Why is it evil to not believe in a Christ?

[sloth]

I'll start with that.

 

[vespasia]

No that is not evil at all, that is unbelief.

Evil would be to believe in Christ as the son of God who was born of a virgin, died and RESURRECTED for the forgiveness of sins AND to throw it all back in His face spit at Him and hate Christ.

 

[solarwave]

I suppose it's not evil not to belive in Him, it's just highly unwise. But the evil is the sin we do which stops us going to heaven. Though Jesus we can go there and get to know God. Christ is the way to God, so not to belive in Him is just to throw that away.

Hope that helps.

 

[sloth]

I was told that he who does not accept Christ into his heart will go to hell. Therefor it is either evil to not believe in Christ, or God is punishing innocent people.
I don't personally believe that a pure god would do such a thing, so it must be evil to not believe in Christ as our savior.
What I do not understand is why this is evil.
Or, if it is not evil, why would someone be punished for it?

Thank you for your help.

-sloth

 

[solarwave]

I was told that he who does not accept Christ into his heart will go to hell.

True, and that is because your sins are not forgiven because you don't belive. It's the sins you do that are the evil. I tryed to explain that in my last post, guess it didn't come out right.

 

[WashedClean]

True, and that is because your sins are not forgiven because you don't belive. It's the sins you do that are the evil. I tryed to explain that in my last post, guess it didn't come out right.

Exactly. It's not your unbelief that is evil, but your sins. If they aren't washed away by the blood of Christ through faith, then you aren't forgiven. "Good" people don't go to heaven, forgiven people do.

 

[prophecystudent]

Sin began in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Because of that sin we are all infected with a sin nature and we all sin.

God provided a punishment when He told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of that one tree. (The knowledge of good and evil).

If they broke that single commandment, they would die. They failed the test.

God had to invoke the punishment He said would happen. But, having done so, He provided a way to reconcile manking to Him. That way was the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ on our behalf. Note that God said that sin could only be washed away by blood, hence the blood sacrifice in the old testament.

Christ came and died so we can be saved. God invoked only one condition (consider it the second test He gave us). The condition we have to meet to experience eternity with God, in heavenm instead of going to hell is THAT WE BELIEVE IN CHRIST, WHO DIED AND PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS.

Christ came willingly to pay that price, and I consider it totally fair that God would establish a price for taking a sin filled mankind back to Himself. Thus, it is fair that God ask us to believe in Christ and His salvation plan.

There is nothing evil about not believing in Christ. The evil is in the sins that we all commit everyday.

To be very blunt, as I see it, rejecting that offer of totally free salvation is less than smart.

However, that decision is left to each individual. How each person decides determines where they spend eternity.

Fred

 

[Merlin]

It's not evil to not believe. Just unwise.
It's not that God sends us to hell.
It's more like going to the airport.
We have a choice which plane to get on.
If we get on the wrong plane, we end up in the wrong place.

Jesus is the right 'plane.'
The Bible is an instruction book to help you find the right 'plane'.

 

[sloth]

I see now. It is not evil not to believe in the Christ as our savior, but it is necissary in order to be accepted into heaven. The evil lies in the sins we commit.

What I don't understand, however, is how we are to know which religion is the correct one. I feel like I'm playing 'guess the religion game.' Is it door number 1, door number 2...
What if I get to heaven and they say, 'Wrong answer! The correct religion was the Hail-Bop comet guys. They GUESSED it right.'
Because that's what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Guessing?
What is to lead me to the correct religion?

Every night I pray.
I pray, 'If there is any one religion you would like me to follow, PLEASE give me a sign that I will notice.'
Every other time I have asked for guidance he has shown me the way. Even now. I almost always receive an undenyable sign as to his message.
But not with this question.

I have prayed for this every night of my life for the last seven years.

I hope that you guys hang in there with me, and do not give up on me. I have many questions, and no answers. I am very ignorant, and I seek direction in any form I can get it. Perhaps one of you will be the sign I was asking for.

Thank you, everyone.
-sloth

 

[Rafael]

I was told that he who does not accept Christ into his heart will go to hell. Therefor it is either evil to not believe in Christ, or God is punishing innocent people.
I don't personally believe that a pure god would do such a thing, so it must be evil to not believe in Christ as our savior.
What I do not understand is why this is evil.
Or, if it is not evil, why would someone be punished for it?

Thank you for your help.

-sloth

Only God can judge how much another person has been given as far a knowledge of Himself goes, and nobody else has the right to judge for God. James makes this clear:

Jas 4:12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

However, Jesus said of Himself, that He was the one door by which all men must pass through into His kingdom. Now I don't know exactly, but a person would have to be pretty hard headed to not accept His gift of salvation because they were too proud to change their beliefs....but there are some just that way - even when they know for sure.

John 10:9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

 

[EmbracingHim]

Evil is an opposition against God. Not believing is not necessarily evil or not evil. It would depend upon the person's motive, heart condition and hopes and goals as far as this person's disbelief.

I think I touched on this in another thread. The scriptures talk about hell, but it doesn't state that all who die and who don't enter the Kingdom of Heaven are hellbound.

What of babies that have no 'choice' to believe or not believe as we were fortunate enough to be given. Scriptures also talks about ignorance in sin versus knowing. There is a difference that some fail to acknowledge. There is a proverb that I acknowledged that even discusses it unwise to become too knowledgeable and this would show cause.

When we acknowledge sin and act in sin anyway out of an opposition to God -- that is 'evil.' Not believing is not exactly equal to this (again it would depend on the person's heart...do they believe in satan...and yet fail to acknowledge God?)

Sin literally means: 'missing the mark.' So in this way we might consider life with the purpose of 'living' and 'not dying.' Evil is different than mere sin though.

I hope this might offer some help in understanding. Hugs.

 

[Desperate4Him2]

.....I have prayed for this every night of my life for the last seven years.

I hope that you guys hang in there with me, and do not give up on me. I have many questions, and no answers. I am very ignorant, and I seek direction in any form I can get it. Perhaps one of you will be the sign I was asking for.

Thank you, everyone.
-sloth

We'll hang in there with you, sloth! Don't stop praying! And maybe begin reading the Bible - and praying before for understanding. God will make it obvious when your mind is changed about the truth of the Bible without you even realizing it! Go ahead and begin with Genesis - it's an exciting book!

 

[Breaking Babylon]

Sloth, this is not to rebuke you or call you out, but it's something I think you should know.

Consider the Pharisees who mocked Christ at His Crucifixion. "If you are the Son of God, lower yourself from the cross! Give us a sign!" Yet He said nothing. What happened after He gave up the ghost? The earth quaked, and the sky went dark. Not even this convinced them.

What's my point? It is out of the hardness of our human hearts that we reject Christ. It's out of faith that Christ is accepted, and through the Holy Spirit our faith is confirmed. You don't get some sign first that you may believe, you reach out in faith, you take the steps required, and you find what you're looking for.

The steps aren't 'If You're there give me a sign', the steps are repentance, confession, baptism, bearing your own cross, and following Him. That's the only way your faith will be confirmed. And it begins with humility.

 

[solarwave]

What I don't understand, however, is how we are to know which religion is the correct one. I feel like I'm playing 'guess the religion game.' Is it door number 1, door number 2...
What if I get to heaven and they say, 'Wrong answer! The correct religion was the Hail-Bop comet guys. They GUESSED it right.'
Because that's what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Guessing?
What is to lead me to the correct religion?

It's not really that much of a guess, well I mean you can use logic, heart and faith to find it. My self I have seen miracles of healing and so on in my life. So I can clearly tell you with no guess that Jesus lives. You just need to look in the right places.

You seem like an inteligent guy open to things, good luck with your search.

 

[hlaltimus]

I'll start with that.

It would be a mistake for one to jump right into a deep pit even though they were warned by a certain person not to, but it would futhermore be even a greater mistake to refuse that cautioner's offer to draw us out of that deep pit once in it. We are all in the hole of legal condemnation by virtue of personal sin, but there is something far, far worse about refusing the offer of mercy and assistance from the only Being who has both the power and willingness to save us from certain death.

 

[phoenixgw]

In Hebrew, the word for evil translates to the absence of peace. To believe (trust) in Jesus, the son of God the Father, one is afforded the peace that can't be found anywhere else. Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives" (John 14:27a).

Look around the world & tell me where permanent peace lies. Peace that comes through faith in Jesus does not depend on circumstance. So when you why it is evil not to believe in Jesus, you have essentially answered your own question.

You're smarter than you thought!

I will pray that the Creator quickens your soul on your faith journey, Sloth.

 

[TexasGirl06]

I'll start with that.

There are two powers in this world.

God and Satan.

If something isn't of God, then it is of Satan.

 

[TexasGirl06]

I see now. It is not evil not to believe in the Christ as our savior, but it is necissary in order to be accepted into heaven. The evil lies in the sins we commit.

What I don't understand, however, is how we are to know which religion is the correct one. I feel like I'm playing 'guess the religion game.' Is it door number 1, door number 2...
What if I get to heaven and they say, 'Wrong answer! The correct religion was the Hail-Bop comet guys. They GUESSED it right.'
Because that's what it all boils down to, doesn't it? Guessing?
What is to lead me to the correct religion?

Every night I pray.
I pray, 'If there is any one religion you would like me to follow, PLEASE give me a sign that I will notice.'
Every other time I have asked for guidance he has shown me the way. Even now. I almost always receive an undenyable sign as to his message.
But not with this question.

I have prayed for this every night of my life for the last seven years.

I hope that you guys hang in there with me, and do not give up on me. I have many questions, and no answers. I am very ignorant, and I seek direction in any form I can get it. Perhaps one of you will be the sign I was asking for.

Thank you, everyone.
-sloth

Sloth...
You have good questions.
Keep asking them

There is one true God....
and He loves you.

Continue to talk to Him.

He has written His Word down for us.
It is the Bible.

You only need a church Home that will be Bible based.
Not, man based.

There is a lot of "man teaching" out there.

Ask the Lord for direction on where you should go to learn more about Him.
I think it is just awesome that He already has you on this site.

Be Blessed.

 

[CASEY82]

I'll start with that.

It is not evil at all not to believe in god...im not sure who told you that but no no no
I grew up in a non-christian home so i never really experienced god...to me he was just another religion. I lived my life making mistakes and wrong choices until one day god had enough and intervened...that was the first time i had clearly heard him speal - and when i did i realised that he had been speaking to me my whole life...i just didnt hear him. I takes a long time to believe in someone you dont know...same as trusting a friend you've just met. It's not evil to not believe...it just means you havent really met him yet.

 

[Yitzchak]

Christ is the epitome of God's revelation to mankind. To reject Christ is to reject God. Jesus said if you have seen Him then you have seen the Father God.

Take it one step further. To reject God is to reject your creator , the one who gives you life. Falls in the same catagory as dishonoring our parents but a little more severe. Things like ingratitude and rebellion are assosiated with this.

Whole books could be written on the subject and probably have been. But I have tryed to boil it down to the basic bottom line as I see it.

I think that the reason the bible lists the original sin of Adam and Eve is because that sin is the root of all other sins. That sin was disobedience to God but specifically it was pride. The idea that I don't need God and can do it my own way.

Rejecting Christ duplicates the original sin.