On Psalm 109 and Faith

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

CP, Jesus was called the ultimate and final sacrifice, setting man free from the old covenant of law to a covenant of grace and forgiveness. Prior to that, forgiveness was something that had to be earned through atonement and sacrifice. Now forgiveness is there simply by asking because of that sacrifice.

Interesting stuff - still sounds like a Get Out of Jail Free card to my Jewish ears, but it does make some sense.

My counter would be, isn't the road to hell paved with good intentions? I could seriously beg for forgiveness and really mean it after I've cheated on my husband or abandoned my children or betrayed my friends, but does that mean I've been a force for good in this world? I'm sure there really are people who feel honest remorse after doing horrible things, but still, you did horrible things, and there has to be a line drawn somewhere, right?

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I never want to stand in judgement of someone else and their eternal soul.

I think I'm still confused on this. I read your post a few times and I feel it could mean a few things. Are you trying to say that you believe all of your non-Christian friends are going to be ok in the afterlife, because in your estimation everyone falls short of the ideal? Or that you would rather not think about it so you choose to ignore it? You may not want to judge people but when it comes down to it, we're talking about the ultimate fate of people you care about.

It's this exclusionary concept that, as others have mentioned, leads to wanting to be among "your own kind", so you don't have to worry about the horrible fate of others. I felt this pull myself during my religious years. If everyone else is wrong, how can you even look them in the face?