THE RODD MAN DEBATE

linwood austin 9:03 PM
• You awake?

linwood austin 9:06 PM
You mentioned “our purpose” in your reply to our friendly neighborhood Atheist Republic. I wrote a 3 pages essay about God’s purpose. I’ll attach it here. Give me your feedback. Linwood
SEE THIS: God’s Eternal Purpose VS God’s Eonian Purpose

• • Rodd Mann sent the following message at 11:31 PM
Rodd Mann 11:31 PM

• I read it. Before I comment, please tell me why you have sent this to me, and why it matters to you…~r

• Jun 4 linwood austin sent the following messages at 5:42 AM
• Well, you were bold enough to “tell em what for” on Atheist Republic, therefore I thought you might enjoy my little rank, as I have been a bible student, some years past. No agenda… just thought you might enjoy it.

linwood austin 11:57 AM
• I’m back, I was out for a while.

• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 12:11 PM
• Going back to the Old Testament the Hebrew word ‘yaas’, and Greek ‘boule’ are translated into the English word “purpose.” The root of the Hebrew means giving counsel, deliberating, determining or purposing. Most refer to God’s “purpose,” but one to a person’s heart. Proverbs 19:21, 20:5, Isaiah 46:10-11, Jeremiah 32:19, Psalm 33:11, Isaiah 46:10. What God intends he purposes and plans, as he pleases; this is what determines what transpires throughout history. Nothing stands in His way. Now moving into the New Testament (Epheisans 1:9-11), Paul says God brings all things under Christ in conformity with the purpose of his will. We are part of God’s divine purpose since time began (Romans 8:28-29 ). So as we align and conform to the purposes of God we live a life pleasing to Him and are in lockstep with what He is doing over time, where things are going, and what will be the final scene at the end of this age. You wrote to me, “So, now we must ask “What is God’s purpose?” – Now that we know it’s an eonian purpose, we can ask with the real hope of getting an answer. God’s purpose is to be all… in… all. (I Cor 15:28).” I agree with you. I view God’s “purpose” for my life to be multi-faceted based upon the Scriptures taken together; a process by which we move from death unto life:

1. Rebellion and sin, self on the throne, purposed by pride, lust, the world and the devil…

2. Spiritual awareness as the Holy Spirit invades our heart, mind and spirit…

3. Repentance for now we see sin as God sees sin, leading to death and destruction…

4. Salvation by grace through faith in the provision God made to put away sin…

5. Sanctification as we are changed from glory to glory, learning of the character of God through reading the Word, prayer, the fellowship of the saints and drawing nearer to Him…

6. Crucifying our flesh and allowing the will of God to replace our own will…

7. Used by God to accomplish His purposes while we remain in the world…

8. Death of the body, life everlasting with the Lord in a new body, love, peace, joy and the absence of sin dwelling with our Creator.

• linwood austin sent the following message at 4:58 PM
• wow.. .love it.. can we… we’ll talk some more later. Grace to you, brother. Linwood

• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 5:12 PM
• Sure

• linwood austin sent the following message at 6:56 PM
• Rodd, I am having difficulty finding a minister who will give me a straight answer. I wonder if you would drop me a line to give me your further thoughts on this matter…I feel this question is very important. are we saved by God’s grace– or by OUR faith in God’s grace?
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 7:42 PM

• God’s grace is the gift of salvation that He provides through our faith. The gift is the Son, on the Cross, dying for the sins of the world. But just as God will not force us to love Him — or it would not be love — He will not force us to accept His gift. Our works pale in comparison to His holy requirements (‘filthy rags’), Jesus said we must be perfect to enter heaven. The only way that could be achieved is through the finished work of Christ on the Cross. “IT IS FINISHED1”
• • that is salvation Linwood; sanctification is an entirely different matter…~r

• linwood austin sent the following message at 9:26 PM

• Rodd, is grace the underserved favor of God? I think you’re saying we must deserve it. If that be the case, then we are not saved by grace, but by our actions. Hmmm. Just thinking. Linwood

• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 9:44 PM

• When you think of grace think of a gift from a loving parent. Remember the prodigal son? When he returned a nice robe, a ring, and the BBQ of the fattened calf were all given to him. Did he deserve it? Not at all. This was an act of love. Our sin actually pays compensation. The wages are death. That is what we deserve. But love conquers all.
• linwood austin sent the following message at 10:18 PM
• Does God save anyone who does not deserved to be saved?
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 10:33 PM

Rodd Mann 10:33 PM
• God will save anyone who will confess with their mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead, they will be saved. For it is with the heart that we believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that we confess and are saved. Not one of us deserves such a great salvation; not one has earned it.
• linwood austin sent the following message at 10:34 PM

linwood austin 10:34 PM
• So, it’s not God who saves you, but you save yourself, by confessing and believing, am I getting this right?
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 10:50 PM

• It is God who has provided the means, the path to salvation. It is each of us who choose to accept or reject

• linwood austin sent the following messages at 10:53 PM

linwood austin 10:53 PM
• So, we save ourself by our actions, right?
•

linwood austin 10:54 PM
• So, God does not save, but merely provide the path, right? You save yourself by “choosing” the path, right?
• Jun 5

linwood austin 6:36 AM
I wrote this essay about grace, I think in 1994.
“Saved by grace or saved our faith in grace.”

• • Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 4:54 PM

Rodd Mann 4:54 PM
• Since salvation is the finished work of Christ on the Cross and we can be imputed the righteousness of our Lord simply by believing is too simple for most people.
Rodd Mann 4:55 PM
• The Abrahamic religions, two of them anyway, just as most religion, requires working to justify our own righteousness before God. Only Christianity puts forth the notion we are dead in our sins and our righteousness falls so far short of divine holiness that it is impossible to justify ourselves before God.
• • The Gospel is so simple a child can understand it. “In the beginning God.” “Saved by grace through faith.” Put you hope and trust in the Lord and draw near to Him.
• • When Adam and Eve rebelled they were separated. God does not force His love on anyone who doesn’t reciprocate. This is not illogical nor unreasonable.

Rodd Mann 4:58 PM
• Likewise God will put away your sin unless you have determined in your heart God is not going to be a part of your life. Everyone knows God exists, and only a foolish person strives to deny that fact; generally because they want to be captain of their own destiny.

Rodd Mann 4:59 PM
• But not everyone hears the Gospel. What of those who never get the chance to choose. In this we see again the hubris of human existence. The thief on the cross never heard the Gospel by any man but was saved. Paul the Apostle was not conveyed as a result of the erudite teaching of Gamileo or any other rabbi or scholar.
• • Jesus preached the Gospel to those who had lived and died prior to His resurrection. Everyone will have their opportunity to say “yea” or “nay” to God’s love and being with Him through eternity.

Rodd Mann 5:02 PM
• But we need not parse it any further than the simplicity that is Christ. We can add nothing to our salvation, and if we are genuine we will see how utterly deceitful and desperately wicked is our own heart. And like the man in the Temple Jesus watched looking down and beating his chest, saying, “forgive me Lord I am a sinner, ” each of us will either be like the Pharisee and justify ourselves and reject God, or we will come to understand that God was telling us the truth in the Word. We need Christ. He is all sufficient. Faith plus nothing equals salvation.
• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:51 PM
• Yes, or no, did Christ die to save all? And Yes or no, did he succeed in saving all when He died to save all?
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 8:12 PM
• Who is the Lord referring to when He said, “…depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”
• linwood austin sent the following message at 8:27 PM
linwood austin 8:27 PM
• Rodd, “I never knew you” must be a figure of speech, or limited in scope, why, Because of Colossians 1:16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 8:31 PM
• No. There are no “figures of speech.” And Jesus spoke more of hell than any other subject. Wheat and tares. Sheep and goats. Gnashing of teeth. So enter in through the straight gate and take the narrow path. If you go the way of most people you are headed for eternal separation from God.
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 8:33 PM

linwood austin 8:33 PM
• A wheat and a tare is a figure of speech. Sheep and goat if a figure of speech.
•

linwood austin 8:35 PM
• if=is
linwood austin 8:36 PM
• col 1:16… goes to verse 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

linwood austin 8:40 PM
• ——– you may be LIKE a sheep, or a goat… but you are not literally a sheep or goat… it’s a figure of speech.
• • I Tim 4:10.. God is the savior of all.
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 9:11 PM

Rodd Mann 9:11 PM
• Your “all roads lead to heaven” thesis is Scripturally unsound. The Word clearly teaches heaven and hell, some saved, most damned for eternity
• • Now I understand your problem with “most ministers.” You should listen to them rather than touting false doctrines Linwood.
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 9:14 PM

linwood austin 9:14 PM
• Not “all roads lead to heaven”… but Christ died for all, and we must believe for it is true.
• • Its’ not that we Must believe” to make it true… we must believe for it is true.
•

linwood austin 9:16 PM
• Christ died to save sinners. Not to give sinners a chance… but to save them.
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 9:16 PM

Rodd Mann 9:16 PM
• LOL. We are done here Linwood.
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 9:17 PM

linwood austin 9:17 PM
• Salvation is the work of God, not a “chance” thing.
• Thursday

linwood austin 3:49 PM
• Grace To You. 1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! 2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! Galatians 1:3 Grace to you, and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1:2 Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! Philippians 1:2 Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:2 …to the saints in Colossae, and to the faithful brethren in Christ: Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! Of all the phrases and sayings you’ll hear in today’s Churchianity, you’ll never hear the common use of the term “Grace To You”. Why? Paul used the phrase “grace” all the time. It’s all over his letters to the churches and the brethren. As shown above, he often opened his letters with the phrase “grace to you”. I contend that you don’t hear such language in churches today because it’s too radical. It goes against everything typical churches stand for. The big idea behind “grace” is a favor granted to someone who doesn’t deserve it. The big idea behind the core messages from typical churches is that you’d better change your life, so that you can deserve the favor of God. In other words, they want you involved in “works” and “law”. Not grace. From my own experience, if you say this phrase to someone (“grace to you”) it catches them quite off guard. Even brothers and sisters in Christ. But I’m sure the idea of saying “grace to you” won’t catch on any time soon. It might ruin their gig. The gig of preaching some version of the “works” gospel. God’s message of Grace is ultimately wrapped up in what Christ accomplished on the cross. He died for all on the cross. And his death was not for naught. Yes, works are important to Peter, James and John. Why? Because “The Gospel Of the Circumcision” was given to them to preach to Israel. But Paul’s message of GRACE is different. It’s THE message to be delivered to the gentiles. It’s radical. And it generally upsets those of a mindset to preach works. To see how radically different it is, consider what happened when Paul and Peter almost got into a fistfight about the matter, when Peter came to visit the brethren at Antioch. The first two chapters of Galatians recounts “the big fight”. To this day, Paul is more or less, hated and ignored by mainstream churches and religious leaders over this “grace” thing. And rightly so, because IF God saves just one person who does not deserve it, he must then save all who do not “deserve” it. Otherwise, God is playing favorites on some other scale. Which would boggle the mind, if indeed God created us all, why favor some? “Grace to you” indeed. If Paul used that phrase so very much, should we use it at least sometimes? After all, we’re told in II Tim 1:13 to “have a pattern of sound words”. And what could be more “sound” than frequently greeting one another with the good news.. “grace to you.”
• Tuesday

linwood austin 9:30 PM
• Rodd, you’re brave to post on the atheist chat board. keep in mind, Paul says that faith is a gift. I guess God has not given them faith yet.
• • Just thinking.
• Today Rodd Mann sent the following message at 10:47 AM

Rodd Mann 10:47 AM
• Yes, correct, salvation is a gift. Our lives are a gift. Faith is a gift. And other gifts are given according to the will and love of God to each of us (e.g. generosity)
• linwood austin sent the following message at 11:36 AM

linwood austin 11:36 AM
• But one day… every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess… and whoever confesses Jesus is Lord will be… what?
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 11:39 AM

Rodd Mann 11:39 AM
• Not all who say “Lord, Lord will be saved,” though the time will come when everyone will recognize the Messiah, including the Jews who mostly rejected Him. For He will return to rule and reign for a thousand years.
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 11:40 AM

linwood austin 11:40 AM
• .. one thousand years, and THEN His reign will end. See I Cor 15:25… “he must reign UNTIL…”
• • Not “forever”… “UNTIL”
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 11:42 AM

Rodd Mann 11:42 AM
• You parse and pick, but you won’t look at the greater text. Jesus spoke more of hell than anything else. All roads do not lead to heaven. You are simply wrong in this but your pride prevents you from seeing the error of your ways Linwood. I cannot help you so have nothing more to offer you, sorry
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 11:44 AM

linwood austin 11:44 AM
• All roads do not lead to heaven. I don’t believe “all roads lead to heaven… But… I do believe God is the savior of all mankind, especially of believers… as it says in I TIM 4:10.
• • And guess what…??? Verse 9 says about verse 10…
• • It says it is a welcome saying…
• • and worthy of all acceptance.
• • How is that for context?
•

linwood austin 11:48 AM
• And verse 11 says TEACH THIS.

• I became a christain in 1967… estimate I hear some 4,000 sermons before I quit going to church… and out of 4,000 sermons, I never once heard I TIM 4:10, even though V9 says this is a welcome saying… and even though V11 says TEACH THIS.
• • hear=heard
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 12:29 PM
• lol
•

Rodd Mann 12:32 PM
• I’ve met some self-proclaimed Christians who reject all of what Paul wrote. But you’re the first to claim all roads lead to heaven and everyone gets saved. This doctrinal error is as egregious as the cults that deny the deity of Jesus Christ. You are on your own. Good luck. Perhaps consider creating yet another religion
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 2:31 PM

linwood austin 2:31 PM
• “For even as in Adam, all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive”. Rodd, those are powerful words from Paul. (I Cor 15:20-28)…
• • “For even as in Adam, all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive”. Rodd, those are powerful words from Paul. (I Cor 15:20-28)…
• • It’s not that “all roads lead to heaven”… no… It’s that in Christ, all will be made alive.”
•

linwood austin 2:36 PM
• … one thing you should consider are the TIME words in the sacred text. You see, there is no word in the greek or hebrew text that is the exact equivalent of our english word “eternal”.
• • The proper word there, is AGE or perhaps EON. Why? Because the scripture says “the end of the ages”…
• • You could not say “the end of the eternals”… that would not make sense.
• • Yet…it’s the same word “aions”.
•

linwood austin 2:39 PM
• If you take punishment and rewards and make them “eternal”… you’re doing more than what the scriptures actually say. They say punishments and rewards are “aionious”. Or agelasting (as Young’s Literal Translation says.)
• Plus… if you make punishments “eternal” you defeat the accomplishments of God’s work in Christ’s cross. And Paul says, all will be reconciled through the blood of his cross. (COL 1:20).
• • You’re a smart guy… look it up… the word AGE and ETERNAL are the same word.
• And age has a beginning and an end… and thus, things “eternal” must also be concerning that aions too.
• • that=the
• • Does God play favorites?
• • I think not.
• • So, if one person who does not deserve to be saved, is saved, then God must save all… or he is playing favorites.
linwood austin 2:46 PM
• You seem to suggest that God favors “eternally” all who do the right thing. But I have it on good authority that all have sinned.
• • And that… the wages of sin is death… but… good news… I COR 15:25 promises that one day, the wages of sin will be abolished.
• • And God will be all in all (V28)
• • And God will be all in all (V28)
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 3:10 PM
• No. Legalism implies we have the ability to make ourselves righteous. Perfection is the standard for entry into heaven, so only those clothed in the righteousness of Christ, by faith, will enter in.
• • Matthew 22:10-12 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11″But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
• • All have indeed sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are a race of sinners.
• victory over sin and death occurred at the cross. By faith we apprehend the gift of salvation. But you are ignoring hundreds of Scripture on hell. Gehenna was created for the devil and his angels. But you and many others will join them if you refuse the gift of God.
• • Here are one hundred verses on hell for you to carefully study. Or continue to ignore. Your choice: https://www.openbible.info/topics/hell_is_created_for_the_devil_and_his_angels
100 Bible Verses about Hell Is Created For The Devil And His Angels
openbible.info
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chai…

• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:28 PM
• Let me ask you a question…
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 5:29 PM
Rodd Mann 5:29 PM
• Have you rejected all 100 Scriptures on hell Linwood?
• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:30 PM
• I accept them all.
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 5:30 PM

Rodd Mann 5:30 PM
• Then you’re conflicted
• • Or you “spiritualize” them; or as you prefer to characterize them as “a figure of speech.” LOL
• If I approach exegesis and hermeneutics as you do I can make up anything I want. But God has warnings for those who either “add to” or “subtract from” the entire canon of Scripture…familiar?
• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:33 PM

• Ok, so you don’t want me to believe that God is the savior of all mankind??
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 5:33 PM

• What a silly remark, why would you make it?
• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:34 PM

• Well…
• Rodd Mann sent the following message at 5:34 PM
• Bottom line: Conscious faith in Christ is necessary for salvation. Consider John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” The only way to be saved is to believe in the Son—to hear the message about Jesus, turn from your sin, and trust in him for salvation.
• linwood austin sent the following message at 5:34 PM
• I suggest that God is the savior of all mankind, and you seem to think there is a problem.
• Rodd Mann sent the following messages at 5:36 PM
• My problem is not with Scripture. It is with you. You twist and pervert parts of it to suit an “all roads lead to God” ethos that is simply not supported by 66 Books of the Bible taken together in context. You stand in a small minority and unless you repent you won’t see God but the wrath will be upon you. Be careful Linwood. I am not your enemy. Your own foolish and twisted interpretation is taking you through the wide gate and down the broad path most people go…it ends in destruction
•

Rodd Mann 5:38 PM
• Give it up, at least stop pestering me; we are going full circle and I reject your doctrine of devil fully and completely. This is guy last response to you Lindwood. Sorry. But you’re troubled. And you’re wrong. Bye. May God have mercy on your soul.
• linwood austin sent the following messages at 5:39 PM
Would you like to hear a faithful saying…one that is worthy of all welcome? Here it is… I TIM 4:9-11
9 Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome
10 (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.
11 These things be charging and teaching.
linwood austin 5:41 PM
When is the last time you told someone THAT GOD IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MANKIND, ESPECIALLY OF BELIEVERS??? Ya know… verse 11 says you should teach this.