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Sweet deal, eh?! No wonder fundies find it irresistible. Just say the Magic Words To Jesus and instantly receive a get-out-hell-free card!
It's a no-brainer. Which is why it's such a hit with the fundie crowd.
The password to get into heaven is the sinner's prayer. Just say it audibly and your in baby. After that, party like it's 1999, you can't lose your salvation either.
Your question is based on some fundamental lack of understanding of what the Bible teaches. Try reading the Bible. And before you tell me you've read it already, let me repeat: Try reading the Bible.
In my case my lack of understanding came from what I was taught about what others believed by the group I was in. Seriously, a couple of years ago I couldn't understand how a person could be Christian and not hate homosexuality. I laugh at that now but that's really what the Watchtower put in my mind.
The password to get into heaven is the sinner's prayer. Just say it audibly and your in baby. After that, party like it's 1999, you can't lose your salvation either.
Huh? since Jesus taught at Matthew 24:13 in order to be saved one must endure to the end.
Either the end of one's life, or endure to the end of this world of badness when Jesus takes the action of Isaiah 11:3-4; Rev. 19:14-16.
So, yes, a person can loose their salvation.
.....Seriously, a couple of years ago I couldn't understand how a person could be Christian and not hate homosexuality. I laugh at that now but that's really what the Watchtower put in my mind.
I find it is the practice of 'fornication' (Greek porneia) that is unscriptural. Christian marriage is between male and female - Matt. 19:5-9
What Jehovah's Witnesses believe is found at www.jw.org and www.jwbroadcasting.
I find it is the practice of 'fornication' (Greek porneia) that is unscriptural. Christian marriage is between male and female - Matt. 19:5-9
What Jehovah's Witnesses believe is found at www.jw.org and www.jwbroadcasting.
I know what they believe Matt. They have a children's video out about the topic of homosexuality right now. I grew up in the religion during the 70s and 80s. I left at 19 and became inactive. 27 years after being out my mom came to me and said that I was "to be viewed as disfellowshipped" because I smoked cigs at the time as well as celebrated holidays. She said that completely cutting me off was "loving discipline" to get me to return to the Watchtower. Can you imagine the hold a group has on a person to get them to cut off contact with their only daughter? It irritates me that these men have such a hold on my mother that she has to live with believing God is going to destroy all 3 of her children (none of us stayed).I'm not the only one this has happened to. There was a big push back then with the Return to Jehovah brochure that gave a bunch of reasons why someone would leave. None of them were accurate. Do you want to know why I'd never go back even if I saw evidence of a creator? I will believe no man that comes before me and tells me God means to harm me. No group, no accusations, not even my own can sway me that God is anything other than my protector.
For Christianity, salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ. The only requirement to be saved and go to heaven is to accept Jesus Christ in your life, correct? So a person can truly be evil throughout their life being a murderer, deciever, pedophile, etc. but one day they can find Christianity and accept Jesus Christ into their life and that person will be saved and go to heaven. Yet a child in India dies at a young age never having received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that soul does not receive eternal life in heaven because they never accepted Jesus Christ in their life. Can someone explain the logic here?
IF and big IF they changed their life and didnt go back to that old lifestyle, that is true repentance. If they just give some lip service to Jesus and go back to what they were doing, he will say depart from me I never knew you.
As for the person in other parts of the world that has never heard of Jesus before, you cant be held accountable for rejecting the gospel, if you have never heard it before.
For Christianity, salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ.
According to the Scriptures, yes.
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.
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."
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The only requirement to be saved and go to heaven is to accept Jesus Christ in your life, correct?
Yes. A clear distinction between faith and works is made by Paul in which he states that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by works.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God 9] not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Romans 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
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So a person can truly be evil throughout their life being a murderer, deciever, pedophile, etc. but one day they can find Christianity and accept Jesus Christ into their life and that person will be saved and go to heaven.
Yes.
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Yet a child in India dies at a young age never having received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that soul does not receive eternal life in heaven because they never accepted Jesus Christ in their life. Can someone explain the logic here?
The logic is simple. Either salvation depends entirely on what God has done for us, with salvation being a free gift which is received through faith in Christ Jesus, or else salvation depends upon us and how we live. We are either qualified to spend eternity with God based on the fact that he credits the person who simply believes in Christ with the perfect righteousness of Jesus, or we are qualified to spend eternity with God on the basis of earning salvation though our own efforts at righteous living. The two are mutually exclusive.
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3] For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4] Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5] But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
You specifically stated a young child which brings up the issue of whether there is an '[age] of accountability'; the concept of there being a moment in a persons life in which before reaching that point a person is automatically saved without needing to express faith in Jesus because that person has not reached the point of - call it - 'God consciousness;' a point in which a person conceives of the possibility of a supreme being - 'Is there a 'god?'
The actual age of a person varies depending on things such as the culture in which the person lives, and how developed he is mentally (a person who is so mentally retarded that he never is able to conceive of the idea of a supreme being is automatically saved regardless of how old he is).
Once a person reaches a point in his life, whatever his specific age is, where he is able to conceive of the idea of a supreme being, he than becomes accountable to God for what he does with that awareness. If he has positive volition at the point of God consciousness then God will see to it that he has the opportunity to hear about Jesus regardless of geographical isolation [God is omniscient and steers human history in favor of positive volition] so that he can choose to receive Jesus as Savior, or he can choose to reject Jesus. If on the other hand, after reaching 'God consciousness' that person simply rejects the idea of the existence of a god, then God has no responsibility to see that he hears about Jesus, and that person will remain under condemnation.
While the Bible doesn't directly address the issue of an 'age of accountability', I think it can be inferred on the basis of God's character. God is just, and since He requires a volitional response on our part with regard to the Gospel message concerning Jesus as the means by which we are eternally saved, it wouldn't be just for God to leave in condemnation a person who simply cannot even conceive of the existence of God and therefore cannot make a volitional decision regarding the Gospel.
As well, King David's infant son had died, and David believed that he would see him again (2 Samuel 12:23). That means that David believed that his infant son was not eternally lost.
Some people don't accept the concept of an age of accountability. I do however for the reasons there were given.
I've tried to clearly communicate my thoughts, and hopefully I succeeded whether you agree with them or not.
I will believe no man that comes before me and tells me God means to harm me. No group, no accusations, not even my own can sway me that God is anything other than my protector.
I always think of this passage of scripture when these type of threads start up:
Luke 10-25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
I would think that Jesus spoke these words, and i have not found where He said "throw these aside", that they are still true now, or did i miss the 'oh never mind clause'?
i try everyday to keep this in my forthought when dealing with people, but after all, i am a human being and fall short often. Blessings ya'll
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