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In essence than Heaven is only for Christains or those who believe what Christianity teaches? There is no afterlife reward for a non Christian who doesn't accept Jesus died for his or her sins so being good in this life has no benefit to the afterlife for the non Christian?I
I'm guessing the corollary is also true, if you don't believe in Jesus you don't have to agree that are a sinner?
Yes. Jesus' sacrifice o the Cross for your sins is the only way to salvation. In order to receive salvation, you must place your faith in Jesus and what He did for you on the Cross.
Jesus dying in your place satisfies the justice and wrath of a holy God against sin.
Rom 10:17, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18, But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rfomd129
I was raised Catholic and this is the part of the teaching that I had a very difficult time dealing with. Asking priests in my family to explain it did absolutely no good and I wouldn't dare ask any nuns.
My best childhood friend was Jewish and I just couldn't accept that she and her family would not be able to go to heaven. They were good, kind people whose recent ancestors had suffered horribly on earth and were then going to spend eternity in hell? I couldn't accept that.
The Bible teaches that in the final days, "all of Israel shall be saved." (Romans 11:26)
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticPhD
The short answer is that we are already there since there is nowhere else for our consciousness (Spirit) to reside. Our death simply disconnects our Spirit from our body. I realize that most people do not and will not understand this, but it is quite true. What we consider death is actually a severing of our umbilical connection to this physical "womb" to be "born again" as Spirit.
Heaven (what we consider outer Space) has two possible locations: 1.) within the dark energy that is expanding our space or 2.) the dark matter holding together the lake of fire that is our galaxy. The state of our Spirit's character will determine where we will be once "born" as Spirit and for how long.
I was raised Catholic and this is the part of the teaching that I had a very difficult time dealing with. Asking priests in my family to explain it did absolutely no good and I wouldn't dare ask any nuns.
My best childhood friend was Jewish and I just couldn't accept that she and her family would not be able to go to heaven. They were good, kind people whose recent ancestors had suffered horribly on earth and were then going to spend eternity in hell? I couldn't accept that.
I too was raised Catholic. While I have no "hard feelings" towards my former fatih I left simply because I wanted to understand what the Bible actually teaches.
The idea that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell and by extension those who never came to truly know God...non Christians...is inconsistent with what the Bible teaches.
Some go to heaven after they die. Jesus was the first to be resurrected to immortal life.
Most others who die, however are resurrected to an earth that is transformed into a paradise.
Hell is a pagan idea that took firm root during the dark ages.
All the years I spent reciting the Our Father prayer and not really understanding the import behind what Jesus directed us to pray for.
"Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done...ON EARTH...as...it...is...IN HEAVEN." The earth is transformed. The end does not mean the literal end of the earth rather the end of crime, famine, injustice..the start of a paradise earth in harmony with heaven.
God's Kingdom is a real kingdom not just something in our hearts or an enigma.
“I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent."-Luke 4:43
"And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." -Matthew 24:14
Most Bible scholars have come to understand what the Bible teaches and so have millions of Christians although many more people are still not truly aware...
................ Rom 10:17, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18, But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
The Bible teaches that in the final days, "all of Israel shall be saved." (Romans 11:26)
We are going to have physical bodies in heaven.
I find according to 1st Corinthians 15:50 that ' flesh.... ' ( physical bodies) are Not in Heaven.
Also, I find the "all Israel " is in reference to -> Romans 2:28-29; Romans 9:6; Galatians 3:29.
So, since Pentecost the "Israel of God" to be saved is the Christian congregation, the spiritual nation - 1 Peter 2:9,5
The Christian congregation is the now nation producing fruit as Jesus said at Matthew 21:43.
A Jew Not by fleshly national descent but by God's spirit - Galatians 6:16 - spiritual Israelites - Romans 8:16-17.
Physical bodies are for the humble meek people who will inherit the Earth as Jesus promised - Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:9-11
It is the biblical teaching that to have eternal life you must believe in Christ Jesus. That is, you must believe that Jesus died for your sins.
The first through third statements simply reflect the fact that if you don't know that you are in need of salvation you aren't going to place your trust in Jesus for salvation.
Now I understand that you don't believe that. I'm simply saying that this is what the Bible teaches and what mainstream Christianity believes.
And by the way, the believer does go to heaven when he dies despite the naysayers to the contrary (they know who they are).
I believe we are in need of spiritual growth and maturity, not that we are sinners in need of a cure. However, I did find your post to be more palatable than that of the tract, or the posts of JBF throughout the forum.
I was handed a tract a few moments ago at my front door, it said:
FIRST, YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE A SINNER.
SECOND, YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT AS A SINNER YOU OWE A PENALTY.
THIRD, YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY PAID YOUR SIN DEBT.
FOURTH, YOU MUST ACCEPT BY FAITH WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID FOR YOU.
In other words, YOU MUST ACCEPT whatever you are told!
Any thoughts on the idea that YOU MUST ACCEPT this or that?
(The man had his two daughters with him who were around 6-8 years of age).
Quote:
Originally Posted by G.Duval
truncated St. Paul...
You can use short, truncated sentences to create punch and make a point, although that's what the tract stated. However, what is the reference to that of St. Paul? Are you saying he was cut short?
I too was raised Catholic. While I have no "hard feelings" towards my former fatih I left simply because I wanted to understand what the Bible actually teaches.
The idea that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell and by extension those who never came to truly know God...non Christians...is inconsistent with what the Bible teaches.
Some go to heaven after they die. Jesus was the first to be resurrected to immortal life.
Most others who die, however are resurrected to an earth that is transformed into a paradise.
Hell is a pagan idea that took firm root during the dark ages.
All the years I spent reciting the Our Father prayer and not really understanding the import behind what Jesus directed us to pray for.
"Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done...ON EARTH...as...it...is...IN HEAVEN." The earth is transformed. The end does not mean the literal end of the earth rather the end of crime, famine, injustice..the start of a paradise earth in harmony with heaven.
God's Kingdom is a real kingdom not just something in our hearts or an enigma.
“I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent."-Luke 4:43
"And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." -Matthew 24:14
Most Bible scholars have come to understand what the Bible teaches and so have millions of Christians although many more people are still not truly aware...
Since we have glorified bodies in heaven we don't need to breathe there;
While I will venture to say that there probably is air in heaven.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerwade
Actually, the tract was full of nonsense, and amounts to nothing more than fear tactics and brainwashing.
You certainly have a right to reject what was written in the tract; however by my estimation it was preaching to you the truth and you reject the truth at your own peril.
Actually, the tract was full of nonsense, and amounts to nothing more than fear tactics and brainwashing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by justbyfaith
You certainly have a right to reject what was written in the tract; however by my estimation it was preaching to you the truth and you reject the truth at your own peril.
In Special Forces, we called it black propaganda, fear tactics and brainwashing.
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