Romans is a good Life-Book, where we can learn all about what being 'good' really is. If all we had to do to please God was to be good, then we could all follow along with what He told us in the Ten Commandments, and we'd be good to go.. the Only problem with this... is that nobody EVER has been able to be spotless, blameless, and totally without rebellion to God (which is what sin is). So.. if you like to think that being good will get you a good standing with God, then you have to be Perfect. And as far as I know, there are none but One who could ever approach that. So being perfect, we wouldn't have needed that God send His Son to this place to take the consequences of our rebellion (sin) in death... and Jesus wouldn't have had to do that.
Yep.....I don’t feel, or see biblical evidence, that a just god will forever punish a human being who feels unable to decipher the “ truth” in this world. Biblically, there is mention of a second “ chance” for all those that died without the “knowledge of Christ” coupled with a “1000” year period......another debatable...thing...
I would suppose that we look at God through our own way of understanding. That's understandable. But if God is a "Just" God, as you say, what about looking at a "just" Judge, which is what I think you mean. As God is a Judge, where the Punishment or Reward will be Forever is His Sentence.
Suppose that, 30 years ago, I committed a murder... and, I got away with it, and nobody found out. For the last 30 years, I lived an exemplary Life, and was the most kind, generous, caring, loving person I could be, and everyone who knew me, thought the World of Me....
THEN, the murder was discovered, and I was accused, and the Evidence was overwhelming, and I am found guilty of murder, in the 1st. Degree, by the Jury. The Sentence for my crime is DEATH.
The Judge has now got to pass Judgment upon me... and He is Known to Be a Just Judge. There are many people who come and testify of how great I have been this last 30 years, how many people I have helped, the good I have done, the widows and orphans I have took care of, and the good Person I have become. They cry for my release, as it was 30 YEARS ago that I did the deed of murder...
Would that Judge be a Just Judge, if He let me go, for the murder I committed? Or, would He be bound, by the Laws that He has to Judge under, to Sentence me to Death...?EDIT: I must state here, that this Judge is full of compassion, and truly loves me as the kind, benevolent, giving, MURDERER that I am... ...just sayin'
Now, suppose that a Man steps forward, and says...
"It Was Me Who did this and I will take his Punishment... Sentence Me to death instead of Charlie..."
This Man, Who stepped forward, had never done anything wrong, He was Spotless, and yet took the Sentence of Death for me.
This Man, is Jesus the Christ, Who did this, for me and all of you. He did it freely, and He did it because He So Loved the World, that those who believed in Him, might have everlasting Life...
Is it such a big thing, to humble ourselves, and accept the gift of Grace, and Life from the One Who came to die in place of us? The One Who Loves us unconditionally, the good man, and the most horrible man on earth, equally? If our pride and arrogance says that I can stand before the Most High God, Who is the Most Just Judge there will ever be, and not need forgiveness for anything I have ever done... then there is nothing left for us than the Judgment that He has... a "Just" Sentence of Death.
Now, for that 'second' chance and the 1,000 years...
It says in 1 Peter 3:18-22that He was in a 'spiritual prison' testifying about God's Grace...so there may be a 'second chance'.
1 Peter 3:18-22
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all,[a]
the righteous for the unrighteous,
that He might bring you[c] to God,
after being put to death in the fleshly realm[d]
but made alive in the spiritual realm.[e]
19 In that state[f] He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison[g] 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while an ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people[h]—were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22 Now that He has gone into heaven, He is at God’s right hand with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
Footnotes: ( These footnotes are from other Manuscripts, from centuries before, or clearer wording, and are included so that there may be a complete understanding of what is said)
[a] 1 Peter 3:18 Other mss read died for sins on our behalf; other mss read died for our sins; other mss read died for sins on your behalf
(b) 1 Peter 3:18 Or the Righteous One in the place of the unrighteous many
[c] 1 Peter 3:18 Other mss read us
[d] 1 Peter 3:18 Or in the flesh
[e] 1 Peter 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit
[f] 1 Peter 3:19 Or In whom, or At that time, or In which
[g] 1 Peter 3:19 Perhaps fallen supernatural beings or angels; 2Pt 2:4; Jd 6
[h] 1 Peter 3:20 Lit souls
(i) 1 Peter 3:21 Or the appeal
I appeal to anyone who is reading this dialog, to think about what the One God (as there can be only One) wants for us. He doesn't want to have to sentence us to death for what we have done in our life. He instead, wants us to come to Him, where He stands, with Arms Wide Open, awaiting our return to Him. There, He has the Most Wonderful things planned for all of the Everlasting Life, that He wants to bestow upon each of us... Please consider what He has for each of Us... One Way or the Other.
As far as the 1.000 years...
Here is a link to a book called 'The Parousia' by James Stuart Russell, which is a very interesting read about the 2nd Coming (Parousia) of Jesus Christ...
...and yes, I have read this.
http://www.preteristcentral.com/pdf/pdf%20books/1878_russel_parousia.pdf
Charlie