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savannah
Member



Joined: 2008/10/30
Posts: 2265


 Re: Poonen reasoning...


As per EvangelTam's request I am posting from Zac Poonens June 2007 - Word for the Week, which I found on the website of Christian Fellowship Church in India where he is their pastor.

The following are some excerpts from Zac's reasoning in his article regarding Solomon. He writes:

"Solomon took seven years to build the Lord's temple (1 Kings 6:38), and thirteen years to build his own house (1 Kings 7:1). So we know which he valued more!!...But despite all his worldwide reputation for wisdom, Solomon was a mixed-up man. He could pray beautiful prayers to the Lord in public, like most Christians. But in his private life, he was as godless as anyone – again like many Christians...
Solomon wrote three books in Scripture in his lifetime – two of them - Proverbs and Song of Solomon - are like new covenant books in the Old Testament. Proverbs is the finest book in the Old Testament...Ecclesiastes was written after Solomon had drifted. In it, he warns us about the dangers of worldly wisdom. This man who wrote three wonderful books of the Bible finally went to hell! Don't imagine that everyone who stands up and preaches wonderful sermons will go to heaven. How do we know that Solomon went to hell? Is it possible that the Holy Spirit would write two biographies of Solomon (1 Kings and 2 Chronicles), and not mention in either of them that he repented towards the end of his life, if he had actually done so. Such silence is very eloquent. It tells us that Solomon died unrepentant.
Why are many Christians so keen on "sending Solomon to heaven"? It's because they imagine that anyone who serves the Lord will definitely go to heaven. No matter how they live. Jesus said that many would come to Him on the last day and say, "Lord, we prophesied in Your Name, we cast out demons in Your Name, we did miracles in Your Name." But the Lord will say to them, "Depart from me, you who lived in sin." Solomon will come before the Lord in that day too and say, "Lord, I wrote three books of Scripture that blessed millions of people." And the Lord will tell him also exactly what He tells the others, "Depart from me, you who lived in sin.""

Thanks be to God! [Not Zac]

 2011/12/8 22:01Profile
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re:

Quote:
But, why do you suppose Zac Poonen would judge and condemn Solomon to hell?



Not only is Poonen's verdict unsupported biblically, he also denies the possibility of repentance. Ecclesiastes is surely a valid expression of repentance – and the evidence of a softened and contrite heart. Does an unrepentant heart even want to warn people to fear God!

God has an entire life time to work on a person. So why do so many have difficulty accepting the validity of “eleventh hour” repentance? Why do many judge failures so severely, and forget that failure is God’s means of building faith – like in Abraham who failed many times - and like in Solomon?

Diane


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Diane

 2011/12/8 22:52Profile
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re:

hi, bro.len ravenhill also believes solomon went to hell. he was asked not to do 3 things and sated himself in all 3.jimp one of the things God commanded solomon to avoid was having many women. one was having many horses. i have a book on the 3rd.

 2011/12/8 23:16Profile
EvangelTam
Member



Joined: 2011/1/29
Posts: 149


 Re:

This doesnt make sense because SOlomon asked God for wisdom. Its says in the bible the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

So Solomon had to have feared God he was given heavenly, the wisdom of Christ Himself.

Through SOlomon we are given a picture of the majesty and wisdom of Christ.

he queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. Matthew 12:42

Yes Solomon sinned but he prayed and God answered Him and made a covenant through Solomon to all the ISraelites.
Does God not only listen to the pray of a righteous man?

Like I said before Solomon was diciplined for his sin by the opposition raised against him.

But another question I would also like to know that relates if Solomon went to hell
Did Asa and Uzziah go to hell as well?

They both sinned against God toward the end of their lives despite previous blessing from Him in the beginning

 2011/12/9 0:12Profile
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re:

hi, solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines out of many tribes of idol worshippers that lead him into idol worship 1kings 11 speaks of this and Gods anger with solomon and there is no record of repentance, only of deeper decay.jimp

 2011/12/9 0:56Profile
savannah
Member



Joined: 2008/10/30
Posts: 2265


 Re: edit

post removed until time is taken to pray and do a diligent search of the scripture.

 2011/12/9 1:10Profile









 Re:

Quote:
I asked, "But, why do you suppose Zac Poonen would judge and condemn Solomon to hell?"

You answered, "I am not sure you want me to answer that question regarding Poonen."

I'd not have asked if I did not want you to answer. Now, if you're not sure you want to answer, that is up to you. But I am sure I want you to answer.




Since you have asked, Though exalted to super-saint status here, Poonen is a false teacher who bases his salvation on his 'fruit' rather than on the promise of God.

He plainly denies John 6:47.

OJ

 2011/12/9 1:11
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re:

Quote:
with solomon and there is no record of repentance, only of deeper decay.



Solomon’s Ecclesiastes is one of the most beautiful and powerful expressions of repentance that has ever existed. It is written by a broken and contrite man, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and preserved in the Holy Writ – all in the form of magnificent wisdom literature. To deny its stunning quality and its redemptive potential is to miss the Old Testament’s most powerful Prodigal Son model. It is to deny the teaching value of failure. It is to deprive countless stray sinners of hope. It is like cutting out the heart of the gospel in the Old Testament. And more - it is like cutting out the very heart of God.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is reflecting on his life journey and evaluating it from his new, repentant perspective. Through a rich array of poetic devices he articulates how everything under the sun is meaningless. Everything in this temporal existence APART FROM GOD will inevitably lead to emptiness and despair. Solomon learned the hard way - by experience. He recognizes the meaningless of all that he had done and all that he had acquired in his life. He is profoundly honest. And because of his ability to be so deeply insightful about himself, he was able to understand the fallen and fragile disposition of humanity. We are nothing without God!!

Solomon is one of the deepest thinkers we will ever meet. He takes repentance to the very core. He realized that he had taken a bite of the proverbial fruit in the Garden of Eden – and had sought to be as god in his own right – independent from the God of eternity. But in the end he came to accept his fragile humanness – and let God be God. He says, “I know that it will go better with God-fearing men..” 8:12

Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s love-offering to humanity. It is his loving and humble deed – his “cup of water” to the thirsty. It is meeting true need at the profoundest level of the heart (thirst for meaning and significance). Solomon's offering, according to Jesus, fits the criteria for entrance into heaven!!!!

If that isn’t authentic repentance, then nothing else is!!!

There is no exegetical basis for condemning Solomon to hell. That verdict is based not on exegesis, but on iso-gesis – that is, reading INTO the text. Such a verdict may seem to serve as an effective threat – to keep sinners on the straight and narrow. But it is a fear tactic that is not inspired by the Spirit. It squelches the hope of the gospel – and distorts God. Unfortunately such a biased perception is bound to color the way all the related scriptures are read. I fear that this is possible in Poonen’s argument.

Perhaps Ecclesiastes is a book that we come to appreciate more and more only as our own repentance goes deeper and deeper (and our appreciation for fine literature).


Diane


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Diane

 2011/12/9 7:07Profile
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re:

Furthermore... It would seem to me that to suggest a book in Scripture is written by a hardened hell-bound sinner would be making a fool out of the Holy Spirit, as well as those who formed the canon!!

The liberals have "de-fused" Ecclesiastes by suggesting that it is written much later. I think the conservatives must be careful not to defuse it in their own way - and in that way diminish its profitability.




Diane


_________________
Diane

 2011/12/9 7:47Profile
savannah
Member



Joined: 2008/10/30
Posts: 2265


 Re: Solomon the prodigal


Diane,

Excellent posts!

Is what you wrote all your own words?

If not,who did you glean such beautiful and compelling words from? As I'd like to read more of the same.

Thanks.

 2011/12/9 11:35Profile





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