God eventually kills everybody
Image: Linked In, Civil Engineering Discoveries
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I was asked this question (paraphrased) below at church Sunday and replied. But here is a website version.
Q: In Matthew 2, God spared baby Jesus from Herod. But other babies (2 years and under, my add) were killed by Herod. What about the lives of those boys that were not saved?
My add
Matthew 2: 16-20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity [j]who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, Because they were no more.” 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”
Jeremiah 31:15 (My add)
[j] Matthew 2:16 Lit from two...and under
In regards to the asterisk *
Cited
The NASB uses an asterisk in many passages. An example is found in Mark 2:5.
And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
The meaning of the asterisks is found in the Front Matter of the NASB, in the section titled Explanations of General Format.
"Asterisks are used to mark verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage. The translators recognized that in some contexts the present tense seems more unexpected and unjustified to the English reader than a past tense would have been. But Greek authors frequently used the present tense for the sake of heightened vividness, thereby transporting their readers in imagination to the actual scene at the time of occurrence. However, the translators felt that it would be wise to change these historical presents to English past tenses."
This indeed 'appears' the case in Mathew 2.
Cited for reference
φαίνεται = appears
A: Based on a biblical, Reformed, philosophical, theology, and also theistic use of philosophy of religion; God is infinite, eternal and the first cause of all things. God is the only necessary being, God exists by necessity. Something exists by necessity when it is not possible for the proposition to be false. The denial of such being self-contradictory. Bradley (1996: 522). God’s essence is eternal and necessary (logically must exist), and the finite universe is temporal and contingent (not necessary). Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 191 Volume 1). God as a necessary being is therefore the cause of contingent creation.
What is necessary (what exists by necessity) is truly good. What is necessary (what exists by necessity) is the ultimate good. This is necessary and exists by necessity.
Reasonably, contingent beings do not have to exist. Contingent beings 'could have failed to exist'. They 'must be caused to exist by some another being'. Quinn (1996: 609). Contingent beings, such as human beings and angelic/demonic beings, if significantly rational and significantly free, via their nature and consciousness, can serve as secondary causes of thoughts, actions and acts, for which there is moral accountability. But secondary causes only exist because the first-cause, God, chose for them to exist.
Note that the moral accountability of rational, secondary causes becomes questionable when under the duress of force and coercion.
The first cause, God, could reasonably, theoretically, even after creating humanity, will for them not to exist in various contexts, including complete annihilation of both body and spirit. God could cause physical death alone as the spirit lives on (Luke 16 as a figurative literal example, although a parable). Physical death does not require a supernatural act. Death could be a scientific aspect of human, physical, existence.
I reason, it quite morally, reasonable, that God as necessary could theoretically eliminate what is contingent, because the creator alone is necessary. Contingent beings that do not exist by necessity could be eliminated, unless God as eternally truthful, has promised otherwise. God is not obliged to maintain contingent life, unless there is a divine, ethical/moral promise by God, most importantly, from scripture, to provide human beings with continued existence.
The first-cause, Biblical God has promised everlasting life, post-mortem, for those trusting in Jesus Christ. This through the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, to those who are regenerated (John 3, Titus 3, 1 Peter 1) in belief, through grace through faith alone. These are those that embrace the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for their sins. The only way of salvation, according to the New Testament (John 1-3, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13 as examples).
On the flip side, God has simultaneously warned of everlasting death/punishment, post-mortem, for those outside of Christ (Revelation 20-22). These are those that do not embrace the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins. The only way of salvation. This is the continuation of the embracing of fallen, human nature and sin, that features a fracture between God and humanity that only the work of Jesus Christ on the cross can fix.
Note, in regards to the fall, see also Genesis 1-3.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Romans 3: 21-23 21
But now apart [a]from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the [b]Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [c]who believe; for there is no distinction, 23 for all [d]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
a) Romans 3:21 Or from law
b) Romans 3:21 I.e., the Old Testament
c) Romans 3:22 Or who believe. For there is
d) Romans 3:23 Or sinned
Romans 6: 23 23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2: 8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
i) Ephesians 2:8 I.e., this salvation
God eventually kills everybody is this temporal realm, in a sense, as the first cause of all things. For each person, God alone has providential, sovereignty over human life and death. God as necessary is also by nature, infinite, holy and perfectly good.
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