I am not a Christian, but I have heard the LIE that many Christians believe that it doesn't matter how good of a person you are, if you are not a Christian you will be tortured in Hell FOREVER when you die.
That is NOT true. Christians do NOT believe this. Agree?
2007-10-05 19:10:12 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
in an effort to be more politically correct, some 'christians'-and i use that term loosely- have decided to not preach the 'hell and damnation message' or deny it all together! unfortunately, that is not the truth, that is NOT what the Bible teaches. the ONLY people that are not going to hell are those that ('Ye Must be born again' -John 3:7). repent, believe that Jesus died for their sins, and ask him to be your personal savior! plain and simple. for more detailed plan of salvation it is detailed in link below:
edit: Neil, i know that it is hard to believe and may even seem cruel for someone to say you are going to hell, but the truth is that if you don't accept Jesus into your life, that is indeed what will happen. do i, as a Christian, go around telling people they are going stright to hell, no!! i don't believe that is the role of a saint. the bible talks about how 'in loving kindness' has He drawn us to him... i want that to show in my dealing with unbelievers, for i too was once an unbeliever. however i will never lie or mislead someone to believe that Hell is not ever an option. i pray that you will find Him just as i have
2007-10-06 01:59:17 · answer #1 · answered by yvicks 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rev_billussary:
Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.
You are using this, and your conclusion, out of context. This is part of an admonition against false prophets. Furthermore the text indicates that the people who cry out to God but do not do his will, will not enter the kingdom of Heaven. This is not a bar for unbelievers and it is not a sentence for them to go to Hell for their non belief.
I read an abridged version of the Bible all the way through many years ago. I am re reading the Bible in an unabridged, but chronological format now. I know of no passage that explicitly damms unbelievers to Hell. In fact I think there is a passage that states that those that do not know/accept God but do God's work will be rewarded (I could be wrong).
Furthermore there is a document called Vatican's II that was issued by the Roman Catholic Church that states that, while they believe Catholicism is the best way to Heaven, it is not the only way.
It is ridiculous to assume that an all merciful and benevolent being with such ultimate power as God would be so petty to punish someone for eternity over a mere belief.
But I digress. Do Christians believe that non-Christians will go to Hell? I would say that most do, on some level.
2007-10-05 19:36:41 · answer #2 · answered by nwyvre 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you say is partly true & partly wrong. That it doesn’t matter how one lives on this earth is a LIE. EVERY LITTLE THING you do matters, and are RECORDED and ACCOUNTED FOR on Judgment Day. How else can a judge be fair without evidence and without giving what is due?
Although the things we do on earth count towards how we will be “rewarded” eternally, they cannot save us, however. To be saved means to be saved from hell, toward which EVERYONE is headed – that is, without having their sins forgiven by the Creator, Owner and the Judge of the universe. So you have to understand that there’s an INITIAL separation (i.e., being separated into those who are saved by the Savior & those who are not saved because of unbelief). THEN, there’s a rewarding part within each group. All believers get rewarded in heaven according to how they lived their life on earth. All unbelievers get rewarded in hell according to how they lived their life on earth. But remember. All rewards in heaven are good; there are just different kinds of rewards depending on how faithful, loving, etc. one was. All rewards in hell are bad. Otherwise it will not be hell.
So let us be smart. Get saved, and love others.
2007-10-05 20:05:45 · answer #3 · answered by Jedidiah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a lot of Christians today who do not believe this. They have begun to adopt a more universalist attitude about other faiths, unfortunately. They are abandoning the teachings of the scripture to adopt a more 'enlightened' view that says you won't necessarily go to hell if you're not a Christian.
I know it's not popular to say someone is going to hell if they are not a Christian, but the truth of the matter is, is that Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except by ME". The scripture also tells us that if we 'confess with our lips and believe in our hearts that Jesus is LORD and God raised Him from the dead, we shall be SAVED".
What does that mean? It means Jesus is God's ticket to heaven. You can only get your ticket from Him. None of us wants anyone to go to hell, but it is a sad truth that those who don't accept salvation through Christ, don't have a ticket to get in. It wasn't Christians who said this- it was God Himself. We are obligated to do it His way, because after all, He's God, and He can do it the way He wants to. That's why so many Christians plead and try so hard to convince others to believe. Often with truth, there is only one absolute. For example, it is an absolute truth that we will die. No amount of medicine or good eating is going to change that. God's absolute truth about hell is that He provided a way to avoid it, and Jesus is it. If people don't want to accept it, then they choose to go to hell- God doesn't send them.
2007-10-05 19:33:09 · answer #4 · answered by Dawn C 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some Christians do not believe this. That I can agree with. However, I would say that those Christians are not agreeing with the Bible on this point. Any Christian who takes the Word of God as wholly true would have to agree with what the Word says which is that without Christ, man is doomed. Jesus says that *NO MAN* comes to the Father but by Him. Scripture says that the name of Jesus is the *only* name under heaven by which man may be saved.
I realize I will get thumbs down and that you'll probably only consider a best answer that agrees with you --- that seems to be the nature of this question based on how you've worded it. But if you do any study of scripture, it is *very* clear on this point. Again, some Christians may not agree with this part of scripture. But what is Christianity based on if not God's Word?
2007-10-05 19:16:17 · answer #5 · answered by KL 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is not a lie that Christians believe in the bible as the word of God. The bible clearly states that: 1) all have sinned. 2) the wages of sin is death. 3) The only salvation from this judgment is through Jesus. If the only salvation is through Jesus then those without Jesus have no salvation. I would love to sugar coat it as some of the worthless preachers out there do, but that is the truth from the word of God. It is definitive.
2007-10-05 19:23:26 · answer #6 · answered by bigbad T 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the definition of Christian use to mean one who believes that salvation is through Jesus, God's son, and no one went to heaven without this salvation regardless of merit. Now days, the term Christian is loosely throw around and the meaning has been smugged with all kinds of interpretations. But, as a whole Christan's still believe you must be saved to avoid hell
2007-10-05 19:17:50 · answer #7 · answered by . 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Uh, SOME Christians do believe this, but certainly not all. There are a range of beliefs within Christianity regarding just about any topic, and "hell" is no exception.
Speaking only for myself, no I don't think non-Christians will be eternally tortured in hell - but I don't think "hell" as a literal burning lake of eternal fire is a very accurate doctrine either.
Peace and (((hugGs)))
2007-10-05 19:29:30 · answer #8 · answered by Orpheus Rising 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually I agree with it, but it goes beyond calling yourself a Christian. Its not the religion and the title of being a Christian that entitles you a pass to heaven, its the fact that most Christians have given their lives and established a relationship with Jesus that determines whether or not you will go to Heaven. God has given man the choice to either follow Him or follow their own ways. By God allowing man the freedom to choose on their own, man and not God is ultimately responsible for where they will spend their eternity. If someone lived their whole life without having a relationship with God here on Earth, why would they want to spend all eternity with them? That doesn't make any sense. If you have chosen to ask Jesus into your life by knowing that you are sinful and that no matter how good of a person you are you still fall short of God's standards , then you will see that there is nothing we can do to earn Heaven. God expects complete perfection from us if we are to earn Heaven on our own, however God also knows that mankind in unable to live this life of perfection. So God decided to send Jesus who was perfect to live the perfect life and to die in our place (because we are never going to be perfect). Now when you decide to trust that Jesus did indeed live the perfect life and did indeed die for your own imperfection (sins) and ask Him to save you from an eternity away from God, then you have become a true Christian, and follower of Christ, and God will see Jesus' perfection upon your life and He will see Jesus' sacrifice as a payment for your own imperfections and then when you die God will accept you into His kingdom (Heaven). If someone has never accepted Jesus' sacrifice and established a relationship with Him, then when that person dies they will eternally be separated from God (Hell). This is the only way God has provided for people to be with Him for eternity, God made the rules and if we want to partake we must obey. Having a relationship with Jesus is better than any religion and any life this World could offer you, I would not change it for anything. At times we go through hard times but God always provides a way out and in comparison with what awaits me (Heaven) it is nothing. May God bless you and I hope you read these words in Love.
2007-10-05 19:28:09 · answer #9 · answered by Moe Hawk 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some do, some are allowed to think rationally. That's where the "doctrine of invincible ignorace" comes from. It says when you have been provided with the information regarding "salvation" in an honest manner, then it's your responsibility to act on it accordingly.
Many people of other faiths are not give the opportunity to learn about Christian faith, and one faith in particular aims to completely contradict Christian faith and "re-educate" them for the sake of drawing them away from their faith while replacing it with their own. They are threatened with HELL FIRE and DOOM if they follow the Christian way.
In both cases, they are not given a fair shake, and will be considered innocently ignorant.
2007-10-05 19:17:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋