Originally posted by PinkFloyd The Bible does not say that if you don't believe that God is Love, then He will send you to hell--that's just ignorant. If you do not accept Christ as Savior, THEN you're destined to the bad place--simple as that.
My statement was clearly wrong. The Bible does in fact teach that receiving Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior is what saves one from eternal damnation.
My point was that it is difficult to reconcile the following Biblical teachings:
1) God is love.
2) God will punish you for eternity if you don't receive Christ as your Lord and Savior.
As a matter of fact, I received Christ as my Lord and Savior on Labor Day in 1988. As recently as two years ago I even occasionally lead a Bible study at a local church.
Confusion and anger, which is a consequence of mental illness that I am receiving medical treatment for, frequently leads to various semi-coherent (at best) rants. My apologies for mis-representing plain Scriptual teachings.
Originally posted by gaychessplayer My statement was clearly wrong. The Bible does in fact teach that receiving Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior is what saves one from eternal damnation.
My point was that it is difficult to reconcile the following Biblical teachings:
1) God is love.
2) God will punish you for eternity if you don't receive Christ as your Lord and Savio ...[text shortened]... s semi-coherent (at best) rants. My apologies for mis-representing plain Scriptual teachings.
That is humble of you to acknowledge some foolishness.
I am sorry also if I came down too heavy on you.
Now to the problem at hand:
If it could be shown to you from the Bible that some people who will not know Jesus nevertheless might be granted everlasting life, would your attitude about God's unfairness be effected ?
Originally posted by jaywill That is humble of you to acknowledge some foolishness.
I am sorry also if I came down too heavy on you.
Now to the problem at hand:
If it could be shown to you from the Bible that some people who will not know Jesus nevertheless might be granted everlasting life, would your attitude about God's unfairness be effected ?
Thank you for your kind apology.
My understanding of Scripture is that while Christ's death on the cross was necessary for the salvation of sinners, God in his mercy may choose to save some people even if those people have not "formally" accepted Christ as their Savior (e.g. those people who have never heard the gospel.)
As a matter of fact, I received Christ as my Lord and Savior on Labor Day in 1988. As recently as two years ago I even occasionally lead a Bible study at a local church.
Hey, allRight!! I'm glad to hear that! You're ticket is punched and I'll see you in heaven.
I suffer from clinical depression (et. al.) but the certitude of the afterlife in paradise is one of the most appealing things to me about my faith.
Originally posted by king ciref we do not die, but we change ,like a butterfly.religion has absolutly nothing to do with it.
you have no idea how true what you say is. religion has no respect for who you are as an individual. all they want to do is control you. they want to control your soul. they dont care how they do it. they fill you with guilt trips as an excuse to control your fate ( punish you?) no one reserves the right to control another person like this.
religion is good for social control but it doesnt help indivduals find true salvation! it's the both the individual's repsonsibility and right to grow spiritually with their higher powers. whoever they chose to call it
i dont believe in hell or purgatory. all this hell we face on earth, what is an angel to punish us when they never had to face a human life and suffer like we do? they were BORN in heaven whhile we try with all our might...just to be rejected? no way! that's why i dont go to church!
Ever thought that religion is the reason you are depressed? You make yourself so happy thinking about the afterlife, that looking around you depresses you. Carpe Diem!
"WHILE WE TRY WITH ALL OUR MIGHT...JUST TO BE REJECTED": No, dragonstarr369, that is not the situation we face. The Bible says no one can be good enough to get into heaven. We get there by a relationship with God through faith in His son Jesus and that is the only way.
When we are sorry for things that we have done and confess to God that we are sinners, ask Him to forgive us, and ask Jesus to come into our lives to be our Lord and Savior then we have put our faith in Jesus and are Heaven bound. I need questions if you have any.
Originally posted by twhitehead Accept in what way? What does it mean to accept?
Why does Satan not do so? What does he know that we don't? Is Satan lacking in intelligence?
Satan doesn't accept Christ as Son of God and Saviour of all. That without Fesus there is no salvation. Why Satan does not do this--I do not know.
Originally posted by dragonstarr369 you have no idea how true what you say is. religion has no respect for who you are as an individual. all they want to do is control you. they want to control your soul. they dont care how they do it. they fill you with guilt trips as an excuse to control your fate ( punish you?) no one reserves the right to control another person like this.
religi ...[text shortened]... hile we try with all our might...just to be rejected? no way! that's why i dont go to church!
??? do not want to sound egotistical.... but i have an idea on the truth .
Originally posted by PinkFloyd Satan doesn't accept Christ as Son of God and Saviour of all. That without Fesus there is no salvation. Why Satan does not do this--I do not know.
Are you saying that Satan does not know that Jesus is the son of God or that he just doesn't like it? The same question goes for Jesus being the 'Saviour'.
How do you know that Satan is ignorant of those matters?
Note that it has nothing to to with 'acceptance', it is a matter of knowledge or belief. Either you know Jesus is the Son of God or you don't, it is not something you 'accept' or 'reject' as that would imply that his status as Gods Son is dependent on you.
What makes you think that you are cleverer / wiser than Gods favorite angel?
Whose Heaven?
22 Apr '08 00:581 edit
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