If Jesus is the way into Heaven, then it doesn't matter what kind of life you've lived?

Question

-as long as you convert before you die? To me this seems like nothing more than a recruiting tactic! A guy who's been a scumbag all his life converts on his death bed and gets in beside Mother Teresa? Does that make sense to anybody? Or does he have to live across the tracks in the bad side of heaven on a low-rent cloud?

Answer 1

As I once heard it explained succintly, you are saved by grace but rewarded by your works. People think of heaven and hell as either/or; I think of it as a range -- from highest heaven to deepest hell. You can live a saintly life and the next life will be blissful; you can live a horrible life and the next life will not be so pleasant (understatement). If you repent at the last minute, then you will be saved by your belief, but the next life will not be as joyful as it might have been had you lived a better life. When you die, you review your life and see the consequences of your actions. If they have been good, then this will be a pleasant experience. If they have not, you will feel the pain and suffering you have caused and regret deeply what you have done.

Or, to use a parable: A rich woman had a servant who served her faithfully all her life. Everyday, this servant tended to the woman's every need. The rich woman was very demanding, but the servant never complained, never said an unkind or untruthful word. Eventually she passed away and, not long after, the rich woman died, too, and came to the Pearly Gates. St Peter met her and took her on a tour of heaven. They passed a huge mansion, elegant and stately. "Who lives there?" she asked. "Your servant", she was told. "Oh, boy" she thought. "If that is a servant's house, I can't wait to see mine!" they traveled on until they came to a tiny shack. "This is your home," she was told gently. "What????? The servant gets a huge mansion and I get this tiny shack??? Why???" "Well, " St. Peter explained, "we can only build with what you send us."

Answer 2

Even a dying person can receive Christ and enter heaven. The problem is that no man or woman knows the hour of his/her death. Waiting until the last moment is a risky thing to do. Just when you think that you are going to live forever----bang! you're dead. Jesus guaranteed the dying thief on the cross who begged for mercy that he would see him in Paradise that very hour. Our Lord keeps his promises. Living a perfect life has nothing to do with anything because it is impossible to be perfect. Paul said that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This means that fellowship with God can only be restored through the shed blood of Jesus. There is no bad side of heaven and Mother Teresa needed to be saved just like any other person. To the outsider Christianity doesn't make sense, but to everyone who is in the body of Christ Christianity is the only way that makes sense. Jesus loves you.

Answer 3

faith is, and continuously has been, in accordance to little more effective than way of life. round 3/4 of the international inhabitants will keep on the ideals of their father and mom religiousity in some denomination or format. toddler indoctrination is pretty psychological, and no matter if in a roundabout way indoctrinated, if born right into a fashion of life with an excellent religious id (Hinduism in India, Shintoism in Japan, Christianity in US/Britain, Buddhism in Thailand, Islam contained in the middle East, etc, etc) the consistent inflow of non secular archetypes on the arising options might want to be an identical. understanding this, any god that could choose one depending upon their religious ideals can be a monster that for the duration of consumer-friendly words cowards might want to worship.. i have by no ability been afraid to face up for what's accurate, so no matter if all good judgment did not go adverse on your faith, I nonetheless doesn't worship one of those wide deity. faith honestly first developed as poly and pantheistic lengthy in the previous monotheism got here about.

Answer 4

You are right that is the general consensus! but it is a mistaken belief God knows motives and he judges justly! So it does not work that way at all his truth seekers are the ones who will repent and turn their life around now and live according to God's instructions and not wait until the last minute to convert just to save their life that would not be genuine would it? If a person sincerely wants to find the truth then God will help that one,but that mistaken view will be a sad disappointment to many who mistakenly think this way.

Answer 5

If people actually read the Bible they would see it's not that much different from other faiths. Genesis says
the firmament, Heaven, is not the highest level. Creation is multi-dimensional. 2 Corinthians 12, (the 3rd heaven). And it takes more than being a self-righteous @sshole to get to where God is. It takes work!

Answer 6

Being born again will get you a place in heaven. Jesus did not just come to give us a ticket to heaven but to empower us to live life here on earth more abundantly. A Christian who reflects the character and power of Jesus and walking by the Spirit will change the world and live in victory in the calling that God has given him. He is able to touch and transform the lives of many and earn rewards in heaven for serving the Lord faithfully and fruitfully. Faith without one's life being transformed and devoted service to God is dead.

Answer 7

Don't believe them. Religion is a business in disguise, the belief business. Christians claim that Jesus is the only way for a person to get to heaven, so that means that for the thousands of years before he was born, all righteous people who died had to go somewhere else, and God didn't think of this. Heaven is a creation of religion so they can make up anything that they want, but sometimes they stumble over their own rules. All religions make similar mistakes and that's why more and more people are saying 'No' to religion.

Answer 8

you are assuming one can live an evil life and, at the last minute, say the words and be saved.
not so.
saying the words will not save you.
being saved is a matter of the heart and spirit, not just words.
God will know if your intentions are purely selfish (just to avoid Hell) and you will not be saved.
secondly, one does not know when "the last minute" is or will be.
you can't assume you will die a slow enough death to allow for a last minute appeal.
waiting is a very serious gamble.
so, again, the answer is "NO"!

Answer 9

You have a valid point. The true strength of spirit lies within man. His redemption is on his shoulders not through someone else.If you do evil things you don't get to heaven. No matter how you beg. You are doomed to return.
That "Low rent cloud" theory, is unsettling.

Answer 10

Death is inevitable. The thief on the cross knew when his would occur, but we can not predict our own. After his death, the crucified criminal went to live in paradise with Jesus. Some of us will also live eternally in God's presence. But others will experience everlasting torment, forever separated from Him.
If we receive Jesus as our Savior, our penalty for sin is paid. We are adopted into God's family, and Heaven is our eternal home. If we reject Jesus, we remain alienated from the Lord and under condemnation for our sin. We are destined to experience eternal judgment. God won't accept any of man's excuses because there is no acceptable defense for unbelief. (Acts 4:12)
Become part of God's family today. Acknowledge your sinfulness, and express your faith in these words:
"God, I have sinned against You. (Romans 3:23) I've followed my own way and refused to give You the right to rule in my life. (Romans 3:10-12) I recognize I am separated from You and cannot rescue myself. I do believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I accept the truth of the Scriptures? that His death on the cross paid my sin-debt in full. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) And I ask You to forgive me of my sins. (1 John 1:9) By faith, I receive You, Lord Jesus, as my personal Savior from this moment on."
If you just spoke those words to God, then, like the thief on the cross, you have received salvation? a gift of God's grace. The heavenly Father welcomes every person who comes to Him through His Son, regardless of background, age, or current situation. Through Jesus, the right to enter paradise is yours!