I'm going to change speeds here for a second and blog about something other than the newspaper because it's something that I think we all grapple with and it has been a part of my reality this week during a visit with someone that was dying.
What do we do with the whole idea of other faiths? We know what the Pope thinks! But with the growing number of people that are believing in 'every religeon is the same' and/or the 'there's no such thing as hell only heaven', how are we as Christians to respond? Some of the people saying these things know a lot more than we do, so do we just accept it and move on?
I was talking to someone a while back about these ideas and basically their assertion was that God judges us only on what we know. We don't have to actually accept Jesus. We just have to NOT DENY Him. If all we know is Islam, then God judges us according to how we live up to what we know of Him through that religeon. And if we know nothing, then we go to heaven because we've never had the opportunity to accept (or deny) him.
So if that is the case, then why do evangelism? Why share our faith? If that was the case, It's the greatest disservice we could do to actually make people accountable by giving them opportunity to choose. We'd be better off not saying anything because then God couldn't judge them for what they didn't know.
I'm not saying that this topic is as cut and dry and simple as some people make it out to be. Ultimately, only God is the judge. But it's also not as vague as most of us wish it was.
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4 comments:
Yo : My concern is not so much with people of other faiths as with the good, moral person living in our own community. In his life, his character and deeds are indistinguishable from the average person who professes Christ and worships, prays and read the Bible regularly. This person MAY give some credence to the existence of God, but a "spiritual" life is not part of his routine. At death, he is honoured by his fellows as a fine person who helped others in need.
For God, is this a tough call?
Habs 37
TAKE 2
Coming strictly from an evangelists point of view, my belief is as follows:
'if you don't have jesus in your life- if you don't believe that he lived a perfect life, died a grusome death, rose to life after three days, and can live in your heart, words, and actions- if you don't believe these you CANNOT partake in God's kingdom when He returns in Glory.'
We talk about people who do good, and some that do even greater good without an inch of Christian 'doctrine' in their body, but I believe the reality remains: 'we ALL fall short of the glory of God'. No matter how good you can be, you'll never be made in perfection until you realize that Jesus was the one who transformed you by taking your sins to the cross!
And IF that is the case, that means there are thousands of people dying a day who DON'T have Jesus in their lives. Is this God's fault??? NO! this isn't his fault at all.
The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth.
...can you live with the fact that God's given us the responsibility to carry out the Gospel so others come to acknowledge Jesus as LORD- and we sit around on our butts and not take action?!
I certainly can't.
Just because we are ignorant dose not give us an automatic get out of jail free card. Assuming we believe in Christ and the bible. Jesus is the only way through. Jesus was sent to earth to save us not condemn us. So that would indicate that we were already in trouble and we didn�t know him then. What is the difference between then and now?
Oh but its not my fault I didn�t do anything to him. Well sorry but Adam did and this would be the generational curse of all curses. Isn�t God just mean and nasty for holding a grudge. I don�t know, if we are honest with ourselves I think we can figure it out. We are still here and he didn�t just have a fit and throw the frying pan across the kitchen and oops through the window. No, through his love he keeps caving in and giving us all second chances. How many chances do we deserve.
Or
We were created for what? Glorifying God, relationship with him. If this is so then what is being a nice and good person worth to God. Hmmm I would say not much.
So
We are all going to be judged and no we won�t get a fourth or fifth chance to change. The book of our life will be opened and our every thought, every word and every action will be available to be judged. Unless our name is in the other book, the book of life.
Shouldn�t the big question be how can I be sure my name and my neighbors names are in the book of life?
� Jesus said unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.� John 14:6
� For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17
�Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:� Romans 5:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.�
Revelation 20:12-15
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