No Outsiders
June 25, 2004
I loved a post on Rachelle’s blog, No Outsiders. No outsiders. A new friend and I have been emailing back and forth a bit about some various theology stuff, and have been talking about the great & wonderful inclusivity of God. Christ came and sought after, taught about and exemplified/[lived out] a very very wide view of who was in and who was out [strangely, one of the few groups of people Jesus said just simply didn't get it, were the religious leaders...interesting...but of course, Jesus would surely not say that about the religious leaders of our day]. Let us follow Christ’s example. Let us live into God’s great, grand grace - grace that has no limits, no prerequisites. No outsiders. I like that Rachelle. Thanks.
Tags: Inclusive, Jesus, Naked-Bikers, Theology
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
June 26th, 2004 at 4:24 pm
I didn’t say this on Rachelle’s blog, since I probably give her enough of a hard time anyway, but…what do you guys mean by this? If you’re saying that no one is outside the potential reach of the grace of God, cool, but it’s easy to also read this as universalism, which is certainly not a Vineyard perspective.
June 26th, 2004 at 4:36 pm
Justin, yes - by what I wrote, I do mean that no one is outside the potential reach of the grace of God. But…I am also challenging the notion that people *generally know* who is “in” and who is “out” - I would not say that I’m promoting a watered-down universalism, I just have a hunch that we’re going to have quite a few surprises in Heaven.
June 26th, 2004 at 7:37 pm
i dont remember when or where, but i read something cool somewhere… something like if you dont believe in universalism, you should at least hope for it… i hope for it. i hope everyone has a place…. yes even george bush (on my way to see fahrenheit 911)
June 26th, 2004 at 9:17 pm
April-
I’ve seen that quote too. I think it’s from C.S. Lewis or George MacDonald, but I’m not sure.
Cleave-
“I am also challenging the notion that people *generally know* who is “in” and who is “out” - I would not say that I’m promoting a watered-down universalism, I just have a hunch that we’re going to have quite a few surprises in Heaven.”
I agree completely. That is very diferent from universalism, and like April, I hope that everyone will find God. But at the same time, I wouldn’t want people who have rejected God to end up with him in eternity. That would be horrible for everyone involved (if you think it was tough to live up to the law in ancient Israel…). More to the point, neither would they.
Dallas Willard says in The Divine Conspiracy “God will let anyone into heaven who can stand it. He doesn’t send anyone to Hell. Perhaps the fires of heaven are hotter than the fires of hell.” (Chapter 10). Words to ponder.