When we think about Job solely as a story of suffering, we fail to see the bigger picture: this whole life and ministry thing isn’t about us. God wants to do something bigger and better in and through us by the refining fires we endure.
“Literally, that’s what he said.”
Unfortunately, there are many believers who are caught up in a similar cycle. Instead of focusing on what God has literally said through his word, they choose to focus on what they assume God really meant. And their lives reflect their private interpretation through the immaturity of their relationships and the drama that seems to follow them wherever they go in life.
The Plagues of Egypt
While there are certainly nuances to which pagan deity or deities God was attacking with each plague, it is clear from the context of scripture that God was indeed taking aim at the pagan deities of Egypt with each successive plague. However, it is important to keep in mind that these plagues were not only a judgment on Egypt, but a sign to God’s chosen people Israel that proved the veracity of Moses’ ministry and their call to leave Egypt.
The Repentance of God
Are the Lost Truly Lost?
Inclusivism suggests that since Christ is the solution it would not be fair for God to condemn those who never knew they had a problem, and, since we know he is good and fair, surely God would never condemn those who never had a chance to receive Christ. It would feel nice if this were the case, and we could assume most people are heaven-bound with a right relationship with God through their best efforts; however, those who preach the gospel would be pretty deplorable, the worst enemies of mankind—spreading the “good news” would be sending people to hell! But what does the Bible say about this inclusive logic?
