Въпросът за наказанието – Част II

Въпросът за наказанието – Част II

И така, ако Бог не налага активно наказания, болка, страдание и смърт на нечестивите, тогава как постъпва с тях?

Какво прави с онези, които са заразени с грях и отказват да Му позволят да ги изцели? Какво бихте направили като майка на вашето дете, умиращо от левкемия, което категорично отказва трансплантация от костния ви мозък? Не бихте ли уважили неговия избор? Не бихте ли го „пуснали“?  И ако го направите, какво ще се случи? Бихте ли измъчвали детето си? Бихте ли го убили? Не! Но дали то ви ще страда и ще умре? Да. Защо? Заради собственото си болестно състояние и поради отказа си да бъде излекувано. Точно това казва Библията.

В Римляни 1:18-31 четем, че Божият гняв се разкрива срещу нечестието и безбожието и след това ни казва три пъти в стихове 24, 26, 28 точно какво прави Бог за това, че някои Го отхвърлят и не Го допускат в живота си. Прави нещо конкретно. Бог „ги пуска“. „Отстъпва“ пред техния избор, уважава го. Точно както един любящ родител в крайна сметка ще отстъпи пред избора на своето пълнолетно дете, което отказва лечение, така и Бог „оставя“ децата Си, които отказват Неговото лечение. Това е Божият гняв.

„Няма вярност, нито милост, нито знание за Бога по земята (…) Людете Ми загиват, защото не Ме познават; вината е ваша, свещеници, защото самите вие не желаете да Ме познавате (…) Разменихте Божията слава за позора на идолите” (перифраза по Осия 4:1,6-7).

Защо загиват? Като се отделят от Бога, като не Го познават, те се откъсват от кръга на любовта, от закона на живота, който произлиза от Бога, което води до разруха и смърт.

„Защото огън се накладе в гнева Ми и ще пламне дори до най-дълбокия ад; ще пояде земята с произведенията й и ще изгори основите на планините. Ще натрупам на тях зло; всичките Си стрели ще изхвърля върху тях“ (Второзаконие 32:22-23 )

Обърнете внимание на силните думи на Бога! Но какво всъщност прави Той? Библията казва: „О да бяха мъдри, да разбират това, да смисляха сетнината си! Как би могъл един да прогони хиляда и двама да обърнат в бяг десет хиляди, ако Канарата им не би ги предала и Господ не би ги предал!“ (Второзаконие 32:29-30)

Забележете отново, че Божият гняв ги „предава“ („оставя“, „пуска“) точно както всеки родител би направил за дете, което упорито настоява да го напусне.

„Защото Го разгневяваха с високите си места и с ваяните си идоли Го подбуждаха към ревност (…) Тъй че напусна скинията в Сило, шатъра, който бе поставил между човеците, и предаде на пленение силата Си, славата Си в неприятелска ръка“ (Псалми 78: 58-61).

„Ще излея негодуванието Си върху теб, с огнения Си гняв ще духна върху теб и ще те предам в ръцете на скотски мъже, които са способни да погубят“  (Йезекиил 21:31).

Забележeтe отново силния Божи език. Но какво всъщност прави Бог? Какво е Божият гняв? Той ги изоставя поради техния собствен избор. Пуска ги. Позволява им да имат свой собствен път. Предава ги на техния избор. Не е нужно Бог да нанася наказанието, защото грехът ни отделя от Него – Извора на живота – и автоматично води до разруха и смърт.

Един от основателите на моята църква през XIX век, осъзнава същите тези истини и стига до същите изводи, като го изразява много силно: “Ние не трябва да гледаме на Бога като на чакащ да накаже грешника за греха му. Грешникът сам донася наказанието върху себе си. Неговите собствени действия започват да създават множество обстоятелства, които дават сигурен резултат. Всеки акт на прегрешение рефлектира върху грешника, променя характера му и прави по-лесно за него да съгреши отново. Като избират да грешат, хората се отделят от Бога, откъсват се от канала на благословението, а сигурен резултат от това са разрухата и смъртта” (Уайт, Е. Избрани вести. Т.1, стр.235 – англ. издание).

„При започването на великата борба Сатана заявява, че Божият закон не може да бъде спазван, че справедливостта е несъвместима с милостта и че ако бъде нарушен законът, грешникът няма да може да бъде помилван. Всеки грях трябва да получи наказанието си, призовава лукавият; и ако Бог отмени наказанието за греха, няма да бъде Бог на истината и справедливостта“ (Уайт, Е. Копнежът на вековете. Стр. 762 – англ. издание).

Забележете, че библейските доказателства по-горе разкриват, че Бог не налага наказание върху нечестивите. Тяхното собствено състояние ги отделя от Бога и ги води до разруха и смърт. Християнският автор по-горе заключава, че онези, които казват: “… всеки грях трябва да получи наказанието си и ако Бог трябва да отмени наказанието за греха, той не е Бог на истината и справедливостта”, насърчават евангелието на Сатана, неговите аргументи, неправилното характеризиране на Бог от негова страна.

Добре, ако Бог не трябва да използва силата Си, за да налага наказания; ако действително използва Своята мощ, за да възпрепятства разрушителното действие на греха и в крайна сметка просто „пуска“/„оставя“ грешниците да умрат в резултат на собственото им заразено състояние и избор, тогава как да разбираме всички текстове в Библията, които говорят за огън, сяра, ад, изгаряне и т.н.?

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 58

I have been watching your videos in The Power of Love seminar and I must say these have liberated me and have improved my relationship with the Lord. I am no longer terrified of him as I was before following your teachings.

Thando N., South Africa

 

Testimony 25

I just want to say thank you so much for your conversations via YouTube. I regularly tune in to your lectures, “Let’s Talk” sessions, and many others. Through these I’ve found greater depth and meaning to God’s word. Thanks for all that you do and please continue. I’m currently working in the middle of Silicon Valley at Stanford University. I feel like God really has me in the right place right now and I’m sensing that your teachings might be part of it.

B. F., Silicon Valley, CA, USA

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 45

I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 68

Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

Laura G., London, Ontario, Canada

 

Testimony 61

I grew up in a prominent protestant church and had what I like to call religious anxiety. I’ve always had questions about God and Salvation that no one could seem to answer.  I didn’t know how to find resolution. During 2020, at the height of my anxiety, I fell to my knees and begged God to show me truth and light and to give me the hope that I’ve been longing for. Days later, I stumbled upon your online videos and it was like a veil was lifted and EVERYTHING made sense! For the first time in my almost 39 years of life, my religious/spiritual anxiety has lessened. I feel a sense of freedom and peace I’ve NEVER had before… and it’s all because my view of God has changed. Thank you!

Ashleighn C.

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 8

Thank you for the ministry you are sharing with us, it is a real blessing to us and especially to my husband and myself! You are encouraging us to think for ourselves and not just to except everything, without thinking it through, with God’s word!

M.K., USA

 

Testimony 30

God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

Kessy B., Australia

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 28

I have been following your Bible study class for about a year now. I must say I am impressed with how your ministry has grown. I took it upon myself to listen to all your lesson podcasts from the past and they have both enriched me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I have learnt a lot from this class. I have also noticed how the class has grown in spiritual strength. One of the things that benefited me is that now I am not afraid of God. I use to be, but now it has melted away. The second thing is that you helped me to have a real life relationship with God. Now He is my friend that was always there and I love having him with me all the time. Thirdly, because of this class, it inspired me to take over and lead a class. I have called it “Let Us Reason Together,” adapting your inquisitive style and creating a class of free thinkers.

T. Banda, Malawi, Africa