Are you opposed to going to hell for eternity?

Well, you have to appreciate boredom and bad feelings.
They make good feelings and engaging activities, all the more precious.

 

Who said that all christians believe that only they will be going to heaven?
I think you have been watching too many extremist evangelical shows.
When the rich man asked jesus what he must do to inherit the kingdom of god he was told to get rid of his riches. He couldnt and sadly left jesus. When one of his disciples asked jesus again. He said its harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven then for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle, BUT he said again through god all is possible.
This is the loving god that i know. I pray everyday for my Muslim, jewish, hindu, bhudhist, and atheist friends to make it to heaven, Now i dont know if will be lucky enough myself to get there but if i am i would love to see them all there with me.

 

On earth, yes.

 

thats what you believe, not all christians believe that only they will get to heaven. Some christians also believe that our god is merciful enough beyond our understanding to actually understand that these people werent born christians and will be be judged upon the content of their heart and teh love that they have spread to others. I know many catholic extremists who will readily condemn non catholics to burn in hell for eternity but im not one of them and i dont believe my god is either.

Are you saying because some christians arent deligent enough to convert others, these others will automatically burn in hell for this? Let me ask you one question from a christian to a christian. Who large is gods love for us? Isnt it infinite?

 

I believe that only humans are dumb enough to condemn each other to an eternity in hell, gods would probably know better.

 

Anything is possible with God, yes, and I don't remember anything in the Bible saying that someone has to hear about God to believe in Him, but I think it's pretty clear that they do have to believe, and I don't think it has anything to do with how good they were in life:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

But you just made me realize something because I've said before that everyone believes in God somewhere inside them, that it's built in from the moment they become a person... so I'm going to have to think about that. Very interesting.

Maybe Jesus died for that exact reason--to save those who never get a chance to hear about him? I'm interested in this. I still believe that if you believe in Him (which I believe everyone subconciously does) and deny Him until you die, that you will go to hell. That is what i've found to be the Biblical definition of blasphemy--that one unforgiveable sin.

Honestly, you've given me a lot to think about and research though. Thanks haha

 

Well, all this research on hell hasn't given me the answer to whether or not somebody who has never been told about Christ by another person will go to hell, but it has made me re-think my life yet again (I don't know how many times in the past few months).

In particular, Matthew 7:21-23 came up and reminded me that just believing isn't enough--you have to love God and not go against your conscience. Loving and fearfully respecting God is what enables you to follow the conscience that He built into you. Trust me--I'm a work in progress though.

I don't really feel like I'll find a sure answer to the first part though until I can talk to a Theology major. Maybe not even then.

 

Very nice, thank you

 

Welcome hehe. I still remember that song " look at your life through heavens eyes" and its exactly when i start to think about this subject in this way. My old bible study teacher also told me that i will be surprised at the people i will see in heaven. My last post explains why i love the lord so much.

 

Welcome

 

Your christianity seems kinder and more loving than some other christian viewpoints I have seen. Thanks for saying that...

 

3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.
From http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html

And as for my reply... I would rather come back here than go to either one. I need not bliss nor torment to appreciate the life I have seen here on this blue planet. Feel free to quote me on that.

 

You're obviously not Gnostic or Christian, but you like the gnostic books because they can be confusing and controversial to Christians? << Notice the question mark, but it seems fairly obvious.

 

I'm not trying to be mean or unloving either. When I talk about hell it is because I DON'T want anyone to go there, not because I enjoy the thought of it. Jesus talked about hell more then anyone else in the Bible. I guess you could call it "tough love".

Closing your eyes and pretending it doesn't exist doesn't make it any less real. And don't take that personaly, because I don't even know what you do believe in. I know you are nice, but that's about it. I truly wish that were enough, but I believe it has to be out of love and respect for God, in order for it to matter in the spiritual sense.

 

thanks, with god it all begins with love. How can he a god worth believing in if his love isnt infinite

 

i wish i had remembered a quote from the bible that an old friend gave to me. He is now studying to be a priest. It was about a person that really didnt know god yet he would still be judged according to the content of his heart. Its time like now i wish my memory were better

 

I hope that's true also, but since it is not clear in the Bible, it does raise an interesting question on whether there is any reason to spread the Gospel or not, and there is quite a bit in the Bible that tells us to share the message with others.

 

That would be Romans 2:5-16.

In fulfillment of prophecy in this regard there are many scriptures highlighting the need to sharing the message.

1 Tim: 4:16
Matthew 24:14
Matthew 28:19-20
Romans 10:13-15
Matthew 10:11
Psalms 96:2-8
Romans 5:3-5
1 John 5:3
Isaiah 61:1-2
Isaiah 43:10-12
Heb 11:7

Read all of these and you will see there is certainly a need to do this.

Regards,

Col

 

I was just curious, and looked it up...

I don't know, I guess that translates to:
"It was about a person that really didnt know god yet he would still be judged according to the content of his heart." Trying to read the bible will usually give me severe attention deficit disorder. So many words.

 

Here's a translation that might make it a bit more clearer for you:

The apostle Paul was well versed in Law of Roman times and knew exactly how to get the point across to people.