The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Driscoll's "FAQ: Predestination and Election"

Evangelical Universalism Arguments against Evangelical Universalism
#21

Nimblewill wrote:

I am familiar with only one Jason Gray song and that is his latest, More Like Falling in Love. I had planned to link it to my page on the gospel but just haven’t done it yet. When I loaded it on my ipod I noticed that the Album is entitled, "Everything Sad is Going to Come Untrue". I was quite excited to find this out! So yes, I understand why you are wondering why he isn’t featured on the site given our quote on the home page of the site. I listened to the song and I probably need to give it more time but I didn’t think the song really delivered the message of the quote adequately. I thought of sending Jason the link to the site just because I think we should hold him accountable for his words and ask him, do you believe that or not? (who knows what might come of it?)

I love your tag, “Undercover lover of all”. That’s what we are! Except I am keeping it no secret with the world…it’s such a joy to be able to tell them the news that God loves them and I therefore love them too! (now that I am “allowed” to love them).

Grace and peace,
“Phillip”

#22

After reading I realized that you probably weren’t talking about the Jason Gray song. Sorry. Give him a listen. He has written some stuff about Rob Bell at rabbitroom.com I get lots of encouragement from the songs of these guys. Give Andrew Peterson’s “All shall be well” song a listen. I look forward to more exploring at your site.

#23

Yes, the line, “Is everything sad going to come untrue?” is a line from LOTR. Keller has used it as a finale in some of his sermons including the one he did the Sunday after 9/11. It’s an incredible reality. Somehow we gravitate and cling to Tolkien’s lines more than the Bible’s… “I am making ALL things new”.

I will check out Jason Gray’s stuff further. And Andrew Peterson…I used to be a BIG fan and saw him in concert when he was opening for Fernando Ortega (long time ago!) I have lost track of him. I will definitely look up the song you mentioned. If you have any more, send them my way! I believe music is a big player in this revelation of God’s ultimate restoration. Our songs are running far ahead of our theology!

Phillip

#24

Phillip,Wow, what a beautiful blog, with a powerful Gospel message! I just read your post “thoughts on free will” and your journey from Arminian, to Reformed theology, and the wrestling with the implications really mirrors mine. The need for rest from the heavy responsibility of my own salvation and that of everyone I knew, was too much to bear (so much for the yolk is easy and burden is light stuff) That I ran to Calvinism when I found out about it!! Unfortunately, that , in the end was a bigger trap for me!
Keep up the good work!
MT

#25

Nice! God" loves" them by sustaining them in their sin and deception, so they can store up more and more wrath so their eternal torment can be so much worse! With love like that, who needs enemies! I will pass, thank you. I am so ashamed that I ever professed 5 pt calvinism !!!

#26

My thoughts exactly. Our music is often far more universalistic than our sermons. I think some of our christian musicians are prophets, in that they are speaking truths about God although the implications often go unrecognized. That’s part of the beauty of music; it is often more inspired due to its nature than our traditional theology is!

#27

Praying for you and your family. The website is very good.

But I have a question. On your Question page, about half way down the left side, there is a picture with the statement that says “Forgiveness & Redemption, This offer expires when you do”.

This seems out of place with the theme of your site. … :question: :question: :question: :astonished:

But I have loved what I have read so far… good job :slight_smile:

#28

Uh oh… I had better put that in another place and explain. That was painted on the back of a bus!! There are T-shirts also with the same “logo”. I was so appalled. I put it in there to highlight the contrast between UR and the church’s position on forgiveness and redemption. But we do NOT want confusion!

Thanks for the heads up on that. I will move it asap!

And thank you for the prayers URPilgrim. It’s the only way we will be able to navigate through this journey.

Phillip

#29

Exactly. Arminianism prepared me for the other side of the gospel that I was missing. But then I had to leave behind the other part when I became a Calvinist! Now as a EU I see more of the full picture and I can worship in either context and appreciate the part I do get. And sometimes, as in the church we just found, both sides are there and little will indicate that they do not indeed believe in UR because they do not qualify their statements. They would deny it of course but they are saying it and we’ll take it! PTL

Phillip
godslovewins.com

#30

I really believe you are onto something Phillip! I just wish I knew about this EU stuff when I first believed, I would have saved myself a LOT of pain, and wouldn’t have made a shipwreck of my faith! :frowning:

MT

#31

Hey Michael,
I understand your grief over not seeing this sooner. (I read your story on the other thread) We ask: why, God? I am in my fifties and have had a very similar journey, as you read from my blog. One thing that has helped me has been the concept that we are in the midst of God’s Story. Stories, really good stories are all about timing and 11th hour rescues, about narrow escapes and near death encounters, about final glories and freedom. I guess God’s Story would not, could not be any less than the greatest epic stories told throughout the history of mankind.

So I believe our time in coming to this understanding is strategic and not ultimately tragic. “What satan has meant for evil God has meant for good” (Joseph). No pain will be wasted as you let God heal you and then show you how He wants to use you in His Kingdom. Even Jesus “learned” and “was made perfect through suffering”. I don’t know exactly what that means but we know that Jesus suffered and we are told we must too. But we have been promised that “our present sufferings are working for us an eternal weight of glory”.(2 Cor 4) It doesn’t say that they are working for God, they are working for us!

I do not know why I was “in the dark” for so long but it will all play into a good plan, a perfect plan. And this is no longer a “christianese” sentiment because I have the ultimate hope that God IS going to make everything sad come untrue. It’s no longer a whistling in the dark statement while shoving down the terrifying threat of ECT. It is a reality that can fill us with “inexpressible joy” if we grasp it!

For me I will say that being “released from prison” and led out of exile has been quite an exhilarating experience! And one thing for sure, you can get really fired up about helping others out of that exile! And that of course is one of the main reasons for our website.

I wish you healing and wholeness as you let God’s love really soak into your heart…

Phillip
godslovewins.com

#32

Thank you for your post this morning Phillip. I believe you have the gift of Prophecy!
I love your concept of God making everything sad become untrue! When I saw that on your website, along with that lovely picture, and reading that bit from LOTR, it even reached my old hard heart enough to moisten my eyes a bit!
Now this is a God I really can love!
I have to admit, it will take a miracle to remove all my agnosticism toward God, and the Bible, but God does those from time to time, right? :wink:
I believe, help thou my unbelief!

MT

#33

That’s superb!!

Sonia

#34

Have you heard this?

#35

Nimblewill wrote:

Those are amazing lyrics! But you didn’t tell me where it came from! Who wrote it? (Andrew Peterson?) That would be a powerful song for the social justice/love in action page on the website.

Thanks for sharing…

Phillip

#36

Here’s a brand new song from Gungor released yesterday:

When Death Dies

“Like the waters flooding the desert
Like the sunrise showing all things

When it comes, flowers grow
Lions sleep, gravestones roll
Where death dies, all things live
When it comes, poor men feast
Kings fall down to their knees
When death dies, all things live
All things live

Like a woman searching and finding love
Like an ocean buried and bursting forth

Where it comes, flowers grow
Lions sleep, gravestones roll
Where death dies, all things come alive
Where it comes, water’s clean
Children fed, all believe
When death dies, all things live
All things live

All things live

Where it comes, flowers grow
Lions sleep, gravestones roll
When death dies, all things live”

#37

Sorry Casting Crowns new album

#38

I am not a fan of Casting Crowns, but this song’s lyrics transcend their music!

youtube.com/watch?v=VQyW77PCvig

And the words when sung are very powerful, I like this song allot.