As promised, part two is finally here and this time I finished getting through the rest of the original post on Reddit that inspired this series. Last time, we dealt with the setting of the story and the father dying "as a Christian". If you listened to the previous installment, you'll know that description is utterly meaningless without further qualification and then we dealt with the issue of whether or not it would be just for the father to be in Heaven under any circumstances. The answer was, of course, maybe. It depends on what you're defining as Christian. If it's by biblical standards, the only circumstance would be that of true repentance and faith resulting in works which serve as proof of genuine conversion and regeneration.
In this video, we deal with the issue of whether or not it would be fair for the daughter to be in Hell if she lost her faith because of something that happened to her. Well, if unbelief is a sin and if apostasy is evidence that true faith never existed in the individual in the first place, then yes. It would be fair and just. Does it mean she was suddenly innocent of every other sin she ever committed before then?
What about the mother? Is the mother unfairly brainwashed by God to not suddenly think His judgement of sin and actions concerning the father and daughter were unjust? It's heavily implied that God is essentially a capricious and unfair monster in this area. However, what does scripture say about this sort of thing let alone how we will see things when Christ returns in judgement?
All of this is covered more in depth in the video but suffice it to say, no, it is not unjust or unfair for the daughter to be condemned, and the mother, if my understanding of scripture is correct, would not see God as being a callous monster unjustly condemning innocent people to torment.
I've finally quit being lazy and decided to start my response to the two-sentence horror story on Reddit that began my series on basic Christian doctrines a couple of months ago. Though I had intended to get through all of the initial post in this video, I made it through roughly two-thirds of the first sentence. So, really about par for the course for me.
As for what I was able to get through in this installment, I briefly covered the setting of the story (standing at the pearly gates and talking to a scribe) and then getting into the application of the doctrine of salvation and what it actually means to be a Christian. I don't think the author had any understanding of what Christianity actually is and sees it as nothing more than the equivalent of party affiliation. If you claim to be a Christian, that's all that matters apparently. Well, not so much according to the Bible.
That said, there is another angle that I decided to tackle and that is the idea that if anyone is ever evil in life, they are permanently excluded from salvation and Heaven no matter what. Again, this isn't really accurate biblically either. The criminal on the cross and the testimony of the apostle Paul stand in stark contrast to such a claim. So I took some time to examine that as well.
There's a lot of scripture to cover in this video and I've put all the text on the screen as usual. I hope it's encouraging to you, especially if you're new to the faith and don't know how to start responding to these sorts of things. If you're not and you somehow come across this, I hope it gives you a better understanding of the gospel and I pray that God uses it to reveal the truth to you.
Thanks for coming, enjoy the video, and God bless.
If I hadn't made it clear by now, I've been heavily influenced by Ron Hamilton over the years as far as musical tastes are concerned. I've been slowly introducing his music to my church over the years and it's time for me to do so yet again. Well, not really "again" in this case since I've performed the song once before. If my records are correct, I purchased the backing tracks for this particular album back in March of 2021, so it's been close to two years since I first started. I've only been able to do a few of them given the special music rotation and I haven't done that many specials since purchasing this selection of tracks as well as another album. Anyway, I digress. This is probably another of the most famous of Ron's works among those who are familiar with his ministry. This and "Rejoice in the Lord" also feature in the same audio drama, "The Misterslippi River Race".
The song itself is based off of two key passages. The name of the song comes directly from Isaiah 40:
Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:30-31 NASB2020)
Those who are true followers of God, those in whom He has placed His spirit, are frequently subjected to numerous trials in life, many times at our own doing. Often we bring trouble on ourselves because of our propensity to sin and do the opposite of what God directs us to do through His word (James 1:13-15). However, there are those times when God puts us through trials and testing, not to punish us but to purify us and to strengthen our faith by forcing us to realize that there is a reason we need to rely on Him in the first place. Again, this is something James writes about in his epistle, directly before the above referenced passage:
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4 NASB2020)
Incidentally, Paul says something very similar in his letter to Rome:
And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NASB2020)
So, the idea is that there are things that we go through in life that cause us to become worn out. We want to throw in the towel and give up. However, it is when we throw ourselves onto the goodness of God and rely on Him, that He enables us to persevere with a strength that does not come from ourselves. Not by coincidence does this perfectly dovetail into the second passage upon which this song is based:
Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB2020)
What else did Christ do but live the human life for us by relying solely on the Father? Christ said as much in the book of John:
I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 5:30 NASB2020)
So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him. (John 8:28-29 NASB2020)
Christ's doing nothing on His own was not because He lacked the ability to do anything in and of Himself. He was, in fact, the God-man, God incarnate. Christ lost none of His divinity when He inhabited human flesh. Instead, He laid aside the voluntary use of His divine attributes, submitting Himself entirely to the will of the Father. This is what Paul spoke of in Philippians 2 when he wrote to Philippi and discussed Christ's voluntary humiliation (Philippians 2:5-11). So, if we ever feel run down or burnt out when it comes to following in obedience or that the costs aren't worth the rewards, we mustn't forget the words of Isaiah or the apostles, and certainly not the example of Christ our Lord. He modeled the behavior for us so if we ever need to know how to handle a situation, we need look nowhere else but to His perfect example for us. In doing so, we find that the only option is to rely on God who will give us the strength to persevere, lifting us up on wings as eagles.
