The Rope Tow

There used to be a little ski mountain near Warren, Pennsylvania called "Buckaloons". The first time I was ever on skis (except in the back yard) was at Buckaloons. There was a rope tow that would take you up to the top of the bunny slope. You'd grab hold, and up you would go -- no problem unless you got lost your footing, or the person ahead of you did.

The rope tow is a good metaphor for spiritual life. The rope's there, running, ready to pull. There's a constant stream of love and wisdom, from the Lord, running down the mountain to the bottom, turning around, offering handholds, and running back up the mountain towards conjunction with Him. If we grab hold, it will tug us upward. If we don't, it keeps running, ready for our next spiritual decision. While we flounder around.

Is there any Biblical basis for this metaphor? Yes:

"Jehovah has been seen far off to me, saying, And I have loved thee with an eternal love; therefore with mercy have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3)

"And my hand has found, as a nest, the belongings of the peoples; and as one gathers forsaken eggs, so I have gathered all the earth; and there was not one that flew away on the wing, or that gaped with the mouth, or that chirped." (Isaiah 10:14)

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself." (John 12:32)

"But looking at the strong wind, he feared, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. And straightway Jesus stretching out the hand, took hold of him, and says to him, O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:30-31)

And when Jesus is being crucified with the two thieves, one "grabs the rope tow", and one doesn't:

"And one of the malefactors who were hanging beside Him blasphemed Him, saying, If Thou be the Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, because thou art in the same judgment? And we indeed justly, for we receive the things of which we are worthy for what we have committed, but this Man has committed nothing amiss. And he said to Jesus, Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Amen I say to thee, today thou shalt be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43).

And finally, here's a passage from "True Christian Religion":

"In actual fact there is a kind of field that constantly emanates from the Lord, which pulls all toward heaven. It fills the entire spiritual world and the entire physical world. It is like a strong current in the ocean that secretly carries ships along. All people who believe in the Lord and live by His commandments come into that field or current and are lifted up. Those who do not believe, though, are not willing to enter it." (True Christian Religion 652)

652. The Lord imputes good to everyone and evil to none, and consequently His judgment sends no one to hell, but raises all to heaven in so far as a person follows. This is established by His own words:

Jesus said, When I am raised up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself, John 12:32.

God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe is already judged, John 3:17-18.

If anyone has heard my words, yet has not believed, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who despises me and does not receive my words has that which judges him. The word which I have spoken will judge him on the last day, John 12:47-48.

Jesus said, I judge no one, John 8:15.

Judgment here and elsewhere in the Word means being sent by judgment to hell, which is damnation. In speaking of salvation the term judgment is not used, but resurrection to life (John 5:24, 29; 3:18).

[2] The word which will judge means truth; and it is a truth that all evil is from hell, and so evil and hell are one. When therefore the wicked person is raised by the Lord towards heaven, then his evil drags him down, and because he loves evil, he follows of his own accord. It is also a truth contained in the Word that good is heaven. When therefore the good person is raised by the Lord towards heaven, he climbs up as if of his own accord, and is brought inside. These are those who are said to be 'written in the Book of Life' (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 13:8; 20:12, 15; 17:8; 21:27).

[3] There is in fact a sphere continuously radiated by the Lord, which raises all to heaven; this fills the whole of both the spiritual and natural worlds. It is like a strong current in the ocean, which invisibly draws a ship along. All who believe in the Lord and live in accordance with His commandments come within that sphere or current, and are raised up. But those who do not believe are unwilling to come within it, but take themselves off to one side or the other, and are there swept away by the stream bound for hell.