Christian eyes and answers ONLY…pretty please?

Question

DISCLAIMER: If you are a non-Christian and reading this, please understand that I am sincerely NOT addressing you. (There is no Christian sub-category in R&S)

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It would seem that MANY of you feel as if “speaking about hell” just “isn’t your calling” from God…

Do you REALLY believe there IS a hell and that non-Christians are doomed to hell?
If not, how can you call yourself a Christian?
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If a person was serenely floating on a raft and unknowingly headed for a deadly waterfall, would you – on the shore – yell out to warn them?

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Do you know the story of the rich man in Luke 16:19-31…? He ends up in the gruesome torments of hell…and cries out to heaven asking that the dead beggar, Lazarus, be sent back to earth to WARN the rich man’s brothers of the horrors of hell they are doomed for…
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…and even now, it is as if all the non-Christians around you have dead relatives in hell and are crying out to YOU…saying, “Would you PLEASE warn my mother, father, brother, sister, daughter, son, grandchildren…of this horrific place?”

…yet, you like the “serenity” and don’t want to “disturb” them on that raft…?
…perhaps you wouldn’t want to offend them, now…would you?

Could you imagine, later in hell…them SCREAMING in agony…and whimpering out to you, “You knew about this place! Why didn’t you WARN me? Why did you give up on me? Why didn’t you keep trying to warn me? Didn’t you care for me or love me?”

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Answer 1

Well Said!

I am a coach for Bible quizzing and this year we are working on Gal, Eph, Phil, & Col. This morning we were discussing what Paul was saying in Galatians chapter 5 (I like my teams to Know & Understand what they are reading - not just memorize it for the monthly quiz meets).

Verse 11 says that the cross is offensive - one translation says "a stumbling block." I think this goes for other hard Biblical Truths like Hell, as well.

These Truths are offensive to the unsaved (and even to some who are saved - or at least claim to be). Why is it so offensive?
** Because people do not want their sins brought to light,
** They do not want to believe that they are responsible for those sins,
** They do not want to believe that the payment for sinning is eternal death,
** They do not want to accept that payment,
** And then to top it all off, they do not want to accept that Someone else (Jesus Christ Himself) has recieved the penalty on their (our) behalf because it makes them indebted to Him.

All of this is devestatingly offensive to our Pride.

Answer 2

Every human has free will. If a person is not open to hearing something they do not believe in, they dont hear you any way. I also dont believe in using a scare tactic to try to bully someone into doing something. Gods Grace has to be given to people for them to let the Lord help them, and give them a wonderful eternal life in Heaven.

Try reading these verses: Psalm 37:39-40, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Ephesians 5:14, 2 Timothy 1:9, John 3:16

Answer 3

I wouldn't yell out to the man I would jump into the water with a rope and get him to safety immediately.

However with Christianity, you do not see the waterfall, instead there is a river with a curtain going across the river. You are standing on the same side of the curtain as the man on the raft, you are on shore and the man is traveling towards the curtain. You have a very old book that says that there is a waterfall on the other side of the curtain, but there is not proof other than simply your blind unflinching faith. There could just as easily be a topless beach filled with super models on the other side.

You see you say "yell out to warn them" well thats what all you Christians say but your actions are quite different. Because what you people say and do are quite different. What you do is drag the man out of the water and begin to convert him to your beliefs because somehow that is helping him, even though there may be nothing on the other side of the "curtain".

I don't need your help, I don't want your help, most people out there don't want your help either so just worry about yourself and your soon to be mentally handicapped children as the result of your religion.

Answer 4

Verse 31 is of interest: He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'

It's not hell we're supposed to proclaim as Christians, it is the saving power of Jesus' death and resurrection...the Gospel.

I am eager to share the Gospel with those who want to hear it, but that doesn't mean shouting it out for all to hear without establishing a relationship first. Jesus and the apostles set the example for us in the New Testament by showing that relationships had to be established and then the Gospel is shared within the context of those relationships. It's not likely to be very effective if one just posts "You're going to hell" on yahoo answers.

Answer 5

Wow. It seems as though you have a lot on your mind.

I happen to be a Christian, and I happen to believe there is a heaven and a hell. However, I have learned to live my life as a good person should. My husband and I do not go to church. Every church we have ever attended is full of hypocrites. We just live our lives the way we think we should, and we raise our children to be good, loving human beings.

We do not shove our beliefs down anyone's throat, and we do not want anyone to do that to us about what they believe.

I don't fill my head or heart with thoughts of anyone I knew and loved that may be in hell crying out for me because I "didn't warn them"...that would make a person as crazy as thinking about what was life like before you were born and what it will be like after you are born.

I live for the now - but I am not forgetful about the after. Make sense? I have all of my ducks in a row.

Answer 6

"Non-Christians are doomed to hell ..."

In that case, why target Catholics -- who are Christian -- for evangelization? You have done so in previous questions. So putting those questions and this one together, what is coming across is that you think everyone is going to hell who does not interpret the Bible exactly as you do.

Yes, for the record, I do believe there is a hell. But fear of hell, by itself, is a pretty thin reason to profess belief in Christ. It leads to the concomitant belief that, phew, I'm not going to hell now, that was a close one, but hey -- my ticket's punched and I'm in. Doesn't allow for much growth in the Christian walk.

It's not enough to evangelize by preaching fire and brimstone; there's that little matter of discipling believers, as well.

Answer 7

Yes, I believe in Hell. Yes, I believe in telling others about hell, however, I think the thing of it is, we need to convince people there is a loving God out there, before going along and damning them first. If they accept a loving God, then learn they need him, it's a much better situation.

Answer 8

OK...I understand what you are saying. I am a Christian and I do believe in Hell. Do you know the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I am sure you do. Jesus did not want us to preach a "get out of hell free message". I believe you may not have intended your words to sound as such but to many that is exactly what it is..."a get out of hell free salvation". There are WAY TOO MANY people in Churches that claim they are saved and have their "get out of hell free" card and their "one way ticket to heaven" and they know NOTHING about the true Christian faith. They know NOTHING about living a Christ like life. They know NOTHING about caring for their neighbors. They know NOTHING about setting a good example for the rest of the world. Yes I believe there are a large percentage of church attenders who are indeed not a christian. One day they will find out that the "get out of hell free message" was the message that doomed them for all eternity.

Answer 9

Matthew 19
Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Romans
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them

(7) Contrary to the idea that any part of hell is a place of fire, torture, shrieks, etc., the Bible says, "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave [Sheol], whither thou goest"; "in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave [Sheol] who shall give thee thanks"; "the grave [Sheol] cannot praise thee: death cannot celebrate thee." -- Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; Isaiah 38:18.

9) Jesus "poured out his soul unto death" (Isaiah 53:10, 12; Matthew 26:38), and descended into hell, but "his soul was not left in hell [Sheol/Hades - a state of unknowing]." -- Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27, 31.
10) In old English the word hell simply meant to hide or to cover - helling potatoes meant putting them into pits, helling a house meant covering or thatching it, etc.; the word hell was therefore properly used as signifying the secret or hidden condition of death. It had no reference whatever to a place of torture until that meaning was attached to it by the theologians of the Dark Ages.

15) The Bible states plainly that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4, 20); that "the wages of sin is death [cessation of life-not life in roasting]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." -- Romans 6:23; Acts 4:12.

(17) If the penalty against Adam and his race had been eternal torment, Jesus would have had to suffer an eternity of torture to pay this debt; but, because the "wages of sin is death," "Christ died for our sins," He tasted death for every man; and He "was raised from the dead." -- 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; Hebrews 2:9; Romans 5:6-10; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:18.

Answer 10

I really don't understand what you are asking.

Who are you to say that I wold not send warning to the man on the raft. Everyone is going to have a different approch to how they believe they can reach someone and tell them about Christ. It is not my choice what to say to someone - it is the Holy Spirts. Not every non believe needs to be scared into becoming a Christian. Everyone's needs are different.