Thirdly, could anyone help ease my understanding of this: what happens to people that has never heard of God, and they die? What happens to their soul?
Consider the Cross of Christ: before His death the sins of men such as Abraham, David, and even John the Baptist...had not yet been paid. Complete forgiveness of sin could not come until Christ offered up that sacrifice in Himself.
So were the Old Testament Saints saved?
In one sense, yes. Because they had faith in God that He was the Savior. They did not have the understanding we are afforded according the revelation given us in the New Testament, but they had faith, and were "saved in advance." On credit, so to speak.
Now, consider the unborn children that are slaughtered on a daily basis: they have never heard of God, have never come to an understanding that they are sinners in need of a Savior...what about them? It is my belief that just as the Old Testament Saints were not condemned to the judgment through faith, even so with those that have not direct revelation of sin and it's consequences, God makes provision for such.
This does not mean babies go to Heaven because they are "innocent," as they, just as we, are separated from God due to sin. It is therefore, as is the case with all of us, that it is God's mercy which grants forgiveness, making one suitable to come into His presence. It is His grace which ends that separation, not because of works we have done, but because Christ made atonement for sin.
Same thing with those after the Cross who did not hear the Gospel. I believe that they are dealt with even as the Gentiles that knew not God, save for that knowledge which every man is born with.
Consider:
Romans 1
King James Version (KJV)
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
All men are born with an innate knowledge of God. It is necessary for man to suppress this knowledge which leads to, as we see here, man creating a god in his own image...one that suits him.
Paul goes on to say:
Romans 2
King James Version (KJV)
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
Even Gentiles during the Age of Law couuld exercise faith in God. The knowledge of God is within every man from birth, and though they did not have the revelation which the Jews possessed, they knew enough to live in a manner which expressed this knowledge, rather than denied it, as we see in the lives of atheists.
Cornelius is a good example of this (Acts 10).
This, however, is not an excuse in this Age for man to disregard the Gospel. God commands that men everywhere repent and to place thier faith in Jesus Christ, which is the only means of forgiveness available. If one has heard the Gospel and has rejected it, there is no other sacrifice which will bring forgiveness.
No amount of being "good" will bring forgiveness. There are only two types of people in this world, the saved and the lost. Those that have life, and those that are still dead in trespasses and sins. Life is given in the New Birth. If one is not born again, he has no life, and remains separated from God.
Finally, it is my express belief that because God is not willing that any man should perish, He provides for all men and women the opportunity for salvation, and this through conviction of the Holy Spirit concerning sin (that we are sinners in need of a Savior); righteousness (that He alone is righteous); judgment (that we will be judged one day). THese are the very things that lead to repentance, my friend. And I am quite sure, if you are sincere in your post, that you are now under conviction. Whether it is for the purpose of being saved, or because you are saved and the Lord seeks to purify you, only you can follow up and make that determination. Only God can read your heart...we are left to read your posts only.
Fourth, I'm not sure I understand the Christian lifestyle. It seems to me that being a Christian means not really having a life other than church, school/work, and being home.
The Christian life is more than just Church attendance. You use the name Jarhead, so maybe this will help to illustrate: is a marine halfway through boot camp...a marine? No. Let's say that marine gets through and is called into war, is he then a marine? Probably. But what if that person throws a grenade into his fellow soldier's tent because he disagrees with the reason they are at war, and has decided he sides with the other side?
He shows he is not a marine.
Similarly, one can go to church, read the bible, even teach, but does that make them a Christian? Maybe. Perseverence is one of the best evidences of salvation. It is not...church, school/work, being home, any more than you are American because you are in America. Or not an American because you are in a foreign country.
If you are worried that being a Christian 24/7 sounds boring, have hope, my friend: the benefits of salvation place our thoughts in perspective and once you begin to truly enjoy the peace of God, the wonder and joy of having the God of this universe teaching you...you won't go back to those things that at one time you took pleasure in.
Seriously.
Is it a sin for me and some friends to go to a rated R movie? Is it a sin for me and the guys to just hang and chill out? Can I continue my lifestyle and still be a Christian?
Well, I hate to say it, Jarhead, but the message you are sending to your friends is this: "It;'s okay you are separated from God and facing a Christless eternity, it just doesn't matter that much to me."
Not that the movies are so bad, they need to know you are human, but consider:
Romans 1:32
King James Version (KJV)
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
It is okay to keep communications and relationships open, but it is up to you to learn not to endorse ungodly, worldly activity. It is necessary to avoid a "holier than thou" attitude, but, as I said, as you begin to understand the depths of your own sin through study and the guidance of God, you will develop both a compassion and a desire to be a godly influence in the lives of your friends.
But first it is needful to set your sights on understanding God better, and in this way, you will understand yourself better.
Fifth, one of my hobbies are video games. As you probably know, a lot of today's video games (espeically the one's I enjoy) involve gruesome violence and bad language. Would it be a sin for me to continue playing these video games after getting saved?
I love video games. But I gave them up. At this point it far more enjoyable to be in the word than to shoot guys that look like Saddam Hussein, lol. First Person Shooter was my favorite type. Every once in a while I will play. But, you will find, if you are diligent to seek after God, that these things become...kid stuff.
Just as in the case of fornication, music, and movies, see if you can in some way begin to separate yourself from these activities, and pursue your desire to understand God better.
The forums are a great place to do that. Just be careful.
I'm just looking for answers. I love God and believe in Him very much, and I would like to further my understanding of the Christian faith.
There is but one reliable source for knowledge of God, and that is the Bible. Prove your own self...and study. Get involved in the discussion about the word of God. Our appetites spiritually are similar to that of our physical appetites: eat a little, and it will cause you to get hungrier; starve yourself, and eventually you will lose the desire to eat.
The new believer, and even those not so new to salvation but new to the love of the word, start off slow. How fast you progress is up to you. It is like weight training, you will build up according to what
you put into it.
The Lord does not just give instaneous knowledge, but expects and commands us to study and meditate on His word, to not just taste, but to digest that which He has given us for the express purpose that we might know Him better.
If you're wondering why I'm asking this on a forum site, it's just because I feel more comfortable talking on here about this than I do to fellow church members.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Completely understandable. And it is a great place to grow in the Lord, really. You will find fellowship and resources to better understand yourself (that you might better understand how sin affects the believer) and your friends (that you might know better how to approach them and interact with them).
I would encourage you to begin taking some of the time you might invest in video games and use it for study. Bible study is probably the best way to advance in understanding. Many make the mistake of limiting their study to that which they learn at Church, and for this reason, do not progress very far in understanding. But once you begin, the Lord will take hold of you and give you a hunger to learn more. He will guide your efforts if you let Him, and though it may take some time, you will see your desire for the things that concern you now...begin to fade. They will be replaced with a desire to know the Lord better, and to better be in His will. And in this way, you will become a suitable minister of the Gospel to your friends.
God bless.
