Do you need to be a Christian to go to Heaven?

[tulc]

The Scriptures declare that the just shall live by faith from first to last, not by faultless theology (Eph.2:8-10).

Being sincere in our faith is no protection from the possibility of being sincerely wrong (with the ensuing dire consequences).

Man, I guess I asked the wrong question.
tulc(listening to "Homicide: Life on the Street")

 

[charis theou]

Will all people who claim the title of Christian truly go to heaven? Of course not. We must understand the idea behind salvation and the idea behind the afterlife in order to fully understand who will go to heaven.
Salvation brings forth the idea that we must be saved from something, that we must be redeemed. Redeemed brings about the idea of falling from a lofty position and then being restored back to that position. The Bible teaches that man was created perfect (good) in a state of Shalom (peace, perfection). Man, upon eating the forbidden fruit, fell from this Shalom as sin and death entered the world. This caused seperation from God.
The person of Christ came into the world to restore this Shalom. In other words, Christ died in order to bring about a way for fallen creation to reach God. However, instead of being arbitrary and forcing all to return to this Shalom He instead made it a choice. By choosing to live for Christ, who is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6) we thus make the choice to return to Shalom in the afterlife (and once again when God establishes His phyiscal kingdom upon this earth). By rejecting Christ, even though we might be "good", we have rejected the way to Shalom.

That is a very brief arguement for Christ being the only way. I am positive though that much debate will evolve from it.

 

[tulc]

[pong] Welcome to CF charis theou! [/pong]

tulc(hope you are blessed and have fun here!)

 

[Cassiopeia]

Will all people who claim the title of Christian truly go to heaven? Of course not. We must understand the idea behind salvation and the idea behind the afterlife in order to fully understand who will go to heaven.
Salvation brings forth the idea that we must be saved from something, that we must be redeemed. Redeemed brings about the idea of falling from a lofty position and then being restored back to that position. The Bible teaches that man was created perfect (good) in a state of Shalom (peace, perfection). Man, upon eating the forbidden fruit, fell from this Shalom as sin and death entered the world. This caused seperation from God.
The person of Christ came into the world to restore this Shalom. In other words, Christ died in order to bring about a way for fallen creation to reach God. However, instead of being arbitrary and forcing all to return to this Shalom He instead made it a choice. By choosing to live for Christ, who is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6) we thus make the choice to return to Shalom in the afterlife (and once again when God establishes His phyiscal kingdom upon this earth). By rejecting Christ, even though we might be "good", we have rejected the way to Shalom.

That is a very brief arguement for Christ being the only way. I am positive though that much debate will evolve from it.

I don't think any of us are in a position to judge who will or will not make it into heaven nor who is truely christian or not. To do so would be going against Christ's teaching that we are NOT to judge one another. I think if we concentrate on living a good life and following our beliefs the rest will fall into place.

 

[apenman]

I don't think any of us are in a position to judge who will or will not make it into heaven nor who is truely christian or not. To do so would be going against Christ's teaching that we are NOT to judge one another. I think if we concentrate on living a good life and following our beliefs the rest will fall into place.

 

[MickyK]

Hey Missionette.......
What do you mean you "shouldn't know the things you know at your age"? Does that mean people think you shouldn't have the knowledge of the Bible you have? Cuz if that's what you mean... those people are stupid! well please reply!

 

[MickyK]

btw.... my name is micaela!

 

[jgarden]

Do you need to be a Christian to go to Heaven?
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life."

You can become a Christian if you say the prayer above to God, but want happens if you are Jewish or Islamic and believe in God but don't believe Jesus was the Son of God and died for your sins?

What happens if you are a Mormon and believe some theology which isn't from the Bible? What happens if you have never heard the Bible or only heard a polytheistic religion and never the Christian or monotheistic message?

Tell me your thoughts.

If someone is giving out "rain cheques," or has found a backdoor into Heaven,
we'd all like to know!

 

[Cassiopeia]

If someone is giving out "rain cheques," or has found a backdoor into Heaven,
we'd all like to know!

Rain cheque? Did someone say Rain Cheques? I'll take one please or at least the secret hiding place of that backdoor

 

[TinFoilUnderpants]

Hmmm, I'm intreigued about this beilieving in Jesus/salvation idea. What if two people lived indentical lives, both did he same things, both did the same mistakes, but aswell both tried to live in a 'moral' way and along this way did a lot of good. Now one person lived this way because they belived in Jesus and his dad god, and one did it because they believed there needed to be some goodness in the world so the human race didn't implode and trusted in themselves to do this. Who would go to heavn? Both? What about if the Christian type one did all this not because they believed in Jesus but because they feared hell? How would that alter things?

 

[Cassiopeia]

Hmmm, I'm intreigued about this beilieving in Jesus/salvation idea. What if two people lived indentical lives, both did he same things, both did the same mistakes, but aswell both tried to live in a 'moral' way and along this way did a lot of good. Now one person lived this way because they belived in Jesus and his dad god, and one did it because they believed there needed to be some goodness in the world so the human race didn't implode and trusted in themselves to do this. Who would go to heavn? Both? What about if the Christian type one did all this not because they believed in Jesus but because they feared hell? How would that alter things?

Good question. Anyone have an answer ?

 

[apenman]

Hmmm, I'm intreigued about this beilieving in Jesus/salvation idea. What if two people lived indentical lives, both did he same things, both did the same mistakes, but aswell both tried to live in a 'moral' way and along this way did a lot of good. Now one person lived this way because they belived in Jesus and his dad god, and one did it because they believed there needed to be some goodness in the world so the human race didn't implode and trusted in themselves to do this. Who would go to heavn? Both? What about if the Christian type one did all this not because they believed in Jesus but because they feared hell? How would that alter things?

If they both fulfill the law of Christ, then they both go to heaven.

 

[Cassiopeia]

If they both fulfill the law of Christ, then they both go to heaven.

But apenman, I have heard so many Christians on this forum say you MUST say those words, I accept Christ as my saviour and that he died for my sins or you aren't a true christian. What do you think about that? Do you think that they have to do that and be baptised?

 

[apenman]

But apenman, I have heard so many Christians on this forum say you MUST say those words, I accept Christ as my saviour and that he died for my sins or you aren't a true christian. What do you think about that? Do you think that they have to do that and be baptised?

Neither is mentioned in the sheep and the goats, which is the judgement of Christ, under the law of Christ.

 

[Waiting for the Verdict]

I dont think the bible teaches that you automaticly goes to heaven when you die, just beacause you have said the above prayer. Does the bible even teach that theres is a prayer that can saves us? No, i think it clearly say that everyone that repents and belives will be saved. It also is clear that the only way to the father is trough jesus.

In my opinion, that means that a person who do not repent and belive in Gods sacrifice for our sins, will not go to heaven. Not even if he or she calls himself a christian! But what is the semantic meaning of beleif. Is it beleif in Christ as a historical figure, or as a state of being, or beleif in the spirit of his message. Jesus never specifically defined what he meant by beleif. If a Buddhist beleives in the spirit of Christ's teachings, but not the historical figure of Christ, who knows whether he would be "saved" or not?

But, there is this new version of universalism that raises today, (some call it "wider mercy" or "the gospel of inclusion"), that claim that God will ultimatly save everyone (or at least alle who seeks God despite they never belived in jesus). I don't think that is in line with the bible. Actually there are about twenty verses in the Bible that support universalist intepretations, or so I've read. Also, if you take everything in the Bible literally, there are a whole lot of other things you may have to junk...like a beleif in absolute goodness.

Mormons or JW or whatever christian sect, will not go to heaven, simply because they belive in justification trough their own works, rather than "grace trough faith only". That means that they still belive in their own power to be saved. (Some JW's may react to this, but i have first hand information from my own experiences with this). SOme other sects, that actually do belive in salvation trough faith only, will still not be saved, because they also teach and belive sone form of antinomianism. THat means that they don't preach repentance for their sins, wich is fundamental for a biblical faith. (i'm talking about sects like children of God/The Family etc.)

See above quotes.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Neither is mentioned in the sheep and the goats, which is the judgement of Christ, under the law of Christ.

Um huh ? sorry I am just a bit foggy today. What do you mean ?

 

[Blackmarch]

Do you need to be a Christian to go to Heaven?
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life."

You can become a Christian if you say the prayer above to God, but want happens if you are Jewish or Islamic and believe in God but don't believe Jesus was the Son of God and died for your sins?

What happens if you are a Mormon and believe some theology which isn't from the Bible? What happens if you have never heard the Bible or only heard a polytheistic religion and never the Christian or monotheistic message?

Tell me your thoughts.

By the time a person gets there, they will be believing Christ.

 

[apenman]

Um huh ? sorry I am just a bit foggy today. What do you mean ?

I mean that here is the judgment of Christ, which is the judgment of the entire world, and neither believing in the name of Christ or water baptism is even mentioned:

Matthew 25:31-46

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44 "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45 "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (NIV)

 

[Blackmarch]

If they both fulfill the law of Christ, then they both go to heaven.

Many would say the one that did not know Christ would still go to hell.

Others would say he would go to Purgatory and be prayed out by the saints.

Some would say that their existence ended at death, and that the one who followed christ wasted a lot of his life.

others would say they both Got to heaven.

A few would say that the one who did not know Christ would go to a place of waiting and there be taught the gospel and then have the chance to accept it.

 

[Cassiopeia]

Many would say the one that did not know Christ would still go to hell.

Others would say he would go to Purgatory and be prayed out by the saints.

Some would say that their existence ended at death, and that the one who followed christ wasted a lot of his life.

others would say they both Got to heaven.

A few would say that the one who did not know Christ would go to a place of waiting and there be taught the gospel and then have the chance to accept it.

And one would say those answers or possibilities are too finite and there might just be another answer. That PERHAPS those who follow what they know to the best of their ability and are true to their religion will find a place in heaven next to Jesus and all the rest.