"Oh. So you're saying my Mother is in hell?"

Kenyon Ledford

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This must come up often when witnessing. Someone will
say, "Wait, my mother didn't accept Christ in her heart, but
she was a very good person. Are you saying she's in hell?"

How do you handle this?

Thanks
 

HTacianas

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This must come up often when witnessing. Someone will
say, "Wait, my mother didn't accept Christ in her heart, but
she was a very good person. Are you saying she's in hell?"

How do you handle this?

Thanks

You handle that by abstaining from placing yourself in the position of determining whether someone is in hell or not, i.e., you say "I don't know". That statement is entirely true. It's also the only acceptable answer when someone asks if you're going to hell when you die.
 
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Kenyon Ledford

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Well, that's something. Although it sounds kind of like when you fire someone and they say, "Why are you firing me?" and you answer, "Uhm, go ask the GM. It was his idea."

Hmm...But of course we can't tell people how their loved ones are judged. Thanks for the answer
 
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friend of

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Can you pray for souls who weren't saved?

I think so, because we don't know who is and who isn't. So yeah. Praying for sinner and saint alike is acceptable in God's sight.
 
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Romans 8

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Petros2015

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That is something that Catholic traditions do and encourage. There is some thought that eternity is somewhat outside of what we perceive as time. When a Catholic has communion, they have it with Christ and the Church of believers. Note - *All* believers. Not just those in the room, or those in the country, but also those in the past, those in the present, and even (I suppose) those in the future. Communion is, in a sense, with something that is outside of time.

In the same way, a prayer could also be outside of time, and beneficial in a sense, retroactively? At least that is what my interpretation is. I would also note, that in the previous posts it was said that God is the judge. Specifically, I would say from verses in the Gospel of John, Christ says that the Father has committed all judgement to me.

I was once talking with a man who was a sniper in the middle east. Because his targets were not Christian, he said 'I sent those people to hell'. 'No,' I said. 'You didn't send them to Hell. You sent them to Christ. Christ will decide if he likes the look of them or not.'

Just my 2 cents.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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I think far to often christians tend to, for lack of better words, not defend God and don't side with what He says.

I mean obviously we are supposed to say we don't know, only God knows. But at the same time if someone came up to me and said for example "My son never accepted Christ in his heart and became a Satanist. Then at 25 he died in an accident. Do you think he's in hell?"

My answer would be yes. I mean I get we are not supposed to act like we know it all. But at the same time logic would dictate he didn't go to heaven. Unless he secretly became a christian at some point then why would he be in heaven?

Now would I actually say "He's in hell!". Don't know. I'd feel bad for saying it. I don't want to hurt the persons feelings but I also don't want to avoid standing up for the truth either. If the person just died I wouldn't say it because the person is grieving. But if years down the road they asked I'd be more blunt.

However I would explain it in detail. Such as why he likely went there and why Jesus says it's important to make the decision before we die of being saved. Or something along those lines.
 
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Kenyon Ledford

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No, there's no use in praying for the dead. Your prayers will not be heard.
No, there's no use in praying for the dead. Your prayers will not be heard.

It seems taking on a lot to say whose prayers will and won't be heard. Do you speak for God on that?
 
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Kenyon Ledford

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I think far to often christians tend to, for lack of better words, not defend God and don't side with what He says.

I mean obviously we are supposed to say we don't know, only God knows. But at the same time if someone came up to me and said for example "My son never accepted Christ in his heart and became a Satanist. Then at 25 he died in an accident. Do you think he's in hell?"

My answer would be yes. I mean I get we are not supposed to act like we know it all. But at the same time logic would dictate he didn't go to heaven. Unless he secretly became a christian at some point then why would he be in heaven?

Now would I actually say "He's in hell!". Don't know. I'd feel bad for saying it. I don't want to hurt the persons feelings but I also don't want to avoid standing up for the truth either. If the person just died I wouldn't say it because the person is grieving. But if years down the road they asked I'd be more blunt.

However I would explain it in detail. Such as why he likely went there and why Jesus says it's important to make the decision before we die of being saved. Or something along those lines.

Thoughtful response!
 
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Kenyon Ledford

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Do you really think that when this person is standing in front of God as he's making his decision that he's going to turn around and listen to what you think on the matter? I think not.

Our time to accept Jesus is between our birth and death. After our death, better hope we accepted Him.

Is that a no on the scripture then?
 
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Ttalkkugjil

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This must come up often when witnessing. Someone will
say, "Wait, my mother didn't accept Christ in her heart, but
she was a very good person. Are you saying she's in hell?"

How do you handle this?

Thanks

I tell them that only God truly knows who is saved and who is not. I tell them that if their mother ever heard God's word, there's a possibility that she's in heaven. I tell them that becoming God's child isn't based on making a decision for Christ. I tell them that what's important now is their own spiritual state.
 
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