if they converted just before they breathed their last breath, will they go straight to heaven? but what about the injustice they've done towards others? will they go unpunished because they converted?
i don't mean to offend anyone with this question, but this is the question that i can't easily dismiss from my mind. can anyone enlighten me? it really just seem unfair...
2007-01-10 13:20:43 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My dear! its not THAT simple!
God knows our hearts and our motives!
He is the ultimate judge and a God of justice, believe me......... He will JUDGE them!
There is nothing like a ' free ride' in christianity!
2007-01-10 13:30:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
First of all the answer is found in the Bible. There is no other reliable source for answering this kind of question. The Bible says that if we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, that we get what He deserves, rather than what we deserve. No, it isn't fair for any sinner to get what the sinless Son of God deserves in place of the eternal damnation that we deserve, but that is the deal that God has made for us. He loves all of human kind that much, that He did that for us. And as far as sin goes, being good your whole life and telling one "white" lie is no different than being Saddam Hussein. Sin is sin. No one is good enough on their own. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..." We have all deserved hell. The entire human race was condemned to eternal separation from the Creator when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Jesus Christ, the perfect person, had to die unjustly in our place to pay our penalty for all the wrong doings of mankind. He died for your sins also. And because of Him, you can have a new life with God. You can actually be in the presence of God. All you have to do is believe in your heart that these things are true, and say that Jesus Christ is the Lord (Romans 10:9-10).
2007-01-10 21:52:41 · answer #2 · answered by firebyknight 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you mean by "converted." If they genuinely repented for their sins, and accepted the Lord, then yes, they are saved. Every human being is a sinner, and I believe that in God's eyes it doesn't matter how little or big your sins have been. Conversely, if you are a good person (compared to the evil one in your question), you will not go to heaven unless you are saved. Read Galations 2:16.
2007-01-10 21:36:50 · answer #3 · answered by clean-heart-steadfast-spirit 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
they go where all the rest of the evil people are.... If they haven't accepeted Jesus Christ into their heart. Read this parable:
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' 8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' 13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
Matthew 20:1-16
2007-01-10 21:26:24 · answer #4 · answered by unknown 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well I know that alot of the apostles in the Bible had some pretty bad backgrounds, such as the apostle Paul who commited murder and had people murdered. And the list goes on with other people in the Bible. Then they had a trasformation in their lives and repented their ways and turned to god. I know that there is a scripture in the Bible that states when you ask God for forgiveness for all your sins he casts all your past into the sea of forgetfullness and will never remember your past. I hope that answers your question somewhat.
2007-01-10 21:28:26 · answer #5 · answered by n2tapas 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not unfair. Especially people like Ghandi who made the world a better place but still goes to Hell for his belief.
There is, according to Dante, a way for people to be punished. Hell comes in many layers, each one designed specifically to punish the people for their sins. If a person was fairly virtuous, they wind up in a nice pretty forest where their only punishment is the denial of communion with God.
Next is Purgatory. Punishment for sins on Earth are here, for Christians. Some think you go straight to heaven, but this is much fairier. It makes sure you lead a life free of sin. Otherwise there are awful punishments in store for you. When you reach the top of Purgatory (the tallest mountain, ever), there is a garden with two rivers. One cleanses you of sin, and the other separates you from the person you were on Earth.
Heaven is a reward-based system. Starting with Mercury, people are placed on different planets based on their commitment to God. Those who were around 100% committed wind up in this huge chamber on the outer edge of the solar system.
Whatever you want to believe and accept is your decision.
2007-01-10 21:30:07 · answer #6 · answered by Wisdom Lies in the Heart 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
that depends. if you read, I think, the book of Daniel, you get the impression that the last state of a person is what they stay as forever. So if he/she TRULY converts, most likely, but also a person can be seen as unwise, as if they purposly went "ah, I'll be a rotten sinner now and get saved at the last minute, there's time" they might not make it...to heaven I mean
2007-01-10 21:30:03 · answer #7 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to our standards, it's unfair. But actually, non of us deserve to go to Heaven. Everyone one of us are sinners. It's only through the grace of God that we are saved.
2007-01-10 21:46:57 · answer #8 · answered by ted.nardo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a little hard to understand. I guess the best way I can explain it would be if you had several children and one of them ended up doing drugs, going to jail, wanted no relationship with you etc, but they ended up with AIDS and on their deathbed they contacted you and asked you to forgive them, what would you do? Wouldn't you want to restore that relationship and be glad that even though it was way late, they were sorry and wanted your forgiveness? I think that must be how God feels about us. He wants us to want a relationship with him, even if it's way late.
2007-01-10 21:32:40 · answer #9 · answered by Suzie Q 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone is unfair, according to our human standards. Remember though He isn't gonna ask your opinion. His glory is seen in His triumph over evil.
2007-01-10 21:28:38 · answer #10 · answered by HAND 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Theres a parable of Jesus that explains this very thing. The short answer is yes if they truly believe that jesus is the son of god they go to heavan and go unpunished. Isnt Grace wonderful
2007-01-10 21:27:24 · answer #11 · answered by TULSA 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋