I wrote about my longing in my journal — "I want to believe in the loving Father Jesus revealed Who loves even His enemies. I want to believe Jesus was telling the truth when He said He did not come to condemn the world, but to save. I want to believe that just as He will use all things in my life—every single disturbing, embarrassing, painful, frustrating detail—for my eternal joy, He will ultimately do the same for all of creation."
In this article, Matt Johnson and Matthew Roark discuss their candid thoughts on the “Near Death Experience” (or “NDE”) phenomenon. Both Johnson and Roark have a strong interest in NDEs, though neither holds to any firm conclusions concerning their true nature or exact cause. In this discussion, they explore what—if any—metaphysical insights may be gleaned from such spiritual visions.
Sacrament is God gracing mankind with a part of creation, true creation. It is ritual whereby, through the grace of God as source, we make the world sacred. We cannot create from nothing, but through the power of God we can awaken the meaning intrinsic to our world. Bread becomes body, blood we make through the visible wine—seeds God allows us to watch grow.
The question here is, why does the symmetry of Matthew 25:46 take precedence over other descriptions of parallels that make an important theological point? There is also the symmetry of Adam and Christ mentioned by Paul: "Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people" (Romans 5:18); "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).
But before we proceed, permit me to offer the reader some thoughts on the idea of redemption, for the rider on these four horses, as we shall see, is none other than our Redeemer – The Lord Jesus Christ.
The Child then spoke up and said, (although mostly to herself), “But who can I say thank you to, for roses or the color blue, for bumble bees or cheese fondue, or the books on my bookshelf?"
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.