Would have believed if given the chance...

[GenemZ]

Hello...

Do you believe that there are people in Hell, who if given a proper chance, would have believed?

That, because they were never given a proper witness? Because of the neglect of some pathetic believer, this one ended up in Hell?

Grace and peace, GeneZ
​

 

[Melethiel]

No. It is God who is responsible for salvation, and He is not so weak that the mistake of one person determines a person's fate.

 

[Beasley]

nahhh, John 16: 8-11 are pretty clear that the unbeliever understands the issue and since this is the work of the Holy Spirit, it is perfect. Man may fail, the believer may fail, but God never does. And then there is Rom. 1

21For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

 

[JimfromOhio]

Jesus said in John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. When a person do NOT acknowledge the Holy Spirit, that is explained in Mark 3:29 "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!"

1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Salvation is between God and the person.

 

[metherion]

I believe that in the case you describe, someone who would have believed had they only been presented with Christianity, God will sit them down over a Cup of Cosmic Coffee and explain what is what to that person. The person who was never given a chance in life will then get a chance to believe then. If they do choose to believe, they go to purgatory and then to Heaven (since I believe purgatory is where you are made pure so htat you can enter Heaven).

Metherion

 

[willard3]

If God is truly a just judge, I do not believe that He would condemn people to hell simply because nobody brought the word to them. Does that seem fair to anyone?

I believe that in the case you describe, someone who would have believed had they only been presented with Christianity, God will sit them down over a Cup of Cosmic Coffee and explain what is what to that person. The person who was never given a chance in life will then get a chance to believe then. If they do choose to believe, they go to purgatory and then to Heaven (since I believe purgatory is where you are made pure so htat you can enter Heaven).

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people around who believe that instead of heaven and hell, people can get stuck in purgatory forever (there is such an instance in the movie Van Helsing). Basically, if you're in purgatory, you've made it, because you know that you will enter heaven for sure sometime. "Nothing unclean shall enter it."

 

[seanHayden]

I believe that in the case you describe, someone who would have believed had they only been presented with Christianity, God will sit them down over a Cup of Cosmic Coffee and explain what is what to that person. The person who was never given a chance in life will then get a chance to believe then. If they do choose to believe, they go to purgatory and then to Heaven (since I believe purgatory is where you are made pure so htat you can enter Heaven).

Metherion

Well heck, whats not to believe if God is sharing cosmic coffee with you?

 

[metherion]

Well heck, whats not to believe if God is sharing cosmic coffee with you?

That the cosmic creamer is non-dairy?

Or it might be that people just can't accept that they were wrong in what they believe, and their pride and denial is so strong it keeps them from believing in God even though He is right in front of them.

I know some people who are in fact that stubborn.

Metherion

 

[Hadassah]

According to what I understand of the scriptures, no.

Each person has a chance every day of their life; each person in their own time-frame they lived.

If they do not believe by a person telling them, nature shows them. If even then they follow another god, they have rejected the Father and the Son... so no, they wouldn't believe if even given another chance (of which we are told you only have one).

 

[Leah]

No. It is God who is responsible for salvation, and He is not so weak that the mistake of one person determines a person's fate.

*nodding in agreement*

 

[Hadassah]

Romans 2
11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 When the pagans sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Hebrews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.
13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
14 Even pagans, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Messiah Y'shua, will judge everyone’s secret life.

 

[Hadassah]

Romans 1

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires....