Can the water cooler handle two controversial topics? God question...

You asked for it! :D

Give me a little....

 

I guess thats another way of looking at it.

let me word it a little different. Abram created the concept of "one supreme God"....Abraham took this concept in the direction we as Christians know it today.

 

no....lack of maturity. lack of respect. The common problem on this planet.

 

I would like to add that I view God a lot like I view electricity....it wasnt "invented"....it always has been and always will be.....but it/He was discovered.

Abram made this discovery, which I believe, was delivered to him by God him self.

 

God chooses those that love him.

 

What about those who are truly good people but do not believe in a higher power?

 

There is no such thing. We are all full of sin. Therefore, the only ones that get saved from those sins are the ones that believe in Jesus.

 

So a drug addict rapist who believes in Jesus will be good to go but a person who helps anyone who needs it, volunteers, etc and does not believe in Jesus is screwed?

 

In my opinion, you must also walk the walk, and ask for forgiveness of your sins.

 

I struggle with this concept as well...but anyone who truly believes in and follows Jesus does not do those things. If he has truly repented of his sins (only the rapist and God actually know) the weight he would carry around for his sins must be as unbearable as the thought of going to hell. Could you imagine actually having a right frame of mind for once and knowing you did those horrible things and having to live with yourself?

I think most criminals who claim repentance are doing it as an out loud gesture towards man, not as an inward devotion to Jesus.

The simple fact is, no one on earth goes without ever sinning despite whatever light we try to paint them in. We can try to be better people but the only way to escape our prior sins is to give them to Jesus.

 

I'm not god, but my understanding is that a drug addict rapist that later confesses his sins IS better than a guy who does not believe and is a "good" person.


Keep in mind, in god's eyes, every sin is the same no matter how "mild" or "severe" the sin is.

 

Do you understand it that way or really believe that?

In my world of common sense, that doesn't make any.

 

I believe that this the case so yes.


Again, you either believe in the concept or you don't.

 

I added what I believe to this statement.

 

So a person who goes beyond just being a good person (i.e. a different religion with beliefs in a god/savior different than Jesus) are not saved?

Just curious is all.

 

You're saying that someone who is a good person, and believes that Matt H. is his savior could be saved and in heaven with Jesus?



Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe that and have asked him to enter my life and I've expressed a desire to strive to live by his will not mine. It's not something that is possible, but it's what I'm called to do as a believer of Christ. That's the basic version.

There's a ton of denominations that have this at their core. Their are also a ton of other religions that don't, I don't expect to see them in heaven. I believe that there is one God and one heaven.

 

Going to be an awfully empty place.

 

I think you meant to say in your eyes.

I just have to believe that God is smarter than that.

 

Matt, if I understand you correctly, you are saying that if someone has A religion that they believe in, that they will go to heaven?


I believe in Jesus. Therefore I read the Bible and attempt to follow his example. If the bible's (Christianity) is true, how can you accept that someone worshiping a different God could enter?

I do subscribe or give some merit to the arguement that some tribe somewhere may believe in a higher power and just not know that it's God, but someone who is worshiping someone or something different that God and his son Jesus Christ is not entering their Kingdom.

 

Do you believe in NDE's?