I understand Christianity ultimately provides salvation from hell and a place in heaven when a person dies. Alongside that God also can answer prayers by delivering things or services for a person when he is still alive.
My question is: what are the limits of these gifts? What are the most valuable gifts a person or a community has received before going to heaven or hell?
Hello Davis, I see that you are still pretty new around here, so first off,
WELCOME TO CF
While it's true that Jesus' death on the Cross saves us from His Father's wrath
(and thereby, Hell/the Lake of Fire) in the eternity to come, the most immediate and valuable blessing/benefit that we receive is salvation from both the penalty and the power of sin in our lives. These are, in fact, the two
(principle) things that we are saved from,
1. sin and
2. the Father's wrath.
Granted, being saved from sin probably doesn't sound like much to you
(I know that it didn't to me for years), but to the 'new' me
(if you will) it is everything! The guilt that I felt because of my sin/because of my very fun, but very sinful life, had become nearly unbearable to me. However, as soon as I knew that God had forgiven me, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders, and I also felt an overwhelming sense of peace & joy because I knew that I was finally free. My Judge, who I used to fear, had become my Savior, who I loved instead, and who I knew loved me
So, freedom from sin, as well as a continual sense of joy & peace
(concerning both my life in the here and now, and my life in the age to come) are what I would call "the most valuable gifts" that I have ever received.
--David