Many reasons are given for those who go into second death.
Really? Do those condemned, as the statements of John 3 and Revelation 21 indicate, are not committed to the flames based upon a single item or lack?
What condemns one to the flames if it is not unbelief?
I realize that some consider that sins condemn one to hell, and those that believe have their sins covered. They take the atonement as limited only to those whose names are written in the lambs book of life.
However, John's writing places the blood as for all, and those who believe are not condemned. That the limit of atonement is not a lack in the blood, but a lack of human belief.
Icon,
It would seem that many of those who embrace limited atonement, have misplaced the limit upon that which cannot be limited, and yet not recognized the limit is what has always limited it throughout Scriptures.
For example in the OT, the sacrifices were daily offered, however, the people had to bring the offering and the offering was brought in obedience and more often (imo) belief in the law.
However, there was that offering that was not brought by the public, but by the high priest. It is that example of offering one offered for all the people without regard to their belief or unbelief.
Our Father brought the offering to the Cross, just as the Highest priest would bring the offering to the temple. Such offering was for all, and not conditioned upon the belief or unbelief, but given for all.
So, the limit of atonement is not a matter of weakness in the blood, but weakness in the human belief system.
That makes the mercy and grace of God far more effectual in the call, and far more directly personal in the application.
That God, so rich in mercy and grace, would look upon me and select of all so much better one who is so unworthy is beyond my ability to comprehend.
thoughts ....
