If God loves everyone equally, then is it worth the effort to be a Christian?

Question

God loves me with or with out faith, right? So if I wait until old age before accepting Jesus, the saved have had no more love from God than I did, my whole life through. Special relationship, yes, but barring any sudden death, I can avoid God's wrath, and that's all that I need to have happen.

I am a Christian, by the way, I'm just being hypothetical.

In other words, please show me how being a Christian is not just an insurance policy.

P_I_Gray, will I be going to Hell then, for asking you to think?

Answer 1

By waiting you:

1) put yourself at risk in waiting to begin the relationship that men can have with God,

2) Risk dying unexpectedly and losing your chance,

3) Are treating the things of God cheaply.

If I had a chance to live mt life without God, and still be saved, I wouldn't take it. God and I have been through way too much to sever our relationship. What He's done for me has been great.


Hebrews 4:7Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

It matters because it matters to God. If we had God give us the gift to understand Him, then we should not bar ourselves to obey Him.

The premise, 'God loves everyone equally' does not ring true. There are those who do not trust him that are not even interested in coming to him. Those are the ones who God is not calling, as the scripture says;
John 6:44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

God does not respond favorably to those who do not trust in Him, or have 'faith' in Him. So again, the need to trust Him has to be active.

Answer 2

You will be forgiven but you will loose your rewards.
Christ will remove all born-again believers who are part of the Church (New Testament saints) from the earth by an event known as the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51ff). These believers will be rewarded for good works and service during their time on earth at the Judgment Seat of Christ or will lose rewards, but not eternal life, for lack of service and obedience (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Answer 3

If you were really a Christian... you wouldn't be asking biblically inaccurate hypothetical questions like this.

First and foremost, if you had led a life of sin, I doubt very seriously that you would even think about Christ in your end of life.

Second, having known the gospel and dismissing it, hardens your heart to it and it is unlikely that one would ever accept Christ.

Third, "barring sudden death", remember that most people die suddenly and unexpectedly. That is a dangerous game of salvation roulette that you will ultimately lose.

I'm not sure what "effort" it takes to be a Christian. I'm not working any harder as a person than I did before I was saved. Even atheists say that they live good, upstanding lives because it's the right thing to do. I do it because God calls me to it. There is not "effort" expended.


{edit} Nice way to twist what I have said and make it argumentative. I have already thought about this, BEFORE committing my life to Christ.

Whether or not you are going to hell is between you and God. Your salvation is not based on whether or not you proposed a thought provoking question.

Your question, in and of itself does more to lead people away from a life devoted to Christ than it does to bring them to Christ. Ergo, may statement regarding my doubts about your devotion to Christ are accurate.

Answer 4

I suppose the sudden death thing is the best argument against this practice. But in the parable of the workers, this certainly seems to be Jesus' argument. Those hired at the last hour get paid the same as those hired in the morning.

My question is, if he loves you with or without faith, why is he sending you to hell in the first place?

Answer 5

Yes tremendously, You see the fact is He loved all the people sitting in hell right now. If that's your choice, which in my opinion that is dumber than wanting life in prison without the possibility of parole. Then don't become a Christian. Take care and I pray GOD blesses you spiritually.

Answer 6

God loves us all, but He is also keeping His word. He is kind but we have a very important decision to make: do we accept Him as Savior or not.

You have time until you die or until Jesus comes back, whatever comes first...and we do not know when our time is up here. I would not leave it to the last minute. Relationship with Jesus is so great, you do not want to miss it out while here.

Worth the effort?? Your part is hardly requiring effort compared to what Jesus did to save your soul. : )

Answer 7

The idea that finding Jesus at any time of life exempts bad behavior, including murder, is just an excuse by some Christians to do bad but fun things most of their life.

Answer 8

"Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he this is righteous is fashionable of God." (a million Ne. 17:35.) "in this the youngsters of God are show up, and the youngsters of the devil: whosoever doeth no longer righteousness isn't of God, neither he that loveth no longer his brother. For it fairly is the message that ye heard from the initiating, that we could desire to consistently love one yet another." (a million Jn. 3:10-11 The scriptures declare categorically that God is "no respecter of persons" (e.g., Acts 10:34 This emphasis on righteousness clarifies the adoption of Israel. by using fact they have been righteous and keen to flow into into covenants with the Lord, they became "the individuals of the Lord" (see Ex. 6:7) And Paul advised the Athenians on Mars Hill that God "hath made out of one blood all countries of adult men" (Acts 17:26).

Answer 9

Psalm 5:5 God hates workers of iniquity. Do you want to be loved by God or hated by Him. Serve Him and experience His love.

Answer 10

OK we have a problem here

To believe god loves everyone equally you have to believe in god, which almost certainly makes you a Christian so the question is pointless.

If you don't believe in god then there is no problem with not being loved as god simply doesn't exist.