The athiest who denies God's existence to the bitter end, refusing to ask for forgiveness at the last minute?/
Or the weasel who changes his mind, at the last second before dying, asking for a priest and forgiveness, thinking, "We'll, they said all I have to do is accept Jesus into my heart and I can go to heaven."
2007-12-26 08:09:56 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
oscalope, good quote!
2007-12-26 08:19:53 · update #1
Nice word picture you've painted here.
If the "weasel" genuinly desired forgiveness from God. He could have it. That's how grace works. It's a free gift, not earned by good behavior. However if the "weasel" was just looking to mearly escape death and eternal condemnation then...? Was he really being sincere. It's not ours to judge, but God takes His Lordship very seriously.
The humanist, however, if he is oppossed to God then why would God want him in His presence? He can however, soften the hardest heart. Maybe, he will come to ask forgiveness for forgiveness after all. ; > )
2007-12-26 08:24:08 · answer #1 · answered by Shamgaur 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To those who have answered along the lines of spdesai7, you don't know what you're talking about (spdesai7 - regarding your comment on stupidity: look in the mirror).
God would most probably respect and forgive the athiest before the weasel because the athiest stayed true to his beliefs until the end, mistaken as they are. Theoretically, if the athiest lived a good life, he did not sin because he did not believe in sin and therefore could only be charged with ignorance.
The weasel, on the other hand, presumed upon the great and awesome mercy of God. This, in itself, is a sin.
GOD IS NOT ONLY MERCIFUL, HE IS MERCY ITSELF, AND THEREFORE WILL FORGIVE ANYONE OF ANYTHING IF THAT PERSON IS TRULY SORRY.
For those of you who do not know God, or who deny His existence, I can only feel sorry for you because you don't know or understand what you're missing.
We were created by God and no matter what your intellect may try to tell you, the core of our very being longs for God. One may try to satisfy that longing with all manner of things such as wealth, sex, drugs... you name it. But one will never ever find true happiness without coming to know the Lord. There will always be a yawning chasm of emptiness inside WHICH CAN ONLY BE FILLED WITH GOD.
Your denying this does not make it any less true. You can go to your death believing the earth is flat... it will still be round. You can believe the sun moves around the earth... the astronomy books will not change for you. You can deny God with your very last breath, but He will never deny you.
2007-12-26 08:37:03 · answer #2 · answered by GemmaRose 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Neither. The choice for God is His own and not dependent upon what we do. At least, from a Calvinistic perspective.
Calling out got God to save you at the last minute after a life of denying His vary existence does not mean that teh person has been saved. Similarly, the person who claims to be a Christian yet has led a life that shows they are not is just as doomed.
Your quote also is incorrect. The proper wording is "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9
As you can see, its 2 parts: declare AND believe. Further, Jesus makes it clear that many who claim to be Christians will not go to Heaven.
2007-12-26 08:19:50 · answer #3 · answered by Tim 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Weasel
2007-12-26 08:24:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Listen to this story Jesus told:
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir, but he did not go. "Which of the two did what the father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this you did not repent and believe him."
Matthew 21:28-32
I think that answers your question.
2007-12-26 08:32:56 · answer #5 · answered by the sower 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply asking for forgiveness (going thru the motions) doesn't cut it. Only being sincerely sorry for one's actions does. As for the atheist, heaven can be his depending on how he lived his life. He might have lived a "christian) life inadvertenly. The streets of hell are lined with the skulls of bad christians.
2007-12-26 08:18:24 · answer #6 · answered by oscalope 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God forgives all who ask sincerely & repent of their sins. Asking for God's forgiveness doesn't make one a 'weasel', no matter when (s)he changes his/her mind.
2007-12-26 08:20:29 · answer #7 · answered by wanda3s48 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You miss the point. Salvation is a contract with YHVH, much like a marriage contract. Take His name and follow His rules, and you become part of the "bride" of the Messiah. If a person has lived an evil life, he proves by this that he wants no part of Messiah. I don't think weasels can turn that fast, and they certainly can't fool YHVH.
2007-12-26 08:14:05 · answer #8 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
2007-12-26 08:15:43 · answer #9 · answered by Cherub 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
God knows what's in the heart of man. He can tell if repentance is sincere or not.
2007-12-26 08:19:58 · answer #10 · answered by byHisgrace 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋