This is going to be a bit long, sorry. If you don't want the back story, skip to the bottom for the questions please.
Hi, I've been a lurker here for awhile. I had another account I posted on a little, but forgot the login, and wanted a new username anyway.
Anyways, I've had something disturbing me for about a week and a half, and I was curious to get some opinions.
My best friend is a Pentacostal, and I am a Methodist. He used to live near me and go to school with me, but since then he moved out a state. We still keep contact though, either on the phone or by playing video games together about once a week on Xbox Live. After our gaming session ended, we got to talking, about religion. This is somewhat off a sensitive topic between us, because before he accused me, and my denomination of being inferior to his, which he has since apologized for.
He asked about my opinion on speaking in tongues, divine healing, and laying of hands. I replied that while I haven't seen it happen personally, unless you count Youtube, I'm not going to try to limit God and say that it can't happen.
He then talked about his pastor, a woman, and how he believes that women should be allowed to be ministers, and it says so in the Bible. I agreed.
However, she said that if I went to his church, his Pastor would not allow me to serve, to teach Sunday School (as I do in my church), and worst of all, would tell me I am on my way to Hell if I die right now. (Which by extension I assume also means he thinks I am on my way to Hell, which is very hard to hear coming from someone who I've considered a best friend, and nearly a brother).
The reason? Porn addiction. Which we've both struggled with over the course of our friendship. He was into it, got out, relapsed, into it, relapsed, and as far as I know is out of it. I've been a bit more steady in it, but want out and have been watching less and less as time goes on. Which normally he is understanding about, and told me that it wouldn't lose the addiction overnight, it would be a slow process, but to celebrate the small victories ( such as twice a week instead of every day).
But now he was saying that because I haven't repented and turned away from my sin, I would go to hell if I die now. That doesn't encourage me at all, all this does is make me resent him, his pastor, and come to a low point in my faith. At the same time though, I'm glad that someone is concerned for my soul.
I argued that under that logic, wouldn't I still go to Hell if I stopped porn, if I didn't completely stop any and all sin (including ones I wouldn't think of as sin) before I die?
I have prayed on several occasions for God to take away not only my desires for obvious sins, but ones that I commit without thinking of them as sin as well. And to take out of my life anything that He feels doesn't belong.
I've been of the opinion that as long as someone doesn't try to use Christianity as an excuse to do whatever they want, without guilt, they are saved. That we are saved by grace, not by doing more good then bad, or constantly confessing sins that we may repeat whether we want to or not.
Anyway, finally the questions.
1. What is the Methodist opinion on laying of hands, divine healing, speaking in tongues etc. He's asked about it, but I honestly don't know the 'Official Methodist View' on it.
2. What verses in the Bible refer to women as pastors? I know both Pentecostal and Methodist churches allow women as pastors.
3. And most importantly. Do Christians who die still struggling with sin (whether aware of them or not), go to hell?
Again sorry, for the long post, and all comments are appreciated.
P.S. If I could be allowed into the Pornography forum that would be greatly appeciated.
Hi, I've been a lurker here for awhile. I had another account I posted on a little, but forgot the login, and wanted a new username anyway.
Anyways, I've had something disturbing me for about a week and a half, and I was curious to get some opinions.
My best friend is a Pentacostal, and I am a Methodist. He used to live near me and go to school with me, but since then he moved out a state. We still keep contact though, either on the phone or by playing video games together about once a week on Xbox Live. After our gaming session ended, we got to talking, about religion. This is somewhat off a sensitive topic between us, because before he accused me, and my denomination of being inferior to his, which he has since apologized for.
He asked about my opinion on speaking in tongues, divine healing, and laying of hands. I replied that while I haven't seen it happen personally, unless you count Youtube, I'm not going to try to limit God and say that it can't happen.
He then talked about his pastor, a woman, and how he believes that women should be allowed to be ministers, and it says so in the Bible. I agreed.
However, she said that if I went to his church, his Pastor would not allow me to serve, to teach Sunday School (as I do in my church), and worst of all, would tell me I am on my way to Hell if I die right now. (Which by extension I assume also means he thinks I am on my way to Hell, which is very hard to hear coming from someone who I've considered a best friend, and nearly a brother).
The reason? Porn addiction. Which we've both struggled with over the course of our friendship. He was into it, got out, relapsed, into it, relapsed, and as far as I know is out of it. I've been a bit more steady in it, but want out and have been watching less and less as time goes on. Which normally he is understanding about, and told me that it wouldn't lose the addiction overnight, it would be a slow process, but to celebrate the small victories ( such as twice a week instead of every day).
But now he was saying that because I haven't repented and turned away from my sin, I would go to hell if I die now. That doesn't encourage me at all, all this does is make me resent him, his pastor, and come to a low point in my faith. At the same time though, I'm glad that someone is concerned for my soul.
I argued that under that logic, wouldn't I still go to Hell if I stopped porn, if I didn't completely stop any and all sin (including ones I wouldn't think of as sin) before I die?
I have prayed on several occasions for God to take away not only my desires for obvious sins, but ones that I commit without thinking of them as sin as well. And to take out of my life anything that He feels doesn't belong.
I've been of the opinion that as long as someone doesn't try to use Christianity as an excuse to do whatever they want, without guilt, they are saved. That we are saved by grace, not by doing more good then bad, or constantly confessing sins that we may repeat whether we want to or not.
Anyway, finally the questions.
1. What is the Methodist opinion on laying of hands, divine healing, speaking in tongues etc. He's asked about it, but I honestly don't know the 'Official Methodist View' on it.
2. What verses in the Bible refer to women as pastors? I know both Pentecostal and Methodist churches allow women as pastors.
3. And most importantly. Do Christians who die still struggling with sin (whether aware of them or not), go to hell?
Again sorry, for the long post, and all comments are appreciated.
P.S. If I could be allowed into the Pornography forum that would be greatly appeciated.
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