October 9, 2005
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Faith
I’ll be honest. Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that unless you believe in the Trinity, you will burn in hell for all eternity. One of my best friends grew up in a similar, though stricter, house as me. About 5 years ago he told me he didn’t believe that Jesus died for his sins anymore. It kind of shook me up because he was a Christian before that. Recently, however, he has returned to a Christian faith to some extent. Other friends of mine have fallen away from the faith as well. Two uncles of mine grew up in a horribly strict Christian household and never accepted the Gospel after they left home. One of them died a year ago. He was a pretty nice, loving, and decent person, who happened to grow up under hypocrisy and intense discipline. And then I think of Holocaust Jews. They were brutally tortured by Nazis, many of whom erroneously claimed to be Christians. Obviously they weren’t Christians, but they claimed to be, while they were committing atrocities. This undoubtedly did not help the Christian image in the Jewish mind. Six million Jews were killed during the holocaust, with many of them being burnt alive. Did they go from earthly fire to eternal fire as a result of God’s love? I personally doubt it. I’d rather say…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5:3)I’m not saying that Jesus doesn’t save, rather the opposite. I’m only suggesting that we might be surprised by the number of people in heaven (more than the stars), and that not all who call Jesus “Lord, Lord” will be there.
Comments (11)
my aunt thinks the same way you do pete. Its hard for me too because of what scripture says. I wouldn’t put you down for what you beleive. I know at least you ARE a christian and you love the lord. so as long as you make it with me bro, I’m happy. I feel that anyone who doens’t know christ, and as deep as has never even heard of the gospel will make it to heaven. but once they start to know of it, and that door is open, I believe its then that they have to make the right decision.
hey bro, I also never really had a chance to say thanks for putting me on your CD. I’m so honored to be apart of such a wonderful project. I’m happy of how close its brought us too. like brothers.. well, take care man. -zbob
I believe this, too, Pete. I also think that people who have never heard the gospel, never been given the opportunity on earth to accept Christ’s lordship in their lives, will get a chance right when they die. It’ll be the first thing after death, and Jesus will invite them to dwell with him in eternity. And yes, I believe some people will turn away from that, refuse that, and spend eternity away from God, not necessarily in burning fire, but in alienation from God, the eternal position of OT followers of God…or something similar. It just doesn’t make sense to think that people are burning in hell for not accepting an option they were never given. I think people will recognize Jesus as the one they were worshiping all their lives, even those of different faiths. If they don’t, then, again, hell.
I want Heaven to be a place where I turn to someone and say “What are you doing here?” I sure hope there are more people in Heaven than most Christians make it seem.
I couldn’t beleive what I just read when I only caught a small bit of it. But then I read the whole thing and I must say I 100% agree with you.
I really like your article. It’s inspiring! I’m not sure I completely agree with you, because I’m not sure how the exclusivity of Christ is going to affect people’s salvation, but I really HOPE i find a lot of people in heaven I didn’t expect to see there!
Hi! Thanks for the nice comment on my Xanga site the other day! That was very kind of you. I think your site is nice, too.
Amen and ditto on your words in this blog entry! Isn’t that so much what Rich Mullins talked and wrote and lived about during his earthly lifetime – God’s MERCY?! Yep! “Let Mercy Lead…” It’s not for us to judge whether anyone is going or not going to heaven. We can judge subjective actions, but only the Lord God knows the full story of each of our circumstances.
Indeed, we will be surprised at who we meet in heaven! I’m so glad that God has been so merciful to me, who am a sinner.
treated.
-kenneth
I’m pretty sure I disagree with you, though we should talk. I have a hard time believing in a God that would send folks to hell, but for me, that’s not to the point. With the Bible as my authority, I find no reason to believe that people who have suffered so-called hell on earth will not go to hell. But I came to a point where I realized I don’t believe what I believe because it makes me comfortable. I believe it (for many and varied reasons) and I believe certain things that I can only see as part of a whole. I accept that whole set of beliefs, and cannot deny it. (though I falter, l doubt and struggle) Jesus is the only way to heaven.
What will hell be like? That’s another question.
Hey
I do love Plankeye. My Favorite Album is The One and Only, I am a fan of the older stuff (even though I did like relocation). I just liked the Scott Silletta days, commonwealth and spark were also great
We might indeed be surprised by who we find in heaven. Because it is Jesus, not any action of our own, that saves. This does not negate the fact that unbelief is in fact a sin, that people do fall away from the faith and break the covenant. It is God who makes us able to believe, and to refuse to believe what he has revealed about himself is essentially shaking our fist in his face and saying “I know better than you!” And the whole idea people have about people getting to hell and realizing they’re wrong- I’m pretty sure that’s not biblical. The damned will continue shaking their fist at God, and heaping upon themselves more punishment. The problem isn’t what we do or don’t do, what we believe or don’t believe. Those are just symptoms. The problem is who we are: children of Adam, and so we rebel like he did. We need to be in Christ, and become children of God, and so repent and believe. And, as a rule, being in Christ necessarily involves being part of his body, the Church. Not just some nebulous invisible church, but an actual physical local church. I agree with Westminster that “outside the church is no ordinary means of salvation.” (emphasis Doug Wilson’s) Not that God can’t or won’t save people outside the church, but that, from what he has revealed, it is safe to assume that that’s the exception, not the rule.
You said comment. Happy?
wow, i can’t believe that you would post something like this on xanga! its pretty controversial but there are some really clear cut anwers in scripture, Romans looks at this very much and in depth, i would suggest reading Romans 2, and Romans 8, Romans 2 shows that God was revealed to all peoples in all nations through creation, through people, through, conscience, and 2:14 says that all people have the law written upon their hearts, and that those who have not been granted the law can fulfill the law in thier hearts. Romans 8, 8:28-29 specifically, remind us that NOTHING can separate us from God’s love, if we were Christians once, there is no turning back, we will be saved and be granted access to heaven, yet if much of this life is not spent doing God’s work, will will just have a very limited amount of treasures stored up in heaven. i also want to thank you for allowing me to play on your cd and i would gladly play with you again, i could just use a little more preparation! i think that we need to open up a debate club at judson to tackle some of these questions. let me know what you think. and get FACEBOOK!
Yeah, man…California has been making me a little more of a skeptic, though I wouldn’t say I have “lost the faith”. Sure I doubt God from time to time…I’m human. But yeah, it’s kinda hard for us to judge who is going to heaven and who isn’t. I don’t think it is as clear as some people think it is. Yes, I think the road is indeed narrow, but for someone to tack on a list of rules to meet to make it there….we can get into the whole denominations debate and who’s right and who’s wrong. And then we’ve got Protestants and Catholics duking it out for crying out loud! (Need I say anything of the crusades and how they were murduring ”for their Lord”. Yeah, it’s a miracle God didn’t just end our existence then and there. Luckily St. Francis was around! I think he vouched for us all. When I was talking about Mother Theresa and her great work on this earth, having such a great example of a true servant’s heart, one friend said something like, “Let’s just hope she was saved…” I just looked at him and couldn’t believe it. I don’t know how (or why) someone would sacrifice a life of luxury to get on their knees and serve the lowest of the low in Calcutta without having some idea of the love of God and the work of Jesus through the cross. Did she go around protesting everything she found indecent, or handing out tracts on how God loves you? No, she spent her life quietly serving out of love, and in so doing, WAS Christ to those she met.
Anyway, all that to say..I agree with you. We indeed will be surprised who turns up, as well as who is not there.