I've got lots of questions...
I started going to a non-denominational church earlier this year and just love it. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but only this year did I take the leap and start going to church. This church is a "born-again Christian" church. I've always been drawn to church.
I became a "born-again Christian" as I was sitting in my living room praying sometime in mid-October of this year. I knew I was making a greater commitment to God, and I feel that I am forever changed by making this commitment. I will never forget it. Although I don't remember the exact day like a lot of people do, I remember everything else about the experience and I will be forever grateful for it.
The one thing that "sticks in my craw" is the part of being a born-again Christian that says that unless someone specifically becomes a born-again Christian that they will go to hell. I'm not sure if this is just specific to certain churches or not.
My father recently died of stomach cancer. Through prayer and the Love and Grace of God, he was able to come to know, accept and love God. My dad died three minutes after midnight early on December 26th. He only let go of this life when he heard me tell him that Christmas was over and he didn't have to hold on anymore; that he could let go and be with God. I deeply believe that God was answering my prayers about my Dad's salvation, and that He was telling me, and the rest of my Dad's family that my dad was truly Born Again. It was the best Christmas gift I will ever receive.
But.... Is there a specific denomination which believes in the greater commitment of being a Born Again Christian (or some similar function), but also allows for a post-death period where a person has a chance to either accept Jesus or not? I feel that while my dad was in a coma during the last couple of days, a LOT of stuff was going on for him on a spiritual level, and that was when he accepted God. I know that wasn't post-death, but I know I've heard of a denomination where there is this allowance for another chance.
While my dad was sick, and as I was going through the uncertainty of whether he would accept God, I looked up the origins of the Born-Again movement of Christianity. It originated in the mid-1800's during the Welsh Revivals and became very popular in the United States during the early 1900's. So it's a pretty recent denomination. But even though it can be traced to the mid-1800's specifically, I'm sure its roots go back much further than that. I really believe in the concept, but my brakes screach at the thought that such a sweet and thoughtful man such as my dad, who never hurt a fly, would have gone to hell if it weren't for him specifically accepting God at the 11th hour. I just don't believe that that's true. Maybe it's my way of protecting myself. I'm not sure. But I believe that God wouldn't send good people to hell, even if they never came to accept Him before their death, as He would have wanted. I believe that after they die, and God is so very apparent and loving, not many people could, or would even want to, reject Him. I believe that that is what the whole "light at the end of the tunnel" experience that people report is. I believe that when people die, the tunnel thing happens, and they are shown the enormity and vastness of God's love for them. Any good and kind person would fall down in worship of God. It is only the people who have truly been evil in their lives that would turn away in shame and anger, and would be sent to their eternal hell.
It isn't that I want to disobey or doubt God. I just want to know more. I was just curious if there was a specific denomination out there that fits my own beliefs more closely. If there isn't, I will still continue to go to the church that I have been going to, but I would like to hear if there is something else out there.
Any thoughts? Debates? Talking points?
Thanks so much....
Nancy
I started going to a non-denominational church earlier this year and just love it. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but only this year did I take the leap and start going to church. This church is a "born-again Christian" church. I've always been drawn to church.
I became a "born-again Christian" as I was sitting in my living room praying sometime in mid-October of this year. I knew I was making a greater commitment to God, and I feel that I am forever changed by making this commitment. I will never forget it. Although I don't remember the exact day like a lot of people do, I remember everything else about the experience and I will be forever grateful for it.
The one thing that "sticks in my craw" is the part of being a born-again Christian that says that unless someone specifically becomes a born-again Christian that they will go to hell. I'm not sure if this is just specific to certain churches or not.
My father recently died of stomach cancer. Through prayer and the Love and Grace of God, he was able to come to know, accept and love God. My dad died three minutes after midnight early on December 26th. He only let go of this life when he heard me tell him that Christmas was over and he didn't have to hold on anymore; that he could let go and be with God. I deeply believe that God was answering my prayers about my Dad's salvation, and that He was telling me, and the rest of my Dad's family that my dad was truly Born Again. It was the best Christmas gift I will ever receive.
But.... Is there a specific denomination which believes in the greater commitment of being a Born Again Christian (or some similar function), but also allows for a post-death period where a person has a chance to either accept Jesus or not? I feel that while my dad was in a coma during the last couple of days, a LOT of stuff was going on for him on a spiritual level, and that was when he accepted God. I know that wasn't post-death, but I know I've heard of a denomination where there is this allowance for another chance.
While my dad was sick, and as I was going through the uncertainty of whether he would accept God, I looked up the origins of the Born-Again movement of Christianity. It originated in the mid-1800's during the Welsh Revivals and became very popular in the United States during the early 1900's. So it's a pretty recent denomination. But even though it can be traced to the mid-1800's specifically, I'm sure its roots go back much further than that. I really believe in the concept, but my brakes screach at the thought that such a sweet and thoughtful man such as my dad, who never hurt a fly, would have gone to hell if it weren't for him specifically accepting God at the 11th hour. I just don't believe that that's true. Maybe it's my way of protecting myself. I'm not sure. But I believe that God wouldn't send good people to hell, even if they never came to accept Him before their death, as He would have wanted. I believe that after they die, and God is so very apparent and loving, not many people could, or would even want to, reject Him. I believe that that is what the whole "light at the end of the tunnel" experience that people report is. I believe that when people die, the tunnel thing happens, and they are shown the enormity and vastness of God's love for them. Any good and kind person would fall down in worship of God. It is only the people who have truly been evil in their lives that would turn away in shame and anger, and would be sent to their eternal hell.
It isn't that I want to disobey or doubt God. I just want to know more. I was just curious if there was a specific denomination out there that fits my own beliefs more closely. If there isn't, I will still continue to go to the church that I have been going to, but I would like to hear if there is something else out there.
Any thoughts? Debates? Talking points?
Thanks so much....
Nancy
Where in the Bible did you find any of this? Especially the part about a chance to be saed after Jesus' 1000 year kingdom. Thanks!
