"Hell isn't so bad" doctrine...

[Rolf Ernst]

Had a conversation with an acquaintance not too long ago about who goes to heaven. Her rationale for believing she would go to heaven is a pretty common one;
1. I believe in God
2. I'm a good person

My response - maybe not tactful, but still
'Satan knows God exists and has, in fact, seen Him. He was an angel! Do you think he'll be in heaven?'

I haven't done a concordance search - but my pastor recently made the comment that there are many more Scriptural references to hell than to heaven. I'm guessing that's for a reason.

Those who think they are "a good person" need to realize that Christ is God's standard for righteousness, and unless they measure up to Him, they will not be found acceptable. The Bible clearly teaches that there is a way by which
sinners can be robed in the righteousness of Christ. If they think they don't need Him and His righteousness, they should ask themselves, "since God is freely granting repentance, and righteousness to all His people, what will become ofthose who are without His righteousness?"

 

[edie19]

The issue is with the second sentence from your acquaintance. "I'm a good person" What defines a good person? Or, even so, for the first response, who is God? Clearly, anybody can believe in a higher power (buddhists, hindus, etc) though they don't know who the real true God is, who sent His son to die for our sins, and rose again so that we may have life! There is only one God. And proof of this, i go to scripture. 1 Tim 2:5-6

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

(not actually for all men, when you look at context, but that's another discussion, it actually means men "all over".)

And, being a "good" person never got anybody into heaven. But it is by faith that we get into heaven, Hebrews 11:7

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Now, I know that you yourself aren't the one who is saying these replies, since you originally asked the questions, and she replied. I'm just suggesting a better response, ya know, then the satan one, becuase, well... satan wasn't good I don't think that response was relevant to your acquaintance's response.

Randy

I obviously left out a lot of the conversation in my relating it here. As it was I was somewhat restrained by the fact that I was in the workplace and religious discussion is restrained, I could get in serious trouble if I went much farther - if someone construed my comments as proselytizing. I admit it was a "flip" response but used it to point out that believing God exists isn't sufficient. This person knows of my faith, of my deeply held beliefs and knows that when she has specific questions, I am more than happy to answer them in another setting.

 

[Augustine_Was_Calvinist]

One question for the universal atonement folk.

Was Yom Kippur a universal atonement?

 

[Augustine_Was_Calvinist]

Another question for the universal atonement folk.

On the Day of Atonement(Yom Kippur), did the high priests offer the sacrifice of atonement for the whole of peoples on earth, or for Israel only?

Hint, it's in the OT.

 

[reformedfan]

That's a trick question. Sports presuppose a concept of "winning" and "losing" is unfair and causes competition, which is unhealthy and probably leads to violence. Instead, let's play a game where everybody wins! I like to call it "Bible Tennis". We toss prooftexts back and forth with the limited atonement crowd, and then decide that theology is useless because nobody can really know if any of this is true or not (and besides, who really wants to study this stuff?). What is truth? Here, have a Krispy Kreme.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Paleoconservatarian again.