I come from an Islamic country, but there are a lot of christians in here, many of which do not realize the true theme of christianity!
The only three denominations in my country are: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestants. And, most of the people here are Orthodox, especially in rural areas, who misunderstand what it is to be a christian, the most.
The problem with the christians here, especially with the majority who are Orthodox, is that they have adopted a purely false islamic idea that man will be judged according to how much he followed the rules (or as the Orthodox here call them, the holy secrets). Unfortunately, most of them believe that if a christian performs his "duties" towards God...then that's it! He/She will go to heaven. In other words, for those people they only owe God going to church each week, confession to the priest on regular basis (even if the person does not really regret his sins), praying daily from a book that the church has specified (they call it "Agbeya"), and reading the bible everyday.... then that's it! They believe that as long as they abide by these rules, they will go to heaven.
I was talking with an 18 years old guy yesterday, and he told me, "I know all about being prepared and being ready for the time may come, as you say, in any hour and any minute. But, there are other things that you would not understand that will only make me go to heaven. You wouldn't understand because all what you know is praise and prayer!" and when I asked such fellow, "do you think that when you pass away, the Lord will ask you whether or not you were an Orthodox, and if you were, you will go to heaven? do you really think that God will accept you in heaven only if you are an Orthodox?" and the guy said "yes."
This is how so many people in my country think at present. But the point is, what I have failed to clarify to any of my Orthodox friends, that God only looks at the heart... did you or did you not follow Him with your heart? did you or did you not prove that you have earned to be called a christian... a brother/sister to the Lord Jesus Christ??? these are the things you should look for... and this is the question that you should ask yourself: "if my time comes now, where would I end? am I prepared yet? or have I just wasted my time?"
++ Let us not think with ignorance in our heart... and also, let us open our doors so that the one who has been waiting, knocking, and calling upon us for a long long time!
The only three denominations in my country are: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestants. And, most of the people here are Orthodox, especially in rural areas, who misunderstand what it is to be a christian, the most.
The problem with the christians here, especially with the majority who are Orthodox, is that they have adopted a purely false islamic idea that man will be judged according to how much he followed the rules (or as the Orthodox here call them, the holy secrets). Unfortunately, most of them believe that if a christian performs his "duties" towards God...then that's it! He/She will go to heaven. In other words, for those people they only owe God going to church each week, confession to the priest on regular basis (even if the person does not really regret his sins), praying daily from a book that the church has specified (they call it "Agbeya"), and reading the bible everyday.... then that's it! They believe that as long as they abide by these rules, they will go to heaven.
I was talking with an 18 years old guy yesterday, and he told me, "I know all about being prepared and being ready for the time may come, as you say, in any hour and any minute. But, there are other things that you would not understand that will only make me go to heaven. You wouldn't understand because all what you know is praise and prayer!" and when I asked such fellow, "do you think that when you pass away, the Lord will ask you whether or not you were an Orthodox, and if you were, you will go to heaven? do you really think that God will accept you in heaven only if you are an Orthodox?" and the guy said "yes."
This is how so many people in my country think at present. But the point is, what I have failed to clarify to any of my Orthodox friends, that God only looks at the heart... did you or did you not follow Him with your heart? did you or did you not prove that you have earned to be called a christian... a brother/sister to the Lord Jesus Christ??? these are the things you should look for... and this is the question that you should ask yourself: "if my time comes now, where would I end? am I prepared yet? or have I just wasted my time?"
++ Let us not think with ignorance in our heart... and also, let us open our doors so that the one who has been waiting, knocking, and calling upon us for a long long time!
