How should I respond about a non-Christian person death ?

[QuestionQuest74]

If you know the person lived against God and a non-christian religious belief and someone asks you is this person going to heaven or hell how to respond ?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

If you know the person lived against God and a non-christian religious belief and someone asks you is this person going to heaven or hell how to respond ?

" I do not claim to know the hearts of individuals, only God knows. "
Blessings

 

[QuestionQuest74]

" I do not claim to know the hearts of individuals, only God knows. "
Blessings

But if we know there lifestyle are we being ashamed of the gospel not telling them the truth ?

 

[eleos1954]

If you know the person lived against God and a non-christian religious belief and someone asks you is this person going to heaven or hell how to respond ?

You answer truthfully .... none of us know who has, is or will be saved .... we aren't privy to that information ... it's totally up to Jesus because He is the only one that knows everything ... including the secret things. Judgement is entirely up to him and we are not privy to that information.

Also, hell is the grave ... not some burning place. All wait there in a dormant state until they are resurrected. Don't make God out to be a torturing monster of some kind because He isn't.

 

[Joseph G]

You answer truthfully .... none of us know who has, is or will be saved .... we aren't privy to that information ... it's totally up to Jesus because He is the only one that knows everything ... including the secret things. Judgement is entirely up to him and we are not privy to that information.

Also, hell is the grave ... not some burning place. All wait there in a dormant state until they are resurrected. Don't make God out to be a torturing monster of some kind because He isn't.

Luke 16:22-24 NIV

"“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’"

I do agree, though, that none of us can judge another's heart.

As for whether we should be ashamed if we missed the opportunity to share the Gospel with them? Scripture says that they are without excuse, so they are ultimately responsible for their own choice.

 

[Lukaris]

I believe St. Paul speaks of the situation of those who lack understanding of the gospel will be judged as to how they lived. This seems to be the case in Romans 2:6-16. It is definitely wrong to tell anyone without the gospel everything will be ok but there is hope in the Lord’s mercy as He wills it.

 

[BobRyan]

If you know the person lived against God and a non-christian religious belief and someone asks you is this person going to heaven or hell how to respond ?

I say that God is the one that decides such things. Heb 9 says it is appointed unto man once to die and then comes the judgment.
Then I add - whatever God decides I know it is not his will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, scripture records His joy in seeing people saved and His lament when people reject Him. Scripture says we only have this life to make our choices and I don't know the personal thoughts and condition of the last hours of the one who died..

 

[lismore]

If you know the person lived against God and a non-christian religious belief and someone asks you is this person going to heaven or hell how to respond ?

It's an interesting Q. The time after a death requires a lot of sensitivity. But there is also truth. Many people attend funerals and listen to the message, it's a good time to share the gospel. If the officiator stands up and says that the person was opposed to the gospel but went to heaven anyway, people will absorb this message too. God Bless You

 

[QuestionQuest74]

You answer truthfully .... none of us know who has, is or will be saved .... we aren't privy to that information ... it's totally up to Jesus because He is the only one that knows everything ... including the secret things. Judgement is entirely up to him and we are not privy to that information.

Also, hell is the grave ... not some burning place. All wait there in a dormant state until they are resurrected. Don't make God out to be a torturing monster of some kind because He isn't.

Hell is in the grave ?

 

[Carl Emerson]

You answer truthfully .... none of us know who has, is or will be saved .... we aren't privy to that information ... it's totally up to Jesus because He is the only one that knows everything ... including the secret things. Judgement is entirely up to him and we are not privy to that information.

Also, hell is the grave ... not some burning place. All wait there in a dormant state until they are resurrected. Don't make God out to be a torturing monster of some kind because He isn't.

Mark 9:43
And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Matthew 18:9
And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

But if we know there lifestyle are we being ashamed of the gospel not telling them the truth ?

I didn't say anything about spreading the Gospel, I am speaking about the temptation to judge the hearts of others.

 

[eleos1954]

Luke 16:22-24 NIV

"“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’"

I do agree, though, that none of us can judge another's heart.

As for whether we should be ashamed if we missed the opportunity to share the Gospel with them? Scripture says that they are without excuse, so they are ultimately responsible for their own choice.

Luke 16:22 is a parable.

 

[eleos1954]

Mark 9:43
And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Matthew 18:9
And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

Some verses about death being a sleep

1. Deuteronomy 31:16: “The Lord said to Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.”
2. II Samuel 7:12: “When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.""
3. I Kings 1:21: “When my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers.”
4. I Kings 2:10: “David slept with his fathers.”
5. I Kings 11:21: “David slept with his fathers.”
6. I Kings 11:43: “Solomon slept with his fathers.”
7. I Kings 14:20: “Jeroboam...slept with his fathers.”
8. I Kings 14:31: “Rehoboam slept with his fathers.”
9. I Kings 15:8: “Abijam slept with his fathers.”
10. I Kings 15:24: “Asa slept with his fathers.”
11. I Kings 16:6: “Baasha slept with his fathers.”
12. I Kings 16:28: “Omri slept with his fathers.”
13. I Kings 22:40: “Ahab slept with his fathers.”
14. I Kings 22:50: “Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers.”
15. II Kings 8:24: “Joram slept with his fathers”
16. II Kings 10:35: “Jehu slept with his fathers”
17. II Kings 13:9: “Jehoahaz slept with his fathers”
18. II Kings 13:13: “Joash slept with his fathers”
19. II Kings 14:16: “Jehoash slept with his fathers”
20. II Kings 14:22: “The king slept with his fathers”
21. II Kings 14:29: “Jeroboam slept with his fathers”
22. II Kings 15:7: “Azariah slept with his fathers”
23. II Kings 15:22: “Menahem slept with his fathers”
24. II Kings 15:38: “Jotham slept with his fathers”
25. II Kings 16:20: “Ahaz slept with his fathers”
26. II Kings 20:21: “Hezekiah slept with his fathers”
27. II Kings 21: 18: “Manasseh slept with his fathers”
28. II Kings 24:6: “Jehoiakim slept with his fathers”
29. II Chron. 9:31: “Solomon slept with his fathers”
30. II Chron. 12:16: “Rehoaboam slept with his fathers”
31. II Chron. 14:1: “Abijah slept with his fathers”
32. II Chron. 16:13: “Asa slept with his fathers”
33. II Chron. 21:1: “Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers”
34. II Chron. 26:2: “The king slept with his fathers”
35. II Chron. 26:23: “Uzziah slept with his fathers”
36. II Chron. 27:9: “Jotham slept with his fathers”
37. II Chron. 28:27: “Ahaz slept with his fathers”
38. II Chron. 32:33: “Hezekiah slept with his fathers”
39. II Chron. 33:20: “Manasseh slept with his fathers

More here (not all may not apply)

What Does the Bible Say About Fall Asleep In Death?

 

[com7fy8]

Each person is different. So, I would not give you a one-size-fits-all answer of what to say to people who ask this question.

I might ask, "What do you already believe and understand about this?"

And maybe I would ask, "What has helped you, about this?"

And see what the person already understands, so you have some idea of what can be helpful to him or her.

I know a specific individual who was nasty and negative and used people and could keep grudges against people . . . not a generously forgiving person. And we know what Jesus says about people who won't forgive.

Plus, God's word says,

"But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)

So, I certainly was not going to "preach that person into Heaven"!! And there is no word of her at the last moment leaving a note or saying something to indicate she had trusted in Jesus as she approached dying . . . by herself with no one with her. So, she did not obviously confess Jesus before people, before she died.

But could she have prayed and gotten with God before she died? I suppose she could have. I certainly should not be wishing for her to be in hell; but, also, do not be wishful about her going to Heaven, especially if she never clearly honored and trusted in Jesus, and if she did not ever show she was interested in loving any and all people the way Jesus expects us to be all-loving and generously forgiving in sharing with Him while we love one another as His family; she never showed this.

So, if someone asked me about her . . . I might answer according to my relationship with each person. I might ask if someone showed things that meant the person was getting ready for Heaven. But, more than this . . . how about us, ourselves? Are we preparing to spend eternity in Heaven? What do >we< need to be doing?

And then I might get into Galatians 6:7-8 > something to feed and to help the person asking me. I might say we need to be busy with what we ourselves need to be doing, and not mainly busy with trying to figure out what has happened to people who are already dead.

Galatians 6:7-8 says we will reap what we have sown. And ones will reap corruption, while others reap eternal life.

A little seed is what you sow, but then it grows into much more and what it becomes is very different than that little seed. Things you do and think can have a major later effect on your personality and your emotions, later on. Right now, you could already be getting the results of those little seed things you did and said, years ago. And you have committed yourself to seed ways and seed attitudes which now you are reaping, emotionally and in all else of your personality. So, I might talk about this, and about if our personalities are developing in preparation for Jesus or . . . not.

The Bible gives us various things for what to sow so we are becoming like Jesus so we are prepared to spend eternity with Him. By the way . . . notice how I say we need to get ready to be with Jesus . . . not only "go to Heaven". So many talk about going to Heaven, but they say not a word about being ready for Jesus. But God's word gives plenty about how to be ready for Jesus. For example >

"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," (in Philippians 2:13-16)

Arguing and complaining are bad seeds, then . . . anti-Christ . . . anti-love. We need to develop in our character so we do not give in to anything which would get us to complain or argue, and instead grow in Jesus and His love with His creativity for how to love any person, and how to work things out creatively with ones who are close to us. This is basic of how things work with God in His love >

"with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love," (Ephesians 4:2)

So, we need to spend time with each other, so we can learn and grow and mature in our Father's family way of loving and sharing and caring >

"submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21)

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

And have hope for evil people > love "hopes all things," we have in 1 Corinthians 13:7.

Invest in this, with our Christian brothers and sisters, so we mature in how Jesus is and loves; and invest hope of prayer and good example with evil people . . . before they die. What you sow, God can use.

And so, possibly, you might ask the person "What did the person do to help you find out how to love, and to prepare for Jesus?" And "What did you do to help that person, if anything?" And then give attention to this, instead of talking about people after they are gone.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Some verses about death being a sleep

1. Deuteronomy 31:16: “The Lord said to Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.”
2. II Samuel 7:12: “When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.""
3. I Kings 1:21: “When my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers.”
4. I Kings 2:10: “David slept with his fathers.”
5. I Kings 11:21: “David slept with his fathers.”
6. I Kings 11:43: “Solomon slept with his fathers.”
7. I Kings 14:20: “Jeroboam...slept with his fathers.”
8. I Kings 14:31: “Rehoboam slept with his fathers.”
9. I Kings 15:8: “Abijam slept with his fathers.”
10. I Kings 15:24: “Asa slept with his fathers.”
11. I Kings 16:6: “Baasha slept with his fathers.”
12. I Kings 16:28: “Omri slept with his fathers.”
13. I Kings 22:40: “Ahab slept with his fathers.”
14. I Kings 22:50: “Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers.”
15. II Kings 8:24: “Joram slept with his fathers”
16. II Kings 10:35: “Jehu slept with his fathers”
17. II Kings 13:9: “Jehoahaz slept with his fathers”
18. II Kings 13:13: “Joash slept with his fathers”
19. II Kings 14:16: “Jehoash slept with his fathers”
20. II Kings 14:22: “The king slept with his fathers”
21. II Kings 14:29: “Jeroboam slept with his fathers”
22. II Kings 15:7: “Azariah slept with his fathers”
23. II Kings 15:22: “Menahem slept with his fathers”
24. II Kings 15:38: “Jotham slept with his fathers”
25. II Kings 16:20: “Ahaz slept with his fathers”
26. II Kings 20:21: “Hezekiah slept with his fathers”
27. II Kings 21: 18: “Manasseh slept with his fathers”
28. II Kings 24:6: “Jehoiakim slept with his fathers”
29. II Chron. 9:31: “Solomon slept with his fathers”
30. II Chron. 12:16: “Rehoaboam slept with his fathers”
31. II Chron. 14:1: “Abijah slept with his fathers”
32. II Chron. 16:13: “Asa slept with his fathers”
33. II Chron. 21:1: “Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers”
34. II Chron. 26:2: “The king slept with his fathers”
35. II Chron. 26:23: “Uzziah slept with his fathers”
36. II Chron. 27:9: “Jotham slept with his fathers”
37. II Chron. 28:27: “Ahaz slept with his fathers”
38. II Chron. 32:33: “Hezekiah slept with his fathers”
39. II Chron. 33:20: “Manasseh slept with his fathers

More here (not all may not apply)

What Does the Bible Say About Fall Asleep In Death?

....Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

Jesus confirms that the term sleep refers to death not the destination or experience after.

I posted my verses to show that scripture clearly associates Hell with fire.

 

[eleos1954]

....Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

Jesus confirms that the term sleep refers to death not the destination or experience after.

I posted my verses to show that scripture clearly associates Hell with fire.

Yes it does in some passages and some interpret them to mean a eternal burning place (not so) .... death (2nd death) will be destroyed by eternal fire (fire that comes from God Himself from His eternal abode) ... that happens when God destroys everything Himself .... at the final judgement. He then makes everything new.

Jesus refers to death as a sleep ... because He has the power of resurrection ... all will be judged and resurrected one day.

The final enemy to be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:26
​

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

If there were to be an eternal burning place (and there is not) then death is not destroyed ... people are living a tortuous life ... not death.

Its about life or death (eternal life or death) .... we need not and should not be confused about it.

 

[Joseph G]

Revelation 14:9-12 NIV

"A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus."

Hey, I know it's difficult to contemplate such a horrible fate for some, especially to those of us who have come to know intimately God's goodness and love. But Scripture is pretty clear that torment for the unbeliever is real and eternal, no matter how we want to reason it away. I wish annihalism were true, but then I ain't God. And my judgement is certainly not more righteous than God's.

It is enough for me that God says that He desires none should perish, and that He made it possible through Jesus. I dare not question His goodness considering such a demonstration of love.

Thankfully He has given the believer the solution through His Son. And a commission. Rather than just wringing our hands over the lost - go out and pray and witness to those that God in His mercy is calling to eternal life.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes it does in some passages and some interpret them to mean a eternal burning place (not so) .... death (2nd death) will be destroyed by eternal fire (fire that comes from God Himself from His eternal abode) ... that happens when God destroys everything Himself .... at the final judgement. He then makes everything new.

Jesus refers to death as a sleep ... because He has the power of resurrection ... all will be judged and resurrected one day.

The final enemy to be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:26​

​

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

If there were to be an eternal burning place (and there is not) then death is not destroyed ... people are living a tortuous life ... not death.

Its about life or death (eternal life or death) .... we need not and should not be confused about it.

How then do you account for the three verses that do not equate Hell with the grave but rather a place of burning ?

Mark 9:43
And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Matthew 18:9
And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

 

[eleos1954]

Hell is in the grave ?

Hell is described as being in the grave ... yes .... when one dies ... the bible describes death as a dormant sleep (even Jesus), this is because one day all will be resurrected. There are 2 deaths .... earthly death (temporal until resurrection) ... second death (for all the unsaved) is for eternity.

There is no other "holding place" ... there is no burning place.

Death is non existence ... we are not immortal in anyway ... we will receive immortality when Jesus returns.

Here are a few verses about it .... there are many many more


John 5:28-29 ESV

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.


Daniel 12:2 ESV / 108 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.


1 Thessalonians 4

The Coming of the Lord

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

But if we know there lifestyle are we being ashamed of the gospel not telling them the truth ?

"It is not for me to say."