Hi all, I was talking to a Ghanaian preacher yesterday and what he taught me was very edifying but one thing he said has left me confused
He told me a story about a young christian who was having sex with many women and attending church, and one day when he was having sex with one of his women he died suddenly in the bed, during the act, and the man said that he went to hell
(how does he know he went to hell)?
I was left feeling condemned and i began to question my salvation, because for the first few years after becoming a christian I was still commiting sexual immorality on a regular basis, I have since repented and left that behind but I cant help but wonder two things
1. is this story likely to be true? Would God really kill a man during the act before he has a chance to repent
2. if it is true, why did God not smote me during my years of rebellion?
No one knows with absolute certainty, where other people go when they die, except for the Christian himself, of his own salvation. Remember, when Jesus was on the cross, the thief next to him repented at the very last minutes of his life, and Jesus said that he would be with him in paradise.
It is impossible for us to know if someone didn't repent, even in the last few seconds they have on Earth. Anyone can repent, even at the very door of death itself.
Nevertheless, the preachers assessment is likely accurate.
Based on the information given, it is unlikely that this man was a Christian. Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
It's pretty clear that not everyone who says they are Christian, are in fact Christian. If you go to a Church, where they are praising G-d every Sunday, and boinking every girl they meet Sunday night, they are not a Christian.
The only exception to that, is when people are not taught basic sexual morality. Truth is, a lot of 'christian' churches fail to teach basic christian morality. Far too many pastors shy away from the subject because it is 'uncomfortable' and let their congregations burn in ignorance.
If this man was never told that what he is doing is wrong, then I would not try and determine his salvation status. You can't expect people who are never taught right from wrong, to magically know Christian virtues the moment they become Christian.
Now as to the question of why G-d would strike a man down:
Have you ever been hit really hard by someone, by accident? I have. It hurts. But there is a huge difference between that, and someone doing it on purpose. You react differently don't you? Someone does something that really hurts you by accident, you react one way, and someone intentionally causes you pain, you react another way.
G-d is the same way.
There is a huge difference between someone who simply doesn't know or even someone who knows but it struggling, verses a person who says they are a Christian and they know what they are doing is wrong, and they intend to keep doing wrong, and they don't care what G-d thinks on the matter.
Do you see the difference? When you intentionally stick it in the face of G-d, and say yeah I'm doing wrong, and I don't care, and you can't stop me..... that is a great way to provoke the Lord to anger.
And there is another way. That is if you bring dishonor to the name of Christ. If you are telling people "Yeah I believe in Jesus!" and yet you are screwing women all the time, and everyone knows it. That will not go unpunished, because you are harming the name of Jesus. You are making the name of his son who died for us, to be mocked before the pagans. G-d does not take that lightly.
If you are doing something that is sinful and evil, the only advice I can give beyond repent and stop that, is you at least had better not shame the name of Jesus. You better keep your Christianity quiet. G-d will not let that go unpunished if you are intentionally being evil, and proclaiming your Christianity.
Years ago, I had a lady say "well I did (xxx), and my life turned out ok".
And I thought in my mind, but did not say at the time.... Maybe the reason your life turned out ok, isn't because what you did wasn't so bad, but maybe G-d's mercy on you was just that great.
That is what you should think about your past. You don't need to question your salvation. 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
You confessed, you repented, you stopped doing evil, and started doing right. Our Lord is kind and just to forgive.
You no longer need to question your salvation. When you think of your past, the only thought you need to have, is that is just how much Mercy and Grace our Lord has.
