Temporal vs Eternal Salvation? Comments?
463950
We are "saved" from eternal damnation pure and simple.  The problem lies in trying to confuse the salvation issue.  As humans we're inclined to want to "add" to things so as to make it "ours" as it were.  The problem with this is that since the beginning of time salvation from an eternal damnation has always been appropriated by faith.\n\nIf you'll look at Genesis 15:6 you'll find a shining example of salvation when the Lord refers to Abraham.  The verse is speaking of the confirmation of the Abrahamic covenant and the promised spiritual seed when he says, "And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, and He (God) accounted it to him for righteousness (emphasis mine).\n\nThe most well known verse also confirms salvation by grace: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whomever believes on Him shall be saved" (John 3:16).\n\nWe are saved from our consequences of sin and thus we inherit eternal salvation.\n\nYou'll note that the difference in Jude 5 is that the Lord qualifies who wasn't saved, namely, "those who did not believe."\n\nIn Romans 7:6 "delivered from the law" is correct in that we are not bound by trying to keep the law.  That is, we do not earn salvation by trying to keep the commandments, rather we are saved by faith through grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).\n\nHope this helps!
438431
None taken, it is an honest question. I agree with gratvol and would like to elaborate with a question. Where in the entire Jewish lineage, with all its copius notes, did the Torah move from actual people to storybook characters? Because the record is precise and repeated, then these were actual people that lived.\n\nThe simple fact that you even asked the question is your proof. Think about it. You have a physical machine called a body that is able to use its mind to ponder the question, relay visual information from a physical world of comparable low-tech computers through the optic nerve, into the brain, with the mind to comprehend the ramifications, then transfer that thought process to an incredibly complex systems of nerves, tendons, and touch to the fingers to type the letters. This then communicates a question of the soul. That soul is concerned for the existence of an eternal destiny beyond time and space--that there is a world beyond the physical world we see in the here and now. You are an incredible creation who has been given the free will choice to believe, or not believe. A being that can love, write poetry, paint or play works of incredible complexity and beauty. To smell, and taste, enjoy. \n\nThe existence of God as well as the Bible being the Word of God (hence the existance of Adam and Eve as well) can be proved through the vehicle of prophecy. To see the evidence of this, we must first establish the fact that God is a spirit who dwells outside of our physical time domain--that is, in eternity. In the Bible, God describes Himself in Isaiah 57:15,  \n\n"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit.'" \n\nIf God dwells in the realm of eternity as the Bible states, then He must be able to declare future events as if they had happened in the past. We who live in the physical restraints of time and space have the disadvantage of seeing the world according to a timeline. But God sees the past and the future as one complete picture. \n\n"Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,'" Isaiah 46:9-10 \n\nSo through the vehicle of prophecy, God throws down the gauntlet to all the other "holy books" and all the other "gods" that dare to claim the title. The God of the Bible challenged in Isaiah 41:22-23, \n\n"Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; let them show the former things, what they were, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; yes, do good or do evil, that we may be dismayed and see it together." \n\nOK, there is the challenge from the God of the Bible. No other book contains prophecy that has been fulfilled with accuracy. Some would say that others twist scripture interpretation to make prophecy "appear" to be fulfilled. A silly notion, seeing that so many of these prophecies (that were fulfilled to the letter) were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls--written many years before fulfillment. I have written one study based on one chapter in Daniel. In it can be found 16 in-depth prophecies regarding the rise of Alexander the Great and the subsequent rule of his generals afterward. I have paralleled the prophecy with the fulfillment from historic literature. You can find the study here http://tinyurl.com/lhwnb
127318
No.  You can't really ever "harm" eternity.  Eternity is forever.  Like my love for your questions.  It will keep going and going no matter what you do to it.
872138
Good point...it's also imperative, since we're not promised a tomorrow, to determine where we would spend eternity. That must be decided in this lifetime. Once you have your eternal future secure with Jesus, then you can REALLY enjoy life here!
712254
you are mistaken.\nsome things are both true & eternal.\nIf it is not true, it is not eternal.\nScripture is true.
188494
Eternality presumes detachment from time, itself.  Metephorically, Eternity is constantly above time, surrounding and enveloping time.  So, there is Eternity, and when Eternity moves aside, through compression, Eternity can create a void within itself, where time is allowed to exist ... temporarily.  \n\nThere is a first day, when time began.  \n\nThere is a final day ... the last day for time ... the end of creation (just as there was a beginning.) \n\nAt such an end, or before such a beginning then Eternity is all there is.  Though Eternity CO-exists with time, it does never intersects time, it remains above time.\n\nThus, you will see in Genesis 1 ... that the Spirit of the Creator never intersects the creation.  It is written that the Being of God "hovers above" the waters (substance) of creation.\n\nThis dis-unity of the Creator with the creation  is fundamental ... as-is the dis-unity of Eternal and Temporal (time dependent.)\n\nSee link for more ....
365611
This concept have bothered me as well, but the truth is there is no eternal condemnation.\n\n(edit)\nI have done some research on this subject and have come to the conclusion that well...Judaism(ask any Jew) do not believe in hell, and they do not believe that a none Jew will not be saved. Why would Jesus be called a saviour if he brought more suffering to the world(hell)?  Jesus died for all to be saved! Not one soul will perish. Jesus died so that all will live an eternal life with "love", with "God".\n\nThis is my belief and some other Gnostics too, but it comes from above. Many followers of "Satan" will scare you with hell and try steal "love" from you, but remember always: God is love and who ever dwells in love dwells in God and God in them.\n\nSo many of the "christians" believe in mythology rather than in God. Did any great prophet know literature? No, they knew God. Where is God?\n\nLuke 17:20-21\nJesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."\n\n\n\n\nThe crucifixion was but a physical representation of what was happening spirituality.
69322
okay...  i'm **NOT** a christian, but let's say they're right for the purpose of discussion...\n\nif god made the world in six days and rested on the seventh..  what's a "day" to one who's existed for all time?  his day could be a trillion years to us wee mortals.
170044
God is the First and the Last.  These are only 2 of His 99 attributes.  He is eternal and infinite, but we were created with finite minds.  Time is a creation.  Our minds operate within the constraints of time.  It's not possible for our limited minds to comprehend how He's outside of the context of time.
870511
Nope, God is eternal, he has always existed. But remember, it is not possible that the Universe is infinite, that would be against scripture.\nI have really seen this answer before man, it's kind of sad.
972455
I'd personally like to think that somehow in the future I live for eternity and eventually time will loop round and begin again and that the creator of the world is actually me. Interesting idea, but i think it's more likely that there was no creator.\n\nNevertheless, Odin is cool.\n\nAs is Zeus.\n\nOh, I can't decide!\n\nOkay... me. It was definitely me.
610239
Maybe because there's not enough room on this earth for us all to live. Maybe it's away to weed us out. Sounds like a fair way to me. Of course til it's my time. Then it wont seem so fair. What is time compared to eternity. It's really such a short time. No matter how long we live. It's not how long but how we live while we are here. Our future after death is guaranteed through Jesus if we only have faith as small as a mustard seed. It's so hard to lose a loved one. I believe I will be with mine ,young and old in heaven. Hope to see ya there and maybe laugh about this.When we have a greater understanding. That our earthly minds just isn't capable of understanding.
233727
I was once at a church that was very non-traditional, but the Holy Spirit was ever present.  A friend was suffering from a cracked vertebrate and had to wear a back brace for the last year.  The priest had layed hands on her and she was healed in Jesus' name.  She walked out of the church and did not have to ever wear the back brace again.  My advice to you would be do not go to the church and expect physical healing, but a spiritual healing.  Eternity is forever.
64856
God's salvation has always been available to all people. People were saved in OT times the same way they are saved today: by the Grace of God for those who are faithful believers. The date of the incarnation, crucifixion & resurrection are rather insignificant - as soon as God makes a promise it is as good as done - there was no waiting for the Messiah for salvation. He could have come right after the garden of eden or he could still be coming for the first time sometime in the future... & it wouldn't matter to any believer's salvation.
1070310
Time does not really exist.  It has a temporal existence that is passing and fading and decaying.  Put simply, there will be a last day, just as there was a first and as such time will have no claim to true existence.  Time will be swallowed by timelessness, as it was before time.  \n\nTime can only exist as timelessness moves aside, and creates a void of timelessness in which time may exist temporally.  Timelessness is the absolute from which time is derived, and upon which time is contingient.\n\nHowever, if you belive that you exist.  then you can say "i am."  You have temporal existence.  But only as the ABSOLUTE "I AM" moved aside for a while so that you could exist within the void of Himself.  You can only say that you are because the Great "I AM" made a place for you by getting out of the way.  \n\nThe Lord is the Absolute "I AM" from which you derived and upon which your ability to say "i am" is contingient.  You would not exist had not God existed before you and moved himself through compression to create a void in which you may temporarily exist.   The only reason you can say "i am" is that God says "I AM."\n\nFurthermore, your temporal existence is the PROOF that absolute existence is the true reality.  Want to disprove God's existence?  Then you must make yourself (and everyone else) non-existant, because each breath you take .. and each moment that someone can say "i am" is the proof of an absolute reality that says "I AM."\n\nGod is beyond the cosmos, and has moved aside to create a void of Himself in which you now exist - the cosmos ... a temporal void.
361803
If God exists outside of time which I find likely if he created the Universe including time, then heaven and hell would not be bound by the laws of time or space. So a better answer to your question is "where" was purgatory created, the answer: outside of time.\n\nFor those of you who don't know, Purgatory is essentially defined as: "a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions."\n\nReferences to a place of purgation (place where your purged of your sins) are made as far back as the beginning of the third century (by Clement of Alexandria) and are frequently referenced up to and beyond the bible's canonization (where they decided what books should go into the bible) in 390CE. While no direct references to purgatory were chosen in 390CE, it was acknowledged that the concept was worthy of incorporation into other church publications.\n\nWhen the Reformation came in northern europe, the concept of purgatory was something chosen to be dropped to help distinguish the reformers from the old Church. At the time the idea was being abused in some regions to encourage wealthy church patrons to help "buy" their way out of their sins. This is why many of the Protestant groups today are still contemptuous of the concept, despite it's importance to earlier Christian groups. \n\nThe second act of Dante’s Inferno deals with the concept of purgatory, but if you really wish to learn more you’ll need to read translations of the works of St. Augustine and other early Christian leaders. Dan 12:10; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:2-3; 2 Mac 12:42-45; Matthew 5:26; Lk 12:47-48; Lk 12:58-59; 1 Cor 3:13-15; Apoc 21:27: are some of the biblical passages which were included in 390 that many site provide for the existence of a state of purgatory.\n\nDoes it exist?  I have mixed feelings on the subject, it is a Christian teaching with an impressive historical record that I regard as one of many possibilities.  \n\nRegards,\nArmus
845693
I agree with the concept. Our salvation is completely dependant on the way we lead our life on planet earth. I personally believe salvation is not a state after death but a realisation of truth while living!