if belief in jesus saves one from hell - then surely it is the believer who saves themself from hell rather than jesus?
The believer earned entry through what they believed - so how can salvation be a gift - as some claim?
does the fact that god treats people according to their religious beliefs - make him a bigot? The christian god seems to discriminate against non-christians. Humans who treat people differently based on their beliefs are condemned - why would god do something we condemn?
2006-09-09 03:03:56 · 31 answers · asked by aurora03uk 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, God gave us the Gift - whether we choose to accept Him or not is up to us. So while yes, God gave us Jesus as the key/guide to redemption it is our choice whether or not we use It.
In accepting the Gift of Christ, we then accept His teachings and try in our lives to mirror Him.
I don't understand your concern over the Christian God not treating others accordingly -they do not believe in HIm so it does't bother them. Besides, who are we to say how God treats non-Christians. While there are passages in the bible where yes, God has turned away from those who turn away from them -- who are we to judge what really happens in the end when a person stands face to face with God. it is and will always be a persons choice - accept or deny. However, don't forget that one has to know that of which they deny. Those that have never heard of God and Jesus, who've never been told the Good News have nothing to accept or deny, they fall under a seperat category of people.
God bless you!
2006-09-09 03:13:02 · answer #1 · answered by Marysia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God has given EVERYONE the gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is up to you to accept.
To use your reasoning, if someone gave you a new Porsche, then you got it yourself because you turned the key and maintained it. That is how you are equating the gift of salvation.
Just like the car, once you accept God's grace and are saved through Jesus Christ, you have to maintain that relationship through word, deed, and faith.
As far as God being a bigot, He is not a bigot if He has given the same gift to everyone. Just because you do not accept the gift does not make God wrong. Does that make movie theaters bigots because they discriminate based on if you have a ticket or not?
2006-09-09 10:19:56 · answer #2 · answered by bobm709 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is only through Jesus that we are saved. Belief in Jesus does nothing for you but giving your heart is what does. Satan believes and trembles but does that mean he will be in Heaven? Not on your life. So mere belief does nothing. Giving your heart over to Him is what saves you as it is surrendering your life to the One that died for you so in effect you are accepting the gift of eternal life by doing so. There is nothing you can do to buy it or to earn it. Only by giving Jesus access to your heart are you ever going to get the gift of eternal life. Should tell you something about Hell too. It is not eternal as most will tell you but it will go out and you will die if you go there as the bible says all through it.
2006-09-09 10:10:18 · answer #3 · answered by ramall1to 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If Jesus didn't die on the cross, like it says in the bible, there would be no salvation. A nonchristian is someone who does believe in God and his son Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. We don't save ourself. God allows us to have eternal life if only we believe. We make the choice to believe.......but God gave us something to believe in......His son Jesus. I don't understand the bigot statement. God does give us a freewill to choose eternal life or death. All we have to do is choose a faith in Jesus. Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our past and future sins? And yes, God does judge us.......he's God. Our father.......and he disciplines us....to help us walk the straight and narrow. Read John 3:16
2006-09-09 10:11:18 · answer #4 · answered by chattykatty 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus Christ willingly gave His life for all mankind so no one would have to go to hell. He said "No one takes my life from me, lest I lay it down".. But sadly, most people have rejected His wonderful gift (which is free) of salvation. When one is saved they are saved only THROUGH Christ. Like the song says: Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are .
Eternity is a long time to be wrong. DO you really want to take that chance?
2006-09-09 11:01:41 · answer #5 · answered by heresyhunter@sbcglobal.net 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A great question. As you so aptly pointed out no one can save you other than yourself. You are not born evil it is something you become when you give control of your life to other things (anything from hate and fear to simply another person). Believing in original sin is like saying that every German today is personally responsible for the Holocaust or every modern white person is personally responsible for the American slave trade.
2006-09-09 21:31:12 · answer #6 · answered by StolenAnjel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are not capable of saving ourselves from Hell, as we are in sin. It's being made pure by our belief in Jesus that saves us. Everyone on earth has the same opportunity to accept this, some choose not to, that doesn't make it unfair.
2006-09-09 12:33:23 · answer #7 · answered by good tree 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible makes it very clear that we cannot save ourselves, and that it is by His grace. We can only get into heaven and God's prescence if we are sinless, but none of us are. So, God gave us a way to be free from our sin and therefore, saved, and that was by Jesus' death. So, our faith in Jesus is what saves us. However, the Bible also says that we are too sinful to be able to understand who Jesus is and what He did for us, and therefore, have faith in Him without help, and that it is by God choosing to give individual people His Holy Spirit that those people come to be saved. So, we don't save ourselves, God chooses to save us.
But as He created us all, and we all belong to Him, why shouldn't He choose what hapens to us?
2006-09-09 11:12:55 · answer #8 · answered by rini27886 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By dying on the cross Jesus saved us all from Hell. Jesus is our bridge to God and in order to receive salvation we must believe in Jesus. Anyone from any religion can pray to God asking Him to open their heart to His truth. By making a determined effort to pray asking God to make Jesus real to you His Holy Spirit will fill you with the undeniable knowledge that Jesus is in now in your life. It may not happen with one prayer, but in God's time your prayers will be answered, you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and you will be saved from Hell. As Christians we are not to condemn people of other religions but rather, pray for them that they will have the opportunity to come to know Jesus as their savior too. Christians world wide are continually praying that the unsaved will come to know Christ and a good Christian will do all that they can to make themselves available to encourage others to seek Christ. Salvation is a gift to us because Jesus did not have to die for our sins. His acceptance of all of our sins made salvation available to anyone, no matter what their sins, simply by asking Him into their life. Otherwise, we would be condemned to Hell as no one is sinless on their own. You can not save yourself you can only ask for God to save you by bringing Christ into your heart. In asking your question, it is apparent that the Holy Spirit is already at work in you. If you now make an effort to reach out to Jesus, you will find that all of the above is true.
2006-09-09 10:47:53 · answer #9 · answered by anniesoldecrow 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personal responsibility
People are capable of great acts of good, such as jumping into a river to save a drowing child or pet
We are also capable of great acts of hatred, hitler for example
Our heaven or hell is entirely up to us and not limited to whether Jesus saves us or not
2006-09-09 11:13:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋