Should Christians Condemn People?

[RDKirk]

One can condemn someone by saying to another: "You are going to Hell."

That is a way to do it.

No, a person saying "You are going to Hell" does nothing.
I could say, "You are going to the moon," which similarly and for the same reason does nothing.

 

[Skipper80]

"So your logical conclusion is that murderers can't be saved. Really? God refuses to forgive murderers? What is the only unforgivable sin? If someone commits murder, is it possible to repent of that sin? But it'd be in vain because that person already sealed their fate, right?"

I am not sure where you got this from what I wrote. You are either not actually reading what I am writing, or maybe you are talking to someone else in your past that has no relation to this conversation. Of course they can be saved but they have to know that murder is a sin and hear the gospel first. They do not just "poof" and become saved.
I think this thread is going nowhere... peace!

"I am not sure where you got this from what I wrote."

You said murderers go to Hell. You either said that or you said the Bible says it which you profess to believe so same thing. Are u denying what u said earlier?

"You are either not actually reading what I am writing, or maybe you are talking to someone else in your past that has no relation to this conversation."

No, I am talking to you.

"Of course they can be saved but they have to know that murder is a sin and hear the gospel first."

This is completely different from what you were saying earlier. It's okay to change your mind, but idk why u are denying what you said.

 

[trophy33]

No, a person saying "You are going to Hell" does nothing.
I could say, "You are going to the moon," which similarly and for the same reason does nothing.

I guess he means something like "strong warning", not that we decide it to happen. Or, he possible means something like revealing to people where their road seems to end, from our individual point of view.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I think the OP just needs to be written to better express the thought. Perhaps "Should Christians criticise the lost without grace." Of course there should be as much grace as possible without losing sight of the danger. You can "love" people into hell if you diminish the severity of the danger or go to extream measures not to offend. We live in a day when so many are offended by the least little thing. I suppose being told you are doomed could be received negatively if you do not want to know why. Especailly when the why is "we are all sinners, lost in the world without hope." But that is the reality of the situation. You really cannot escape the reality of the danger. And you do not want to be so wishing washy that people miss the seriousness of the message.

 

[Skipper80]

Such strong words do not belong to common Christians, I think. Could Jesus say it? Sure. The apostles? Eeeeeh, maybe. We? No, we are too small for that.

No, a human is capable of saying "You are going to Hell." I'm not sure what your point is. People condemn each other all the time.

 

[Skipper80]

No, a person saying "You are going to Hell" does nothing.
I could say, "You are going to the moon," which similarly and for the same reason does nothing.

It does do something by displaying condemnation.

Why would u condemn me to the moon? You know I can't live there for long.

 

[trophy33]

No, a human is capable of saying "You are going to Hell." I'm not sure what your point is. People condemn each other all the time.

A common human is able to technically say "you are going to hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it), but a common human does not have the real insight to actually know it. Therefore, we should not say that, because it is excessively strong and extremist language that seems fanatical.

 

[Skipper80]

I guess he means something like "strong warning", not that we decide it to happen. Or, he possible means something like revealing to people where their road seems to end, from our individual point of view.

"not that we decide it to happen."

You can decide to say "You are going to Hell" which is condemnation of another person.

 

[RDKirk]

It does do something by displaying condemnation.

Why would u condemn me to the moon? You know I can't live there for long.

It does nothing. It has no spiritual or material effect on anything.

 

[RDKirk]

"not that we decide it to happen."

You can decide to say "You are going to Hell" which is condemnation of another person.

It does nothing. It has no spiritual or material effect. It's nothing but a belch.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

"I am not sure where you got this from what I wrote."

You said murderers go to Hell. You either said that or you said the Bible says it which you profess to believe so same thing. Are u denying what u said earlier?

"You are either not actually reading what I am writing, or maybe you are talking to someone else in your past that has no relation to this conversation."

No, I am talking to you.

"Of course they can be saved but they have to know that murder is a sin and hear the gospel first."

This is completely different from what you were saying earlier. It's okay to change your mind, but idk why u are denying what you said.

?
But the Bible DOES say all murders are going to hell! I did not make that up.

Revelation 21:8 ISV
8 But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

Sorry... but that is what it says! We would be remiss in our love if we were to not let people know the danger they are in.

 

[trophy33]

"not that we decide it to happen."

You can decide to say "You are going to Hell" which is condemnation of another person.

I think the difference between empty words and authority is obvious.

 

[Skipper80]

I think the OP just needs to be written to better express the thought. Perhaps "Should Christians criticise the lost without grace." Of course there should be as much grace as possible without losing sight of the danger. You can "love" people into hell if you diminish the severity of the danger or go to extream measures not to offend. We live in a day when so many are offended by the least little thing. I suppose being told you are doomed could be received negatively if you do not want to know why. Especailly when the why is "we are all sinners, lost in the world without hope." But that is the reality of the situation. You really cannot escape the reality of the danger. And you do not want to be so wishing washy that people miss the seriousness of the message.

"You can "love" people into hell if you diminish the severity of the danger or go to extream measures not to offend."

It can be your fault that someone goes to Hell because you loved them too much? What?

"I suppose being told you are doomed could be received negatively if you do not want to know why."

Yeah, it could be received negatively because it's a condemnation

 

[SavedByGrace3]

"You can "love" people into hell if you diminish the severity of the danger or go to extream measures not to offend."

It can be your fault that someone goes to Hell because you loved them too much? What?

"I suppose being told you are doomed could be received negatively if you do not want to know why."

Yeah, it could be received negatively because it's a condemnation

But there is in fact condemnation! That is why they are going to hell! Christians did not do it. They are just pointing out the danger.

 

[Skipper80]

A common human is able to technically say "you are going to hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it), but a common human does not have the real insight to actually know it. Therefore, we should not say that, because it is excessively strong and extremist language that seems fanatical.

"hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it),"

Because it is a place of significance and a proper noun. Why do you not capitalize "Hell"?

"A common human is able to technically say "you are going to hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it), but a common human does not have the real insight to actually know it."

A common human does not know they are saying "You are going to Hell"? I don't get what you're saying there.

"Therefore, we should not say that, because it is excessively strong and extremist language that seems fanatical."

It's not extremist language. It's common for people to say "You are going to Hell" which is why I think it is important for people to know if we should be saying that or not.

 

[Skipper80]

?
But the Bible DOES say all murders are going to hell! I did not make that up.

Revelation 21:8 ISV
8 But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

Sorry... but that is what it says! We would be remiss in our love if we were to not let people know the danger they are in.

"But the Bible DOES say all murders are going to hell! I did not make that up."

And you have said that if someone murders another person, they are going to Hell. Is it true that if someone murders they automatically go to Hell when they die?

 

[RileyG]

Should Christians condemn people to Hell?

After answering, explain why

No.

 

[RDKirk]

?
But the Bible DOES say all murders are going to hell! I did not make that up.

Revelation 21:8 ISV
8 But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

Sorry... but that is what it says! We would be remiss in our love if we were to not let people know the danger they are in.

The problem is, we don't necessarily know whether a given individual is--in essence--any of those things.

If we look at people from God's absolute position of holiness, then everyone is at least one of them. But that depends on whether God sees us as essentially the acts we commit. Is a person who once fled a challenge essentially a coward? Is a person who once told a lie essentially a liar?

John was writing to people who had a Greek worldview, and in that worldview, a person was essentially what he professed through his life and into death, not a matter of a single or a few acts. Are we cowards or liars...or even murderers...by profession?

And then, where does grace, repentance, and forgiveness come in?

If I tell a person today, "You are going to hell," that's without knowing whether that person will repent in the future. At best, I'm a false prophet, declaring something the Holy Spirit has not specifically told me about that specific person. In fact, declaring something I do not know to be the truth, and that I know I don't know to be the truth, makes me a liar...and by my own standards dooms me to hell.

So, don't do that. Don't tell anyone "You're going to hell."

 

[trophy33]

"hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it),"

Because it is a place of significance and a proper noun. Why do you not capitalize "Hell"?

"A common human is able to technically say "you are going to hell" (small "h", I am not sure why you capitalize it), but a common human does not have the real insight to actually know it."

A common human does not know they are saying "You are going to Hell"? I don't get what you're saying there.

"Therefore, we should not say that, because it is excessively strong and extremist language that seems fanatical."

It's not extremist language. It's common for people to say "You are going to Hell" which is why I think it is important for people to know if we should be saying that or not.

I think you have already been answered your questions sufficiently and it seems like just running in circles, now.

Regarding why hell is the small h - because it is a biblical term and it is with small h in basically all English translations. So, let us keep the language rules.

 

[Lukaris]

Should Christians condemn people to Hell?

After answering, explain why

No, we are called to pray for everyone ( 1 Timothy 2:1-6) and to pray for evangelism ( Matthew 9:36-38). Our Lord’s Prayer ( Matthew 6:9-13) has these sentiments among many others to pray for our own & our neighbors’ salvation if we can’t get our words right otherwise.