ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
November 20, 2021
Some folks have an impression that the Bible says many will be vanquished to damnation. Now there are some scriptures suggesting it, but they are fewer than people might think. Even more so, some of those scriptures are taken out of context. I am always drawn to the words found in Philippians 2 where we find Pauls’ understanding of God’s ultimate vision. He writes: “Therefore God also highly exalted Christ Jesus and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The phrases we cannot ignore are: “every knee” and “every tongue.” One of the great voices of the early faith was Jerome (4th and 5th centuries). He wrote, “All God’s enemies perish; not that they cease to exist but that they cease to be enemies.” Sadly, we have a very narrow view of God’s capacity to redeem. In fact, we often impose our own feelings or limitations on God and the capacity of God’s love to do the unexpected or what we might have convinced ourselves is impossible. Love is surprising, especially in the hands of God.
Surprise me again and again, O Gracious God, for I wish to join those who give witness to Love’s amazing capacity to claim, redeem, transform and bring joy. Amen.
