Would christians live differently if heaven was makebelieve? Please review comments...?

Question

One friend of mine was raised to believe the rapture is coming anyday so did not go to college and did not truly care about the issues on earth since she was saved and going to be whisked away.
By the age 16 she realized this was all crap.
She is now 30 and just trying to get her life back together from christianity.
Any comments?
No Bible quotes please I know the bible cover to cover since childhood.

She is was a fundamental baptist

Answer 1

No. I also don't listen to prophecies. Because I think that the philosphy of Jesus Christ - love one another, do unto others as you would have them do to you, etc is what I believe in.
I refuse to live in fear. I try to live with love.

Answer 2

The whole point of Christianity is putting your faith in God's hands, on God's Word. Nobody who is sitting at home looking at this question is 100% positive there is a heaven. It's a subjective-truth, it's also a subjective-truth that we are reincarnated as animals. The whole fact that we trust God when he says when we die we go to heaven (if we accepted him of course) is part of christianity... SO YES! Christianity would definetly change, but I'm not sure what kind of answer your looking for cause you could go two ways...If heaven is makebelieve, then there would be another thing that happens when you die. You are reincarnated, you become one with the earth and soil, your spirit floats around everywhere, or even NOTHING HAPPENS. Point is there would be another explanation that Christians would follow. Secondly, if your asking this question in terms that everything after death is makebelieve and nobody would know what happens, then God would show us another reason to pour so much love into Him. Think about how many people who have barely gone to church, maybe don't even believe but just took the chance to ask God to save them, just incase, so that they can go to heaven. If heaven was makebelieve and the #1 reward for giving your life too God was if you asked to be saved, you will meet a perfect match for a husband/wife...How can we determine a perfect match, theres so many people, maybe there atleast one person better? But people will still say, why not, take the chance, and now they got what they want!

Answer 3

To someone who has a personal relationship with God, I don't think it really makes any difference. Although I am familiar with the concept of heaven and an eternal life in a splendid place, I live my life walking with God every day. That alone is worth more than I can say so what happens tomorrow really doesn't matter. This relationship is what makes me different from those who have simply been taught a specific religion. Only God really knows what will or will not happen so I do not count on the words or writings of man to determine my faith. I believe in the moral concepts put forth in the Bible because they are good for all people...and I believe in the existance of the Son of God because God himself has led me in that direction, not because a book says it is so.

Answer 4

The concept of Heaven is unrelated to the Rapture. The rapture is the second coming of Jesus. Christians believe Heaven exists regardless of when the Rapture will happen. I would argue that your friend represents an extreme case that hardly speaks for the majority of Christians. I assure you most of us aren't hiding in our basements, unconcerned with what's happening on earth simply because we believe in Heaven. For most people, the concept of Heaven is a very reassuring one that encourages people to behave well on Earth so they can reap the rewards in the afterlife. If Christians knew Heaven was make believe, in some impossible scenario in which that could be proved, then their entire faith, as well as the hope that is inextricably tied to that faith, would be thrown into question and I doubt that would be a positive development.

Answer 5

Interesting,since as you say this person umm...knew at the age of 16 that what her parents taught her ummm...not from biblical understanding,that it was all crap as you say,yet knowing such still choose not do anything in life cannot be blamed on her faith but her very own choices that go against biblical knowledge as in the parable of talents then she must simply be accountable to her own out come in life.And I am sure you knowing the bible cover to cover as you claim shared the above wisdom with her right?

Answer 6

Sounds like she was in a cult.
Didn't she have any level headed adults around?.
You are supposed to live your life .....no one knows the day Jesus comes back.

If she read her Bible (Authorised King James Version)and if she was a genuine Christian filled with the Holy Ghost she would not have been in such a mess.
When Jesus ascended into heaven he promised the Holy Ghost to help us in all things.
Where did she go wrong?

Answer 7

I think it would be a good thing if christians relized that heavan was makebelieve....maybe then they could focus on really helping people for the sake of helping people instead of trying to buy their way into heaven and happiness

Answer 8

Christianity is about service. This means individually. It doesn't mean doing other people's talking for them. It does mean being patient and hearing people out. Therefore, if you don't want to be a fighter, to be a lover (according to Christianity), you need Christ.

Answer 9

It is all about faith. Believers do not know for sure if they are going to heaven until they die. They can only have faith that they will go to heaven after accepting Jesus.

Answer 10

If there was no God, Bible, heaven, I'd have done a lot more evil and would probably be dead or in jail.