A question of...Accountability...

[AndrewDas]

Is it "right" for me as a Christian tell someone that they are going to hell? I would not feel right doing this. It feels judgemental. Shouldn't I let God take care of it? What does the Bible say about this. Please give me your opinions and verses in the Bible that talk about this.

 

[Servant of the Kingdom]

Can you know their hearts? Only God can. We can say something is a sin, but we cannot be sure of what's happening in the mind of anybody, just guess.

 

[thaiv]

Everything is under God's sovereign mercy. Thats all we must keep in mind.

 

[Pilgrim Walker]

I don't believe everyone will necessarily end up in heaven - as God wants us to choose to love him, which must be a free choice. BUT...

I would never tell anyone they were heading for hell. First I wouldn't believe it or feel comfortable (and tend to trust my feelings!)

And in parable after parable Jesus knocks the presumption of the proud (eg "Take the speck from your own eye, before the plank from your brother"), and telling people they're going to hell is highly presumptuous. There's a fine line between presuming on God's grace (bad) and being confident of God's grace (good), and knowing where it is is part of true faith/trust/belief.

Have confidence in your feelings - and win them round a different way

 

[Tractor1]

Is it "right" for me as a Christian tell someone that they are going to hell? I would not feel right doing this. It feels judgemental. Shouldn't I let God take care of it? What does the Bible say about this. Please give me your opinions and verses in the Bible that talk about this.

Unsolicited advice is very rarely heeded, but once a dialogue has been established there is nothing wrong in pointing out man's fallen estate and his standing before God. After that let Scripture speak. "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

In Christ,
Tracey

 

[mpshiel]

I think the last time I pointed out someone fallen estate and standing before God I was 18 or 19 and had been doing it off and on since 14. For me it was a subtle form not only of self rightousness but also pride (in subconsciously elevating myself above others). I practiced it for 5 years and have been regretting it for 14.

Do you know why I think Jesus said, "go and sin no more." - the same reason he said, "You're sins are forgiven of you." - because he was God incarnate. As S.O.T.K. said, only God can know the heart. I recognized that I am not God incarnate, I don't know why people are acting as they do, what they are thinking, often it is hard to know what they feel.

My father gave the example of being on a bus and a woman having her foot stepped on lashing out and yelling, "Why don't you watch where you are going you inconsiderate jerk." - Wow, what unchristian attitude. Except that she was coming back from the hospital from where her child had just died. Right then she was in so much grief she was angry with the whole world. Sinner, rightous, injuried, pure - what exactly is the difference? How about human.

I am reminded of Mother Teresa who was asked why she wasted her time with dying children instead of saving souls. She said she wanted the babies to go to God feeling that somebody loved them. I'm not that good with babies. But I want everyone to go to God knowing that somebody loves them. Let God talk to them about thier actions if he wants - we know that he said, "Vengence is mine" - interesting that the vengence he brought to those who were killing and torturing him was forgiveness.

I wonder how much better my life and the life of those around me would be if I could just say three more times a day to someone, "I like you" and mean it?

 

[Bingley]

Is it "right" for me as a Christian tell someone that they are going to hell? I would not feel right doing this. It feels judgemental. Shouldn't I let God take care of it? What does the Bible say about this. Please give me your opinions and verses in the Bible that talk about this.

Yes, let God take care of it. That's his business, not yours. Apart from the parable of the plank and the speck of dust already referred to, Romans 14 might be relevant. If you feel you really must speak out, consider 1 Peter 3:15-16, which indicates how you should do it:

Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.
(NRSV)

There is a footnote that says the word translated as reverence could also be translated as 'respect'.

 

[Ainesis]

Is it "right" for me as a Christian tell someone that they are going to hell? I would not feel right doing this. It feels judgemental. Shouldn't I let God take care of it? What does the Bible say about this. Please give me your opinions and verses in the Bible that talk about this.

No, it is never right for you to tell anyone that they are going to hell.

Now, it may "right" for God to use you as a vessel to communicate this to others. Point being, you can never know who is going to hell, so you are in no position to say. However, God can have you say a lot of things to people that you would probably never say on your own.

For example, in Acts 8:20-23 Peter tells Simon:

"But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."

Peter says the following;

• That the man's money should perish with him (IOW, simon is perishing).
• Simon has no part of the Holy Ghost (he is not born again)
• Simon's heart is not right before God (he is not accepted by God).
• Simon needs to repent (he is currently in wickedness)
• Simon is in the gall of bitterness
• Simon is bound to iniquity

Now, this is not the exact statement "You are on your way to hell." But it comes pretty close.

You may often hear people say that we are God's hand and feet. Well, we are also His voice in this world. Therefore, He may use us to say any number of things to others. Only He knows what will touch their hearts, a soft word or a stern correction.

Keep in mind, while being a vessel fit for God's use means that He is free to use us as He sees fit, God's purpose with man is to save him, not condemn him. My approach is just not to put any limitations or preconceived notions about what God can or cannot do, but simply to let Him have His way.

God Bless!

 

[Reformationist]

Is it "right" for me as a Christian tell someone that they are going to hell? I would not feel right doing this. It feels judgemental. Shouldn't I let God take care of it? What does the Bible say about this. Please give me your opinions and verses in the Bible that talk about this.

No, it's not right. It is right to tell them they are sinning or that their sin is destroying them but you have no way of knowing who is going to go to hell.

God bless