I made up the number above, likely it is much higher. Whatever the number is... it has been talked about a lot.
Way back in Genesis, God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. We all know what happened.
Gen 2:16; The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
Gen 2:17; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
So would God tell them not to do something that He really did want them to do? To me, that seems like that would make God a lying hypocrite.
The Bible says God desires "all" men to be saved.
1Tim 2:3; This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1Tim 2:4; who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Pet 3:9; The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
So God doesn't want anyone to go to hell... but yet Jesus said...
Matt 7:13; "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matt 7:14; "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Jesus said the majority "won't" be saved. So either God or Jesus must have been lying... or men have the free-will the choice to choose their own destiny.
Luke 13:23; And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them,
Luke 13:24; "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
The Bible talks about "self-control". If God controlled everything we did, we would be puppets.. we would be God controlled.
1Cor 7:9; But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1Cor 9:25; Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Gal 5:23; gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2Tim 3:3; unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
2Pet 1:6; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
Galatians 5 above says the fruit of the Spirit is "self-control".
... to be continued ...
Way back in Genesis, God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. We all know what happened.
Gen 2:16; The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
Gen 2:17; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
So would God tell them not to do something that He really did want them to do? To me, that seems like that would make God a lying hypocrite.
The Bible says God desires "all" men to be saved.
1Tim 2:3; This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1Tim 2:4; who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Pet 3:9; The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
So God doesn't want anyone to go to hell... but yet Jesus said...
Matt 7:13; "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matt 7:14; "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Jesus said the majority "won't" be saved. So either God or Jesus must have been lying... or men have the free-will the choice to choose their own destiny.
Luke 13:23; And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them,
Luke 13:24; "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
The Bible talks about "self-control". If God controlled everything we did, we would be puppets.. we would be God controlled.
1Cor 7:9; But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1Cor 9:25; Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Gal 5:23; gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2Tim 3:3; unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
2Pet 1:6; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
Galatians 5 above says the fruit of the Spirit is "self-control".
... to be continued ...