There seems to be something like an obsession to talk about the “Destruction of the Wicked”. People seem to want to define every drop of the dregs. It is almost like they are planning to be there, so they want to find out all about it. Or is our own righteousness being expressed in these thoughts? Is that our idea of salvation?

Is that what possessed God to send his Son into this world? Or, is it an entirely different interest that he has?

“The Salvation of the wicked”

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

This thread is devoted to the discussion of the "Salvation of the wicked"

Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

How many have heard this and have been pricked in their heart?
How many have asked, what shall we do?

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

What does it mean to repent?

Why is God interested in giving us the gift of holy spirit?

What kind of spirit do we have anyway?

What is Salvation?

Are there "any wicked" that need salvation?

What is God's interest in the wicked all about?

Ezekiel 18

19 "Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

21 "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

24 "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.

(The whole chapter deals with the righteous and the wicked.)

/Thomas

Salvation of the wicked? You're so morbid, John.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

What does it mean to repent?

It comes from two words "meta" and "noya" meaning "after" and "mind". It means before you used to think one way; now you think another.

Why is God interested in giving us the gift of holy spirit?

So we can discern truth is one reason.

What kind of spirit do we have anyway?
Pass.

What is Salvation?

Salvation is healing.

Are there "any wicked" that need salvation?
Yes. I know one very intimately.

What is God's interest in the wicked all about?

He loves them, wants to save them.

Sometimes it seems the idea is that God is in the business of saving the righteous.
But I read that the Lord was after the wicked to save them.

Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Amen, Tom and John I worry about the "righteous" who have spend inordinate thought to the fate of the wicked, and yet have spent far to little effort in helping to reach them.

The salvation of the wicked and the destruction of the wicked - the Bible speaks about both and both are important. "We are nearing the close of this earth's history. Let us ever remember that there is a heaven to win and a hell to shun." {1SAT 402}

Roseangela:
I doubt that anyone here thinks that the Bible down-plays the fate of souls, saintly or wicked. None can say that God has hidden the essentials about either's self-appointed destiny'

I think John B. is concerned about the over-display of morbidity, some saints pre-occupation with the "bloody revenge of God" and the horrific deaths of billions. We reject the Sunday-keepers deranged theology of an eternal hell, with it's endless scenes of torture and insanity, yet write (with gusto)about the Bible truth of a temporarily hell that will come.

To an objective, unsaved seeker, this appears like Christian trade off between one person with a longterm fixation and one person with a short term fixation. It's a fascination with the wicked's self-destruction, a Adventist style suicidology.

This is taking it to its extreme,I admit, however, if I understand things rightly, the Law of Attraction reveals that what we dwell upon is what we love the most. Naturally this is quite clear in the world, but it is also true with religious matters:

"We become changed into the image of that upon which we dwell. Then how important to open our hearts to the things that are true and lovely and of good report!' {OHC 248.5}

"That is what Satan wants, that we should keep our minds occupied with these things of a revolting character that cannot bring peace, joy, and harmony into the life--nothing but discouragement--and that we should not represent Jesus Christ." {1888 78.6}

During the inquisition days, the inquisitors always came forward to the “heretics”, who were already tied to the stake, or with a noose around their neck, or before the guillotine, and offered one last chance to repent. They implored them to save their soul, for why should they die.

Is that the kind of salvation God offers to the wicked? Is he offering us a chance to repent and be saved from his self-imposed destruction of fire and brimstone?

Wouldn’t the “heretics” have been just fine if the inquisitors did not persecute them?

Would the wicked be just fine if it were not for God holding fire and brimstone over their heads?