Incongruous! October 29 Notes from Papa via Paul Gray
To My child who is learning to enjoy how good I am and that I am for you,
For many years you believed the lie that I would arbitrarily punish people (torment them) in “hell” forever because of their sin. You had a cognitive dissonance because you also heard the truth that I am love and I am good… and you couldn’t reconcile these two “supposed truths” about Me. That’s because it’s not true that I arbitrarily punish and torture… for anything!
You have learned that because: Jesus took away all the sin of the world; I was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Myself; I don’t impute or count or hold sins against anyone; I keep no record of wrongs; I have forgiven everyone’s sins (past, present and future), I choose not to remember sins; I don’t bring up sin; I transferred you from the kingdom of darkness into Jesus’ Kingdom of light; Jesus is the savior of everyone (especially those who believe); I made you a new creation that is pure, holy, innocent and right with Me… there is nothing for Me to punish! Who or what is it that “needs” to be punished? Jesus took your punishment… once for all!
You have learned all these truths and I have shown you that the “penal substitution theory” that I “have to punish people because they broke My rules,” is just not true! It’s man’s idea… it never was Mine! You have learned that I am for you… and for all my creation… and that it’s incongruous to be for someone and love someone and at the same time be willing to torture them forever.
You have learned that there is a “hell” (your word, not mine) where people can experience purifying cleansing while they refuse to believe Me and accept My love. But that place of “hell” is not separate from Me… it’s in My very presence. It’s possible for someone to be in the presence of My white-hot love for them… and experience it as a “consuming” fire, because to them, that’s what it feels like. That’s never My will or My desire for anyone. You have also learned that My love is eternal and never fails!
I love you and I’m for you… and for everyone. I’m so glad you are learning my truth!
~Love, Papa
From Paul Gray: My new 365 day devotional book, “Notes from Papa”, is now available at https://gracewithpaulgray.com or at amazon.com