Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Let's say there is a fairly wealthy young man who had believed in God but never lived a life that was pleasing to Him because he was caught up in the earthly treasures that he had loved on Earth such as having wealth, material things and popularity, then one day he gets hit by a drunk driver and dies two hours later at the hospital.
While he was on his way to the hospital he asked God for forgiveness of his sins and wanted to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior and also asked for the Holy Spirit to guide Him on the path that He wanted to be on, he also started wishing he had focused more on God than Earthly pleasures and felt genuine interest in becoming a Born Again Christian.
A few weeks earlier he had shunned an old school acquaintance with a learning disability at a friends' wedding and felt genuine remorse about it right after the car accident, he also asked God to help guide this person who he shunned on the path that He wants him to be on and asked Him to watch out for his friends and to make sure they remain nice, loving and compassionate towards others, especially those outside of their circle.
Let's say there is a fairly wealthy young man who had believed in God but never lived a life that was pleasing to Him because he was caught up in the earthly treasures that he had loved on Earth such as having wealth, material things and popularity, then one day he gets hit by a drunk driver and dies two hours later at the hospital.
While he was on his way to the hospital he asked God for forgiveness of his sins and wanted to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior and also asked for the Holy Spirit to guide Him on the path that He wanted to be on, he also started wishing he had focused more on God than Earthly pleasures and felt genuine interest in becoming a Born Again Christian.
A few weeks earlier he had shunned an old school acquaintance with a learning disability at a friends' wedding and felt genuine remorse about it right after the car accident, he also asked God to help guide this person who he shunned on the path that He wants him to be on and asked Him to watch out for his friends and to make sure they remain nice, loving and compassionate towards others, especially those outside of their circle.
No unbeliever can live a life that is pleasing to God. Neither can any believer live a life that is pleasing to God on the basis of his own imperfect human righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
It is not our unrighteous deeds or unrighteousnesses which are mentioned, but all of our righteous deeds or righteousnesses which are as filthy rags to God. Our best righteousness is simply not acceptable to God. That is why God credits the person who receives Christ as Savior with His own perfect righteousness (Romans 4:3-11; 5:1).
Yes, he will go to heaven. Regardless of whatever hypothetical situation you can come up with, the moment a person receives Christ as Savior he is born again or regenerated, and he is imputed with God's very own perfect righteousness which qualifies him to have an eternal relationship with God.
It does not matter how a person lived before receiving Christ as Savior, just as it does not matter how a believer lives once he has been saved (and I am not advocating being a disobedient believer). The only issue in receiving eternal life which is a free gift is to simply take possession of it through faith in Christ. God offers eternal life to everyone. You simply accept the offer, accept the invitation to come to God the Father through Jesus Christ by recognizing that you cannot save yourself by your own efforts and therefore placing your faith, trust, confidence in Christ who paid the penalty for all of your sins. God the Father requires that we recognize our total inability to do anything to earn our salvation and that we can only come to Him through Christ. That is why we must make a volitional decision regarding the gospel message by which means God the Holy Spirit convicts the gospel hearer of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment ( John 16:8-11) before God credits us with His perfect righteousness.
Eternal salvation is by grace which means that God did everything necessary to make salvation possible, through faith in Christ who paid the penalty for our sins as our substitute.
That is why Jesus said,
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
That is why the apostle Peter said,
Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Last edited by Michael Way; 02-19-2014 at 01:20 AM..
While he was on his way to the hospital he asked God for forgiveness of his sins and wanted to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior and also asked for the Holy Spirit to guide Him on the path that He wanted to be on, he also started wishing he had focused more on God than Earthly pleasures and felt genuine interest in becoming a Born Again Christian.
The words I bolded give me pause. Did he or did he not?
If he is truly saved he will no longer depend on his wealth and worldly security, which is where the man was putting his faith.
Mark 10:17-20
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. Rev 22:9
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. Rom 11:33
Mark 10:21-22
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? Prov 17: 16
Mark 10:23-24
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. Prov 19:22
Mark 10:25-26
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
Not a single person in this forum can answer your question. They can only give you their opinion based on the beliefs they have formed over the years. The only one who can answer your question is God. Only He knows the true intention of the man and only He has the authority.
Not a single person in this forum can answer your question. They can only give you their opinion based on the beliefs they have formed over the years. The only one who can answer your question is God. Only He knows the true intention of the man and only He has the authority.
Actually, the Bible answers the question. If the man does in fact receive Christ as Savior then he has eternal life. That is what the gospel message is all about.
Actually, the Bible answers the question. If the man does in fact receive Christ as Savior then he has eternal life. That is what the gospel message is all about.
Sorry, but a book inspired by God but written by man does not trump God's authority. Don't get me wrong. I love the bible and it is a great tool of history, tradition and guidance. But it does not trump the authority of God.
Sorry, but a book inspired by God but written by man does not trump God's authority. Don't get me wrong. I love the bible and it is a great tool of history, tradition and guidance. But it does not trump the authority of God.
I am not going to turn this thread into a debate on whether the Bible is the Word of God. The gospel message is, ''For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'' John 3:16. You either believe that or you don't. You will take this thread off topic if you start arguing about the authority of the Bible.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
