From: Jaylin
To: The Path of Truth
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2016 1:01 AM
Subject: Confusion
Hi there Victor and Paul,
My name is Jaylin. I am very glad that I came across your website because you guys have exposed and explained away a lot of the doctrines that held me in a chokehold mentally. These last three weeks have been very challenging for me in my walk with God because I finally started asking myself what do I actually believe? and who is God really? I’ve been swayed by many prophets, denominations, doctrines, and heresies and I just about had enough.
I’ve been doing a lot of searching regarding church history and how the bible and traditional doctrines have been tampered with over the past few centuries. The modern day Christian community is just as divided as it was during the time of the apostles. Some circles preach all about God’s love and others focus primarily on His wrath and judgment and eternal damnation. I’ve believed in both extremes and I just find myself utterly confused. The more I dig the more I find myself in a web about who God is.
I read your article on The Wrath of God and found myself believing in eternal torment again. I know that you guys believe that God will reconcile all of humanity through Jesus which I too really want to believe but, I am skeptical because of my traditional belief in an eternal hell and/ or annihilation. I honestly hate those doctrines but, at times I feel that I am blaspheming against God because I am questioning them. I think that God is either a God of wrath and judgement or a God of love and reconciliation. How can he be both? Why would He restore rebellious people such as myself and not throw me in a dungeon forever or completely annihilate me? I find myself asking.
You guys seem to be very in tune with God and know a lot more than I do regarding who He is. I’ve read most of the articles on your site but, I wanted to personally email y’all to share my experience and hopefully get some clarity because I’ve been all over the internet looking for answers. Please pray for me and my relationship with God. I think it’s on the verge of collapse. Thank you so much.
God bless,
Jaylin
From: Paul Cohen and Victor Hafichuk
To: Jaylin
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2017 7:46 AM
Subject: Re: Confusion
Hi Jaylin,
“You guys seem to be very in tune with God and know a lot more than I do regarding who He is.”
Knowing God is the key to every issue you face, the answer to every question. You need to walk in the realm of godly faith and not in your own thinking. The first words of the Gospel are a call to Repentance.
“The time has been fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15 EMTV)
You ask:
“I think that God is either a God of wrath and judgement or a God of love and reconciliation. How can he be both? Why would He restore rebellious people such as myself and not throw me in a dungeon forever or completely annihilate me? I find myself asking.”
The reason you don’t understand is because that’s your thinking, not God’s.
Isaiah 55:8-11 MKJV
(8) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways, says Jehovah.
(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
(10) For as the rain comes down, and the snow from the heavens, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring out and bud, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
(11) so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do.
What is the purpose of God’s coming in the flesh – to destroy or to save?
“For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save” (Luke 9:56 MKJV).
Salvation comes to all men in due time, through God’s judgment and correction. How could it be otherwise?
“See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11:22-23 WEB).
“And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer shall come out of Zion, and He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’” (Romans 11:26-27 EMTV).
Your relationship with God isn’t on the verge of collapse, Jaylin. It’s on the verge of beginning, if you believe and continue in the Gospel we preach from Him on this site.
The Lord grant you the precious gift of faith we have. Look to Him.
Paul and Victor