Just because the announcement made to the shepherds was "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all people" that doesn't mean that the arrival of Christ was truly good news for "all people."
James Flanders is once again supremely wrong (which you will see clearly as you carefully read the article below my comments).
The reality is that the birth, life, death, and resurrection is bad news (not good tidings) for the vast majority who will burn in hell, eternally and forever being tormented at the hands of our loving and gracious God because they have not heard the good news, or have believed erroneous doctrine such as that presented by Flanders and others like him.
To believe that the Gospel/good news is a good tiding for all humanity has got to be one of the most ignorant and demonic beliefs I have ever heard. Since according to Calvinism God elects and chooses beforehand those who will be washed and cleansed in the blood of Christ and also chooses/elects beforehand those who as an expression of his justice will be forever burned in fire, you must realize that the good news is actually bad news for the majority. Any rational, well informed student of Calvinist thought understands this.
To think for even a moment that the mercy and grace of God would have a universal reach is ridiculous. Adam's sin affected all, but the blood of Christ does not. It was shed only for a very small group called the elect.
As you carefully read the article below from the false teacher and heretic James Flanders you will realize that such simplistic explanations of the announcement of the birth of Christ must without doubt be absolutely false. The message from the angel cannot mean what it actually says!
May the author of the following article and those who adhere to the idea of Universal Reconciliation be damned to the depths of the fiery pit of hell for all eternity for the glory of God, for proclaiming the heresy of superabounding grace. May God receive all praise and glory for electing people such as these to sizzle forever and ever in the flames of hell as an expression of his beautiful character of love and justice.
God must surely hate those who would make his love out to be greater than it truly is. Scripture may declare that "God is love" but that is an infantile, inaccurate, and incomplete view. God must certainly hate many more than He loves.
I pray that you are able to keep from vomiting as you read the wretched article below.
By the way, if the authorized 1611 King James Version was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me, and it's renderings must never be questioned or eternal torment will be the consequence.
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Good Tidings of Great Joy? For A Few Or For All?
This is the first of several articles in which we will look at passage after passage of Scripture which paint a beautiful picture of God's ultimate plans for humanity being much more than what the religious institutions give God credit for. These are passages that not only reveal the heart of Father being one of love but which also help us to see the glorious, amazing, and far reaching effects of what Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary and what He is ultimately going to do.
As we look at these passages, please do what you can to set aside any preconceived religious ideas that might cause you to try and explain the simple truth away, keeping in mind that the word Gospel means good news! The Evangel we have been given is to be a message of good news. We have good news to share! Good news to celebrate! Good news we can hope in. Good news we can rest in!
Are you ready? Here we go.
Do you remember what the angel announced to the shepherds on the night of Jesus birth? You've probably heard the passage a million times. In Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 11 we find what the angel proclaimed. When I read these words, I want to cry because it's so good.
"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'"
This was an announcement of very good news. "I bring you good tidings of great joy."
Who were these good tidings for?
This announcement was good tidings of great joy for ALL PEOPLE! It wasn't just for a few. It wasn't for a tiny minority who happened to live in the right geographical location to hear the message at the right point in time. Nope, this is good news for ALL people. I take that to mean all who have ever lived and all who will ever live at any place and at any time.
The angel said I bring glad tidings, good news for all people. Good tidings that will lead to great joy for all people.
Here's the news: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"
Have you ever heard of anyone needing a Savior? Let me ask you, have you checked the statistics on death for all of humanity? Those statistics are staggering! There is actually a one hundred percent death rate.
From the moment Adam ate the fruit until now, all have been born with death dwelling within. This realization gnaws at all of us. We do all we can to avoid this truth because it's scary. We see death all around us. Some die young some die old, but regardless all people on this planet are in the process of dying and there is nothing we can do to stop it.
If you've lived any length of time, you have closed the lid on at least one casket containing the body someone you love. You have dropped a handful of dirt or perhaps a rose into their grave and choked back the tears. You have experienced the agony and the pain of deep sorrow and grief.
My friend, this angelic proclamation is truly good news! That greatest enemy; The enemy of enemies; Death; It does not have the final say. Death does not win. Love wins!
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verse 26 that ultimately on the agenda of the babe born in Bethlehem is the destruction of death (which would include the lake of fire defined as the second death in Scripture).
Good news, not only will we be raised from the dead thanks to the sinless One who died and was also raised, but we will be raised up and death itself will be destroyed to no longer gnaw at or instill fear in anyone! Eventually everything is going to change. But right now, we need a Savior and according to the angelic messenger sent from the throne of God's grace we have one. This is good news for all people.
I want you to notice that the angel did not say a potential Savior has been born, which is what religion tends to teach. Religion teaches that Jesus kind of only sort of got part of the saving done. He is the potential Savior of everyone, but it's up to you and me to somehow complete what He didn't finish. We have to do something to merit it.
Think about it. If that were true, Christ could not be called the Savior because we in effect would be saving ourselves through our own effort or merit. This cannot be! Either He is the Savior or we are left to try and save ourselves.
The good news is that our Savior was born and Scripture teaches us that He succeeded at what He came to do. The message Paul the Apostle makes clear to you and me, is that it is all of grace. It is purely a gift given gratuitously to humanity by God. Some believe sooner. Some believe later. But Scripture tells me one day all will be believe. All will bow. All will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. In fact, Paul tells us that ultimately God will be All in All.
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James Flanders is a student and teacher of Scripture whose focus is the finished work of Christ and the ultimate/universal reconciliation of God's entire creation through the bloody sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. Although he believes in a lake of fire he rejects the idea of eternal conscience torment. Visit him on Facebook and his website.
http://www.jamesflanders.com/3/category/universal%20reconciliation/1.html
https://www.facebook.com/james.flanders1
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