By Russell E Kelly, PHD
russkellyphd@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 13, 2016
1. If everybody will be saved, then why go to church? Why have congregations? Why pray? Why study the Bible? Why witness? Why not just sin and enjoy life stealing from others until you die? They are the ones who cannot answer questions.
2. If there is no such thing as freewill, then why does the Bible tell us to do anything? Why does it tell us to read Scripture, study, pray, witness and live good lives with Christ as our example? If we have no choice in the matters, none of this makes sense at all. They cannot explain that.
3. Yes, Christ died while we were yet sinners. Yes, Christ died for everybody and every sin. Yes, God gives all of us enough faith to be saved. But, NO, we do not automatically receive any of God’s gifts until we CHOOSE to accept them using the faith and grace God provided.
4. “Whosoever believes” (John 3:16) is an act of the will. “Whosover will call upon the name of the Lord” (Rom 10:13) is an act of the will. Why would God need to say that if He forced everybody to call upon him? “Whosoever will deny himself and take up Christ’s cross and follow him” (Mt 16:24) is an act of the will. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth” (Rom 10:9) is an act of the will. If God forced salvation upon us, then these commands for us to exercise our will make no sense.
5. It is a very weak church that cannot refute those arguments. Let the true believers stop supporting and it will close. Otherwise, find another church.
6. If everybody will be saved, then why does the Bible say of Judas Iscariot in Mark 14:21 “The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.”
7. If everybody will be saved, then how does one explain Rev 14:10-11 “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb, And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
8. If everybody will be saved, then Jesus is a liar (and could not save anybody).
Mark 9:42-48
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
