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Ya know? Just once I think it would be nice if we just did what the Bible instructed and we preached the gospel but we left "who's going to hell and who's not?" in the hands of a just, merciful God.
But don't most Christians make it abundantly clear that non-Christians are going to burn in hell forever? This turns many non-Christians off to the "good news", and makes them think that most Christians need to re-examine what "good news" means.
I agree we should focus on the basic gospel...but no matter what, the "who's going to hell and who's not?" question always comes into play...
If we do not experience punishment on earth for our sins that changes us and turns us away from wickedness, then we will experience it in the afterlife. That is also hell, which Jesus warned about. He said that people who do not help others, are not charitable, and show hatred rather than love will experience "age-lasting chastisement," a period of punishment after they die. This has traditionally been translated as "eternal punishment" or "eternal damnation" but that is NOT a correct translation of the original Greek text. The purpose of hell is to teach us a lesson so that we may grow up to be like Jesus -- sons of God, our Father in heaven. God only subjects us to suffering to make us grow and return to Him. It is not to torment us without end.
Did a quick search on that from a Greek lexicon...and I don't want to argue over doctrine since we are believers but I find this thought interesting. Eternal seems to mean eternal in the Greek.
Matthew 25:46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life
Original Word Word Origin
aijwvnio� from (165)
Transliterated Word
Aionios 1:208,31
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
ahee-o'-nee-os
Adjective
Definition
1. without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be
2. without beginning
3. without end, never to cease, everlasting
SO AFTER EVERYONE HAS SEEN THIS FOR A COUPLE HOURS, STRANGE THAT NO ONE WILL OFFICIALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND VOTE THAT NON-CHRISTIAN BUDDHISTS ARE GOING TO HELL.
ITS SETTLED. THE BUDDHISTS ARE IN!!!!!! YEA!!!
(they are very peaceful, nonjudgemental people you know)
Very good question! Would it really be justice and mercy to send these ignorant souls to eternal punishment? How can they have "gotten saved" if Jesus wasn't born yet?
Before Jesus there was God. No one is without excuse. I posted this on another thread...I hope it wasn't this one!
Romans 1:18-20
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
But I agree with KayKay...we should let God worry about who's going and who is not...since He's the only one who can see the hearts of those who believe/don't believe.
Romans 1:18-20
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
That's really a good passage to address this question. Naturally, it's not our place to decide who goes to heaven or hell. Our job is to tell people about Jesus so that they can come to know Him and be saved!
Nonetheless, what Paul is saying here is that God is evident to anyone who'll open their eyes/heart/mind enough to notice Him. His presence and majesty are clear in the things He made (Creation) such as mountains, oceans, the sun, moon, stars, etc.
So even a native of some far-off land who's never heard of Jesus in his life can still look up at the richly adorned night sky, marvel at the Author who created it all, and give Him due glory.
SO AFTER EVERYONE HAS SEEN THIS FOR A COUPLE HOURS, STRANGE THAT NO ONE WILL OFFICIALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND VOTE THAT NON-CHRISTIAN BUDDHISTS ARE GOING TO HELL.
ITS SETTLED. THE BUDDHISTS ARE IN!!!!!! YEA!!!
(they are very peaceful, nonjudgemental people you know)
That's because only God can judge the condition of that person's heart. We are not God.
Did a quick search on that from a Greek lexicon...and I don't want to argue over doctrine since we are believers but I find this thought interesting. Eternal seems to mean eternal in the Greek.
Matthew 25:46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life
Original Word Word Origin
aijwvnio� from (165)
Transliterated Word
Aionios 1:208,31
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
ahee-o'-nee-os
Adjective
Definition
1. without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be
2. without beginning
3. without end, never to cease, everlasting
Strong's Greek Dictionary defines "aion" as follows: "an age, perpetuity, the world, a Messianic period, course, eternal, forever, evermore, without end."
An age has a definate beginning and end!
Are these definitions good scholarship or religious bias? Imagine defining the word "white" like this: "white, WHITE LIGHT, bright, maximum lightness, brilliant, blanch, off-white, shaded, light gray, dark gray, between light and dark, dark gray, dark, COAL BLACK." Does anything see a problem with my definition of "white?" Does anyone see a problem with Strong's definition of "aion/aionios?" IT CONTRADICTS ITSELF.
The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (vol. IV, p. 643): Time: The O.T. and the N.T. are not acquainted with the conception of eternity as timelessness. The O.T. has not developed a special term for "eternity." The word aion originally meant "vital force," "life," then "age," "lifetime."
Elliot’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Matt. 25:46(. Everlasting punishment--life eternal. The two adjectives represent the same Greek word, aionios—it must be admitted that the Greek word which is rendered "eternal" does not, in itself, involve endlessness, but rather, duration, whether through an age or succession of ages, and that it is therefore applied in the N.T. to periods of time that have had both a beginning and ending (Rom. 16:25).
I'm outta here for the day! Just when it's getting juicy in here, LOL.
That's really a good passage to address this question. Naturally, it's not our place to decide who goes to heaven or hell. Our job is to tell people about Jesus so that they can come to know Him and be saved!
Nonetheless, what Paul is saying here is that God is evident to anyone who'll open their eyes/heart/mind enough to notice Him. His presence and majesty are clear in the things He made (Creation) such as mountains, oceans, the sun, moon, stars, etc.
So even a native of some far-off land who's never heard of Jesus in his life can still look up at the richly adorned night sky, marvel at the Author who created it all, and give Him due glory.
Are you quoting Paul "Saul of Tarses" he killed many Christians, never met Christ, and then wrote a huge part of the new testament.
I hate to agree but I've read several books on Hitler, and what pladecalvo 's saying is essentially true. No slam on Catholicism, that (like the inquisition) was a long long time ago. Hitler was an ardent Christian, who justified many of his actions through religious dogma.
But being a Christian is not what gets you into heaven! Accepting Christ as Savior is what gets you into heaven. Big difference!
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