"WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD?"
A Sermon By: JAMES KENNEDY,
A.B., M.Div., M.Th., D.D., D. Sac.Let.,
PhD.,
Litt.D., D.Sac.Theol., D. Humane Let.
A Critique By: L. Ray
Smith
Oct. 1, 2000
Dear Dr. Kennedy:
From you sermon brochure "What about those
who have never heard?" you evidently mean, "... those who have never heard of
Christ?" (Page 1). Page 2: "Do you mean to tell me you believe that God is
going to condemn somebody for simply not believing in a Jesus Christ he never
heard of. Why, that is monstrous." You then say: "This is the ignorance
defense."
Before critiquing your sermon on this
subject, let me give you the Scriptural answer to What about those who have
never heard? Answer: They will HEAR. Sermon over. Proof:
"Wherefore, also, God highly
exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the
name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and
subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus
Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).
Let me add, that this "acclaiming" is the
same "acclaiming" our Lord used when He said:
"I am acclaiming Thee,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth ..." (Matt. 11:25).
The connotation is always a willful
acclimation. For this to happen, ALL must hear.
This verse plainly says that every
creature in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth, will one day, "acclaim
that Jesus Christ is Lord." But you say this is a "difficulty question." You
say that many people feel it is an "extremely difficult question." Dr. Kennedy,
it’s theologians like you, who make this relatively simple question
seem extremely difficult.
You also create a giant
problem when you substitute a little catchall phrase, "The ignorance defense"
in place of the real issue, which is, "What about those who never heard about
Christ." You might suggest that that is "The ignorance defense." I’m
suggesting that it is a smoke screen to divert your listeners’ attention from
the real issue: Complete ignorance of Jesus Christ.
By the next paragraph you
drop the matter of "never having heard of JESUS CHRIST," as the ignorance
defense and you interject this: "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
Page 3: "Are any people
completely ignorant of God?"
Page 5 you change it again
to: "The ignorance defense: How could God condemn somebody for simply not
believing something [does our Lord Jesus Christ, now become a ‘something?’
A ‘thing?’] He never heard of?"
On page 6 you change it
to: "You see, I didn’t know [ignorance defense] that it was wrong to lie."
Page 8 you change it to:
"He cannot cry that he is ignorant because he knows full well that he has
done wrong."
Page 8 again: "Therefore,
dear friend, the ignorance defense will work no better ... We have sinned and
we know we have sinned."
On page 9 you summarize
all this by saying: "In thought and word and deed, in omission and commission,
we stand each one guilty before almighty God. So the ignorance
defense will not work." (Emphasis mine).
Whoa! Back up a
minute. "So the ignorance defense will not work." You just got through
telling us on page 2 that: "... Not believing in a Jesus Christ he never
heard of... This IS the ignorance defense." But for the next nine pages
you tell us that: "ignorance of the law," "not believing something," "ignorance
of God," "ignorance of lying,’ "ignorance of wrong doing," etc.,
constitute the ignorance defense that will not work. What happened to the
original sermon premise of "... Not believing in a Jesus Christ he never heard
of... This is the ignorance defense"? (Emphasis mine).
Your unscrupulous literary practices, Dr.
Kennedy, reminds me of the illegal flimflam sales tactic of "bait and switch."
There is no clear line of reasoning or
coherency in the above arguments. Why didn’t you stick to your original
premise? These tactics might score a B+ on a junior high school debate team,
but they fall flat on their face in the light of Scripture and mature logic.
And your constant substitution of "straw men" arguments in place of the obvious
and real issue at hand is bewildering.
Page 3: "Of course the presupposition of
that objection [’What about those who have never heard -- those who have never
heard of Christ?’ p. 1] is the idea that these people are completely ignorant,
and therefore it would not be right to condemn them for something they didn’t
know about. But let’s question that presupposition [’What about those who have
never heard -- those who have never heard of Christ?’ p. 1] for a moment. Are
any people completely ignorant of GOD"? Ah, did you catch that? The
original premise is, "... Those who have never heard of Christ," "...
Not believing in a Jesus Christ he never heard of." You then say: "But
let’s question that presupposition ["... a Jesus Christ he never heard
of"] for a moment. Are any people completely ignorant OF GOD?"
Nice try, Dr. Kennedy. Try that on children, not adults.
I think we both know why you tried to
skillfully switch "God" for "Jesus Christ." If you had stayed consistent with
your sermon premise you would have asked: "Are any people completely
ignorant of JESUS CHRIST?" And, of course, the answer would have to be
"YES!" And your sermon would be dead in the water by page three. Your
scholarship is deceitful.
"What about those who have never heard
-- those who have never heard of Christ?" This is a good topic for a sermon.
"What about ..." is a little ambiguous, however. Maybe that’s why your sermon
is ambiguous. The similarity with which you answer this question and
politicians answer questions is remarkable. You both avoid directness like the
plague.
Billions of people are knowledgeable of
billions of things: They are also ignorant of billions of things. So what?
These ignorance arguments of yours are but distractions and smoke screens. Your
listeners want to know: "What about those who have never heard of Christ?" Here
is meat for a real sermon, Dr. Kennedy.
Well, "what about" those who never heard
of Christ?
Does God love them less than us?
No. ("For thus God LOVES the world ..." Jn.
3:16).
Does God only love sinners after
they repent and believe in Christ as their Savior? No. ("... While we
are STILL sinners, Christ died for our sakes." (Rom.
5:8).
Is God just "partial" toward saving some
while condemning the rest? No. ("For there is no partiality with
God ..." Rom. 2:11).
Most people won’t need to plead the
"ignorance defense," because God is going to do away with the "ignorance"
part:
"For the earth shall be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the Waters cover the
sea" (Habakkuk 214).
No ‘ignorance defense’ here, Dr.
Kennedy.
"Thus saith the Lord God: Behold,
O my people, I will open your graves, and Cause you to come up out of your
graves ... And ye shall know [no ‘ignorance defense’
here] that I am the LORD ... And shall put my spirit in you, and ye
shall Live, and I shall place you in your own land ..." (Ezek.
37:11-13).
Very interesting Scripture. Not likely you
will ever hear a sermon on these verses. Notice: God’s people, Israel, are dead
in their graves. They are not alive in Heaven. They are not alive in Hell. When
God brings them out of their graves, they "live." That means they were "dead".
"And ye shall know that I am the LORD." They didn’t know that when they
died and went into their graves.
"And shall put my spirit in
you ..." (Ezek. 37:11-14).
Are these people returning from life in
Heaven, to death in the grave, to life in their own land, and for the first
time "knowing" who the Lord is, and for the first time having God’s
Spirit?
Are these people returning from life in
Hell, to death in the grave, to life in their own land, and for the first time
"knowing" who the Lord is, and for the first time having God’s
Spirit?
I do believe, Dr. Kennedy, that I have
just presented a theological problem of gigantic proportions. According to
Christian theology, it doesn’t make sense that God would take people to
Heaven, who never knew God, and didn’t have God’s spirit. On the
other hand, according to Christian theology, it doesn’t make sense that God
would take people from Hell, and give them His spirit and a
possession of land. And God further says:
"I will be their God and they
shall be my people" (Ezek. 37:27).
According to Christian theology, do these
people come back from Hell, or from Heaven? And according to your
theology, why are these resurrected dead people coming back to "possess the
land?"
As long as you teach that: man has an
immortal soul, death is really life at a different location, hades is a
place of suffering, Christians go to Heaven when they die, Christ is not the
Saviour of the whole world, Satan is more cunning than God, and will win by a
sizable margin, man has a "free will" which is more powerful than God’s will,
we are under the law that Paul says we are not under, we are not solely saved
by grace, as there are things that can disqualify one from salvation,
etc., etc., you will never be able to explain Ezekiel Chapter 37. God
clearly tell us that it is His will to save everyone:
"... Our Saviour, God, Who
wills[this is the very "will" of The Almighty
Creator God] that all mankind [not some or a few, but
all mankind] be saved ["saved," not condemned to
eternity in Hell fire] and come to a realization
[that’s "knowledge," a dispelling of "ignorance"] of the
truth" [part of which is the truth that God planned from the
beginning to save all mankind through the Sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ] .
By ignoring the teachings of these verses,
Dr. Kennedy, you accuse God of:
Not ever teaching (teaching and promoting
knowledge dispels "ignorance") His children the knowledge they need to know.
Punishing most of His Children for all
eternity, when proper knowledge of Jesus Christ’s Sacrifice would have saved
them.
Not being a God of love. True, Godly love,
as God Himself defines it, "is not taking account of evil" (I Cor. 13:5). Now
how, Dr. Kennedy, can anyone be sentenced to Hell for his "evils," if God Who
is love, does not even take into account their evils? And, "Love
is never lapsing [Authorized: failing]."
I don’t know if you are a father or not,
Dr. Kennedy; I am. I had two children. My youngest died at age seven. My oldest
is married to a Doctor. And I have since adopted a third, who is always on the
Principal’s Honor Roll, and is usually picked "Student of the Year." I have
done my best in loving and teaching them. Suppose you and I had the good
fortune of having ten children. And suppose that nine of our ten children ended
up in prison with life sentences for various crimes. Would you consider
yourself a successful father? I personally wouldn't. I would spend the rest of
my life trying to determine where I went wrong, not they.
Yet you, Dr. Kennedy, portray our
Wise and Loving Heavenly Fatheras a monster Who has failed to
educate and train most of His children. According to you it is "not incumbent"
upon Him to save his children from eternal condemnation. If God wants to
torture his children [what sane father would do such a thing to his children?]
for all eternity, that's His prerogative. Such evil characterization of our
Heavenly Father is blasphemy.
If you had a child, Dr. Kennedy, who never
became a believer, and God gave you the honor of sentencing your child for his
unforgiven sins, what would your judgment be? Would you sentence your own child
to an eternity of torture in the flames of Hell? And does that mean you also
approve of human torture, and "cruel and unusual punishment" for relatively
minor crimes such as "lying" or "stealing chickens by night"? (pp
6-7).
Yesterday, one from your ministry called
me and asked if I would pledge one hundred dollars or more to your campaign
against homosexuality in the media. I declined. Although I realize that this is
a growing sin in the world today, I do not believe that God is calling me to
fight homosexuality in the media. This sin is described in Rom. 1:26-27. If one
reads down a few verses one fines other sins that are equally disturbing. And I
do not believe that I am going out on a limb when I say that I can clearly see
traces of these evils in sermons like this.
I will let my readers decide: Rom.
1:28-32:
"And according as they do not test
God, to have Him in recognition, God gives them over to a disqualified mind
..., injustice ..., evil ..., greed ..., guile ..., depravity ..., proud ...,
ostentatious ..., without NATURAL AFFECTION ..., UNMERCIFUL
..."
These "closet" sins also need
exposing.
It is you, Dr. Kennedy, that are
suggesting that these billions of unbelievers will use all of these contrived
ignorance defenses mentioned above, not they. Why, pray tell, would they
plead ignorance to things that cannot save them? They would plead
ignorance (and rightly so) to the one and only thing that can save them
-- a knowledge of JESUS CHRIST, their only possible
Savior!
Do you think that all of your listeners
are so hypnotized by your rhetoric that by the end of your sermon they have
forgotten the original premise: "What about those who have never heard of
Christ?"
You quote only six Scriptural references
in your attempt to prove that God will not save most of humanity. And,
ironically, not even one of the Scriptures you quote has any reference to the
final destiny of anyone.
The last Scripture you cited was Mark
16:15: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature."
But you then paraphrased the next verse,
Mark 16:16 by saying: "Those who believe shall be saved, and those who do not
will be everlastingly condemned." (Emphasis mine). Dr. Kennedy, let's
read Mark 16:16 together:
"He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; But he that believeth not shall be damned [Greek:
condemned]."
Where do you see the word "everlastingly"
in that verse? You tried to make it sound like your statement was a quote from
the Bible. The word "everlastingly" is not in this verse. The fact is that this
word is not found in any properly translated verse in the entirely of
the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. Besides, being "condemned" is not a final or
eternal judgment. Have you not read that our own Lord was "condemned?" Matt.
20:18:
"... the Son of Mankind will be
given up to the chief priests and scribes, and they will be condemning
Him to death."
Nowhere in the Scriptures is
"condemnation," eternal.
Furthermore, the Hebrew and Greek
Scriptures had no word that meant, "eternal," "forever," or
"everlasting," or any word meaning "endless time." So you grossly err by
inserting such an uninspired word into the translation. I go into greater
detail proving this in John Hagee's portion of the enclosed booklet. This is a
provable fact of history and etymology. This one marvelous fact alone exposes
much of the depraved theology of modern Christendom.
MORE DOUBLE-TALK
Page 2: "Well, dear friends, what about
our frequent boast of our own legal system wherein we say, ‘Ignorance of the
law is no excuse’"? What about it, Dr. Kennedy? Is a slogan in the English
language, grounds for condemning billions of people to an eternity of torture
who have never even heard the name "Jesus Christ?" How easily you dispose of
billions of brothers and sisters with your almost casual approach to their
eternal damnation.
Your nonchalant, trigger happy attitude
toward an eternity of suffering for billions of fellow human beings reminds me
of that TV advertisement where several cowboys are gathered around a campfire.
One of them reads from the label of an unfamiliar brand of salsa presented to
them by the cook: "Made in New York City ," and another immediately
yells: "GET A ROPE"!
And what mercy would you show to a liar
from India and a chicken thief from the South Pacific. Hanging is too good for
them. You would sentence them to eternity in Hell (pp. 6-7).
Ignorance of the law may not be an excuse,
but it is nonetheless, a reason why some break a law. Ignorance of the law may
cost you a $10 fine or a $10,000 fine: Ten days in jail or ten years in jail.
But never a lifetime of inhumane torture in some subterranean dungeon,
and certainly not eternity in hell fire! This is not just "cruel and
unusual punishment;" this is the depth of Satanic depravity. Talk about "apples
with oranges," you’re comparing "atoms with galaxies"!
Page 2 again: "The truth of the matter is
[it tickles me when people who write this kind of material use the word
"truth"], God does take into consideration ignorance. We don’t." What do you
mean: "We don’t?" Maybe you, Dr. Kennedy, don’t. I do. My parents did. All
people of character do. I can tell you from personal experience that police
officers do. And Judges often take into consideration the fact that a person
may have violated a law in ignorance.
But how does your statement that, "... God
does take into consideration ignorance," actually function, seeing that you
conclude your sermon by showing that those who sin in ignorance are nonetheless
doomed to Hell?
Here’s your statement: "Let me say that
contrary to our law, God does take into consideration what one knows and what
one does not know. Those who have received much, much will be required, the
Scriptures says."
Dr. Kennedy, it is becoming very apparent
why you many times just allude to Scripture, quote only a portion of a verse,
or just paraphrase a small portion. I am sure you realize that most of your
listeners will not take the time to actually look up every Scripture alluded to
in your sermon and read it in its entirety. I believe it is important, however,
for us to do just that. Here’s the section of Scripture you alluded to
above:
"And the Lord said, ‘Who,
consequently, is the faithful and prudent administrator whom the lord will be
placing over his attendance, to be giving them the measure of grain in season?
Happy is that slave, whom his lord, coming, will be finding doing
thus." (Luke 12:41-42).
"Now that slave who knows the
will of the lord and does not make ready, nor yet does aught with a
view to his will, shall have many lashes. Now he who does not
know, yet does what deserves blows, shall have FEW lashes. Now to
everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be sought ..."
(Luke 12:47-48).
Two categories: Those who "know the will
of the lord." And those who "do not know."
Notice that those who "know the will of
the lord" and "do not make ready," (verse 47) "Will have many lashes."
Dr. Kennedy, if these ones are to be cast into Hell for eternity, their lashes
would not be "many," but "innumerable or unending." God knows the
different between "many" (Luke 12:47), and "innumerable" (Heb.
11:12).
Notice that any, "... Who does
not know, yet does what deserves blows, shall have
"FEWlashes." Yes, the true God does takes into
consideration the fact that they "didn’t know his lord’s will," and therefore
requires only a few lashes, because even in ignorance they did some things that
deserve chastisement.
But how does God take into consideration
this fact of ignorance? Did the unfaithful servants in this parable know God’s
will? No! God says of them: "who does NOT know" (Verse 48). How then,
according to your theology, does God "take into consideration" what this group
of people "does NOT know?"
Dr. Kennedy, can you honestly look your
listeners in the eyes and tell them that you believe that what our Lord Jesus
Christ meant by taking into consideration their ignorance, and thus
administering only a "few lashes," was that they will be burned with fire in
Hell for all eternity without water and without mercy?If eternity in
the flames of Hell equals a "few lashes," what pray tell do you have in mind
for truly evil criminals? Maybe, a thousand eternities in Hell? On one hand
your teaching is utterly silly, and on the other hand it is hideously
evil.
Page 7: "So we have the light of creation,
and we have the light of conscience, and God has given that much light to every
single person who has ever lived on this earth."
Not true. You are forgetting about huge
categories of people who have lived and never even saw the stars or creation.
Many people have been born blind. Many people are mentally retarded. And what
about babies who die in their infancy? What about little boys and little girls.
Are all these burning in your fabled eternal Hell of fire, Dr.
Kennedy?
The Scripture says: "For God’s indignation
is being revealed from heaven on all the irreverence and injustice of men who
are retaining the truth in injustice, because that which is known of God is
apparent among them, for God manifests it to them. For His invisible attributes
are descried from the creation of the world, being apprehended by His
achievements, besides His imperceptible power and divinity, for them to be
defenseless, because, knowing God, not as God do they glorify or thank Him ..."
(Rom. 1:18-21).
You conclude from this Scripture that: "So
we see that in the Bible in numbers of places we are told that God has revealed
Himself to all mankind in the light of creation" p. 4. "Everywhere around the
world when people look up at the night sky and see the vast multitude of stars
twinkling in the black velvet, they realize that these were not created by any
man . . . All over the world people looking at the creation have come to
believe in God ..." P. 4.
In what God, Dr. Kennedy? In the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or the sun god, the snake god, or the god of the
dead?
Are you trying to tell us, Dr. Kennedy,
that all mankind, (every human that has ever lived), be it Australia, Africa,
Asia, Europe, or the Americas and the islands of the seas, have at least once
in their life, gone out on a starry night and said: "I do perceive that these
stars testify to the one and only true Creator God. The God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. I believe that I will worship this God in spirit and in truth. And
surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"? Or rather
haven’t many of them said: "Let us take our children (or our enemies) and cut
their hearts out of their bodies while they are still beating and present them
to the great god of the Sun, Moon and Stars"? Much archaeological evidence
testifies to the later.
Let’s look at chapter one of Romans again.
There was a time when men acknowledged God by His marvelous achievements (Rom.
1:20). But, as they "held back the truth in injustice" (Ver. 18), and "knowing
God, not as God do they glorify or thank Him" (Ver. 21), and "were made vain in
their reasonings" (Ver. 21), and "darkened was their unintelligent heart" (Ver.
21), and "Alleging themselves to be wise, they are made stupid" (Ver. 22), it
brought about some major changes.
Ver. 24: "Wherefore God gives them
over, in the lusts of their hearts ..."
Ver. 26: "Therefore God gives them
over to dishonorable passions ..."
Ver. 28: "God gives them over to a
disqualified mind ..."
These are hardly the quality of minds and
understanding needed to make a rational decision regarding salvation. God has a
plan (now there’s a revelation for theologians) for humanity which includes
many strong lessons. However, we have more than ample Scriptural testimony that
God will save all His children from whatever situations they may temporarily
find themselves. In order to "save" someone, one must first be "lost." God is
very logical.
No, Dr. Kennedy, the aboriginals of all
lands do not have a true knowledge of, neither do they worship, "... the true
God and Creator that exists and so clearly manifests Himself in the twinkling
stars at night ..." Page 8. The heavens declare God’s glory, but not all
recognize the heavens as such. The Scriptures also declare much about God, but
how many really believe what it says? I have set forth declarations of God in
these letters to you, Dr. Kennedy, and you deny them, just as heathens often
deny the declarations of the heavens! They worship what they believe to
be true gods -- rain gods, animal gods, sun god, etc., but not the true
God and Creator. But let’s be completely honest here. Even if they did worship
the true Creator God, your theology still sends them all to Hell because,
although they have a God, they have no Savior for their sins.
YOUR "IGNORANCE DEFENSE"
Page 8: "He cannot cry that he is ignorant
because he knows full well that he has done wrong."
Actually there is some merit to the
"ignorance defense," Dr. Kennedy, even when one "knows that he has done wrong."
Let us notice how God dealt with this problem in Israel:
Lev. 4:22: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 26.
Lev. 4:27: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 31.
Lev. 5:15: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 16.
Num. 15:25: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 26.
Num. 15:27: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 28.
Acts 3:17: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 19.
Heb. 5:2: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 3.
I Tim. 1:13: "sinning through
ignorance" "sin is forgiven" Ver. 13
This last Scripture is most informative.
Paul [formerly Saul] was not any ordinary sinner. God’s spirit inspired Paul to
say that he was the "foremost" of sinners. The very worst the world has
ever seen. God converted Saul in the time it takes for lightning to flash (Acts
9:3-5). There is a specific reason why God chose to convert and save the
world’s greatest sinner. Notice:
"But therefore was I shown mercy,
that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ should be displaying all His
patience [God has ‘patience’ even with the worst of sinners],
for a PATTERN of those who are about to be believing on Him for life
eonian" (I Tim. 1:16).
God didn’t do this just once, and maybe in
the wild blue yonder He might do it again. No. This is now a "pattern." This
will be duplicated countless times from here on. As God can save the worst
sinner the world has ever known, in an instant, He can likewise save anyone He
wants, anytime He wishes. Did Paul suggest that he was shown mercy because he
had an "ignorance defense?" He sure did, although he didn’t have to personally
present it:
"... I, who formerly was a
calumniator and a persecutor and an outrager: but I was shown mercy, seeing
that I do it being IGNORANT, in unbelief" (I Tim.
1:13-14).
Now, the supreme example of God’s mercy to
the "ignorant."
"And when they were come to the
place which is called Calvary, there they Crucify Him . . . Then said
Jesus, ‘Father forgive them; for they know NOT what they do’"
(Luke 23:33-34).
Imagine that, the very ones who CRUCIFIED
THE SON OF GOD, are now forgiven (they were fully forgiven even before Christ
expired on the tree), while people in India who tell a lie (p. 6), will burn in
the fires of Hell for all eternity, without as much mercy as a drop of water!
And notice one thing more: These evil-minded cowards didn’t even need to
use the "ignorance defense." First of all, they have no defense:
"... For them to be DEFENSELESS,
because, knowing God, not as God do they glorify or thank Him
..." (Rom. 1:21).
Notice John 3:1: " ... We
[the Pharisees responsible for Christ’s crucifixion] KNOW that
thou art a teacher come from God ... "
So, yes, they knew Christ came from God,
but they didn’t really comprehend what they were doing when they killed
Him. Jesus forgave and asked His Father to forgive the very ones responsible
for His crucifixion. And our Lord did this completely gratuitously without even
asking them for their defense, or their permission. Your theology, Dr. Kennedy,
does not portray the true God of the Scriptures.
Dr. Kennedy, Paul didn’t use or even try
to use an "ignorance defense." Neither did Christ’s murderers use an "ignorance
defense." We are all "defenseless." We are all "sinners." That’s why our Lord
Jesus Christ died for us (not in our "place or stead" as you suggest,
but rather "FOR" us -- giant different). Christ’s sacrifice paid the penalty
for ALL sin. We don’t need a "defense" or a "defense attorney:" We have Jesus
Christ, the Savior of the whole world, and especially believers, now (I
Tim.4:10). No one can "win friends and influence people" like our Lord:
"Yet the grace of our Lord
OVERWHELMS, with faith and love in Christ Jesus."
(I Tim. 1:14).
The Christian Clergy just can’t comprehend
this verse. The grace of God overwhelms. Many clergymen fear that people
will use grace for a license to sin if they teach it. The reality of it is,
that people stop sinning because the grace of God overwhelms them. Grace is
power!
One more extremely profound verse in
Romans one. If only great theologians would believe it. Unfortunately, they
don’t. Not totally. Okay, here it is:
"Faithful is this saying, and
worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE
SINNERS ..." (Ver. 15).
Right here is where thousands of clergymen
and theologians lie. In their teaching of this verse, they always insert
the word "some," or "a few," between the words "save" and "sinners." I will
make this so simple a five-year-old can understand it.
You say, Dr. Kennedy, that "There is not a
person in this room, in this country or in this world who has not many times
done that which he or she knew to be wrong. . . We have sinned and we know we
have sinned" p. 8. "Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that your Spirit will give
us a clear vision of the plight of the lost -- those who are on their way to
ETERNAL PERDITION, to DAMNATION FOREVER ..." p. 14. In other words ALL are
sinners, and billions upon billions are on their way to eternal torture in the
fires of Hell.
Okay, Dr. Kennedy, here it comes. Here’s
the good news. Here’s what you and most of Christendom are utterly failing to
teach and are utterly denying. Here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
All have sinned. All are
sinning. All will sin. The whole world is composed of SINNERS.
But:
"... CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE
WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS ..." (I Tim. 1:15)!
Christ came to save the WHOLE
WORLD!
Your sermon denies I Tim. 1:15. You even
mock those who would trust God to save all His sinning children. You disgrace
the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. You even mock your own clergymen who
would dare to have enough "unseared conscience," or at least a measure of
"natural affection" to question the Christian doctrine of eternal torment for
ignorant unbelievers.
Do you ever listen to yourself, Dr.
Kennedy? Pages 12-13: "Now there are Christians, even, in addition to the
skeptics and atheists of all kinds, who would like to say, ‘You mean to tell me
that God is going to condemn someone for simply not believing in a Jesus he
never heard of ... ’ There are even Christians who will make the same
objection. They won’t express it in such a saw-toothed fashion, but
nevertheless, the same objection has been heard. I heard it expressed at the
World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin by a noted Christian minister. Why would
Christians say a thing like that?"
Wow! Why would even ... even
Christians say a thing like that? Maybe, Dr. Kennedy, because there are
some who haven’t seared their conscience as yet and still have at least a
flicker of "natural affection" in them. And just maybe there are some people
out there who have a true love and concern for the welfare of all humanity, and
not just themselves.
Your answer as to why even Christians
question such a fate for those who have never heard of Christ is as follows:
"Well, to get the answer to that question, as with so many other moral
questions, all you need to do is just remember that we are sinful, fallen
creatures. It is easier to simply declare that all people who are ignorant of
the Gospel are going to go to Heaven." That is a ridiculous answer, Dr.
Kennedy. Most sincere people who ask this question are not doing so because
they are to lazy to contribute to the spreading of the Gospel. You insinuate
that this question is stupid and especially stupid for a Christian to
ask.
You say: "But if we can simply declare
that since they are ignorant, they are going to go to Heaven because of that
ignorance, and we certainly wouldn’t want to enlighten them ... And that
takes care of that" (Emphasis mine).
Dr. Kennedy, no one is suggesting that
anyone is going to Heaven because of their ignorance. Why do you say
that? Heaven doesn’t even enter into this question. The question is why would a
loving God send anyone to an eternity of torture for never having heard of his
only possible Savior? This is a perfectly legitimate question. But, it is
you, Dr. Kennedy, who haven’t a clue to the true and Scriptural
answer.
Why don’t you ask that "noted Christian
minister" from Berlin (ask ME), if he questions this hideous Christian doctrine
because he is too lazy to teach the Gospel, as you suggest?
The whole world is composed of sinners.
Christ came to save sinners. Christ will save the WHOLE WORLD. You can deny it
all you want, Dr. Kennedy. Your sermon, your teaching, your theology, stands
utterly condemned by I Tim. 1:15.
Page 9: "If you are a criminal and have
been apprehended and hauled before this judge, you will not be happy to have a
just judge. You would like one that would fudge a bit, and maybe wink
and let you off for a little payment later on. But the Judge of all the earth
must do rightly." This almost sounds like a clever argument, Dr.
Kennedy. However, let’s examine it a little closer and see that it is but
another smoke screen
According to your own analogy, Dr.
Kennedy, here is how this "just judging" of yours would actually
operate: A man is found guilty of a crime witnessed by three police officers.
In court, the man confesses and is sentenced to a $700,000 fine and life
imprisonment in solitary confinement with no chance of parole. His crime?
Failure to heed a sign that read: DO NOT WALK ON
THE GRASS. How many sane people would consider this "just
judging?"
Your teaching is sick. The "just judgment"
that you claim your judge will meet out to those not knowing the saving power
of Christ’s Sacrifice will be trillions, and trillions and trillions of
quadrillions of times more severe and insane than life imprisonment for
"walking on the grass." So your "analogy defense" won’t work, Dr.
Kennedy.
I’ll use your own words, Dr. Kennedy. If
there really was a "hanging judge" in our judicial system so evil as to
sentence a man to life in solitary confinement for walking on the grass, "I
guarantee you there would be a huge outcry" (p. 11).
Page 8: "Anyone who simply worships the
true God and Creator ... If that person would simply ["simply?" Nobody’s ever
done it yet] live according to the dictates [you mean works?] of his own
conscience, he would be saved and would enter into Heaven." Let’s have a couple
of Scripture verses on that statement, Dr. Kennedy.
Your statement is untrue and unscriptural:
"For in grace, through
faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God’s
gift, not of WORKS, lest anyone should be boasting" (Eph.
2:8-9).
"And there is no salvation
in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among
men, in which we must be saved" Acts 4:12).
It is not our "evil" deeds that are as
"filthy rags" to God, but our "righteousness" (Isa. 64:6).
Page 9: "We will not be judged about what
we don’t know ..." Dr. Kennedy, you constantly fail to distinguish between what
is relative and what is absolute. What is temporary, and what is permanent.
What is God’s plan from His goal. The process from the conclusion. Your
statement is false. God does judge regarding things that men are
ignorant of. God, in fact, destroys His own people because of
their ignorance:
"My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge ..." ( Hosea 4:6).
"Therefore my people are gone into
captivity, because they have no knowledge ..." (Isa. 5`2).
These destructions and captivities are,
however, only temporary preludes to their permanent salvation.
Being "destroyed" is not permanent.
Destroyed and lost are virtually synonymous in the Scriptures. What is it that
God does with or for destroyed people? He SAVES THEM. It would take twenty
pages just to quote the verses showing that this is what God does. He is a
"Saviour." He saves people. It matters not one iota that they die before He
saves them. It is appointed unto all men once to die. Death is no barrier to
salvation (Rom. 8:38). Every barrier concocted to prevent God from saving all
humanity, is a humanly devised barrier. They are but inventions of depraved
theologians. They are not Scriptural. Not one. I defy anyone to show me a
properly translated verse that proves God will not save all of His
Children!
I take considerable space in the enclosed
booklet proving that the Greek word, aion, means a long period of time
as an "age" or an "eon." It never means endless time, or eternity.
No honest scholarship can prove that
aion means everlasting, eternity, or endless time. That most of
humanity will suffer eternally in a place called Hell, is a Satanic lie.
Once you read this booklet, Dr. Kennedy, you will ever be accountable for its
contents. The God-given explanations of hades & aion, are quite
simple. And with that understanding comes the total demise of your "Hell is
Fair" doctrine.
Page 10: "... It is not incumbent upon God
to extend it [the light of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ] to anyone."
Dr. Kennedy, is it "incumbent" upon God to send most of His Children to an
eternal Hell?
Page 10: "All may come and find mercy at
the hands of Christ." Now grammar never was my forte, however, I do remember
learning the difference between "may" and "can." The word "may" denotes
permission, while the word "can" denotes ability. So you say "All may come ...
" Of what value is it to those who have never heard, to have "permission" to
come to Christ, when in reality, they don’t have the "ability" to come, seeing
they don’t know were to come or to whom they should come? Dr. Kennedy, go to a
hospital of paraplegic children, and give them all PERMISSION to walk.
That’s mockery.
Page 10: You quote Matt. 20:15, "Is it not
[right] lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" You quote this verse to
suggest that Christ is allowed to hold back what is His from anyone He
wants to. First of all let us recognize that this is not Christ speaking in the
first person as you imply, but rather Christ is giving a parable. Second, the
context is not one of holding back what is His, but rather of
givingtoo much for what would be deemed fair. The servant who
works only one hour is given equal pay to the one who works all day in the
heat.
This is by no means one of your greater
blunders, Dr. Kennedy, but I do have to marvel at your little subtleties.
Christ is showing in this parable that He is moving away from the keeping of
law and works to be saved. As His teaching toward grace comes into focus, no
works are required for justification and salvation (Gal. 2:16).
Next you say: "Grace is not owed to
anyone. Otherwise, it very simply is not grace; it is debt. ‘Therefore hath he
[God] mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he wills, He hardenth’ (Rom.
9:18). Therefore, the light of Christ is not extended to everyone ..."
Wrong!
Again, Dr. Kennedy, let’s read Romans 9:18
in the whole context of its setting, and we will see that the final destination
of those "hardened" is not eternal torture in the flames of Hell, but rather
salvation in the Family of God. Notice:
"For the scripture is saying to
Pharaoh that ‘For this selfsame thing I rouse you up, so that I should be
displaying in you My power, and so that My name should be published in the
entire earth.’ Consequently, then, to whom He will, He is merciful, yet whom He
will, He is hardening" (Rom. 9:17-18).
Pharaoh was hardened as a dark backdrop
for the display of God’s power and glory. Some protest to God’s operations
(Vers. 19-21). God is the Master Potter and has a right to make vessels adapted
for destruction, so that He can display His mercy on others (Vers. 22-24).
God is now calling sons out of the
nations, while Israel [the hardened ones] "stumble on the stumbling
stone" (Vers. 25-33). Paul’s heart is set on their salvation, however
(Rom. 10:1-2). "Everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the
Lord, shall be saved" (Ver. 13). Paul says, however, that this is not
possible unless they "believe," "from one heralding," who is "commissioned"
(Vers. 14-16). But Isaiah asks: "Lord, who believes our
tidings?" (Ver. 16). Obviously not "hardened Israel." So God says:
"I became disclosed to those who are not inquiring of Me" [the
Gentiles] (Ver. 20).
Paul then says:
"Does not God thrust away His
people? May it not be coming to that!" (Rom. 11:1).
That is unthinkable to Paul. So he quickly
assures us that:
"God does not thrust away His
people whom He foreknew" (Ver 2).
Of course God foreknew everything that is
happening in the history of Israel from their beginning. Although Israel as a
nation has been hardened, and become "a stubborn and contradicting
people" (Ver. 21), nonetheless, even in Paul’s day God called a
"... remnant according to the choice of grace" (Ver. 5).
However,
"Now the rest were
calloused, even as it is written, God gives them a spirit of stupor,
eyes not to be observing, and ears not to be hearing, till this
very day" (Ver. 6).
Why does God harden Israel and callous
them? So that He can torture them in fire for all eternity? Ridiculous. Paul
answers his own question:
"Do they [Israel]
not trip that they should be falling? May it not be coming to that! But in
their offense is salvation to the nations, to [to what? Have a
reason for throwing them in Hell for eternity?] provoke them to
jealousy" (Ver. 11).
God uses evil FOR GOOD! Israel’s hardened
and calloused heart is preparing them for salvation! They will be so
jealous when they see what God has done for the Gentiles.
Paul summarizes this whole process by
stating:
"For if their [Israel] casting
away is the conciliation of the world, what will the taking back be if not life
from among the dead?" (Ver. 15).
And this: "... that callousness,
in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be
entering" (Ver. 25).
And then what happens?
"And thus ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE
SAVED ..." (Ver. 26). "I should be eliminating their sins" (Ver.
27).
This is all temporary. Being "hardened"
back in Chapter 9:18 is not an eternal judgment. Temporarily, for a grand
purpose,
"... they
[Israel] are enemies because of you
[Gentiles], yet, as to choice, they are
BELOVED ..." (Rom. 11:28).
Notice that Israel is God’s "enemy." What
did Christ teach us regarding our "enemies?"
"Yet I am saying to you, LOVE
your enemies ..." Matt. 5:44).
God our Father is not a hypocrite. Do you
have the audacity, Dr. Kennedy, to tell us that Almighty God is going to
torture in Hell fire for eternity, His "BELOVED"?
Here is exactly how this scenario plays
itself out:
"For unregretted are the graces
and the calling of God. For even as you [Gentiles] once
were stubborn toward God, yet now were shown mercy at their
[Israel’s] stubbornness, thus these also are now
stubborn to this mercy of yours, that now they also may be shown MERCY.
For God locks up all (Jews and Gentiles) together in stubbornness, that He
should be merciful to ALL" (Rom. 11:29-32).
It is very clear, Dr. Kennedy, the ones
that are "hardened" in Romans 9:18 are not forever rejected by God as you
teach, but are rather the very ones that God "saves" in Romans 11:26).
Page 11: "The folly of the idea that there
is an ‘ignorance defense’, and the fallacy of it [don’t knock it too badly, Dr.
Kennedy, it appears that this "ignorance" defense is one of your
inventions, which, of course, will never be used in the first place], can be
seen if we apply a little logic to it. For example, turn the tape of the
world’s history backward. Today there are 2 billion plus professing Christians.
Go back 2,000 years and there were none. So if we go backward, we find that
nobody knew the Gospel; therefore the offer of mercy had not yet been
offered to anyone at all." (Emphasis mine) Not true, Dr. Kennedy. Notice
the following:
"But Noah found grace in
the eyes of the LORD ... Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations,
and Noah walked with God" (Gen. 6:8-9).
"And Enoch walked with God:
and he was not; for God took him" (Gen. 5:24).
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram
[later Abraham] ... I will make of thee a great nation, I will
bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing ... And in thee shall all the families of the earth be
blessed" (Gen. 12:1-3).
"And Isaac went unto Abimelech ...
And the Lord appeared unto him, ,,, Sojourn in this land, and I will be with
thee and will bless you; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will
give all these countries ... And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars
of heaven ... And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed"(Gen. 26:1-4).
Comment: How could "ALL of the families of
the earth be blessed" if most of them are (according to you) in Hell? Is
it possible to be blessed in Hell?
"And God appeared unto Jacob ...
Thy name is Jacob: ... But Israel shall be thy name ... And the land which I
gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after
thee will I give the land " (Gen. 35:9-12).
And let’s not forget one of the finest men
who has ever lived, Joseph. This is just the book of Genesis. What of Moses,
Elijah, and the seven thousand who wouldn’t bow their knee to Baal, and all the
Holy prophets?
King David is clearly promised salvation
and a place of high rulership in the Kingdom of God, long before Christ is
sacrificed (Jer. 30:9).
"And David my servant shall be
king over them ... And my servant David shall be their prince ..."
(Ezek. 37:24-25)
Thousands of saints in the Hebrew
Scriptures knew God, walked with God, received mercy from God, were blessed by
God, and, yes, some were even promised a future life with God. Dr. Kennedy, you
can run your "tape of history" backwards, forwards, or even sideways if you
want, your argument is still spurious.
Page 11 again: "In that case, if it is
merely true that to be ignorant of the Gospel is sufficient to allow you
admission into Heaven ..." Who has said: "Ignorance of the Gospel will allow
you admission into Heaven?" Who? Who has purposed such a thing? The objection
by many is rather, "Why would God send people to an eternal Hell before having
opportunity to hear the Gospel?" Well the truth is, God will remove all
ignorance of every kind and therefore, "ignorance" does not enter into the
equation of salvation at all.
God "wills" [and I might add is fully
able] to bring all into a knowledge of truth and salvation. For further
Scriptural proof see: I Tim. 2:3-6, John 12:32, Phil. 2:10-11, I Cor. 15:22,
Rom. 5:19, I Tim. 2:5-6, Col. 1:20, I Tim. 4:10-11, John 3:17, I Tim. 1:9, II
Cor. 5:14, I John 2:2, II Cor.. 5:18-19, and the enclosed booklet, Exposing Those Who
Contradict.
Page 11: "He [Jesus Christ] came into a
world that was saved and has succeeded in sending millions or billions to
Hell." You make this statement "tongue-in-cheek," obviously not agreeing with
it. The word you take issue with is the word "saved." You don’t believe that
everyone in ignorance before Christ came was "saved." Okay, let’s reverse it
and see if you or anyone else thinks this revised version brings glory to God:
He [Jesus Christ] came into a world that
was NOT saved and has [subsequently] succeeded in sending millions or billions
[MORE] to Hell."
No matter how one views it or how one says
it, bad theology is still bad theology.
I read this next statement to a few of my
friends. One of them thought I was jesting with him and that I had made it up.
I assured them I didn’t make it up: It is right there in your sermon, word for
word. Page ten:
"Therefore, the light of Christ is NOT
extended [Webster’s, to offer?] To everyone [the whole world?], but
IS to be offered [Webster’s, extended?] to the whole world
[everyone?]." Emphasis mine.
Give us a break, Dr. Kennedy. You insult
the intelligence of your listeners. What kind of double-talking, contradictory,
unscriptural, nonsense, is that statement?
Page 10 again: "And thus we see the
exclusivity of the Gospel, but also its inclusiveness as well."
(Emphasis mine). Maybe you see it, Dr. Kennedy -- I don’t. Besides, how can
something be "exclusive" and "inclusive" at the same time? Do you really
believe God’s Word teaches contradictions? Nothing can be both hot and
cold at the same time. What fellowship has light with darkness? "Exclusive" and
"inclusive" are not synonyms, Dr. Kennedy.
Read I Tim. 4:10 very carefully:
"... We rely on the living God,
Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of
believers."
Salvation (through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ), is especially for believers, now, but nowhere do the Scriptures
speak of salvation being "exclusive" whereby billions will never be saved at a
future time (I Cor. 15:28).
This verse does not say: "... We
rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all believers, especially
believers." No, "mankind" and "believers" are two different groups of
people.
This verse is plain: "... We rely on the
living God, Who is [is, not hopefully, possibly, or maybe] the Savior of
all [all, not some or a few] mankind [mankindwho are not
believers, contrasted with ...] especially believers."
This verse tells us of two groups, and God
is the Savior of both groups:
all mankind
especially believers, who are saved ages
earlier.
Now notice verse 11:
"These things [that God
is the Savior of all mankind and especially believers] be
charging and teaching." A "savior" is "one who
saves."
One Who is the Savior of "all," is One who
"saves ALL" I hope this isn’t too hard for anyone.
Therefore the God Who IS the Savior of
ALL, WILL SAVE ALL!You don’t actually "charge and teach"
that God is the Savior of all mankind, do you, Dr. Kennedy? No, of
course not. That’s why you contrive these unscriptural sermons.
Your next few statements overwhelm me;
completely overwhelm me:
"... No one is kept out because of his
race or color, because of his social status, because of his education or lack
of it. EVERYONE is invited to come. There is NO DIFFERENCE: ALL
may come and find mercy at the hand of Christ." (Emphasis Mine).
Okay, then explain: "... EVERYONE [of
these billions of heathens that have NEVER heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ]
IS invited to come." How is it possible for everyone to be
"invited to come" by never hearing the Gospel that invites them "to
come"?
Notice your contradictory statement
again:
"EVERYONE is invited to
come." ... But "The light of Christ is NOT extended to EVERYONE
..."
Both statements cannot be true, Dr.
Kennedy.
You say: "... No one is kept out because
of his race or color, because of his social status,
because of his education or lack of it." (Emphasis mine) But,
according to your own statements, if one is a black man of little
education and low social status in Africa, who has never heard the
Gospel, he WILL BE KEPT OUT! If one is a yellow-skinned woman of little
education and low social status from China, who has never heard the
Gospel, she WILL BE KEPT OUT!
Your arguments are so silly. We could say
that no one is kept out because he has bad breath. No one is kept out because
he can’t carry a tune. No one is kept out because he doesn’t like asparagus.
This reasoning is silly nonsense, Dr. Kennedy. But according to you, Dr.
Kennedy, everyone is kept out for not having heard the Gospel. Not
hearing the Gospel is not a sin. Not of omission or commission.
Out of one side of your mouth you
say:
"EVERYONE is invited to come."
"NO ONE is kept out because of ... race,"
etc.
"ALL MAY COME and FIND MERCY at the hands
OF CHRIST."
Out of the other side of your mouth you
say:
"... It is not incumbent upon God to
extend it [the light of Christ] to ANYONE."
"... the light of Christ is NOT extended
to EVERYONE."
"But, because God extends it to some does
not mean He must extend it to ANY OTHER.’
"... the idea that God OWES TO EVERYONE
some offer of mercy is totally foreign from [do you mean "to"?] the Bible."
(Emphasis mine)
I believe, Dr. Kennedy, that when most
people see your statements clearly presented, they will conclude that you
contradict yourself and the Scriptures, often and badly.
Page 11: "So the idea that God owes
to everyone some offer of mercy is totally foreign from ["to?’] the Bible."
What about "the idea" that God gives willfully and graciously, without a
thought of "owing"? Where do you come up with all these deceitful little
statements and arguments, Dr. Kennedy?
Of course, God doesn’t "owe" [as a
debt] anything to anyone. What do you think you prove by such a foolish
statement? Although God "owes" no one anything, He, nonetheless, will
ultimately give generously and gratuitously His ALL, to EVERYONE.
Absolutely no human being who has ever lived will be left out.
Here’s proof positive:
"For even as in Adam,
ALL are dying, thus ALSO, in Christ, shall
ALL[this "all" is the same "all" that are dying in Adam, hence:
everyone] be vivified [imparting life beyond the reaches
of death]... Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ ... For
He must be reigning until [but not longer] He should be
placing all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy is being abolished:
death... Then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him
[God the Father] Who subjects all to Him, that God may be
ALL in ALL" (I Cor.. 15:22-28) (Emphasis mine). WOW!
These Scriptures are profound. These are
the grand themes and truly wise things we should be teaching. When we see what
God has done and what God will yet do, we need not concern ourselves with liars
and chicken thieves. God will judge them and save them. Not even all of
Christendom combined can screw up God’s marvelous plan for all humanity. God
does far, far more than merely give "some offer of mercy," as you suggest. God
becomes ALL [all that God is and has to give] in ALL [all humanity, all in
earth and all in heaven] (Col. 1:20).
Not only will all the "lost" be "saved,"
but being lost is a Scriptural prerequisite to receiving mercy in the first
place: "For GOD locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that [or, in order that]
He should be MERCIFUL to ALL [Webster’s, all, adj. 2. every
one]" (ROM. 11:32). No, Dr. Kennedy, God doesn’t "owe everyone some
offer of mercy," but He does give it to every one, despite
sermons like yours to the contrary.
Not all people are depraved and vile. And
those who are can be changed quickly when God desires. Most are just ordinary
sinners like the rest of us. Not one of us can hold a candle to the sins of the
Apostle Paul (I Tim. 1:15). And not all people commit adultery and steal
chickens by night, to use your argument. What about pregnant women, teenagers,
and little children, Dr. Kennedy? What sense or redeeming value is there in
torturing such for eternity?
You emphasize man’s conscience. I would
hasten to remind you of another gift that God has given us called "natural
affection." After listening to sermons like this, one can see how accurately
Paul prophosied of our day when many would be "... without natural affection
..." (Rom. 1:31).
Our society is so callused that they
accept the spoon-fed heresy of the day as if it were nothing to be questioned.
As far as heresy goes, Paul had to deal with such things as to whether or not
the resurrection was already past. Whether circumcision is required for
gentiles. Whether it is right to eat meat offered to idols. I don’t believe in
Paul’s wildest nightmares (if indeed he ever had nightmares), he ever thought
that the institutionalized church of the end time would be teaching the world
that God is the savior of only a few and the rest He will torture in some
fabled Hell of fire. Paul might say, "No." "No!" "NO one would ever be deceived
into believing such a hideous, unspeakable, Satanic lie!" I’m afraid it’s true,
Paul, they believe it by the millions and even the billions. And the
self-appointed Pharisees that teach it often gloat themselves in
it.
Page 10: "But because God extends it
[salvation] to some does not mean He must extend it to any other.
He must be just. He doesn’t have to be gracious or merciful to any guilty
sinner, any more than we would rejoice if the governor, having released one
criminal in Florida should decide that next week he is going to empty the
prisons in the state of Florida and you will be living with all of these
murderers and rapists and child molesters and all of the rest. They are going
to be dumped right into society. I guarantee you there would be a huge outcry."
(Emphasis mine).
You do err, Dr. Kennedy, not knowing God
or His plan. Actually, God "must" extend salvation to "any other" [and "all"]
because His Word has already declared it: "For even as, in Adam,
all are dying, THUS ALSO, in Christ, shall all [it’s the same
"all" that die in Adam] be vivified" [Gk. Zoopoieo, Giving life beyond
the reach of death, conferring immortality. Greek-English Keyword
Concordance p. 320] (I Cor. 15:22). And God does not lie (Titus
1:2).
Page 10 again: "He doesn’t have to be
gracious or merciful to any guilty sinner, any more than we would rejoice ..."
This sentence structure is incoherent.
Regardless, here is your problem. You
obviously have contempt for these prisoners, as you call them "guilty" sinners
who would pollute our society if pardoned.. But you see, Dr. Kennedy, God IS
gracious and merciful to sinners. That’s His nature:
"... Seeing that, while we
are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes ... Being
conciliated, we shall be saved in His Life" (Rom.
5:8-10).
"God's graciousness
overwhelms!" (I Tim. 1:14).
And when God’s goodness and graciousness
overwhelms sinners, guess what? They repent (Rom. 2:4). They don’t
pollute!
It is hard to believe you would use such a
derogative analogy with reference to God saving sinners. Are you saying that
the analogy of the governor of Florida emptying all of the state prisons of
their criminals represents the Great Governor of the Universe being gracious
and merciful to all the guilty sinners? If that’s your analogy, how dare you
degrade God’s gracious dealings with His children in such a manner? And if that
is not the parallel, then what is? When God graciously grants someone
salvation, they do not go into society killing, stealing, and molesting little
children. How is God’s operation of saving His sinning children analogous to
dumping hardened criminals back into society? Your analogies are
inappropriate.
I believe that maybe your hypocrisy is
showing just a little, Dr. Kennedy. You apparently will tolerate a governor
pardoning one criminal, just as long as he doesn’t pardon all the
criminals in all the prisons. So if your analogy stands, then you likewise will
tolerate God saving a few "guilty sinners," just as long as He doesn’t
ever save them all.
Dr. Kennedy, you don’t need to use
analogies. The Scriptures are clear without analogies. Besides, your analogies
are "straw men." Your straw men analogies merely beg the issue and cause
confusion. I don’t believe for one minute that you use these ridiculous straw
men analogies to clarify the subject: I believe you use them as camouflage nets
to hide the truth behind.
If you believe that our Heavenly Father is
not going to extend His gracious salvation to millions and millions of
pregnant women, teenagers, and little boys and little girls, but rather is
going to torment them in the flames of Hell for ever, why not just come right
out and say so. I noticed how conspicuously absent from your sermon was any
mention of little children going to the flames of an eternal Hell. Was that by
oversight, or by design?
I seriously have to question how a man
with nearly a dozen college degrees could possibly have such inept scholarship
as this sermon testifies. Good scholarship could never produce the
contradictory, illogical, unscriptural, hodgepodge of nonsense in this sermon.
I can’t believe that a man of your education and intellectual status is capable
of scholarship this bad. I think here is the answer. When someone tries to
present a falsehood as truth, of necessity, he has to use bad scholarship,
contradictions, exaggerations, straw men analogies, etc.
I am sure you would have preferred to use
good scholarship, appropriate analogies, honest logic, and tons of Scriptural
proof. But you couldn’t. Because none of those things would ever substantiate
your sinister sermon. The computer axiom is most appropriate to your sermon,
Dr. Kennedy: "Garbage in; garbage out."
Why else would someone waste a whole
sermon using foolish analogies and arguments to show that people "sin." That
people (all people everywhere) sin, is a given. There is no debate or
argument here. It’s like wasting nine pages trying to convince us that water is
wet. No sane person denies it. You have taught us nothing. God created all
mankind, and men sin (with a brain, with knowledge, with conscience), it
doesn’t matter; they ALL SIN.
Don’t pride yourself, Dr. Kennedy, on
kicking a dent in a "mole hill," when the real issue here is "Mt.
Everest."
What people want to know is: "Since only
God can save all sinners, will He?" God says "YES" many times in the
Scriptures. You say "NO" and have not one properly translated Scripture to
defend you. Not one. How deep into apostasy we have come (II These. 2:3) when a
religion that claims to be followers of Jesus Christ, teaches on thousands of
TV station around the world, that God is going to torture most of His children
in fire for all eternity, and yet has not even one Scripture to defend
such hideous heresy! It’s unbelievable.
Page 13. You relay a number of items in a
fictitious story, one of which is: "... About the fact that His disciples
betrayed Him ..." Why didn’t God kill the disciples right then and there, and
send them all to Hell? There was a billion times more cause to send Christ’s
disciples to Hell after betraying Him, than there is cause for sending
billions to Hell who not only didn’t "betray" Christ, but never even heard
of Him! So the disciples not only witnessed, heard, and experienced three
and one-half years with our Lord, but they then betrayed Him. Still
they are saved and the ignorant heathens are condemned to eternity
in fire. It doesn’t equate, Dr. Kennedy; it doesn’t equate. I believe that you
haven’t a clue as to what you are talking about.
Page 14: "He [Christ] told them to go, and
based upon what He had accomplished, proclaim to the world that those who trust
in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
The question is then posed: "But ... but
Lord, what if they don’t do that? What if they don’t go and tell the world of
what you have done? What is your backup program?"
You answer thus: "And Christ said, ‘I have
none’"
"The responsibility rests with US."
(Emphasis mine).
Admittedly your sermons tells us that
billions have already gone to Hell, not hearing the Gospel. Christ’s first
program failed, He has no backup program, and you suggest that what ever few
might be salvaged from this disaster depends on "us" (man). The remaining
salvation of the world is dependent upon us reaching them with the Gospel. You
are saying, in effect, that God’s hands are tied. I am almost speechless. And
that doesn’t happen too often. You say: "And the responsibility rests with us."
P. 13. I’ll bet you can’t give us a Scripture verse on that, Dr. Kennedy.
For one thing, I know for a fact, that the
word "responsibility" does not appear in the Scriptures. Not even in the King
James, not even once. Maybe the "obligation rests with us?" No. That
word isn’t used in the Bible either. Maybe these words aren't in the Bible
because your teaching isn’t in the Bible.
Here is what God’s Word does say:
"Put not your trust in
princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help" (Psalm
146:3).
And you turn around and tell us that God,
Himself, puts HIS trust in men ["us"] to accomplish the most
awesome undertaking in the history of the Universe, the very salvation of
the world. Dr. Kennedy, God does not put His trust in men ["us"] to
save the world.
And the ones you fail to reach will
automatically go to Hell for all eternity. I can only hope that your ministers
aren’t driving on recalled tires. Imagine a young African woman musing in Hell:
"If it wasn’t for that missionary’s flat fire, I would have heard the Gospel
and could right now be sipping cold lemonade in Heaven." Nonsense.
When you say that reaching the world is up
to "us," are you not euphemistically saying that the salvation of the
world is up to "us?" I certainly don’t mean me "us", but rather you "us." I
know that God didn’t commission me to save the world, although He may use me to
teach a few. Even if the "us" is the weakest link in the chain of salvation, it
becomes just as necessary as any other link, seeing that it’s failure
causes the whole chain to fail and billions upon billions of wonderful human
beings are lost to your fabled Hell.
It comes down to this: If you reach an
ignorant heathen with the Gospel, he can be saved. If you fail to reach
an ignorant heathen with the Gospel, he can’t be saved. Since you have
conveniently left God out of this scenario completely, ("’What is your backup
program?’ And Christ said, ‘I have none.’ The responsibility rests with us." p.
14), it is the "you" part of "us" who really becomes the "savior" of the
present day world. In putting oneself in a spiritual station this lofty, it’s
easy to see how someone could become a legend in his own mind.
The more I examine the doctrines of
Christendom, the more I am struck by the similarity in arguments used by
evolutionists and theologians alike. They both devise clever little erudite
arguments, peppered with slogans of the trade. The evolutionists quote
discoveries in science to support their arguments, even if those scientific
discoveries totally contradict their ridiculous arguments. And the theologians
quote the Bible even if many Scriptural declarations totally contradict their
ridiculous doctrines.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRISTENDOM
The "Gospel" means "Good News." Imagine
taking your gospel to some back village in China and telling them the
following:
"Greetings brothers! We are here with
truly good news. You have always been taught that your family members are
with your ancient ancestors. Well that is true, however, they are not happy.
No, they are actually in great pain and suffering. They are, in fact, suffering
by having their flesh burned with fire. They suffer every second. They have no
rest, no peace, no hope, and no food or water. The pain is so great that it
would kill them, except that they are already dead. We realize how being dead
and alive at the same time is a little difficult to explain. It requires a
Doctor of Divinity degree to fully comprehend.
Anyway, the god that we represent and
worship, is the very god who is torturing your beloved family members and
ancestors. This is the same god that is going to torture most of the human race
with fire. Our god likes burning helpless women and little children with fire.
Of course, there is no purpose or redeeming value to it, it’s just great fun.
When we get to Heaven, we will be able to
watch their suffering as long as we want. I suspect it will be the number
spectator sport this side of Heaven. Now, watching little heathen babies not
yet weaned off their mother’s milk, popping like burned bacon strips in a white
hot skillet, might not seem like fun at first, but if god enjoys it, I guess we
can sear our consciences until we too enjoy it.
We are here to tell you about this god of
Christendom. Our god loves you, as long as you love him back before you die.
You see, that’s the down side of god. No one knows why, but if you should die
before you love him, his love for you turns to hatred. Therefore, it is
paramount that you should worship this god of Christendom or he will burn
you with fire for all eternity."
Or maybe you would save this portion of
the Good News until you have indoctrinated them a little
further.
THE JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
OF HELL
The following trial and judgment is based
on the teachings of the world’s leading clergymen and theologians.
A theoretical Judgment Day for a young
African girl named Suba, who died at age seventeen while giving birth to her
first child:
god: What do you have to say for yourself,
Suba?
Suba: I’m sorry, your holiness, I am
frightened and I don’t understand the question.
god: There is nothing to be frightened of,
my child. I won’t hurt you [yet]. Tell me about your life.
Suba: I was born number three of seven
children. My mother and father loved us very much. They taught us many things
like, food getting, fire cooking, clothes making, basket making, the rules of
our tribe, and how to worship the great maker.
god: That would be me. I am the Great
Maker. Tell me about that. How did you worship me?
Suba: Well, we were told to treat everyone
in the tribe real good. That is what the great maker wanted all of us to do --
be real good to all people. We were told that the great maker would then be
real good to us. Life was pretty good except when we didn’t have much food to
eat, and when a bad tribe from far away came and burned our village and killed
many of our people.
god: Did you hate those bad men who killed
your people?
Suba: Yes, your holiness, of course we
hated them.
god: Do you know that it is a sin to
hate?
Suba: What is a sin?
god: Something bad.
Suba: I knew it was bad to sass back to my
Mother and Father. I was but seven years old when my village was burned. I
don’t think I hate them anymore. All I ever wanted was a place to live in
peace with enough food to eat, and to raise my baby to be a fine woman. Is that
bad, your holiness?
god: You mean to tell me you have never
done anything bad that you knew was bad?
Suba: Yes I did, your holiness, many
times. And my mother would hit my bottom with a stick if she saw me do
something bad. But when I was having my baby, it hurt a hundred times more than
when mother hit me with a stick. And that’s the last thing I remember until
being brought here.
god: You know, Suba, I had a
son.
Suba: I’ll bet you were real proud of
him.
god: No one will ever know how much. All
his life, he taught people to love each other and to forgive each other for
being bad, and even to love their enemies.
Suba: He sounds like a nice
man.
god: Yes he was. But when he was just a
young man, the worshippers of the great maker banded together and killed my son
by nailing him to a tree.
Suba: Oh, god! I am so sorry. I know you
must miss him a lot.
god: No, child. He’s alive with me. I
brought him back to life only three days after they killed him. He is now the
savior of all people on earth.
Suba: We never heard of your son in
Africa. I so wish that your son could have saved my tribe from those bad people
when I was a little girl.
god: My son can save people even if they
are dead.
Suba: Wow! That sounds too good to be
true. How does you son actually save all people?
god: He doesn’t save all
people.
Suba: But your holiness, you said he is
the savior of all the people on earth.
god: Yes, my child. My son is the savior
of all people; it’s just that he doesn’t actually save all
people.
Suba: I don’t understand "he is, but he
isn’t." If I would have ever said something as mixed up as that to my Momma,
she would have hit me with a stick.
god: Let me explain: My son died such a
bad death to pay for all the bad things that bad people do. Now anyone who
believes my son did a good thing for them, will not be hurt for the bad things
they did, but will live for ever. I have written all these rules in a book
called the bible. It says in the bible that what you get for doing bad is
death. But if any one likes my son’s sacrifice for their bad life, I
will give them a free gift of life.
Suba: Oh god! I hardly know what to say.
You mean if I believe in your son who did a good thing for me, even though I
have often been bad, that you will give me a life that never
ends?
god: No child. Not you. You don’t
understand the higher scholarship of Christian theology. You see, you don’t
qualify to be saved.
Suba: What is "c h r i s t i a n t h e o l
o g y?"
god: It’s too confusing, Child, not even
theologians know what it is.
Suba: Why don’t I "qualify?" What must I
do to "qualify?"
god: You don’t have to do anything
to qualify. Salvation is by grace. That means it’s a free gift
Suba: Then why don’t I qualify, your
holiness?
god: Well, what I mean is you can’t
qualify for salvation, but you can be disqualified by not qualifying for the
qualification that is not required, seeing salvation is free by grace. Or, ah,
something like that.
Suba: Do you reckon, your holiness, one of
those theologians might be able to explain that a litter better for
me?
god: No, my child, besides, it is too late
for you to be saved.
Suba: But, your holiness, why is it too
late?
god: Because you didn’t accept my son and
his sacrifice before you died giving birth.
Suba: But, your holiness, I didn’t know of
your son and his sacrifice before I died.
god: Tough toenails, child. I can’t be
bothered with all the complicated details of trying to get everybody saved.
Besides, most of the highest educated theologians in the world clearly teach
that if one dies not knowing of my son’s sacrifice for them, it is too
late to ever be saved.
Suba: You mean my punishment for being bad
will not be taken away by your son and I will be given death for
ever?
god: Not exactly, child. I know my bible
says death, but my theologians thought that death was too good for bad
people, so they changed it to a never-ending life of torture in fire. And it
will hurt hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times more than when you died
giving birth. I will never stop burning your flesh, Suba, not even for a
second, and, of course, your daughter will be burning right by your side.
Actually most of Africa will be burning with you. Billions and billions. Just
burning and burning. Billions and bill ... Excuse me, Suba, go
ahead.
Suba: But god, your holiness, why?
Why?
god: Look child, as one of my leading
theologians recently suggested, it is not incumbent upon me to save everyone.
Indeed it is not incumbent upon me to save anyone. Besides you are my enemy and
I hate you. I know it doesn’t sound fair child, but you have to understand,
these great theologians of the world have made these rules, and so my hands are
tied.
Suba: But god, I don’t hate
you.
god: Now don’t try to lay a guilt trip on
me child, I said I hate you, you're my enemy, and that’s final.
Suba: But your holiness, you said your son
taught everyone to love their enemies?
god: Angels of the Guard, this girl is
getting on my nerves. Throw her into the fires of Hell for ever.
god: Next ...
I seriously question how you personally
would react and feel about the conclusion of your teaching on this subject if
it were you and your family who just happened to be born in one of those
unfortunate nations where the Gospel never reached.
After being burned and tortured by fire
for millions and billions and trillions of millennia, might not even
you, Dr. Kennedy, reconsider your "Hell is FAIR" doctrine, while
contemplating the ENDLESS succession of oncoming centuries of
hopelessness, total despair, pain (constant mind-boggling pain), and the
never-ending screams of your children and
grandchildren?!
"... for ever, and for ever, and for ever
... and it’s JUSTICE," shouts Pastor Hague, and "HELL IS FAIR," shouts Dr.
Kennedy, and "Neither one of you knows ‘what in Hell’ he talking about," shouts
Ray Smith (Emphasis his).
It is unconscionable to think that
either we or God could be happy with most of our friends, neighbors, relatives,
and ancestors (God’s children), suffering in nightmarish torture for eternity.
Can’t we realize that true blessings come only from blessing
others?
CONCLUSION
You started your sermon by reading a dozen
or so verses from Romans the first chapter. You ended short of reading verse
32. In your closing prayer, you say: "Heavenly Father, I pray that your Spirit
will give us a clear vision of the plight of the lost -- those who
are on their way to ETERNAL PERDITION to DAMNATION FOREVER ..."
(Emphasis mine). First let me say: "Nice prayer." Second, let’s go back to
Romans the first chapter and read what God tells us is the penalty for
all the sins contained in this chapter and compare it to your, "... eternal
perdition, to damnation forever ..." Romans 1:32:
"... Those who, recognizing the
just statute of God, that those committing such things [the
thirty sins listed in this chapter], are deserving of DEATH ..."
The word "death" never has and never will
mean: "life in eternal perdition in damnation forever." Check any dictionary
you prefer.
And it is this very penalty of "death"
that God will ultimately abolish.
"The last enemy is being
abolished: DEATH" (I Cor. 15:26), in order that " ...
God may be All in all" (Ver. 28).
God’s theology is not difficult or
contradictory. God’s plan for all humanity is marvelous beyond words to
describe.
Your sermon is a farce.
If Congress would propose legislature
regulating religious liberties in America, that is written in the same lose,
deceitful, contrived abandonment as the language used in this sermon, it would
be you, Dr. Kennedy, who would be the first to shout its profligacy from the
rooftop.
Sincerely
L. Ray Smith