god's "hot potato"
"Then, as I watched, a white cloud appeared, and on the cloud sat One like a Son of Man wearing a gold crown on His head and holding a sharp sickle in His hand." —Revelation 14:14
Because God is Love (1 Jn 4:8, 16), He wants all to be saved (1 Tm 2:4) and none damned (see 2 Pt 3:9). He wants all of us to be with Him forever in the perfect happiness of heaven.
Because God is Love, He wants to love us and be loved by us. Therefore, He made us free so that we could choose to love Him. Sadly, we can abuse our freedom and choose never to love the Lord, thereby condemning ourselves to hell.
God the Father wants so much for no one to go to hell that He sent His Son to die on the cross and the Holy Spirit to make us holy. God can't bear the thought of anyone going to hell. Thus, "the Father Himself judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son" (Jn 5:22). However, this judgment is delayed, for "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him" (Jn 3:17). In fact, the Lord has thus far delayed it for two thousand years after His Incarnation. "He shows" us "generous patience, since He wants none to perish but all to come to repentance" (2 Pt 3:9). Finally, when Judgment Day arrives Jesus will harvest only those who are saved, while an angel will harvest the grapes of wrath (Rv 14:15ff). The Lord doesn't want you in hell. Repent and receive His mercy.
Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to free me from my selfishness so that I will not damn myself.
Promise: "So the One sitting on the cloud wielded His sickle over all the earth and reaped the earth's harvest." —Rv 14:16
Praise: The story of St. Cecilia promoted chastity and holiness against the secular literature of the time.
Reference: (For a related teaching on The Saved, order, listen to or download our CD 82-1 or DVD 82 on our website or order our tape on audio AV 82-1 or video V 82.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 31, 2016
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