a person who spends their entire life spreading evil and destroying life gets to go to heaven so long as they ask for forgiveness and trully accept jesus as their savior, while a person who spends their entire life caring for and help people, goes to hell because they never accepted jesus as their savior.
2006-09-19 08:19:27 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Some of these answers make it clear why some Christians are becoming deists. To many of our athletic Christians unfairness is a "mystery", or else, "Hey, those are the rules, deal with it!" And only a few get the point.
My view is that this dictum is the triumph of the ungenerous and powerful over the only message from Jesus that was worth listening to - treating your fellow humans as humans. Once "faith" becomes the fundamental principle, and charity largely made an after-thought, Christianity becomes just another blah-blah-blah "forum of the righteous." But then again, what did we expect from the powerful?
2006-09-19 09:14:41 · answer #1 · answered by JAT 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, that would not be fair.
Although I cannot speak for any Protestant denominations, I can present what the Catholic teaching would be as regards to your example. A person who spends their entire life "spreading evil and destorying life" can be accepted into Heaven if they repent. Jesus kind of addressed this issue of "fairness" in his parable about the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20). Here is what the vineyard owner answered to the workers who had worked in the vineyard for more time than the other workers, but recieved the same wages: "Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"
With regards for the second person you give as an example--the person who spends their life caring for and helping others, but doesn't accept Jesus as their savior, Catholicism teaches something different from many (although not all) Protestant teachings. It is true we uphold that the way to the Father is through the son (John 14:6), but we also believe that some people have accepting Jesus--although not necessarily conscietiously--through the way that they have tried to live their lives. Again, to use of Jesus's parables, when the Son of Man divides the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, note that the goats did not recognize Jesus in the "least of their brothers" and failed to do good works. What is interesting is that the sheep (the good disciples) also say that they did not recognize Jesus in the "least of their brothers," and yet in doing those good works, they were still saved.
Were they saved by their good works??? I don't think so. I don't think anyone can ever do enough to "earn" salvation. We are all sinners. We are saved by God's grace and mercy. If He sees that we are striving to do our best with what He has given us, we can trust in His mercy and His love to provide for us. That's what being a good Father is all about after all, isn't it?
Thanks for reading and God Bless!
2006-09-19 08:44:25 · answer #2 · answered by Mary's Daughter 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You seem to forget, "mercy", by definition, is unfair -- since justice is simply giving a person what he deserves, and mercy is refusing to give someone what they deserve. Mercy cannot be earned, because if one could earn his way into Heaven, it would simply be justice, not mercy, to let that person in.
From God's point of view, no one is good enough to go to Heaven. Justice requires that everyone be cast aside, for we are all ingrates in some form or another. God decides to let people into heaven based on his mercy -- otherwise Heaven would be empty.
If one is too proud to do something as simple as asking God for forgiveness, than that person has stubbornly chosen his own fate apart from God.
Why would someone do almost everything that God required, but then be so stubborn as to refuse to ask for forgiveness, even though he knew that this is also something that God wanted? Would someone be considered wise if he ran 99 yards down a football field, but refused to run the remaining yard into the endzone because he figured that he had already done enough? The rules say that you don't score until you cross that final yard to make it into the end zone (otherwise the other 99 yards were wasted).
Your hypothetical situation sounds unrealistic. Real people would not be that proud or not that foolish, I hope.
2006-09-19 08:33:08 · answer #3 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Certainly is not fair. I think the person who has good deeds has more chances of having a better life after this life. If there is reward and punishment then it is not fair, not just, ad therefore not Godly (as God is just) that someone makes efforts to live a good life and gets send to hell. And what about the people who lived before Jesus (I am sure there is a dum answer for that too).
2006-09-19 08:24:13 · answer #4 · answered by Incredula c 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The person that dies and does not except Christ does so under their own will. I'm sure there will be a lot of good people that end up in Hell. But, if they don't believe in God or Jesus Christ should they be in heaven. In regards to the other individual, yes they should be allowed into heaven because our God is a merciful and forgiving God. Think about it though, do you really think someone who cold bloodedly plans to do evil and then except Christ is really doing so with their heart or a lustful mind trying to have their cake and eat it to. Also, even if this person truely accepts Christ they still face the judgement and have to give an accounting for their lives. I'm not sure how people like that will be dealt with, but I trust in God to have that figured out.
2006-09-19 08:25:18 · answer #5 · answered by Rick D 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1. That´s what you call grace and mercy. Yes you can go to heaven after an entire life of evil "ways".
2. First step: accept Jesus, then the good deeds. According to the Bible, that´s the way it is.
2006-09-19 08:29:58 · answer #6 · answered by Marco 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Crow James - it doesn't seem fair, but it also doesn't seem fair that millions and billions of people in the world aren't as educated as you are. You have the question nailed down- you have a decision to make because you have your options. I am one of the people who spread evil for most of my life (I'm 27). I accepted Jesus's free offer of salvation, and He has promised to give me eternal life. I was faced with the same decision you have today. I choose Jesus and forgiveness over no Jesus and door number 2. I urge you to make your decision and choose Jesus. He loves you (just as He loves me) and He wants you to make the right decision so He can use you to help others in ways you've never dreamed of. Trust Jesus - and ask Him into your heart. You won't be disappointed. :)
2006-09-19 08:26:49 · answer #7 · answered by j-Z 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Makes no sense, not fair. By this reasoning Hitler could be in heaven right now if he just accepted Jesus and asked forgiveness in those last moments. Whereas according to Christian doctrine the many poor Jews he murdered and tortured are in Hell. Just one of many reasons I can not subscribe to the Christian belief system.
2006-09-19 08:24:49 · answer #8 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is or was their own chose. IF they want eternal life in heaven they will accept Christ, if they are 79 years old and have been a terrible human being but they finally see the truth and are truly sorry for their bad lifestyle, and they are baptized for the remission of their sins , then they will be forgiven for ALL their past. You can give every thing you have to feed the poor or do good to everybody you see but if you are not in Christ you have done nothing...you can not go to heaven, if you are not in Christ end of story....
2006-09-19 08:32:11 · answer #9 · answered by littlecwoman 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not fair. Nothing is fair. Read the parable of the workers in the vineyard, Matthew 20:1-16 for an explanation. I don't believe in Christianity anyway but I don't remember Jesus ever saying a thing about fairness.
2006-09-19 08:24:50 · answer #10 · answered by Kuji 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋