He gives us freedom of choice but punishes us when we make the wrong decision [choice of religion]. We only go to heaven if we believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins. But if we have never even heard of "God" or Jesus we go to hell. Even if we are good people and dedicate our lives to helping other people we will go to hell if we don't beleive in Christianity. I don't understand this type of mercy.
2006-11-19 21:08:14 · 27 answers · asked by Alex The Girl 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
So god says "If no one ever told you about me then you are screwed... and I don't care"?
Ohhh. That makes sense.
2006-11-19 21:23:23 · update #1
I have good news for you. Jesus said if you are blind to the truth about your sin, you are innocent:
John 9 (NIV):
Spiritual Blindness
35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
36"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
37Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
2006-11-19 21:50:36 · answer #1 · answered by Me in Canada eh 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kicker is being a "good" person. A good person in whose eyes? Man's eye? God has a whole different criteria on what is good or not. His ways are not our ways.
I don't think God asks for much, although He should. A simply acknowledgment that He is God is a good start, though. A simple acknowledgment and belief that His Son Jesus is the way, truth, and life. That He is the only way to salvation and the forgiveness of sins. Is that really asking for a whole lot? Jesus was beaten, battered, murdered, because He LOVES you! He was the blood atonement. He was our sacrifice. God gives everyone ample opportunity to come to Him. To believe in Him and live.
Who said if someone has never heard of Jesus, they would go to hell? God is a merciful God. I'll just leave it at that...
Why would God want someone in heaven who doesn't even acknowledge Him or His sacrifice? Would that be fair? Would that be merciful? Would that be just? How would a criminal judge sentence a murderer who had butchered 100 people? Would he just let them go and say, oh well, he doesn't like my laws, so he can go free. Of course not, the murderer would get a prison sentence or he would be put to death. That is justice. That is the same way with God. Nobody follows His laws. Nobody is worthy of His love and mercy. No, not one person. That is why God sent the Son, so you would have your sins forgiven. So you could be with Him in heaven. The blood of Christ was the only way your sins could be forgiven. At the same time, God is a just and righteous God. Would God be just and righteous if He let a unbeliever into heaven with a believer? No. There is a fine due, a penalty for the sins committed against Him. He offered a free gift of salvation to those who believe in Him. A believer's debt is paid by Him, because of their faith. An unbeliever's debt will also be paid. They will pay this debt with eternal torment away from Him. They will have not only deserved this fate, but they will have earned it. Everyone has a choice. Believe Him or not, the fine will be paid one way or the other.
2006-11-20 05:37:54 · answer #2 · answered by JohnC 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Religion is a man made creation and most of them have little to do with God. Since Man made religion it is Man that punishes for belonging to the wrong religion which is any religion that is not their own.
God does not punish us. We do things that we should not do. We sin and that sin leads to the bad things we think of as punishment. The Devil puts out temptations and will use our own thoughts to trick us into falling into his traps so that he can torment us. He must do that now becaues once Christ returns the time of Satan is over and there is no more that he can do to tempt or harm us.
You do not go to hell if you have not heard of Christ. None of us here have the truth for the Bible tells us The whole world has been fooled by Satan. When Christ returns there will be time for all to learn of Him. We will be taught the true way because all religions, all of them are flawed and full of lies.
To believe in Christ gives every person back the choice given to Adam and Eve in the Garden and that is, will you believe or will you disbelieve. No apple to bite this time it is Do you believe that Christ died for your sins and that he was resurrected and lives today with the Father and will one day return. Wild story right? Just like biting one little apple would make you die? Same thing. Believe it or don't, it is up to you and that is what the free choice is about. God wants us to chose to believe in His Word.
The doing good to others is simply the best way to live. Do unto Others as you would have Them Do unto You is the most simple of laws and it covers everything imaginable. How can you kill or hurt one that you love. Do you want to be Killed? How could anyone have food and know someone else was hungry. Who could steal? Who could even hurt someone else/s feelings? Who would want those things done to them?
Good deeds are for ourselves( we get to feel good, or brag, or any number of rewards) they are for the sake of our neighbor's well being, that is the way we should strive to live so that we can all live and enjoy.
We are human, we do bad things, we sin, we do evil even when we do not mean to do so. God forgives whatever you do no matter how bad if you believe. We do not get the punishments we truly deserve because of God's Mercy. Get it now? Good. God Bless
2006-11-20 05:40:48 · answer #3 · answered by CindyLu 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
GOD wont punish people who do things wrong, if they dont know that what they do is right or wrong? They may come to the right path, if they know that it is wrong, but GOD punishes those people who do wrong things even after they know the right and wrong. But one should always look for truth, if truth comes infront of him and he ignores it, then he is no more an ignorant person, here he is subject to the scrutiny of God, because he has got the chance to learn the truth but he ignored. When our understanding of the GOD is very limited we make so many assumptions about him and gets into different opinions. God is the most merciful and beneficient and he never punish people without any reason. He creates and destructs the things with purpose and reason, he put those people into hell who is arrogant and who never repent for their misdeeds. Ultimately every individual is accountable for his deeds in this life.
2006-11-20 05:26:15 · answer #4 · answered by Jaffs G 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Alex... dont believe the hype... God is so much more than that...
God is not judging anyone right now... and He isnt some big cop waiting for us to mess up so He can punish us...and dont believe ppl that tell you about "lost souls" ... ppl have no clue about how much He loves us and how great His mercy is -- there is a hell...and there are those that will choose it, but even hell is nothing like what many would tell you it is.. search for Him and He will be there for you and dont believe what so many so called christians tell you ... your Father loves you more than you can imagine .. and HIs love and mercy are far beyond what many ppl can imagine
2006-11-20 05:43:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alex;
God is not all forgiving. He said so. He gives us freedom of choice so we're not automatons. The punishment is not what He desires for us, it is the consequence of not abiding in His provision. Hell was created for the angels that rejected Him. For those humans who also reject Him, the result is the same. Hell is a place outside His provision. No air to breathe, no water to drink, no matter to stand on, nothing at all. The experience is described as being like a lake of fire that never goes out, or like fire and brimstone. Not that it is a lake of fire or brimstone. Yes good people go to hell if they reject His provision in Christ's sacrifice. Yes bad people make it into heaven if they repent and submit their wills to Him. The mercy is in the provision of Christ's sacrifice. This does not remove from us all accountability to devote ourselves to Him in obedience. It does remove from us all accountability for behaviors that we have repented from, and behaviors that we have not learned to control. We are responsible to learn to control those behaviors, we are responsible for what we do know. That is His mercy.
BTW. Mercy is not getting what we deserve.
Grace is getting what we don't deserve.
http://judgeright.blogspot.com
2006-11-20 05:26:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If a person dies as unbeliever then there is no hope for him/her.
But one lesson one can learn from this is make yourself prepare before it is too late that is death.
Practicing God's Infinite Mercy
[39:53] Proclaim: "O My servants who exceeded the limits, never despair of GOD's mercy. For GOD forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, Most Merciful."
[39:54] You shall obey your Lord, and submit to Him totally, before the retribution overtakes you; then you cannot be helped.
[39:55] And follow the best path that is pointed out for you by your Lord, before the retribution overtakes you suddenly when you least expect it.
[39:56] Lest a soul may say, "How sorry I am for disregarding GOD's commandments; I was certainly one of the mockers."
[39:57] Or say, "Had GOD guided me, I would have been with the righteous."
[39:58] Or say, when it sees the retribution, "If I get another chance, I will work righteousness."
[39:59] Yes indeed (you did get enough chances). My proofs came to you, but you rejected them, turned arrogant, and became a disbeliever.
[39:60] On the Day of Resurrection you will see the faces of those who lied about GOD covered with misery. Is Hell not the right retribution for the arrogant ones?
[39:61] And GOD will save those who have maintained righteousness; He will reward them. No harm will touch them, nor will they have any grief.
[39:62] GOD is the Creator of all things, and He is in full control of all things.
[39:63] To Him belongs all decisions in the heavens and the earth, and those who disbelieve in GOD's revelations are the real losers.
[39:64] Say, "Is it other than GOD you exhort me to worship, O you ignorant ones?"
http://www.submission.org/suras/sura39.html
The True Founder of Christianity
The teachings of Paul, the true founder of Christianity, cannot be found anywhere in the teachings of Jesus or in those of prophets before him.
http://www.thetruecall.com/home/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=122&mode=&order=0&thold=0
http://www.hyahya.org/
(Audio) What is the Purpose of Life? Part 1 Part 2
by Khalid Yaseen
http://www.whyislam.org/877/Introduction/
2006-11-20 05:18:35 · answer #7 · answered by A2Z 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
God said that the Gospel will be preached to the whole world, so the choice is up to the people to believe in Jesus or not.
2006-11-20 05:12:28 · answer #8 · answered by Elicasel 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God (Allah) IS All-Forgiving. Some of His names which are used to describe him in Arabic are the Most-Merciful, Most-gracious. If you ask for his forgiveness & sincerely repent, He will forgive you. But only if you ask HIM, not Jesus, or anyone else. In Islam we worship Allah (God) alone & do not associate any partners with him. People who have never heard of God (Allah) or Jesus will be dealt with on the Day of Judgement accoring to what is fair & just. NOBODY will be treated unfairly, or judged for what they couldn't have known. BUT, people will be judged for not bothering to find out the truth.
2006-11-20 06:02:52 · answer #9 · answered by cici1978 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
this is why there are so many people these day spreading the word of God So people that have not knowledge of God can have the change
to get to know about him and be saved this is all taking place at Gods will.
See what i mean by Gods will is he is tell us to spread the good news
that's how much God loves you he wishes none to perish
Jesus does love you
2006-11-20 05:23:34 · answer #10 · answered by jan d 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋