So I don’t do this very often, but I’ve decided to write an actual blog, blog. Not really my thoughts or my theories, etc. Just what’s been happening and what I’m feeling.
Blech.
You know, I don’t really like doing this, but whatever.
Most of my summer has been spent painting, and I’ve had MORE than adequate time to just think. Think, think, think, think, think, all day.
And lately, I’ve really started to feel kind of… tangled up? Troubled? I don’t know the right word for it, if there is one.
I’ve always been one to thoroughly examine my faith. I’ve grappled with all sorts of topics before, and for whatever reason, this one is just coming up now, about 4 and a half years late.
Lately, (and for whatever reason), I’ve either gotten this newly intense vision of what Hell might be like, or a newfound genuine love for the human race. Haha.
I just suddenly can’t stand the thought of ANYONE – any human at all being ETERNALLY punished. It bothers me. Especially good people. Now, I know by having just said that that I will have caused every fundamentalist to throw up their hands and say, “We are all born with sin. There are no good people!”
I know, I know, I got it. I’ve been to Sunday school. I know that without faith, all of our good deeds are like dirty rags. Our best efforts can never be enough.
But still. There are “Godless” people out there living more Godly lives than many self-proclaimed Christians.
I’ve thought about many different things while painting. Like for instance, the belief of many different churches about repentance after death. Now, I have yet to see scripture that backs that theory, but if perhaps it was true, wouldn’t that be great?
Haha. I bet I’m ruffling some feathers. After all, I am just talking about salvation – an issue that we all know is either black or white…. haha.
I honestly think that some people would rather see their ‘enemies’ burn in Hell than celebrate with them in Heaven. What kind of mindset is that? If we are called to be like Christ, shouldn’t we enjoy everyone’s company?
Let’s say you’re in Heaven. If you saw a person there who you never thought was ’saved’, would you be offended?
If you saw someone there who converted on their deathbed, the moment before they passed, would you be bitter because you endured a life of abstinence while they lived according to their own will until the very end?
If you saw someone there who went to a ‘crazy’ or ‘unorthodox’ church, would you question the right that person has to be there?
All of these are ultimately questioning God’s character. By questioning the right a person has to be in Heaven, you’re questioning whether God can make good decisions or not.
Or we can do this the other way around.
Once we trust that God is good in all things, then we start to see things like He does. That means that EVERY person, no matter who that person is, SHOULD BE valued the same.
Don’t say ‘we are all made equal’ if you don’t mean it.
