THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 25, 1995 TAG: 9502240070
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Issues of Faith
SOURCE: Betsy Mathews Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
WHILE MANY folks called or wrote to say they were touched by last week's column on the death of my sister, many more found it disturbing. The large group who took issue with the column fell into two categories: those who thought I was too judgmental about non-Christians and those who thought I wasn't judgmental enough. The majority of respondents were in the latter category and felt I really missed the mark when I wrote about salvation.
From Jim Ham of Virginia Beach: ``Jesus came to this world as God's proxy, not to judge but to offer salvation so that through him we can have a relationship with Father God. That, however, doesn't mean judgment will not take place, because this Father God that we have a relationship with is the same God of the Old Testament as in the New Testament. He demands certain standards and principals. . . . His attributes of forgiveness and grace are as real as his attributes of judgment and righteousness, but the more appealing attributes cannot be elevated above the others. Lastly, I think that if you just read the next several verses after John 12:47, I believe that it is apparent that God's judgment will take place.''
From Rebecca Nielson of Virginia Beach: ``Your column about your sister really touched me. My brother died many years ago and I currently have problems with my sister that reminded me of some of your problems with your sister. I've also struggled with the issue about what happens to people who don't openly embrace Christianity. I've been doing a lot of reading about that subject and the way you wrote your column really matched what I have been coming to believe.
From Ann McCusker of Norfolk: ``It seems to me you had a hard time loving your sister because of your beliefs and I just wish that you and everybody could love people for what they are and not for who you want them to be. Maybe if you had done that, you would have been closer to your sister.''
From Michael Nixon of Virginia Beach: ``God is only unity in one and the duality of good and evil is only an illusion. . . . God is love, light, prosperity, abundance, joy, happiness and all the beautiful things that we deserve from God. Your sister, who had a rough time with this, may have been confused by the duality. It pulls us in two different directions, that say we're good, but not good enough. In essence, God loves us no matter how we are and it's very important to know that we are loved no matter what happens or what we do.''
From Helen Tadlock: ``I feel sad that death is so fearful for us because we are all born to die. I sat with my sister Mary in June 1994 as she talked about dying and was not afraid of dying except for a few sins. I felt confident to assure Mary that God really forgives us but we fail to forgive ourselves. . . . It seems Kay arrived.''
From Mary Underwood of Norfolk: ``How my heart ached for Kay as I read about her struggle to understand! And for you, too, in your frustration. If you only could have told her of the two salvations. One universal, one invdividual. By dying for all mankind, Christ became the savior of both the dead and the living. . . . Thus the entire race was bought, a universal salvation, including those who had died even before they heard of him.
``The other salvation is an individual one. . . . With a correct understanding of these salvations, many other scriptures also become plain.''
From the Rev. Bill Reed of Westport, Mass.,: ``Visiting this week I enjoyed reading your column. . . . The subject of man's salvation is a vitally important subject which many dear folk wrestle with today. One thing we can be absolutely sure of is that Jesus Christ is man's only savior from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death. That is why we must know what the whole Bible says on the subject. . . . Does the Bible teach all unbelievers in Christ will go to hell? Yes, it does. Jesus said more about hell than he said about heaven. This is serious stuff, but it's true.'' MEMO: Every other week, Betsy Mathews Wright publishes responses to her
opinion column. Send responses to Issues of Faith, The Virginian-Pilot,
150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510; call (804) 446-2273; FAX
(804) 436-2798; or send e-mail to bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline is Tuesday
before publication. You must include name, city and phone number. by CNB