thefictionvixens Page 60
Page 60
Then I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. And another book was opened—the Book of Life—and the dead were judged according to what was written in these books. Then the sea gave up its dead, and death and Hades gave up their dead, and they were all judged according to what they had done.
Death and Hades were also thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death. If anyone's name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Chu Zihang sat there, staring blankly at Angers, listening intently to every word uttered by Angers.
After briefly reciting a passage from the Bible, Angers' tone and expression turned calm again: "The Second Coming of the Son and the Last Judgment are two core concepts of Christian doctrine that are closely linked."
Almost every independent chapter in the New Testament, including the four Gospels, 1 Corinthians, and Revelation, emphasizes these two points.
As the old world comes to an end, the Son of God will descend from the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth a second time, to resurrect all the dead and to bring all people up to heaven for the final judgment.
At that time, the good will ascend to heaven, and the evil will descend to hell.
"It is not good?"
Chu Zihang tilted his head slightly. The end of the world was coming, and the Holy Son was returning to save all the good people. It didn't seem like a problem.
"But what if the apocalypse itself was brought about by the Holy Son?"
The process of sending the so-called good people to heaven and the evil people to hell is only the final part of the Last Judgment ceremony.
Before this, the Holy Son will unveil the seven seals of the scroll, releasing the four knights of conquest, war, famine, and death, as well as the trumpeter.
War, famine, plague, thunder, earthquake, one-third of the land and vegetation were burned, one-third of the sea turned to blood, one-third of marine life and ships were destroyed, one-third of the water turned to mold, one-third of the sun, the moon, and one-third of the stars of the known universe were destroyed...
All these calamities can be said to be brought about by the Second Coming Son. Before creating a new heaven and earth and leading a very small number of chosen people to the new world, he will use calamities to shatter the old world and the old universe.
Chapter 90: The Lord of Destruction
"Many people believe that the Second Coming of the Son and the Last Judgment will come after the disaster, and Christian missionaries also preach this."
However, the Book of Revelation in the New Testament clearly states that the Second Coming of the Son came first, and the Second Coming Son opened the seven seals to preside over the Last Judgment, after which all the disasters that destroyed the world occurred.
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seven seals.
Because you were slain, and with your blood you bought people from every tribe, language, people and nation to be given to God.
They were also made a nation, priests, and subjects to God, to rule on earth.
The lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, abundance, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and praise.
The two hymns above, recorded in chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, almost explicitly reveal the identity of the presiding judge of the Last Judgment.
The order and causal relationship between the Second Coming of the Son and the Last Days must never be changed.
The reason for the Second Coming of the Holy Son may be that there is constant war on earth, that humanity, which has been redeemed by the Holy Son, still does not repent, or that since the Holy Son first came to bear all the sins of humanity, humanity's sins have accumulated to a threshold...
In short, the various calamities and the end times are by no means the cause of the Second Coming of Christ. On the contrary, the Second Coming of Christ himself is the cause of the end times.
Generous gift of crab.
Watermarrefak.
Chu Zihang was completely stunned.
He had always believed that Gao Kui was a saintly son who would bear all the sins and suffer for the world. In short, his character, actions, and sense of responsibility were beyond redemption, making him a righteous character.
Not only did he think so, but Chu Tianjiao and Gao Kui themselves also thought so and accepted it gladly. Chu Tianjiao even let him follow Gao Kui.
There's nothing wrong with being a good person. Although readers might criticize it as cliché, saying things like "what era are we living in, and there are still such saintly protagonists," if conditions allow, everyone would still want to be a good person, and for their friends to be good people, right?
Now, Angers tells Chu Zihang that their previous understanding was wrong. He is indeed the Holy Son, but not the savior, but the destroyer of the world, a villain destined to destroy the world...
"The Son who first came and the Son who will return are two completely different concepts, and their responsibilities are completely different."
The first Son of God, whose identity and duty were that of "Mediator between God and Man," bore the weight of all humanity's sins and said to God: "Hey Father, they are all my henchmen. You've been too harsh on them in the past. For my sake, don't punish them this time. I promise they will never do it again."
Angers spoke in a playful tone, winking and making faces, as if he were genuinely patting his chest as a guarantor.
"But from the moment of the second coming of the Holy Son, his role as Mediator between God and Man will come to a perfect end, and he will then assume a new role: the Glorious King."
He will destroy the old world and create a new one, grant eternal life to the chosen ones, lead them to His new world, and reign as king over them for a thousand years before returning to His heavenly kingdom.
I am absolutely certain that the new humans living alongside the King of Honor will be able to elevate human civilization to an unimaginable level within those thousand years. Perhaps at that time, the new human civilization will be able to conquer the entire new universe, just like the humans in Warhammer 40k who conquered the galaxy.
The question is, how many people will be chosen by the Son at the Last Judgment?
Angers asked the most crucial question.
If everyone, or even the vast majority of people, could be chosen by the Holy Son and go to the New World, that would naturally be a cause for celebration.
But is this possible?
If everyone can be chosen, what is the point of the Last Judgment?
Angers paused, then continued, "For the past two thousand years, countless Christian theologians have debated this issue, and so far there is still no conclusion that can convince everyone."
Christian missionaries would say that as long as you believe in Jesus, you will live in the Last Judgment, be taken up to heaven after the Last Judgment, or follow the Son to the New World; if you don't believe, you will go to hell.
But Matthew chapter 26 says that faith alone is not enough; one must also do what is right and be righteous. If one does evil, one will still go to hell on the Last Judgment.
Some more extreme factions even believe that only 144,000 people can follow the Son to the new heaven and new earth.
Do you understand what I mean?
Chu Zihang nodded solemnly; he understood.
Let's set aside those who have already died and only consider the living people in the world today.
Then, based on the most idealistic notion that faith alone can lead to the new heaven and new earth, out of the billions of people on Earth today, only the billions of Christian believers will be able to go to the new heaven and new earth; the rest will be deemed sinners in the Last Judgment.
If the requirements were even stricter, even fewer people would be able to follow the Holy Son to the new heaven and new earth.
Angers leaned against the windowsill and sighed softly, "There's a crosstalk comedian in China called Guo Degang recently. You should have heard of him. His popularity has been rising rapidly lately."
I don't know if it was his original work, but I have a deep impression of one of his crosstalk routines: The sinking of the Titanic was certainly a disaster for the passengers on board.
But for the lobsters in the kitchen, isn't it also a miracle of life?
The same applies when interpreted reversed: the Second Coming Son is only the savior of a select few. To those who do not believe in Him, He is the destroyer of the world.
"He's not that kind of person."
Chu Zihang shook his head, disbelieving that Gao Kui was the kind of person who used faith as the basis for judgment, redeeming only a small number of believers while casting the rest into hell.
But really not?
After his initial denial, Chu Zihang couldn't help but waver. Let's temporarily disregard whether humans can comprehend the logic of gods and try to understand them using mortal logic.
As a mental patient, Gao Kui has no attachment to this world, does not show any particular favoritism towards any one person, and has always viewed the world with a rather detached and illusory perspective.
He certainly has a good character and a strong sense of sacrifice; he is willing to give up his life for a stranger he has only known for a short time, or even a complete stranger.
But the source of this "love" is actually "not loving".
It is precisely because they do not love this world, do not love anyone in this world, and have no attachment to the world that they can recklessly give up their lives to help and save others.
If Gao Kui, in this mental state, were to preside over the Last Judgment, he would likely strictly enforce the standards of the prophecy, sending the vast majority of people to hell and taking only a small number to the new heaven and new earth.
"He is certainly not that kind of person, but he is that kind of god."
This leads to another issue that has been hotly debated by Christian theologians: the divinity and humanity of Christ, which is also a core concept in Christian doctrine.
Chapter 91 The Theory of Two Natures
"Divinity and humanity are issues that have been discussed to death, so much so that if a writer uses a similar setting in a fantasy work, the reader will say it's cliché."
However, this is a core doctrine of Christianity, and it has always been so throughout history. The mainstream view in the church today is the doctrine of the two natures of Christ, that is, Jesus Christ possessed both full divinity and full humanity.
However, in the early days of Christianity, this was not a question with a clear answer.
The Alexandrian school advocated the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, believing that the Son's divinity was greater than his humanity and that he was not a creation of God.
The Arian school of Antioch emphasizes the humanity of the Son, believing that the Son is neither "man" nor "god," but rather the first among creations, the mediator and mediator between God and man.
In the fourth century, the Arians put forward another view, asserting that Christ was neither entirely God nor entirely human, but a demigod in between, the first and supreme being in creation.
It wasn't until the fifth century AD that the doctrines of the Trinity and the dual nature of Christ were formally affirmed at the Council of Chalcedon.
That is, the Son is not a creation of the Father, but rather an being of equal status with the Father. The Son possesses both complete divinity and complete humanity, which exist inseparably, unmixably, and unchangeably within the person of the Son.
Angers leaned against the windowsill and gave Chu Zihang a general account of the development of Christian theology in related fields. Then he suddenly asked, "What are your thoughts? Do you think it's unnecessary, and that some theologians are overreacting?"
"No." Chu Zihang shook his head.
The great Confucian scholars of ancient China could argue vehemently against a single statement by Confucius. The divinity and humanity of Christ, however, are core tenets of Christianity, and their value in debate is far greater.
"Very good, then let's continue."
Angers continued: "The Son possesses complete divinity and humanity, which are inseparable, unmixed, and unchangeable. This is the biggest difference between the person of the Son and the person of the Father, and it is also the crux of the problem."
God loves the world. Although both God and God love humanity, the Son in the New Testament and the Father in the Old Testament treat humanity and handle problems in very different ways.
This difference is precisely a manifestation of the Son's [humanity].
The miracles of the five fish and two loaves, carrying the cross, and redeeming all mankind, while manifestations of divine power, stemmed entirely from human nature. Had the Son not possessed complete humanity, the miracles he performed might have turned into heavenly fire, sulfur, pillars of salt, and the Great Flood.
Do you understand? The Father has personality but no humanity; he is a strict father who loves all people. The Son possesses perfect humanity and perfect divinity; he is a loving father who loves all people.
Based on this, by analyzing the Son's actions and words, we can determine that, at least during the period of the Mediator, the Son's humanity far outweighed his divinity. His various acts of mercy, which differed from those of the Father, were precisely manifestations of his humanity.
Now, let's analyze the Second Coming Son in conjunction with the previous Last Judgment. The question is: which is more prominent in the Second Coming Son—divinity or humanity?
Chu Zihang could arrive at the answer almost without thinking: it must be divinity.
The Son's complete humanity and divinity are inseparable, unchangeable, and unmixed, but the Son himself has the right to choose which part of his "nature" to use to solve problems at any time and in any situation.
Just as ordinary people's way of dealing with problems and their outward personality traits change with time and mood.
The approach of cleansing the world and destroying the old universe through great catastrophes, leading only a small number of chosen ones to the new heaven and new earth, is clearly different from the "mediator between God and man" and is closer to the "Father" recorded in the Old Testament.
His full humanity still exists, though it is almost no longer revealed. Just because I have it doesn't mean I have to use it.
"That's the problem."
Angers said calmly, "He came first, and he came later. The Son of God during the time of the Mediator and the Son of the Second Coming are the same person, the same Son, inseparable."
However, we might consider this from a human perspective, deconstructing the Son of God in these two periods into the "Mediator of God and Man" and the "King of Glory," respectively.
As a "glorious king" whose divine manifestation far outweighs his human manifestation, Gao Kui's love for humanity and the world is closer to that of the "Father" in the Old Testament.
When he re-ascends to the divine throne, he will surely, in a divine manner, cleanse the old world and create a new heaven and a new earth.
"why?"