You have two men:
The first one is a good man, is kind to all the people around him. Good to his family, good to his community and society as a whole. He was not born in a Christian country and though he knows about Christianity took another religion instead of it.
The 2nd man stole, murdered, and did every horrible thing known to man. He was never a Christian but on his deathbed converted to Christianity.
Where will these 2 men end up in the afterlife?
2007-05-24 03:23:23 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thank you Christians for proving that even if I did believe in God, I would for not one moment be a Christian.
The idea that all those who are not like us regardless of the morals will go to hell is deplorable to me.
2007-05-24 03:35:01 · update #1
Come on...you know what they will tell you.
2007-05-24 03:26:33 · answer #1 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
being good will never get us to heaven. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness, are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. No man cometh to the Father except through Jesus. There are many people out here who know the truth, but waits till the last minute to invite Jesus into their hearts. That is why God is Just. He will accept people if they are sincere. There are also people who really don't mean it and still will end up in hell. That is why God is the judge, and we are not. What we see wrong or right by people we would judge. God looks on the heart, and we look on the outside.
2007-05-24 10:46:27 · answer #2 · answered by salvation 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question is repeated her all of the time. It is more common than Pascals Wager.
If you want the answer, check the search function On Yahoo!Answers.
No one is ever completely good in God's eyes, so if he doesn't repent, you already know what Jesus said would happen to him (Luke 13:1-5). These aren't my rules, so what do you expect me to say?
As for the murder, honestly, what are the real chances that someone like that would feel any remorse on his deathbed after a life of sin? Would the Holy Spirit really allow him to feel any remorse, or would would God harden his heart? This is an unlikely hypothetical, but the short answer is that God will have mercy on whomever he wants to have mercy, and no one may question God's judgment (Romans 9:14-33).
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"The idea that all those who are not like us regardless of the morals will go to hell is deplorable to me."
The Bible makes it clear that God doesn't condemn people for "not being like us". That is your own misinterpretation; God doesn't care who you are or what you do, God will condemn you for being so proud that you think that you are good enough to "earn" your way into Heaven, as if you were doing God a favor by doing good. The Bible makes it clear that God does not owe anyone anything.
Only the people humble enough to admit that they are sinners get forgiven (because they are the only ones who ask). Other people don't go to Heaven because they are too proud to ask for forgiveness (they think that they have earned it).
As Jesus said, you have not, because you ask not. Simple.
2007-05-24 10:35:49 · answer #3 · answered by Randy G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian. I am not GOD, nor do I pretend to have absolute access to God's future decisions and mind on everything and everyone.
Some Christians will use the bible to try to judge others and determine WHERE they will end up in the afterlife as if they are God's "proxies". I am not one of those either.
What I CAN tell you is that from MY experience with God and the truth revealed to me from spiriutal understanding of the bible, God is merciful, just and slow to anger, so the right outcome will happen, irregardless of what I or others TRY to predict.
2007-05-24 10:38:02 · answer #4 · answered by jessicabjoseph 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this one IS a difficult question to consider but, from what I have learned in my life I will try, okay? The good man, I truely believe, will be in Heaven. If he were not close to God then he would not have been able to exhibit God-like qualities in his life here on earth. The second man......death bed conversions are hard for us to know just how sincere they really are. If the person is only afraid of going to Hell and isn't truely sorry for the bad things that he did then I would say that his so-called conversion wouldn't matter because it wasn't sincere. If it is then, as the Lord said, he will be forgiven also just as the repentant thief who hung beside the Lord on his own cross.
2007-05-24 10:47:03 · answer #5 · answered by nightstar0716 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is not anyone place in this site or anywhere to say what is going to happen to someone else when they die. There is no way to know that. If someone poses they know the anwer then I hope their first name is God, otherwise that is just straight up judgement. Judgement comes back 10 fold.
The only thing I can say to this question is the bible clearly states how to get to heaven but whether you are going is God's decision. This is a good question, I just wish there was a clear cut answer.
2007-05-24 10:40:59 · answer #6 · answered by Jessica C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remember the two thieves who were nailed to the cross with Jesus-and one repented at the last moment while he was dying and Jesus told him he would be with Him in paradise, the other did not repent and would spend eternity in hell-at his own choosing-so the murderer who repented,even at the last minute,as did the thief, will go to heaven, the good man who took another religion (thus not believing Jesus died for his sins and repenting and accepting that gift of eternal life with Him, will be in hell, by HIS own choosing.
2007-05-24 10:31:45 · answer #7 · answered by marlynembrindle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Silly question.
No one, not a single soul goes to heaven or hell for what they do in this life. Only those who reject God go to hell, only those who accept God go to heaven. In fact, the Bible tell us that the very "best" man can do is just like filth to God. God is never impressed with your good deeds-He calls it "iniquity".
What you are doing with your "hypothetical question" is judging God, not posing some impossible problem for those who believe.
But to answer you in your "hypothetical situation- the good man goes to hell, and the criminal goes to heaven.
It is sinners who "need" God, all the "good" folk will work their way to some imaginary paradise.
I hope this helped you.
2007-05-24 10:35:45 · answer #8 · answered by Janet H 24 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have access to a Bible read Luke Chapter 23 verses 32-43, also Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 8&9. The story of Saul/Paul can be helpful also. (Acts 8&9)
2007-05-24 10:45:51 · answer #9 · answered by BF 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only God knows the answer to that but remember the parable of the servants in the vineyard? Both were paid the same for different lengths of service. It is up to the Master to decide who is paid and how much. It is possible that both would go to Heaven. It is possible neither would or only one.
2007-05-24 10:31:14 · answer #10 · answered by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We as humans can't make judgments like that, only God. But if I were to judge, I'd say the good man who didn't accept Jesus as his savior goes to Hell and the murderer who converted to Christianity will be going to Heaven.
And "NewCatholic" quotes: "we don't believe that only Christians and Catholics only go to Heaven." ...speak for yourself.
2007-05-24 10:30:38 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋