God wants to save... my enemies?

[GoldenEagle]

I've been reading the book of Jonah this week. And a couple of things struck me between the eyes.

Don't try to avoid what God has called you to do... Wherever you are you can be a witness for Jesus Christ. If you're not in God's will then you're going to be miserable. This was the case in Jonah's situation, and God made his life miserable until he got in line with what God was asking him to do.

But really the focus of this OP is...

Here's a thought: God wants to save your enemies.

Jonah is an example of an unkind servant of God. In the end Jonah wanted to see God destroy Nineveh as they were a heathen people. Jonah didn’t believe that God was compassionate, merciful, and kind. Or at least that God could be as such to heathen people! God had shown mercy to Jonah. Yet Jonah was upset when God showed mercy to those living in Nineveh. I believe that this is true today of people who mishandle the Gospel. As Believers we all have a tendency to fall into this in some form or fashion. These people are very set on pointing out the evils of homosexuality, adultery, drugs, drunkeness, and fornication but ignore gluttony, gossip, being judgmental, fits or rage, jealousy, selfish ambition, etc.

The Ninevites were the nation of Israel's enemies, and Jonah joined the rest of his nation with the hatred of these people... and yet God wanted to save them. There are people that have done me wrong, and others that have wronged our U.S. nation (the Taliban, Al Qaeda), maybe the last ministry I would want of my own will would be to evangelize them. But God could and does call us to evangelize our enemies. Jesus gave the Great Commission to go make disciples of all the nations...

What does this look like in our every day lives? What are your thoughts?

God bless,

GE

[Fez]

Here's a thought: God wants to save your enemies.

Yes He does, after all they are not His enemies, they are ours..

And I guess as to making disciples, that why He told us to love our enemies.

[appy]

how can others be our enemy when our real enemy is sin?

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

[nebula]

There's a story attributed to Abraham Lincoln doing something that was an act of extending a hand of reconciliation to Southerners, or one in particular, I forget. But when challenged about giving his hand to the enemy, his response was something like:

"The best way to defeat my enemy is to make him my friend."

[ayin jade]

Here's a thought: God wants to save your enemies.

That is very true and something He impressed on me at the time of 9/11.

As it came out that it was terrorists who hit us on that day, I started to pray for the destruction of islam so that they could no more hurt people. As I prayed, the Lord impressed on me that I was praying wrongfully. That what I should pray for is that no more folks get hurt but that also those stuck in islam get saved themselves. That their salvation is truly the best means by which terrorism can be stopped.

That came up again not long ago. We attended a new church that we were thinking of joining. They mentioned during the service a fresh attack by Hamas on Israel. They prayed for the salvation of Jews and the destruction of the terrorists. Not once did they pray for the salvation of terrorists or palestinians.

Jesus died for the sins of the world. He came to restore all of us to Him. The enemies of Israel, the enemies of the USA, your personal enemy, all of them also need Jesus to be saved.

Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. Who among us does?

[wingnut-]

I agree, God wants us to love our enemies. Not an easy thing to do, often when this is suggested the typical response is in regards to that heaping hot coals on them, not exactly what God had in mind I think.

[ibldcars4u]

John 15 vs 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you Romans chapter 12 vs 17 :Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (notice the first 4 words IF IT BE POSSIBLE)

¹⁹ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

²⁰ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

[JTC]

Hey GE,

Well, you're not wrong. But this truth goes beyond what you've even said so far.

Back around 1990 I was attending what was probably the best church I ever attended. The pastor was a man of God and was being told things by God he was afraid to tell us. One Sunday he nervously paced back and forth on the alter, and said what I just told you. But, he said, this has been coming to him for so long now, and in so many different ways, that he was convinced it was the Holy Spirit telling him this, and not the enemy. So again, he said he was nervous passing it on, but the pastor said God has been telling him all men are brothers, not just other Christians. But all men and women are brothers and sisters because we are all human and all created by the One and Only God. He then said, and some of these people will also be in Heaven.

This truth was confirmed to Kenneth Hagin in 1 of his visions with Jesus. And some of this has also been seen by people who had NDEs. These people are shown a great river flowing in towards what looks like a city. But there are also a lot of smaller rivers flowing into the great river. When Kenneth Hagin reported this he also said that Jesus asked him if he knew what this was. Kenneth Hagin said no, and he asked the Lord to tell him. Jesus said the great river is all the souls going into Heaven, and the small rivers feeding into the great river are people who you don't think are going into Heaven, but they are.

I spent over a decade asking God to explain that to me. I was told what I said yesterday, on a different thread. There are 6 basic world religions. All these religions have Rules for Holy Living, which is also in the Bible. Some of those other religions have rules much stricter than in Christianity. Or perhaps Christianity once had them just as strict, and we here in America, have refused to follow them for so long, most of us don't even remember them. So what God told me was that if a person born, lived, and died in one of those religions, and that person followed the rules for Holy living, that person can still get into Heaven. Those are the little rivers.

But God also told me this doesn't apply to a person born into any of the forms of Christianity, where that person was taught Jesus is the son of God and that He died to make atonement for our sins. This special rule only applies to people born into other religions and never had a real chance to accept Jesus while on Earth. And as I said, that person has to do a top notch job of following his religions rules for Holy living.

All this is true because all humans are created by the one and only God.

I also want to say something I found out about strictness. I've known 2 Hindu men in my life. Because of something my crazy cousin once said, the cousin who is now insane because he rejected Christ as Lord and follows the new age. My cousin said in Hinduism a married man is free to have sex with any women he may want to. So this is what I asked these 2 married Hindu men who came to live in the USA with their families. Both men got a little angry at me for asking them this. Both said no. But 1 went so far as to say in Hinduism, as a married man, not only is he not allowed to have sex with anyone other than his wife, but he said he's not even allowed to kiss another woman. Hindu peoples are very strict if they follow what God has told them.

So again I wonder, why anyone, born and raised to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, would want to give that up to join another religion? It makes no sense to me.

I can only think a person would do such a thing if that person is listening to a deceiving spirit. That means, a demon, a devil, or a fallen angel.

So yes we should pray for all peoples, because we all belong to the one and only God there is.

[back2thebible]

Hey GE,

Well, you're not wrong. But this truth goes beyond what you've even said so far.

Back around 1990 I was attending what was probably the best church I ever attended. The pastor was a man of God and was being told things by God he was afraid to tell us. One Sunday he nervously paced back and forth on the alter, and said what I just told you. But, he said, this has been coming to him for so long now, and in so many different ways, that he was convinced it was the Holy Spirit telling him this, and not the enemy. So again, he said he was nervous passing it on, but the pastor said God has been telling him all men are brothers, not just other Christians. But all men and women are brothers and sisters because we are all human and all created by the One and Only God. He then said, and some of these people will also be in Heaven.

This truth was confirmed to Kenneth Hagin in 1 of his visions with Jesus. And some of this has also been seen by people who had NDEs. These people are shown a great river flowing in towards what looks like a city. But there are also a lot of smaller rivers flowing into the great river. When Kenneth Hagin reported this he also said that Jesus asked him if he knew what this was. Kenneth Hagin said no, and he asked the Lord to tell him. Jesus said the great river is all the souls going into Heaven, and the small rivers feeding into the great river are people who you don't think are going into Heaven, but they are.

I spent over a decade asking God to explain that to me. I was told what I said yesterday, on a different thread. There are 6 basic world religions. All these religions have Rules for Holy Living, which is also in the Bible. Some of those other religions have rules much stricter than in Christianity. Or perhaps Christianity once had them just as strict, and we here in America, have refused to follow them for so long, most of us don't even remember them. So what God told me was that if a person born, lived, and died in one of those religions, and that person followed the rules for Holy living, that person can still get into Heaven. Those are the little rivers.

But God also told me this doesn't apply to a person born into any of the forms of Christianity, where that person was taught Jesus is the son of God and that He died to make atonement for our sins. This special rule only applies to people born into other religions and never had a real chance to accept Jesus while on Earth. And as I said, that person has to do a top notch job of following his religions rules for Holy living.

All this is true because all humans are created by the one and only God.

I also want to say something I found out about strictness. I've known 2 Hindu men in my life. Because of something my crazy cousin once said, the cousin who is now insane because he rejected Christ as Lord and follows the new age. My cousin said in Hinduism a married man is free to have sex with any women he may want to. So this is what I asked these 2 married Hindu men who came to live in the USA with their families. Both men got a little angry at me for asking them this. Both said no. But 1 went so far as to say in Hinduism, as a married man, not only is he not allowed to have sex with anyone other than his wife, but he said he's not even allowed to kiss another woman. Hindu peoples are very strict if they follow what God has told them.

So again I wonder, why anyone, born and raised to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, would want to give that up to join another religion? It makes no sense to me.

I can only think a person would do such a thing if that person is listening to a deceiving spirit. That means, a demon, a devil, or a fallen angel.

So yes we should pray for all peoples, because we all belong to the one and only God there is.

then we could always just go back to the bible and see what it says 2 Thesalonians 1:8

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

my money is on His word.......not Haggins

but I will say before the days of Christ, all the people from Adam forward will be judged according to their works

[GoldenEagle]

Hey GE,

Well, you're not wrong. But this truth goes beyond what you've even said so far.

<snip>

This truth was confirmed to Kenneth Hagin in 1 of his visions with Jesus. And some of this has also been seen by people who had NDEs. These people are shown a great river flowing in towards what looks like a city. But there are also a lot of smaller rivers flowing into the great river. When Kenneth Hagin reported this he also said that Jesus asked him if he knew what this was. Kenneth Hagin said no, and he asked the Lord to tell him. Jesus said the great river is all the souls going into Heaven, and the small rivers feeding into the great river are people who you don't think are going into Heaven, but they are.

I spent over a decade asking God to explain that to me. I was told what I said yesterday, on a different thread. There are 6 basic world religions. All these religions have Rules for Holy Living, which is also in the Bible. Some of those other religions have rules much stricter than in Christianity. Or perhaps Christianity once had them just as strict, and we here in America, have refused to follow them for so long, most of us don't even remember them. So what God told me was that if a person born, lived, and died in one of those religions, and that person followed the rules for Holy living, that person can still get into Heaven. Those are the little rivers.

But God also told me this doesn't apply to a person born into any of the forms of Christianity, where that person was taught Jesus is the son of God and that He died to make atonement for our sins. This special rule only applies to people born into other religions and never had a real chance to accept Jesus while on Earth. And as I said, that person has to do a top notch job of following his religions rules for Holy living.

All this is true because all humans are created by the one and only God.

<snip>

This seems a lot like universalism brother. Where is the Biblical evidence for what you've stated and I've highlighted in bold please? What you've said to me sounds like the idea "rules and godly living save" which by implication means we can save ourselves. Are we not in need of a Savior?

God bless,

GE