I am a normal person i dont go to church because there are too many different view points out there and i dont know which is the right one. I am nice to animals and people alike and i try to do the right thing in any given situation. I believe in God and read the bible a little (What i can understand). My question is...Is there any one deciding factor for a normal person like myself that would decide whether or not i go to hell. I believe that you cant get there by doing works but it is possible to get there just by being as good as you know how.
2006-09-23 05:08:24 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, you must accept Jesus into your heart, confess your sins to Him and you will be forgiven and saved.
2006-09-23 05:13:29 · answer #1 · answered by ♥Mira♥ 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Didn't you just say you can't get there by doing good works? The only thing that matters in the end is your relationship with Jesus. If you loved him and were close to him, heaven. If you hated him or ignored him, hell. All the other stuff comes as a result of your relationship with him and it is very good, because remember, Jesus says that whatever you do to the least of his people you have done to him, i.e. doing charity. I think you're on the right track. But why don't you go to church? I think God would rather have you go to a church where some doctrines are wrong but have loving relationships with other christians than not go to a church at all because you're afraid of being wrong, you know what I mean? Why can't you understand the bible? Go to a bookstore and look at the New International Version or the Message, they're in good English. If you can't afford a new bible, your church may have an NIV translation you can actually have, or you can go online to biblegateway.com or a similar site.
2006-09-23 12:13:21 · answer #2 · answered by Hopeful Poster 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question. If you give your life to Jesus, you will be saved. But when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you want to be part of the church.
I have a Lutheran background. I got baptized as baby and then I had my confirmation when I was 15. However, I walked away from God. I think I was Agnostic, but I did not know it. I quite did not know what I was, I did not even realize first that I have turned my back to Jesus. I was too busy figuring it out and making my own rules. I believed in Bible but i thought I can just pick and choose what is God's word and what is not. What ever went along with my plans.
I am so happy that God did not give up on me on those long years. He knocked and knocked my heart's door, I delayed, I waited and waited. And then I got this hunger for my Lord's word. I hungered and hungered, but I did not understand the Bible.
Luckily I joined to my church, it is a non-denominational Christian church where the Bible is the center of teaching and they lead people to a life changing connection with God. I got baptized again, because as my parents thought that they did the right thing for me as baby, this the matter that no one can make on behalf of other person. I attend my church relgularly, but it still took me four years to really open my heart and let God to be my boss. My boss is Jewish Carpenter.
I am so happy I joined to a small group. That helped me to find my place in my church. I am so thankful that my minister is strong follower of God, and he talks what God wants us to know...not the words that we want to hear. This is not a popularity contest. I only want to please God. I rather be popular in heaven than here in earth. If you go with the flow, you will not get hit by anything. But start to swim agaimst the current...expect to get hits...it is not easy but it is simple if you know why you are doing it and what is your destination.
Try to find a right church home for you, and make it strong with your contribution. If you do not like any, start a new one. God does not want us to be relisious, He wants to have ar elationship with us. Life saving relationship.
2006-09-23 12:25:55 · answer #3 · answered by SeeTheLight 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lucky, the one determining factor in whether people go to hell or not is whether or not they have accepted Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior.
Have you done that?
Nobody avoids hell on the basis of being as good as they can be. All deserve hell because all have sinned. But our heavenly Father is merciful, not wanting anybody to be eternally separated from Him. But as with any present it has to be ACCEPTED. If you are hungry it doesn't do any good to just stand outside the banquet hall thinking about how hungry you are. You have to go the the banquet tables, put the food on your plate and then eat it.
What Bible are you reading? There are so many wonderful Bibles nowadays and God is delighted by the fact that you are reading it. He is eager for you to tell Him you need His help. There is absolutely nobody on this earth who understands it completely, but that is okay. I have been reading different Bibles each year from cover-to-cover and each year I learn new things but I still consider myself to be a beginner.
May God bless you richly!
2006-09-23 12:31:42 · answer #4 · answered by JOYfilled - Romans 8:28 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have you ever been in church and had goose bumps and shivers go up and down your spine? Have you ever had that happen outside of church? I call them God giggles. It occurs during moments of truth in which you connect with the "Holy Spirit". You will feel very high, and rightfully so because you are connected to God, or whatever name you give him. Heaven is within you. It is not a place in the sky. Hell is being disconnected from the source, when you feel you are the higher power, because after all we alone are not very powerful. Do an experiment. think of something to put you into the goose bump state, then forcefully co-create something positive with God. Then thank him. Such as Balance, clarity of mind, peace around you. You are a part of God. He did not invent the fiery pit.
2006-09-23 12:30:24 · answer #5 · answered by tooterooter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't matter what you believe in. It just matters that you are a good person. If you are doing good deeds then why should you go to hell, its ridiculous. Believing in god or Jesus is a personal decision and it does not affect where you go in the afterlife. Just look at it this way, if you follow the virtues of good, peace and understanding, then you already are making god, any god, proud. Many religions have made everyone feel guilty about the afterlife. religious people especially Christians believe that it does not matter how good you are, but if you don't think like them you are doomed. What kind of god would decide that? Its not a god I would want to follow.
2006-09-23 12:25:14 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is all that God required for salvation and eternal life.
Rom 10:9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Anything else you would do in the way of works only proves that you are his and do his will. Works do not attain or retain anyones salvation.
2006-09-23 12:16:40 · answer #7 · answered by Lady Di-USA 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The deciding factor, in my belief, is accepting Christ as your Savior. Going to church isn't necessarily a requirement, but it does strengthen your walk with God, and helps you to understand the Bible better. I suggest going to different denominations of churches until you find one you feel comfortable with. You will know it when you find it.
2006-09-23 12:16:21 · answer #8 · answered by cj_justme 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
you are right, not through works, but works are evidence of your faith.
find a non-denominational bible believing church (might take some looking) and you will fvind others who just want to love Jesus and can help you in your walk.
2006-09-23 12:17:21 · answer #9 · answered by SETFREEBYJESUS 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God does want us to fellowship with other believers. It helps to recharge your love for Him. Also it is given on to Pastors to teach God's word. So, Ask for God's guidance and find a local Protestant Church where the Pastor has you open a Bible and teaches from it.. You may have to attend more until you find one that feels right to you.
2006-09-23 12:26:10 · answer #10 · answered by jadamgrd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, "IN CHRIST."
Read Ephesians 1
Read Acts, the history of the beginnings of Christianity, to learn how to be "in Christ."
From your comments, I would suggest you read from a modern English translation. MANY are available online. NIrV, the New International Readers Version, is probably the SIMPLEST LANGUAGE English Bible.
Lady DI: Take things in their context. Romans was written to people who were ALREADY CHRISTIANS. The ONLY book which describes people BECOMING Christians or tells us HOW to BECOME A CHRISTIAN is Acts.
EVERY TIME it records someone becoming a Christian, the story is the same, and it is NOT WHAT YOU DESCRIBE.
2006-09-23 12:20:12 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋