Christians, would you say this is accurate?

Question

I do not mean to offensive in asking this question, so here goes:

Lets say our example is called Mr X. Mr X lives a good life, always helping others, being very charitable, gentle, good-humoured and supportive. He has a wealth of friends and has good standing in the community. A genuinely great person.

HOWEVER, he never acknowledges Jesus. Religion simply does not figure in his way of life, although he is loved by everyone for being truly selfless (exhibiting many traditional Christian traits without actually being one.

So will he go to hell upon his death despite his good life?

Thank you for all informed, fair answers!

Answer 1

What keeps us from hell isn't how "good" we've been but whether we are reconciled to God by having our sins forgiven. There is no "grading curve," if you will, but only those whose sins are forgiven or those who have not been forgiven. The good news is that Jesus offers forgiveness to everyone who asks (John 6:37; 1 John 1:9). The problem is that very vew people ask.

Answer 2

Religion is just beliefs that are shared by a number of people creating a community within another. I class myself as a christian, i lead a good life just like mr x i do believe there is a god and jesus and mary however i do not attend church regularly and many people would there for say that i am not a christian.

Many people have also said that because mr x does not acknowledge jesus he will therefor go to hell they must always remeber that jesus frgives everyone and that you dont have to go to church to be close to god i personally believe that mr x would go to heaven based on the life he lives he is a good person and god will see this and welcome him into his kingdom for eternal life.

Answer 3

Mr X is living according to God's will. He is listening to a voice within, has clear consiousness is your question?? The only problem for him will be the times others were jealous of him and there still may be some cords.. If Mr X has also never gossiped and never been jealous etc, he is gonna be free. No sin no hell.. He IS going through Jesus, because he is opening his heart.. He HAS opened his heart to God and Jesus, whether he knows it or not..The process will be taking place in his mind/body, without him trying to reach God or knowing.....

Mr X may end up in hell for a short time (I did, we all need to pass the night..) At that time the saved from what?? argument falls away and things will get clear for Mr X. God will help him, He will make him call. He will call Jesus Christ name and be saved..
Every tongue shall confess..

I have no problem with the Mr X-s in the world..The ones that I worry about are the ones that call Jesus, go to church yet not live according to God's will.. They are gonna have a harder time...The ones that are always worried about Mr X telling him all the time he is going to hell.... (the ones that actually put Mr X in hell for a short while even)..

Love

Answer 4

I agree with bottles: that's for God to decide.
Only God knows what lies in man's heart, and simply living a good, moral life in the eyes of the society will not buy you a ticket to heaven.
To simplify enormously, I could see two situations:
1. There is something rotten in this person that no one can see, and without ever praying to God for saving his soul, he will be lost.
2. There is something genuinely good in this person and God will make everything to save him, perhaps even get him on His side. See the spectacular conversion of St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles (a book of the Bible). St. Paul was not an atheist, but he didn't believe Jesus Christ is God. So once he saw a bright light and heard a voice saying: "Saul, Saul (his original name), why are you persecuting me? It is difficult for you to kick the spike with your foot." The light blinded him and the voice instructed him to certain man to receive from him both miraculous healing and the Christian faith.
And then there is another story, from the beginning of monasticism in Egypt (4th-6th century). An elder (monk) comes to another elder puzzled about a woman who prostitutes herself, but then gives most of her earnings to charity, asking if she will save her soul or not. The other replies: "she will not remain in prostitution". After a while, he asks the first elder what happened to the woman. He replies: "she has increased her sins, but also her charity". The second elder repeats that she will not remain in charity. And indeed, when the two meet again, the woman has repented and retreated to a monastery.
These stories don't exactly fit the situation in your question, but there would be much more to write. The main problem, however, is the standard by which you judge. What looks perfect to you may not be so by God's standards. And still, God can choose to save any person below standards, otherwise we would all fail.

Answer 5

If Mr. X has that good a life, then he has all he wants here on earth. But what about after this life?
The problem is this: he doesn't have Jesus Christ as Lord in his life.
All of us "worship" something in our lives. Whatever you spend the most time thinking about is probably the thing you "worship."

Jesus taught in Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Whatever is most valuable to us is the thing we worship. If it is not Jesus Christ, then it can be classified as an idol, or false god. If our god is anything other than the God, Jesus Christ, then according to the Bible, hell is unfortunately our eternal destination.

Answer 6

the only way to heaven is through Jesus.

but dont worry. Mr X seems to be the kind of man who would be open minded and wise enough to hear the gospel and try it out.

God doesnt just leave people to work it out on there own. Everyone has an opportunity some time in there life (usually many many more than one oppertunity) to accept Jesus. God isnt unfair. He gives everyone oppertunities, wether its through a friend or family member or whatever.

Mr X is on the right track to a nice life. But he would have an even better one if he accepted Jesus. Coz then he would have blessings, and know God's purpose for his life, and know the love of God which is just amazing!

The only way to heaven is by faith in Jesus. believing and asking Him into your heart. if it were by "being good" then Jesus wouldnt have had to die, God would have just had to be harsher with the rules and stuff. But its by Grace we are saved.

Mr X is loved by God so much, but Mr X needs to accept/receive the salvation that God has right there for him.

Answer 7

You did not say if he knew about Christian requirements and just refused them or what. Jesus knows everyone's heart and there is a baptism of desire. Just because he didn't verbally say it to impress people doesn't mean he didn't believe in Jesus. We are so busy determining who will go to Heaven and who will not we have forgot that many people who end up in hell will probably be there from our bad example. Jesus from the cross gives one yell at the last after he says "Father forgive them, they know not what they do". St Faustina says that her vision of Jesus with both white and red light coming from his heart --from the Divine Mercy vision--indicates that there is a time immediately after death and true death that a person can be afforded mercy. This is why the "Chaplet of Divine Mercy" is so powerful. When you implore the almighty Father to have mercy for the sake of his Son's sorrowful passion --how can he resist?

Answer 8

Now the answer of the world itself to that question is, basically, "Express yourself," i.e., live for yourself, take all you can while you can, get it all now. You only need look at the deteriorating fabric of life in our day to see the inadequacy of that solution, and the darkness and poverty of that approach. The answer of religion in general (and I include faiths besides Christianity) and even oftentimes the church itself is: "Try your best to do what is right." Much of the preaching that will go forth from pulpits across this country can be reduced to this one phrase, "do your best," try your best, try harder. This sounds very good but it never works, because the self that tries is the very self that is causing the problem. That is why those who attempt to solve the pressures and demands of life on this basis inevitably find themselves caught up in a vicious circle of despair, in which they find they are not able to do what they thought they were able to do. They set out to do it but find themselves unable to accomplish it and gradually drift into despair.

Now the answer of the Scriptures is a wholly different thing. We never have begun to understand Christianity unless we see this. The Christian message is not a way of saying, "try better, try harder, do your best to live a good life." If anyone thinks that, he has misunderstood the whole point of Christianity. The answer of Christianity is a personal experience of a living Lord, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as a Person; to enter into a personal relationship with him, and to learn to let him live his life through you. Now that is a completely different principle, but that is exactly what he offers to do, to live his life again in you.

Title: Practicing Christianity
By: Ray C. Stedman
http://www.raystedman.org/ephesians/0121.html

Answer 9

Jesus did indeed say that "I am the way", but then He also said that "All know the way already".

One doesn't need to say the name "Jesus" several times a day to show that He lives in him/her and acts through him/her for others. Many people have never heard the name "Jesus"... people who say that God automatically condemns these people to doom for being born in the wrong spot no matter how Christ-like (the meaning of "Christian" in the first place) they are seems to me to be having trouble with the "God is love" concept.

Answer 10

If Mr X does not acknowledge Jesus or not take part in religion then I really don't think that Mr X will give a flying F*ck.
All power to him