questions

From time to time, people still ask me questions... I answer them to the best of my ability.

Recently I received this from a reader... a wonderful human...

Hey Jeff I have been thinking about something and wanted to ask your opinion on it. I was raised in a small town of about 200 people and a Southern Baptist church and was told there will be a day of judgement where I will stand before God and be held accountable for all of my sins and after they are all listed Jesus will say let him in he is forgiven he is mine but that there will be different rewards based upon the judgement. I read in the Bible that I am forgiven because Jesus has paid the price and I have accepted that forgiveness and saving Grace. That my sins are no more but as far as the east is from the west. My problem with this is that if they are forgiven and God remembers them no more why the judgment day. When I see the way Jesus interacted with people in the Bible he did not shame them but loved them. I would expect it more likely that I would be greeted with open arms of love not judgement and shame. I know who I am and have had enough shame in this world by my inability to be the person for God I should have always been I would like to think that when I leave this world it would be to experience the complete love and acceptance of my savior in person not Judgement?

My response...

Hello Brother...
I had a similar upbringing.... and I totally agree with your conclusions.

I look at it this way... a section of the church has chosen to grasp onto a few of Paul's teachings. What teachings you choose to grab onto will naturally shape your doctrine. For far too long, the church has used fear and shame to keep people in the fold. Is this what Jesus would do?

I look at it this way... God doesn't need to kill something to be happy. He just loves us because he is love 1 John 4. If God loves us, then our welcome upon our death will be like the welcome that the prodigal son received.

I hope that you do not spend one more moment fearing a God of judgment. I hope that you don't spend another moment in your life of worry. When we know and believe that God loves us, we are no longer afraid. Dying will be like a going home.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.