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Have you turned to Christ in repentance?
If so....you are forgiven and on your way to heaven

why is it that in christianity you can commit any sin you want (steal, rape, molest children, murder, even all of the above) and still get into heaven if you repent, but if a non christian lives their life in a completely wholesome way, raises kind, compassionate children, contributes to society, volunteers, never breaks the law, etc etc, they still don't get into heaven?
and with this being the case, would the non christian really WANT to go to heaven with all those kinds of people residing there?
please don't answer with bible quotes that may be misinterpreted, i would like actual answers.

2007-03-22 03:28:07 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

ralph and lupa: i understand that it means more than just saying you're sorry, you have to truly believe it. i just don't understand how one can lead such a horrible life and truly repent, while the "good person" strives daily through their life to be "good" and gets sent to hell! if god is all people say he is, wouldn't he let the good people into heaven. circumstances may have made these people non believers by where they live, or who raised them, its not always their fault that they don't have a relationship with god.

2007-03-22 03:43:59 · update #1

lupa: you raise a good point about being a finite amount of people getting into heaven. if this is the case, what's the point of trying to be good anyway? nothing you do is going to change your fate if you're predestined

2007-03-22 03:46:57 · update #2

i like this answer God created EVERYONE - Christian, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists and wants EVERYONE to be with Him after this life.
i wished more people believed it, then would stop damming me to hell for being a witch

2007-03-22 03:52:21 · update #3

11 answers

In my opinion, that was just a scare tactic to get pagans and heathens to convert over to christianity. There is a "scare tactic" in all religions, Wiccans have Karmic Debt, which bears a similar ring, if you live your life badly, you accumilate bad karma, which you will have to account for in the next life, the lessons you are here to learn will be re-taught until you have cleared your karmic debt, learned what you are supposed to and then be accepted into the Summerland.

Humans have always needed to live by an action and consequence guideline, so that we may strive to be good people.

Depending on what flavour of Christian you are, some believe that only a finite number of people are going to heaven, whether they live a good life or not. Each person has already been choosen, so once that finite number is met, then the rest are screwed so to speak.

I think the "repent your sins" admission to heaven is a bit more indepth than most people realize. The way I was taught growing up was that if you truely were sorry for what you had done and strive to not repeat the same sins, then you were forgiven, you couldn't just pay lip service to it. You truely had to repent in your heart, and be aware of the error of your ways. "The truely repentant man shall gain entrance to Heaven."

I believe that if you live your life as a good honest person, that the after life, no matter what you believe, will take care of itself.

To add a side note in response to Riegan, in the Christian faith, one who is behaves so badly, and is truely not sorry, will not get into Heaven, they will be banished to hell, and the good man will gain entrance. As for the finite number, no one know what that number is, and if it has been met, so most Christians think, it is better to err on the side of caution, just in case you are one of the Chosen.

It also states in the bible, Luke I do belive, that even if you have never known god, you will have your chance on judgement day, that he will give you the opportunity to know him, and believe, and if you truely believe, and are repentant of your earthly sins, he will grant you access.

The Christian god is portrayed in various different ways throughout their belief system. One is harsh, and unforgiving, one is all loving, and accepting. Its hard to nail down exactly what he is and isn't.

If your not a Christian, then you have your own set of beliefs, and getting into Heaven really isn't a major concern of yours, but what your religion dictates would be. I am Wiccan, so therefore my concern is with Karmic Debt.

2007-03-22 03:38:27 · answer #1 · answered by Lupa 2 · 2 1

First, God is holy. He cannot accept any failings into His company.So, if you know of someone who is perfect, then they don't need God's forgivness.The problem is God's standards are so much higher than ours. Saying I'm good enough on my own to get into heavan is like a homeless guy putting on his nicest dirty shirt and waltzing into the White house, when there are free clean, new shirts at the door. So now the sins you commited pale in comparison to the fact that you just told God that He is wrong in condeming your petty, little mistakes.How dare God be so old fasioned and hard headed.

Second, I think you have a misconception about repentance. Repentance starts with a remorse about what you have done. Then you tell God ( and maybe a person ) that you regret what you did. Then you begin to resolve not to do it again , or at least work at it untill you stop doing it. Let's say you are a proud person who belittles other people. First , it comes to your attention that you are this way. You are horrified at what a terrible attitude you have had. You are embarrased, and you ask several " victims" to forgive you . Now comes the hard part, changing. With determination and God's support, you can change. IT IS GODS PLAN TO SLOWLY CHANGE YOU FROM SINNER INTO SAINT. If you think you are all ready a saint then there is nothing He can do for you.The basic attitude that you descibe - I'm good enough - is such a slap in a loving God's face.

I'm not saying that to God rape isn't worse than gossip. It is. And King David of Isreal paid dearly for his adultery and murder even thogh he repented and never did it again. There is allways a consequence for sin, whether it is forgiven or not.thankfully, God 's forgivness allows us into heavan and His power helps us to stop sinning here on earth. That's His plan, regardless of what you see living in the people around you.

2007-03-22 11:28:36 · answer #2 · answered by ben s 2 · 1 0

Because repenting means to completely turn from that activity to visit it no more.
Because the standard is not other people, meaning you can always find someone "worse" than you, so that makes you feel good.
Because forgiveness is through Christ, not through us.
I mean, the Bible says the only way to heaven is by accepting Jesus as your savior and repenting of your sins. I mention that because you got it.
But what if it was different, and you could work your way to heaven. Ok, but who would make the decision of what is good enough to get to heaven and what is not.
And you mention sin. Under your premise, once you sin, then that's it. you are a sinner, and there is nothing you can do about it. Man, that sucks. No hope there at all, so why bother.
You know, people say all the time that God's grace and mercy gives liscence to sin.
But, to me, what you just described gives much much more liscence to do so. Why on earth would I want to be good if the first time I screw up I'm labeled for life? If there is No one "out there" that can change my heart and replace my sinful nature with His good nature, where's my motivation to be nice and play fair?
And then, back to the definition of what's good. Who makes the rules as to what is good. For example you mention volunteer work. I know lots of people that do volunteer work for themselves and not for the good of others. They do it because they know it makes them look good. "look at me, I'm doing this because I'm such a good person." That reeks in my opinion. But what about the people that are changing lives and giving hope silently, when no one is looking, not doing works for a tax deduction. Most of the world sees that as stupid.
And about breaking the law. Never? even on accident? ever? not one half a mile over the speed limit? You always come to a complete stop at a stop sign and make sure your wheels are not moving and look both ways? Dang, maybe that person needs to make the rules. I'm exempt

So, I get what you're saying, but to your premise, I say no thanks. I seriously do not want to live in that kind of judgmental self righteous world. One where I am branded for life for a mistake. One where man makes the rules concerning my eternity.
I prefer Hope.
Isn't it odd that non Christians say the exact same thing about God?

2007-03-22 10:54:12 · answer #3 · answered by Terri 6 · 0 0

The whole concept of every Christian going to heaven even though their sins have been forgiven is a complete misconception and false teaching...Sorry, but I will not answer a question without giving biblical references...

1 John 2:15-17: "Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. 17 Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever."

Matthew 24:13 & 14: "But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come."

(God's will is that the good news of the kingdom, which is an actual government with earthly subjects be preached throughout the whole earth)

Psalm 72:8: "And he will have subjects from sea to sea
And from the River to the ends of the earth."

Acts 3:19: "(Acts 3:19) . . .“Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get YOUR sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah"

Repent and turn around means to admit what we have done against God's will, and principles, and then turn around and do it no more! Even the apostle Paul knew that it was possible for him to lose his good standing if he wasn't careful.

1 Corinthians 9: 26 & 27: "Therefore, the way I am running is not uncertainly; the way I am directing my blows is so as not to be striking the air; 27 but I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow."

We do have everlasting life to look forward to as a reward for our faithful service, and even those who have died without knowing God will have that same chance at everlasting life after the resurrection, but that is to life on earth for all but a limited number, who will rule in heaven with Jesus...

Matthew 5:5: "“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth."

Psalm 37: 29: " The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it."

2007-03-22 10:49:31 · answer #4 · answered by wannaknow 5 · 0 1

It's all rubbish. God does not exist, Hell and Heaven do not exist, satan does not exist and neither do all the angels, cherubim, etc. etc.

It makes no difference how you live your life, except that if you commit the kinds of "sin" you name (murder, rape, etc) you're going to spend your precious life locked up in a small cell with a big guy called Bubba who wants to be your best friend. So it's in your itnerests to play nice, or at least relatively nice.

2007-03-22 10:35:54 · answer #5 · answered by Wild About Harry 4 · 0 1

Well said, very reasonable question.

But they believe if you don't buy into their savior, no matter how good you are, you suffer for eternity, yet someone like Hitler could get to heaven if he's truly sorry

I cannot worship a god who makes those kinds of decisions and I believe anyone who does, does it for the reward and only the reward they think they are getting

2007-03-22 10:40:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

God created EVERYONE - Christian, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists and wants EVERYONE to be with Him after this life.

God is all knowing and knows that there are going to be people who will never hear about Jesus Christ or even Himself. He also knows that some people will hear about Him and His Son, but will not be moved by faith to believe in Him in their heart.

If God is all loving and He knows al of these things, would He create people who He knows have no chance for happiness with Him in Heaven? I do not think so.

God speaks to all people's hearts and gently moves them to follow His command to love Him, love neighbor and love self. If a person seeks God and moved by grace, tries to love their neighbor and themselves as directed by their conscience, they will be following Christ (though they may not know it) and they will have everlasting life.

"What glorious hope!" Mauriac writes. "There are all those who will discover that their neighbor is Jesus himself, although they belong to the mass of those who do not know Christ or who have forgotten Him. And nevertheless they will find themselves well loved. It is impossible for any one of those who has real charity in his heart not to serve Christ. Even some of those who think they hate Him, have consecrated their lives to Him; for Jesus is disguised and masked in the midst of men, hidden among the poor, among the sick, among prisoners, among strangers. Many who serve Him officially have never known who He was, and many who do not even know His name, will hear on the last day the words that open to them the gates of joy. O Those children were I, and I those working men. I wept on the hospital bed. I was that murderer in his cell whom you consoled.' "

2007-03-22 10:45:16 · answer #7 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 1 0

There are always consequences for sinning. Whether we see it or not.
Repentance means more than saying "please God forgive me" and then everything is okay.

2007-03-22 10:38:25 · answer #8 · answered by cc 3 · 0 0

well you can be a muslim and fight in the holy war and go to heaven.

2007-03-22 10:34:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

Because its BS

2007-03-22 10:31:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

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