I agree, one can be unbiblical without being directly opposed to the Bible. However, it may be worse to preach that eternal doesn't exist, allowing persons we evangelize to coast, knowing they will hear the gospel after they die--without it being too late.
I think you're missing the point. If you think we go out and preach the gospel with the disclaimer that, "It's okay if you don't accept what we're saying; you'll get another chance after death," you have grossly misunderstood what we do and why. We stress the need of repentance here and now. On the other hand, we recognize the reality that there are extenuating circumstances in a person's life, that may affect how receptive he is to accepting the gospel. We are not so blind as to think that children growing up today in North Korea will ever even hear the name of Jesus Christ. We all "see through a glass, darkly" and for some, that darkness is not going to be lifted until after death.
I think you're looking at life and death from a strictly human perspective and forgetting that to God, we are merely passing from one state of existence to another when we die. When He told us to forgive 70 x 7, he wasn't telling us to forgive 490 times, but to stop counting their transgressions. Surely, God is more forgiving of us than we are of each other. God doesn't care whether our spirit is still residing in our body (i.e. we are "alive") or if our spirit has moved on to a new realm (i.e. our body is "dead"). God just wants us to come to know the truth. He doesn't have some sort of arbitrary cut-off point where everyone, regardless of their early circumstances, is going to be "saved" or "damned." We're not fortunate enough to be on a level playing field here on earth. He will provide one for us as we await the resurrection and
final judgment. And this part of His plan was put into effect when Christ visited the spirits in prison.
I'm aware that the final judgment comes after the Second Coming. The judgment "right after death" that you wrote about is to be ushered into the presence of the Lord or to the place of suffering described in Luke 16.
Then what, pray tell, is the point of the "final judgment." If the judgment right after death is also final in its consequences, what need is there for a later judgment?
I'm also an inclusivist--I believe everyone who hasn't heard of Jesus has an opportunity(s) to be saved, but to be consistent with the Bible, it is in this life only that one's eternal standing is assured.
You're going to have to explain how
that works. How's that opportunity going to come about? I need to hear an explanation that you
do believe to be consistent with the Bible.
Also, I'm aware of many of the ideas of the "early church fathers", the point being that some of the "earliest" ones were centuries after Jesus and the NT, believed heresies in many cases, and ushered in the church of Rome in others, which currently remains a place where the saving gospel has been changed from "trust Jesus" to "do all you can, because your works count for salvation". My question isn't "Did Tertullian believe in a Spirit Prison" but "Is there a Spirit Prison in the scriptures?" There is--those within are reserved only for eternal suffering (Peter, Jude, Revelation)!
Of course, there's a spirit prison in the scriptures. 1 Peter 3:19 says the Lord went to preach there (in spirit form) during the three days his body lay in the tomb. 1 Peter 4:6 further explains that "the gospel [was] preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." Why on earth would Jesus Christ have preached to the spirits who were dead if it could be of no benefit to them?
If you want to continue discussing, respectfully, please stop putting words in my mouth. I NEVER wrote "it's a terrible thing to allow everyone to hear the gospel before they're judged," and I would WELCOME a post-death opportunity for unbelieving friends, family, even strangers, to receive Jesus after they died as skeptics, atheists and immoral persons. I'd LOVE that, but the Bible guides my conscience.
Oh brother! Talk about putting words in people's mouth. You do that all the time. I can't even begin to count the number of times you've paraphrased something I've said and done such a bad job of it that I was hardly even able to recognize in it what I had actually said! I'm glad the Bible guides your conscience. It also guides mine. But more than that, the Spirit guides my conscience in recognizing that a truly loving God would not cause anyone to suffer throughout eternity due to never having had the opportunity to hear, understand, and accept His Son's gospel.
And if I didn't LOVE the gospel going to everyone, I wouldn't evangelize when I'm off the forums! PLEASE stop telling me what I think.
Only if you will do the same, because you have told me what Mormons think and believe many, many, many times, despite my repeated attempts to help you understand what we
really believe.
