Please understand I am not attempting in anyway to be argumentative or anything of that nature. I am only attempting to answer your questions in a loving Christian manner. I do not know if you own or have access to a Bible, but this is where my replies are coming from. As to question 1. As to the part of the question what if the person is unaware of the offer. There are missionaries and preachers world wide who are spreading the good news of the Gospel. I firmly believe if one only has the desire to listen to these missionaries or preachers that God will make a way that they can hear the Gospel and accept the Salvation offered thru Jesus death on the cross.
OK, but that doesn't answer the question - I'm asking about those people who are unaware of Christianity. Missionaries are not omnipresent, and there exist parts of the world where people are still blissfully unaware; what about them? Are they doomed to Hell for having the misfortune of being born in a remote part of the world? Or, has God got a 'contingency plan' for them?
As to the part of the question if a person is unconvinced I feel that is a personal decision each individual has to make for themselves. Whether I am unconvinced as to what the men of God are saying is a decision I must make for myself. I will give the Bible reference of Romans Chapter 10 for the comments I just made.
Again, I don't see where the answer to my question is. You say it's a personal decision we all have to make*, OK, but what are the consequences of that decision? What if someone decides, "
I don't believe in God because I see insufficient evidence for his existence" - what are the consequences of that decision?
I totally agree that death is not the end. There is a sad and happy answer to this question. In the Bible in the Gospel of Luke Chapter 16 there is a story told of two men. In this story both men died. Sadly one had never believed in and accepted Jesus in his life time and the other had. In this story it is clear that there are two destinations when we die, either heaven or hell. Depending on the decision we make in this life we go to one place or the other, and sadly if it is hell we cannot change our mind, it is too late.
Yes I understand that part of the claim, but you didn't answer my question:
why is it too late?
Why can't we change our minds after death?
Indeed, why are there only two options (1: paradise with God, or 2: eternal suffering with Satan), and not, say a third option (3: a nice, but not perfect, paradise without God) reserved for those who are good and do as God wants, but don't actually believe in him? It seems monumentally wicked and capricious to create such a system.
I reply to this question in this manner. I personally don't like the word religion (I think it is used too loosely). What I mean by that is this: I hear people say all the time when they are mad "I'm fixing to lose my religion."
I think there might be a language barrier in the way; they're "fixing to lose" their religion?
I prefer the word salvation, cause when you get salvation you never lose it.
But since no one knows if they're actually saved or not, we can only talk about religions. If a Christian believes they are saved, but in 10 years they convert to Islam, doesn't that demonstrate that they were never actually saved? So how is it you're so confident that you yourself are saved?
I will be the first to admit that I'm not perfect, sometimes I say things I shouldn't, think things I shouldn't, etc. but that is the wonderful thing when you have salvation and what I mean by that is simply this: when I have thoughts I shouldn't, etc. there is immediately a still small voice that lets me know I have done wrong and there have been many times I have had to go to people and ask forgiveness for getting angry with them and so on and have to ask my Heavenly Father to forgive me and help me do better.
Didn't this voice exist before salvation?
As far as morality I give the Bible reference of Ephesians 2 verses 1 thru 10. Sadly many people feel that if they do all the right things in life such as give to charities, feed the hungry, don't use bad language, etc. that they will make it to heaven.
It would certainly be a more benign and loving system. Instead, God decided to base one's afterlife on one's religious beliefs, with no regard to morality - the Christian rapist gets paradise while the Hindu charity worker gets hell.
Don't take me wrong, it is wonderful to do all these good things and each of us should but the simple truth is that unless we accept the free gift of salvation offered thru Jesus Christ alone we can't make it to heaven.
Then why do good deeds? If works are unimportant, why not get saved and then live a life of comfort? Moreover, I'm an atheist, so your religion teaches that I'm destined for an eternity of suffering no matter what I do - so why
shouldn't I go around raping and thieving and murdering? Beyond mortal punishment by my peers, what supernatural compulsion is there to do good?
My afterlife is contingent on my beliefs, not my actions, so why should I temper the latter? Indeed, why should you?
When I consider how holy, just and sinless Jesus Christ is there is no way I would personally want to stand before Him on my own merits. It's not about me but about all that He has done.
But, what
has he done? He died on the cross, and... then what? What changed before and after the crucifixion? Why did he decide to adjudicate people's eternal afterlives based on their belief on that moment, rather than whatever good deeds they did in life? Why would he judge us by the standard of a
god and not the standards of the best humanity can be?
Don I apologize for being so lengthy and taking up so much of your time and again I am not trying to be argumentative or be a smartellic or anything of that sort. I have simply tried to reply with love and understanding.
I understand that, and I appreciate your civil response (you'd be surprised how many Christians are hostile at anyone who dares question their beliefs). Please know that I too am only asking questions out of honest curiosity.
