2 - Heaven, Hell, and Politics
The Near Death Experience, is it real, a fable, or product of imagination? Why have so many reported on this phenomenon in books, movies, and in the media? How come numerous recorded near death experiences seem to bypass Christian Theology in context and theme?
There are voluminous accounts of such near-death experiences recorded in articles, books, TV, and radio. Recently, even Barbra Walters made a special prime time TV report on Heaven. The History Channel also has posted several documentaries on the nature of Hell and the hereafter.
Of the many articles, books, TV, and radio median currently dealing with the near-death experience and the existence of Heaven and Hell, how many truly reflect a perspective on the afterlife that is easy to read or understand? Why do so few of these life-after-death experiences speak of divine judgment and Hell?
A Land Unknown: Hell’s Dominion is my autobiographical account of my own personal near death experience. Within its pages, you’ll encounter the horrors of Hell, obtain a glimpse of the mysteries of Heaven, gain insight into the topic of predestination, explore why God permits evil, and uncover a new hope and purpose for your life. It is a read unlike any other!
A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion is a book that explores these questions and more from the perspective of someone who is not cluttered with culturally preconceived notions of the afterlife. When my experience occurred, I was an Atheists flirting with a deist naturalist agnosticism. Afterwards, my worldview changed. I found a new purpose and meaning for my life and I am sure you will too after reading, A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion.
Here are Links detailing Book:
There are voluminous accounts of such near-death experiences recorded in articles, books, TV, and radio. Recently, even Barbra Walters made a special prime time TV report on Heaven. The History Channel also has posted several documentaries on the nature of Hell and the hereafter.
Of the many articles, books, TV, and radio median currently dealing with the near-death experience and the existence of Heaven and Hell, how many truly reflect a perspective on the afterlife that is easy to read or understand? Why do so few of these life-after-death experiences speak of divine judgment and Hell?
A Land Unknown: Hell’s Dominion is my autobiographical account of my own personal near death experience. Within its pages, you’ll encounter the horrors of Hell, obtain a glimpse of the mysteries of Heaven, gain insight into the topic of predestination, explore why God permits evil, and uncover a new hope and purpose for your life. It is a read unlike any other!
A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion is a book that explores these questions and more from the perspective of someone who is not cluttered with culturally preconceived notions of the afterlife. When my experience occurred, I was an Atheists flirting with a deist naturalist agnosticism. Afterwards, my worldview changed. I found a new purpose and meaning for my life and I am sure you will too after reading, A Land Unknown: Hell's Dominion.
Here are Links detailing Book:
Amazon
The purpose of this Blog is to explore different accounts of the afterlife, examine various Doctrines of Christianity, and yes, even explore Politics! Let's Begin!
I would like to begin and open discussion on the topic of the Near Death Experience:
Do you believe in an Afterlife, Heaven, Hell?
Where do you stand?
The purpose of this Blog is to explore different accounts of the afterlife, examine various Doctrines of Christianity, and yes, even explore Politics! Let's Begin!
I would like to begin and open discussion on the topic of the Near Death Experience:
Do you believe in an Afterlife, Heaven, Hell?
Where do you stand?
posted by B. W. Melvin | Friday, April 14, 2006
5 Comments:
To help you understand ‘foreknowing’, ‘predestination’ in relation with ‘free will’, think of God calling, or declaring, something; for me, this helps me understand the subject predestination. What helped me the most to understand predestination and free will or autonomy of reason was to see five links from the Romans 8:29-30 chain of words.
Romans 8: 29-30 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren; Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” NKJV
These five links from this golden theological chain are interlocked together: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Each link from this chain is as follows: foreknowing, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. The central link is the strongest link as it is the middle link that holds the chain together.
Without the middle link you would have a doctorial position based on: foreknowing, predestination, justification, and glorification verses another doctorial belief based on; predestination, foreknowing, justification, and glorification.
The doctrines based on foreknowing, predestination, justification, and glorification point to man’s own ability to choose His way into heaven. This would point to a form of Armenian thought and doctrine where human choice interrupts God’s saving grace bases salvation on human effort.
Likewise, the doctrines that emphasize predestination, foreknowing, justification, and glorification make God out as a cruel master – picking and choosing people to Hell or Heaven. Both err as they have missed the Call – that middle link that holds the chain together.
God makes known His sovereign will by His calling. Without the calling – human beings would never freely choose God. The Calling provides the avenue for choices to be made just like He gave Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when He called out to them. They responded to His Call. If God would not have called, our first parents would have remained lost and forsaken. (I use the Adam and Eve illustration only to illustrate a point - not some doctorial truth).
The Callings of God declare His sovereign will to save, heal, justify, glorify, etc… Without His callings – no one would be capable to choose God as no one could choose without the call issuing forth from God.
His call – engages our human reasoning to be able to freely make a choice. It is not our choice that saves us but rather God’s call – which, without - no choice could be ever made.
Let me illustrate what I mean in this story. ‘There once was a just and fair king who issued a decree in writing and had it posted throughout has vast kingdom. The decreed read, six months from now on this date June 1, 2006 all persons who owe delinquent taxes are to report to their local Courthouse where they will be granted clemency and owe no back taxes forever.
Every month, for six months, the written decree was posted in the land. On the date required, only one third of those who owed delinquent taxes showed up to receive clemency and had their back tax debit erased forever and went home rejoicing at the mercy and Fairness of the great King!
Next day, the other two thirds showed up expecting the same. All these people who had failed to show on the day required said that they were afraid the King was lying and waited to see what happened to those that went the correct day. Clearly, those that failed to show up on the correct day had no trust for the King and thus the king had no trust in them and they had to pay back all past due taxes owed.’
Now back to my point: God, being perfectly just, declared and called forth an invitation, without this invitation, no one would or could be invited to go where God wanted. Without God’s invitation, no one would choose God’s salvation He alone declared. Why, People are too busy choosing anything but God and remain lost not knowing where they are going.
God knows everything, even the choices a person makes before the person is ever born. Why is that? Bible teaches us that God knows all things. He foresaw everything and all choices we can ever make before we were ever born because He is God. He designed us with the ability to choose. He designed us that way because God is Fair and Just!
Why? So we could respond freely to His invitation, or not. Those that respond – show that they trust God and His invitation and are rewarded. Those that do not – show that they do not trust God’s invitation and cannot be trusted.
Therefore, it is not our human choices that God foresees that save a person, but rather it is God’s Call, decree, His invitation alone that saves. Without His invitations decree, none could, or would ever be saved. Why? Without God inviting – how would anyone know there was a God so Fair – Just – Merciful – Righteous that truly pardons sins unless He declares it and offers it?
God, being perfectly just, declared and called forth an invitation, without this invitation, no one would ever know there was an invitation to begin with.
Without God’s invitations, no one could choose. Instead, all would snooze and lose.
Greetings,
I saw your link on a thread on the Sean Hannity Forum.
You book was frightening but powerful. Great story!
Overall, unbelievable this happened to you. I do not believe in NDE’s as most say the same thing, your account did not. I enjoyed the way you wrote it in as a narrative story in stead of some hi-fluent thou shall not style.
It made me think about my own Christian Beliefs and refocus on why I am here on this planet. Despite the dark story – it brought me hope at the end of it. It really made an impact. Thank You.
I have a problem with understanding God’s predestination. I always thought God selects people to Hell and others to Heaven but your book drove me into the bible to re-look these things over. Can you –or anyone else help me out on this? Scripture quotes and all?
God Bless,
T. J. Jackson – De Mississippian
I purchased your book and it shook me up. I am a Universalist in belief (brought up that way) and your book awoke something in me and challenges the way I was raised. It drove me into the bible and now I see things about God’s ways I never saw before. I am considering leaving Universalism’s doctrine as now the reason for Just Punishment has been made clear from your book.
God Bless
Richard the Great
read your book. enjoyed it but some parts were hard to understand. Can we ask questions about it here?
also, no offense - but in several parts you repeated yourself to much but I can understand why you did this - it help me remmeber things as I went along.
next - the chapter about the poles reminds me of Eph chapter six. Is this what you were conveying here?
God bless you for being brave enough to share this story - some will like it - overs will not. it does cover a topic neglected today - personal responsibilty and eternal recompence
Yes, Chapter 11, The Poles, explores the realm of Spiritual Warfare as described in Ephesians 6:12 and correlated too a section of scripture found in Ezekiel 28:13 concerning timbrels and pipes.
Chapter 11 of my book was intended for symbolism regarding the manner how wicked host entice and lead astray based on Ezekiel 28:12-19, Isaiah 14:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11.
They allure by promising hoards of material and spiritual wealth that one can possess for personal gain and lordship over others all without fear of consequences. It appears they can allure by means some sort of symbolic spiritual music (timbrels and pipes). This music appeals to the emotions and desires much as physical music does and wrestles with human desires and emotions.
In our own time, just listen to the seductive talk of atheism, wowing and appealing to intellect. Listen to the whispers of envy, greed, lust, perversions – that justify such behaviors as okay and I’ll hope you can understand what I meant by such spiritual tunes.
A look at Ezekiel 28:12-19 speaks of a great being with great wealth and musical ability that went astray. Many bible scholars believe this is in reference to the Devil. Some disagree with this. Since a great being can seduce by these means, we therefore must be vigilant in spiritual warfare as Ephesians 6:10-18 instructs.
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