Where standeth the truth?

Question

I've been thinking lately about religion. A thought that came to my mind is "Is Christianity the only way to Heaven (whatever Heaven may be)?" And I thought...either it is, or it isn't (I know, genius, eh?) If Christianity is not the only way, then there is no need for warring between religions. There is no need to try and convert people, only to share your views and insights to help others develop their views. If Christianity is the only way, then we have a major problem. People in African tribes who have not heard about Jesus will go to Hell. All for the reason that they never had the opportunity. The only way they have the opportunity is for missionaries to go and share Christianity with them. But it is just not possible to reach all tribes of people. So for our failure to reach everybody, those people must suffer eternal Hell. I can understand God sending people to Hell for rejecting him, as it is a cause and effect...crime and punishment situation. (continue)...

But for just "not knowing"? That sounds very unjust. So my question is this: To Christians and non-Christians alike, where do you think the truth lies here? If God punishes a person with eternal damnation for the failure of someone else, why would any of us worship him? Just because we believe does not mean that we will not be punished for the failures of someone else. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Jesus said The path is wide but the gate is narrow.

I take that to mean that many different beliefs lead to Heaven but need to merge into a single line to enter.

Jesus states specifically that whosoever believes in Him shal have eternal life but we also know that Abraham, Moses, elijah etc. are in heaven and Jesus was not around yet.

Jesus also talks about those who have not heard the Gospel will not be judged on what they do not know but only on what they do . This implies that God placed some form of knowledge of God in everyone, something like universal morals.

Jesus said that children (pre the age of responsibility) get in

Jesus died for all (everybody's) sin for all time (past, His Present and His future)

I suspect that at Heavens Gate there is a kind of "do you know me" thing where Jesus is standing there and appears to each person in a way they can recognize from their background/belief system (i.e Jesus may look like Mohamed to the Moslems) and If you recognize Jesus and seek Him you are in. Only those who do not recognize the one at the gate or do and spit at Him are left out in the cold.

The bible reference the book of life and having your name written in it or erased from it. Since we all were written in it at birth as a divine and good creation of God, it only gets opened and checked for erasure if; we don't recognize the one we are to marry the bridegroom/host of the great party in the sky.

Answer 2

Do you really think that God would punish someone with eternal hell, just because they were not able to hear the truth? No way. God has provided a way for everyone to hear the truth wither it be here on this earth or after they have passed away. If you truly want to find out this answer seek the Church that holds this belief. Contact the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and ask that the missionaries come talk with you. Put your question to them and have them show you the scriptures that explain how everyone will have the opportunity to accept Jesus or not. And then, most important, ponder and pray on what they show you. If you have a true desire to know the truth, The Holy Ghost will testify it to you and you will know for certain it is the truth. If you are seeking, the Lord will lead you to the truth. God Bless you.

Answer 3

Isa 59:14 So judgment is driven backwards, and justice stands afar off, for TRUTH IS FALLEN IN THE STREET, and equity cannot enter.
15 Yes, truth; the Law, is suppressed; and he who departs from evil; upholds the Law, is accounted as mad; makes himself a prey! Yahweh saw this, and He saw the evil that there was no justice in the last days.

Psa 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your LAW IS THE TRUTH!!!

Prov 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light.

All you see now is darkness...

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Doesn't the world Love the Laws of Yahweh? No they have rejected them since the garden of Eden till this day.

So now you know the truth!

Answer 4

I believe that there will be people saved out of all the faiths on earth. But there is one Truth to be followed. God will judge us according to how we live up to the light that we have. If we have more Truth, more will be expected of us. The only group that truly has the most Truth now, is the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Just as in the time of Jesus, the only group at that time were the Jews. Did this mean that the rest were lost? Not at all, the Jews were supposed to be the light to them all, but they chose to keep it to themselves. Find the Truth, every group has some, but only one has all.

Answer 5

I normally stay away from questions like these...but I am weaker today: According to the Christian Bible (take your pick which one), we are saved "BY GRACE". This means that we are saved not by the things we do...not by the people we know...not by the religion (that is man made by the way) we practice, and not by the race we were born to. We are saved because God loves us and he allows it. Jesus came into the picture to become our advocate. He is the human voice that speaks in our behalf because he knows what it is like to live life on earth and yet obey all of God's rules. As far as all people (tribes) getting the message of God... as soon as they do...the ball game changes to the next inning.

No one ever said God was rational. God is God. The creator and supreme being. Until Jesus came along, we were held accountable for the sins of our fathers. That is why we are saved by grace. Because no one would make it to heaven otherwise.

Answer 6

First of all you seem very intelligent and what you have said is a well thought out concern. If you read the word of God (the bible) you will find in Revelations that is says "Jesus will not return until all have heard the word". The word of God will reach every corner of the world and every ear will hear. What happens to those who die now and have died without hearing the message of love from God only God can say what happens to them, it is not for us to judge. I believe Gods pure wisdom to be kind, compassionate and full of love.

Answer 7

If a God punishes people who have never heard of him, for not believing in him, it would be the most stupid, unjust, illogical and nonsensical thing in the whole Universe.

I do believe in God myself, but if someone made me choose between the kind of God you have described, or no God at all, I would choose no God.

Better to look around and find a faith where they do not preach Hellfire and damnation. Try the Quakers, or the Bah'ai, or Sikhs, or Sufis, or Buddhists. You will be happier, calmer, and more at peace with yourself and the world. Or even a humanist is better than a vicious, bitter and twisted fundamentalist.

Answer 8

Non-Jews weren't in any respect less than the regulation to commence with, so can't were free of a few thing they weren't in any respect sure through contained in the first position. except for the 7 Noahide (everyday) guidelines that absolutely everyone is less than, and are nonetheless less than and certain through: a million. do not homicide 2. do not thieve 3. do not curse God 4. do not commit adultery 5. do not commit idolatry (do not make God a guy and then worship that guy, do not commit human sacrifice for sin, do not positioned a guy/god in the front of God to could bypass through to get to God, all of that is idolatry) 6. do not tear the limb from a stay animal to eat (interestingly this replaced into performed - this regulation prohibits cruelty to animals) 7. Do set up courts of regulation to uphold a honest and only society Jesus did not loose every person from those guidelines. in case you imagine you're loose from those guidelines, then run round breaking them and note how a techniques your "grace" receives you. And some thing of the guidelines contained in the Torah (previous testomony) not in any respect utilized to non-Jews contained in the first position. also, Jews do not follow the regulation to get into heaven or to keep their souls from everlasting damnation. that's a lie through the Christian church. Judaism would not actually have such concepts. God has continually given his grace to mankind (in accordance to Judaism, which does not have the idea of Orginal Sin) without requiring an everlasting burning hell, or a virgin human blood sacrifice for sin named Jesus. There hasn't ever been a scarcity of Grace. really the Church invented the concept that there is, and that's a lie meant to regulate human beings through worry and deception. So, the answer on your question is: it is all nonsense.

Answer 9

Okay, first of all when God created the world and Adam and Eve, the people had no religion, religion was spawned by the men of this world. Adam and Eve were born Christians, but they were not religious, Christianity was not a form of religion but now in this day and time many people associate Christianity being a religion because so many centuries and men of this world claim it to be Christians. Christianity, if according to the Bible (if you believe the script to be true), was to be a way of life for the men of this world. Christianity (Adam & Eve time) meant living to love and please God only, but God created man to have a will of his own and that my friend, is why there is so much insanity in the world, the flesh is weak......But as for a person or a tripe who have never heard of our God until we reach them and teach them that there is our God is our own "Foolish believes". I was raised by aesthesis, God, Christianity, or even anything remotely associated with spirituality was not introduced to me until my teens, (yes I do remember hearing kids at school, people at stores or the doctor's office would mention "Praise God, Thank God so on, my parents told me they knew not of what they were suppose Ely saying". But I always knew even as a small Child that there was something, an unforeseen force in my life, I felt in my heart, I knew it in my soul. So, really now one needs to be taught about God, he lives in each and every single of us, he lives in our very souls.... It is my firm believe, that the very people you say God will condemn to hell because we did not reach them and teach them about him, (remember we each perceive what we think God is like, that is why we have so many different religions and beliefs). The people who are educated about God and choose to go on living and doing the wrong thing s, are the people who go to hell..

Answer 10

The truth is written on the hearts of every single person ever born - here is the verse that substantiates it - therefore, it is up to them to follow the truth or not. Anyone who searches will find. Anyone who knocks, the door will be opened to.

12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.