I think you are over-reacting with the gnosticism bit; he’s saying that we should not prize the gifts without prizing the giver, without realizing that gifts ultimately point to the giver whom we should prize above all else.

You error is couched in generosity and seeming kindness, but it’s still error.

May I reprint this ‘From the Front Lines’ post on my own blog?

Thanks & blessings!
Yvonne

I appreciate it…so glad to hear there are more Universalists nowadays!

I was a conservative Evangelical missionary in the past…I was so conservative I didn’t believe in kissing before marriage! I even called everyone who believed in Annihilation heretics – people like John Stott, Nicky Gumbel and John Wenham. I was definitely a defender of Eternal Torment.

Then I went to theological college…and read about Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Clement of Alexandria, studied some New Testament Greek, and researched into the Early Church doctrines of Theosis, Apocatastasis and Irenaeus’ pre-Augustinian theodicy.

And realised…pretty simply…Evangelical theology is simply Roman Catholic theology in ‘Saved by Faith’ clothing (not by Grace).

Evangelicals are just followers of St. Augustine’s interpretations.

Good old Augustine of course couldn’t read Greek, and believed all babies would go to hell forever unless they were baptised in water…Good old Jonathon Edwards believed that God would roast non-Christian babies over the flames of hell.

Now, I’m definitely a liberal Universalist follower of Jesus!

As my conservative Evangelical friends say, “There are no dumb liberals are there?”

All the best!

René

We, too, have found that conversations about the whys and wherefores of individuals’ belief systems are fascinating. Inviting them to consider Jesus accurately rather than through their grid of personal bias is an experience that never ceases to amaze me. It’s all grace and mercy.

BTW, Emiley and I have been doing a lot of networking and evangelism in area coffee shops:)

Thank you for your thoughts. If I am in error in my thinking, I really do want to know it and correct it as need be.

Regarding Paul’s Damascus Road experience, if we say that Paul had a unique encounter with Jesus there, and that that gives him special authority, then I would ask about the many others who have also had unique encounters with the risen Jesus – what about them? What about their writings? Are they, also, scripture? For example, check out how God is moving in the Muslim world today. So many there are having miraculous encounters with Jesus – either through dreams and visions, or through Damascus-road type encounters. One inspiring case of the latter is found in The Torn Veil, an autobiography by Gulshan Esther from Pakistan. I encourage you to find and read this story. Check out the description of it on Amazon or Wikipedia if nothing else.

Others, as well, such as she, have also been commissioned by Jesus as messengers/sent ones to their people. Would Jesus do any less? Are not missionaries today apostles who preach a message given by Jesus? If we believe his words are recorded correctly (and we do), then the message is as direct from Jesus as if he appeared in person to each one of us. And, as Jesus says, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.