I would figure that if people didn't hear about hell they wouldn't have a frame of reference to coerce other people.The joke fails if I have to explain it. If you look up funny church signs on Google images, you might see a similar one.
A person who has been truly converted to Christ (which is something only God can do in a person), then hell becomes a non-issue, because he or she is not going there.
I've talked with plenty of Christian's who still to this day fear hell.
They may not be truly converted to Christ, but have just "got" religion. Putting on the badge of Christianity doesn't make a person a true Christian.
What about Christian's who commit offenses knowing they will go to hell, but at the same time acquit themselves of their action's because in their mind God forgives them.
Just as I said: not everyone who professes Christianity and puts on the "badge" is a genuine Christian. You may be describing the actions of hypocrite and not a real Christian.
It's not uncommon for Christian's to be like that. Any Christian really, the true believers are worse because they really believe they're acquitted on all accounts.Who are these unfortunate individuals, AntiCrash?
Since knowing a real Christian from a fake is wholly subjective, any believer can delude themselves that they are the chosen one's.
I'm sure you're right. Some people claim to be Christian but still presume to take their sins lightly. However, I think it's kind of strange they would do this when Paul the Apostle tells us in the letter to the Philippians (3:12-16) that even though he knew God loved him, he didn't assume he had yet fully attained a status of salvation, or that he was yet perfected. In fact, just after Paul says this about himself, he then warns the Philippians to be careful because he knew there were some individuals among them who, although perhaps baptized and associating in the church, weren't really following God's Will:
Of course they can, and many do. But when a person is genuinely converted to Christ, they have an inner knowledge and confirmation from the Holy Spirit that they have been born again and are in the kingdom of God. A religious person who has never been through that total transformation in their heart and spirit is acting on presumption and not faith. Saving faith is given by the Holy Spirit and is not given automatically just because someone decides to "get" religion.
Come on...
It is interesting to note that Paul said that when he was a Pharisee, he was blameless according to the Law. That means he didn't sin. Actually he lived a much more perfect and righteous life than most Christians do today! Yet, it was not good enough to save him. He believed implicitly in God and kept God's Laws to the letter, without a single fault, yet he was still lost.
No I do not, what I know is that Christianity tells us that there is nothing we can do to change ourselves. If we could then we would be credited for the transformational power of the spirit.
It's always some story about a biblical character, and how they relate to us. If something is going on in your life, there's a Bible story that fit's. Forget about understanding people where they are, because someone already went through that.
It's not a permit to sin.
No, but believer's also believe that they will sin. Even if it's not a voluntary act they still do sin. But their personal responsibility for their sins are minimized due to their belief that Jesus will forgive them.
You describe a permit to sin again.
