having a higher law and lawgiver.

Hi Mike

What I mean when I say 'the will of God' from God's perspective is everything that God wills to do. Everything he chooses to do, everything he brings to pass.

Lurker:
From what I can see, the holocaust is a very Biblical judging of the Jews. Time and time again God has punished the Jews and reduced them to a very few in number to graciously bring them to realize their sin and lack toward him. Just as God graciously brings trouble and hardship into our lives as the spiritual people of God, to bring us back to him.

I didn't know anyone else thought about it like that! I'm a writer, and that's how I've come to understand it too; passing from arminianism to calvinism (to use labels). When I'm writing, my characters (hopefully) are behaving according to character and doing as they wish according to their own paradigm. It seems to me that this is very similar to what God does with us. In our own paradigm (ie, the will and purpose of God) we have free will (according to our nature, fallen or living) to do what ever we want. But above it all is the Alpha and the Omega, who chose us in his Son before time began, and who formed our paths 'When as yet there were none of them'. I believe that every single act and every single word is according to the will of God; and it both amazes and comforts me. Just thinking of all the dovetails and miniscule happenings that take place in time and space to make each thing occur rightly . . . ! It's wonderful!