How to have Eternal Life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My pastor calls things like OP’s post “Christianese,” or stuff Christians say to other Christians to make themselves feel good. No one who isn’t Christian is going to find the idea of Jesus paying your “sin-debt” compelling. People feel like they have more pressing issues, like how to feel peace, be a good person, etc. And sadly, they are so turned off by people like OP that they never see that the love of Jesus can do amazing things in your life, the one you are living right now.

I'm a minister and agree with your pastor. I call it "religious malpractice". Thankfully, the majority of Christians eventually outgrow that type of thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

Bilge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My pastor calls things like OP’s post “Christianese,” or stuff Christians say to other Christians to make themselves feel good. No one who isn’t Christian is going to find the idea of Jesus paying your “sin-debt” compelling. People feel like they have more pressing issues, like how to feel peace, be a good person, etc. And sadly, they are so turned off by people like OP that they never see that the love of Jesus can do amazing things in your life, the one you are living right now.

I'm a minister and agree with your pastor. I call it "religious malpractice". Thankfully, the majority of Christians eventually outgrow that type of thinking.

I hope OP is reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

While I agree for the most part you also omit one important thing. A person is not a true Christian if they deliberately choose sin over and over again. Christ calls us to repent and sin no more. Thinking that we can sin and also be saved by grace is for fools.Turning away from sin is the foundation of Christianity. This represents obedience to God.

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: [b]go, and sin no more[u]."

He did not say - go and enjoy buffet of sins and expect to be saved afterwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

While I agree for the most part you also omit one important thing. A person is not a true Christian if they deliberately choose sin over and over again. Christ calls us to repent and sin no more. Thinking that we can sin and also be saved by grace is for fools.Turning away from sin is the foundation of Christianity. This represents obedience to God.

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: [b]go, and sin no more[u]."

He did not say - go and enjoy buffet of sins and expect to be saved afterwards.

You'll both feel a lot better if you can just accept that the Bible has a lot of inconsistencies and that if you interpret it the wrong way, hopefully you'll get points of trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

While I agree for the most part you also omit one important thing. A person is not a true Christian if they deliberately choose sin over and over again. Christ calls us to repent and sin no more. Thinking that we can sin and also be saved by grace is for fools.Turning away from sin is the foundation of Christianity. This represents obedience to God.

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: [b]go, and sin no more[u]."

He did not say - go and enjoy buffet of sins and expect to be saved afterwards.

You'll both feel a lot better if you can just accept that the Bible has a lot of inconsistencies and that if you interpret it the wrong way, hopefully you'll get points of trying.

Please don't speak about Bible. You know nothing of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

While I agree for the most part you also omit one important thing. A person is not a true Christian if they deliberately choose sin over and over again. Christ calls us to repent and sin no more. Thinking that we can sin and also be saved by grace is for fools.Turning away from sin is the foundation of Christianity. This represents obedience to God.

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: [b]go, and sin no more[u]."

He did not say - go and enjoy buffet of sins and expect to be saved afterwards.

You'll both feel a lot better if you can just accept that the Bible has a lot of inconsistencies and that if you interpret it the wrong way, hopefully you'll get points of trying.

Please don't speak about Bible. You know nothing of it.

Sorry, I happen to know a lot about it. It would be too easy, PP, to think that people who don't agree with you are not knowledgeable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My pastor calls things like OP’s post “Christianese,” or stuff Christians say to other Christians to make themselves feel good. No one who isn’t Christian is going to find the idea of Jesus paying your “sin-debt” compelling. People feel like they have more pressing issues, like how to feel peace, be a good person, etc. And sadly, they are so turned off by people like OP that they never see that the love of Jesus can do amazing things in your life, the one you are living right now.

I'm a minister and agree with your pastor. I call it "religious malpractice". Thankfully, the majority of Christians eventually outgrow that type of thinking.

Religious malpractice, to use your cutesy term, is rewriting the parts of the Scriptures that you don't like, or that you don't think will appeal to your targeted demographic of church members, to suit your personal whims and trends. True Christians never "outgrow" God's teachings. No true minister of Christ's word would ever make a statement like that, so I call major troll on this post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that entrance into heaven is on the basis of merit (our works) rather than God's grace is also common. But a works based system of salvation is foreign to the message of Christ. Whether or not one enters heaven is not dependent on a continuum of good and evil, wherein we hope our good acts outweigh our bad ones. While this perspective may be common, it is biblically incorrect. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (NIV). Grace is God's unmerited favor, demonstrated most fully in the sacrifice of Christ. In short, the only way to heaven is through Jesus, "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

Those who argue that all good people go to heaven often suggest that if hell exists, it is reserved for a minority of particularly evil people. But since most people are not so evil, they argue, it makes sense to claim that all good people will get to heaven regardless of any minor lapses in moral behavior. Does this reasoning hold up? It does so only if it fails to take into account the nature of God, the nature of sin, and what the Bible has to say on the subject. As we've noted, God is holy, but He is also just. God's justice requires the reality of hell for the unredeemed. The nature of sin extends, biblically speaking, to everyone. Salvation is not by works, but by God's grace through Christ.

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/dont-all-good-people-go-to-heaven

While I agree for the most part you also omit one important thing. A person is not a true Christian if they deliberately choose sin over and over again. Christ calls us to repent and sin no more. Thinking that we can sin and also be saved by grace is for fools.Turning away from sin is the foundation of Christianity. This represents obedience to God.

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: [b]go, and sin no more[u]."

He did not say - go and enjoy buffet of sins and expect to be saved afterwards.

You'll both feel a lot better if you can just accept that the Bible has a lot of inconsistencies and that if you interpret it the wrong way, hopefully you'll get points of trying.

What inconsistencies? There are no real inconsistencies -- just parts that many so-called "Christians" (and I use that term loosely) don't like, and try to rationalize away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Universalist. I believe that whatever happens when we die happens to all of us. I also believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every person and I believe in the Golden Rule. I believe in kindness and love. I believe in trying harder each day to be kinder and more loving.

So the serial killer, the murderer, the 3 year old who died from cancer, and the young mother killed by a drunk driver on her way home from the grocery store all have the same fate after death?

Not being rude, at all. Just trying to understand.

All people are of the same worth- each soul is priceless.

DP. Yes, they all have the same "fate" after death: they no longer exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Universalist. I believe that whatever happens when we die happens to all of us. I also believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every person and I believe in the Golden Rule. I believe in kindness and love. I believe in trying harder each day to be kinder and more loving.

So the serial killer, the murderer, the 3 year old who died from cancer, and the young mother killed by a drunk driver on her way home from the grocery store all have the same fate after death?

Not being rude, at all. Just trying to understand.

All people are of the same worth- each soul is priceless.

DP. Yes, they all have the same "fate" after death: they no longer exist.

THIS would be a discussion worth having. Does eternal life exist at all? If you think yes, are you basing that answer solely on the basis of a religious text, or do you have a personal experience to share? If you think no, what are your reasons? I've struggled with this question my whole adult life. I have yet to come to a conclusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay here's where I confess that the thought of eternity scares the sh!t out of me.

I mean when does it ever end?

I don’t know if you are joking, but eternal life is pretty clear.

Would you rather die and disappear?

I'm not joking. The thought of eternity has always caused me great anxiety, since I was a child. I mean seriously. It just goes on and on and on and on....How could that not be frightening?

The thought of oblivion is not a happy one to ponder. But I won't be mulling it over when it happens because I won't exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My pastor calls things like OP’s post “Christianese,” or stuff Christians say to other Christians to make themselves feel good. No one who isn’t Christian is going to find the idea of Jesus paying your “sin-debt” compelling. People feel like they have more pressing issues, like how to feel peace, be a good person, etc. And sadly, they are so turned off by people like OP that they never see that the love of Jesus can do amazing things in your life, the one you are living right now.

I'm a minister and agree with your pastor. I call it "religious malpractice". Thankfully, the majority of Christians eventually outgrow that type of thinking.

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you on the point that most Christians eventually outgrow that thinking.

It is precisely that thinking that is most prevalent around the world. Not here in our liberal bubble, but these types of Evangelicals are harming countless communities around the world with this type of 'radical' worldview. This is why in other countries those that have been converted carry these same polarizing views and continue to perpetuate them.

I also grew up in the Bible belt and know very well how common and widespread this line of Christianity is in America.

It's sad to say that the Christians that are more like you, minister, and like many on DCUM are definitely the minority.