Needing to understand.

[Golden_Cross]

I'm sure that eveyone knows that scriptures about the future are very very had to understand. Revelation and the rapture.

I don't have many questions because I've been studying and asking God to reveal his plan and answer my questions.

I just have one.... one thing I need to understand. My pastor has been preaching about this subject and he says that we (christians) are going to be punished for how we live our lives.... my question is this... Isn't that the reason that Jesus came, to save us from punishment? He says that we won't get punished like the unsaved but still have consiquences.

I know by reading scripture that we will be ACCOUNTABLE for how we live.... but pastor says that we will be terrified and that the day of the lord will not be happy/ I'm thinking he's wrong but then again I am just a 21 year old college student. I don't want to question him because God put him in that position but I just can't imagian that the day of the lord for the christians would be as bad as he says... I would think that it would be the unsaved that would be the ones terrified....

If anyone has anything to help me make this clear, feel free to express yourself. I want to know because it bothers me.... why would christians be punished if our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus? Why would he have to die if it was in the end for no reason? I don't see that as making sence.. Jesus told us that ALL our sins are washed away even future ones.. its crazy..... THank you and GOd bless.

 

[tansy]

Well, I'm not totally sure....but my understanding is, not so much that we'll be punished, but that we'll be rewarded according to our our deeds or how we've lived our lives...so maybe we get lesser or greater rewards, depending.
Can't remember the Scrip. refs at the moment, but somewhere it does refer to this kind of thing...maybe in Rev?

 

[JHM]

My take is your pastor is basically right. To qualify for redemtion through Christ we must take the hard and narrow path, not the easy and wide one. Question : How hard is it to self proclaim oneself as "Being Saved" ?

Now I am going to tell you a true story that happened out in British Columbia here in Canada about 10 or 12 years ago. A woman was out horseback riding with her two young children. They were riding through a woods, when from out of the blue a mountain lion sprang out of hiding, knocking the woman’s little boy off of his horse intending to make a meal of him. That WOMAN jumped off her horse, ran to where her little boy was lying on the ground, then STOOD THERE AND FOUGHT THAT MOUNTAIN LION BAREHANDED. She was killed; but she saved her little boy’s life.

Now I ask you is she in heaven now ? I have asked this question at religious forums before. Some say yes. Others say it depends upon whether she had accepted Christ.

I know nothing of her religious beliefs; but it is my opinion that YES she is either in heaven, or due to go there when these things get sorted out. WHY ? Because in that one MAGNIFICENT ACT OF LOVE AND CHARITY she atoned for any sins she may have committed lifelong; and CHRIST being KIND, MERCIFUL and JUST would welcome her with open arms.

Further in my opinion those who think otherwise, are simply Christian PHARISEES, concerned with technicalities, who can’t see the forest for the trees.

See Matthew 7 : 15 - 27 (Revised Standard Version)
Matthew 7 : 15 - 27 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. "Not every one who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

Which is the wide and easy path ? Claiming to have accepted Christ thereby being "Saved" ? Or Fighting a Mountain Lion Barehanded ? Which is the Hard and Narrow Path ?

How often have you read in the news about someone being killed in a robbery or some other thing wherein the person killed was said to be a VERY GOOD person? I think GOD is collecting his own from out of the rest which are to be destroyed.

I have faced that kind of test and failed it; so I cannot claim to be "Saved". All I can do is hope that the opportunity presents itself again; and in the interim do my best to live a decent life, and warn others of the nature of the destruction to come; hopefully saving some lives that way.

 

[ebia]

I'm sure that eveyone knows that scriptures about the future are very very had to understand. Revelation and the rapture.

I don't have many questions because I've been studying and asking God to reveal his plan and answer my questions.

I just have one.... one thing I need to understand. My pastor has been preaching about this subject and he says that we (christians) are going to be punished for how we live our lives.... my question is this... Isn't that the reason that Jesus came, to save us from punishment? He says that we won't get punished like the unsaved but still have consiquences.

I know by reading scripture that we will be ACCOUNTABLE for how we live.... but pastor says that we will be terrified and that the day of the lord will not be happy/ I'm thinking he's wrong but then again I am just a 21 year old college student. I don't want to question him because God put him in that position but I just can't imagian that the day of the lord for the christians would be as bad as he says... I would think that it would be the unsaved that would be the ones terrified....

If anyone has anything to help me make this clear, feel free to express yourself. I want to know because it bothers me.... why would christians be punished if our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus? Why would he have to die if it was in the end for no reason? I don't see that as making sence.. Jesus told us that ALL our sins are washed away even future ones.. its crazy..... THank you and GOd bless.

Faith is the badge that somehow, on the day of the Lord, the judgement will somehow be "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

 

[JHM]

Re warning others of the nature of the coming destruction, I have posted my findings Here : http://www.christiandoctrinediscussion.com/blogs/jhm/ Unfortunately it is a very long read, because It covers a lot of ground; but I think it is worth the trouble to go through all of it before passing judgement on it. It fits remarkably well with both scripture and current day realities. It also includes the "Nicolaitanes Code" which I discovered while researching the word "Nicolaitan" because I was curious as to whose deeds GOD hated.

 

[arkana]

I agree with JHM, in some terms.
God can be perceived by humans in two forms,
practical and spiritual. We can define God as
being good, love, and such. That without him
there is no good because he is "the good"

Many christians believe that you will only go to heaven
if you act out on the spiritual good of God (which in turn
becomes practical because if you seek God -the spirtual-
and you love him with all your heart, you will
eventually be like him and act out on love to others
and yourself -the practical, the doing of good-)

This woman from what we know commited a
practical "good". and if God is "the good" then
she must have done something godly, there
fore she is saved?

God is a good judge, maybe yes she was saved.
maybe she wasn't because she cheated people
out of their pay at work causing them to lose homes.
I don't think its in our place to say yes or no.
I would simply focus on God.
Love him and don't act out of fear.

it is better that a child come to his father out of love
and is naturally protected,
than a child to seek his fathers company only in the time of despair.


p.s. be careful with the book or Revelations.
Simply follow what Jesus has taught us,
going back to the basics, the heart God.

 

[familyhonors]

I am not sure what your beliefs are but I can at least offer my view point on the subject. You can take it for what it is worth. So here is where I stand on the topic.

When Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden they were subject to sin. In other words they became what we know as the "natural man." Meaning they, like us, were human and would not be perfect. They would make mistakes. God knew this, that is why he provided a Savior to atone for our sins. Christ suffered for our sins so that we would have the ability to repent of our sins. And therefore have the ability to become clean and some day perfect. Through the repentance process we become clean of that sin as if it never happened. That is the power of the atonement.

So back to your main point. I believe that we will be held accountable for our actions. And yes our unrepented sins. If we don't repent of our sins we will have to face the consequences as if the atonement never happened. If however, we take advantage of the atonement our sins can be completely forgiven. Just look at the examples in the New Testament where Christ forgave a number of people of their sins. Those sins were forgiven and became in the eyes of the Lord as if they had never happened. I believe that the second coming of Christ will truly be a great and dreadful day. It will be great for those who are ready, and those who have lived a righteous (not perfect but are on the right track) life. For those who haven't it will be dreadful. They will be greatly ashamed of their actions and will have to fully bare the consequences of those actions. This is just my personal opinion but it will most likely be a dreadful day for the righteous too. Just in the fact that it will be very difficult and sad to see those who did not live a righteous life have to face the consequences of their choices. But remember it is not God that made them choose to sin. He gave them the freedom to choose. But he also gave them the means by which to repent.

When it comes to thinking about what that great and dreadful day will be like I think it is important to keep a couple of things in mind. The first is what do you believe the nature of God is? I believe that he has perfect and unconditional love for each of us. That is why he sent Christ to make it possible for us to repent of our sins. I don't believe he is going to take great satisfaction or joy in seeing any of his children suffer the consequences of their actions. What parent does? If he did, why would he have provided a Savior. The other question is what is the purpose of this life? I believe it is a test. We are free to choose right or wrong. What a wonderful gift! Since our God knew that we would not always make perfect choices he gave us a Savior to atone for our sins. He wants to see us return to live with him again!

I hope this helped! Best Wishes!

 

[dcyates]

I'm sure that eveyone knows that scriptures about the future are very very had to understand. Revelation and the rapture.

I don't have many questions because I've been studying and asking God to reveal his plan and answer my questions.

I just have one.... one thing I need to understand. My pastor has been preaching about this subject and he says that we (christians) are going to be punished for how we live our lives.... my question is this... Isn't that the reason that Jesus came, to save us from punishment? He says that we won't get punished like the unsaved but still have consiquences.

I know by reading scripture that we will be ACCOUNTABLE for how we live.... but pastor says that we will be terrified and that the day of the lord will not be happy/ I'm thinking he's wrong but then again I am just a 21 year old college student. I don't want to question him because God put him in that position but I just can't imagian that the day of the lord for the christians would be as bad as he says... I would think that it would be the unsaved that would be the ones terrified....

If anyone has anything to help me make this clear, feel free to express yourself. I want to know because it bothers me.... why would christians be punished if our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus? Why would he have to die if it was in the end for no reason? I don't see that as making sence.. Jesus told us that ALL our sins are washed away even future ones.. its crazy..... THank you and GOd bless.

I think your pastor is dead wrong on this. You're right, Jesus died taking ALL of our sins upon himself--ALL of them: past, present and future. HE thereby took on the punishment we otherwise deserved. When we read of Jesus' return in Revelation, it is a joyous occasion that we are to eagerly look forward to. "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22.20).