>>It was love which kept Christ on the cross, thereby defeating Satan.
>>Love conquers all.
>I'm not so sure that love had anything to do with the torture killing of
>someone

The men who killed Jesus were not operating in love. That is true. But Jesus was still God, and He could've summoned a legion of angels by His word. He was still the author and creator of all things. As He had healed men before, as He had raised the dead, as He had set men free from all manner of bondage ... He could've done this for Himself.

For love, love of YOU, Victor, love of ME, love of ALL OF THE ENTIRETY OF MAN, did he remain on that cross by His own choosing. No one took Christ's life away. He gave it up willingly ... to save ... men's ... souls ... from Hell.

> - but hey to each his own. Hopefully no one will "love" me like that.

Jesus does love you like that, Victor. His love is without end. But He is holy. And He will put away sin ... forever. We need only look to the Old Testament, before Pentecost, before the Holy Spirit was given unto men, to see how God commanded His people. Brutal, by man's standards, heinous things He commanded them to do. But this was done to natural men, all of whom would've died at some point anyway because all of the descendants of Adam (in sin) die. But God directed and appointed the days and times of their deaths to be by acts He commanded His nation, Israel, to do. But it is no different for any of us. All of us will die at the time appointed by God.

God demonstrated His resolve in natural ways that we can look to in history.

But what's coming is the eternal component of that solidity with which He rules. Sin is defeated. Death is defeated. The power of the grave over men is defeated by Jesus' death on the cross. What remains now is men's hearts toward sin. Those who will not turn away from sin will be put down forever, just as God commanded His people to put down the natural men of the Old Testament.

But none of this has to happen to anyone. All who are willing to turn away from sin, to embrace the truth, to hear the call of God upon their life ... ALL of them can be set free.

The faith that men who are born again operate in does not come blindly. It does not come from themselves. It is a gift from God. Just as one man can carry a tune and sing beautifully, and another man cannot, that being a natural gift (a talent) given unto men by God, it is the same in the area of faith. All men have received a measure of faith. And those who will hear God's call will be moved, through faith, toward Him, forever, increasing in faith as they witness and experience God moving in their lives.

God is real. Jesus is real. Jesus sets men free from death. Jesus saves, and He saves all who will come to Him. Without exception.