Faith and the Reward of Heaven

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe there's a common misconception out there that Christians think they're good people and that Heaven is a reward for being so dang good. This is not how we approach it. Every Christian I know -- I'm one myself -- came to Christ because we realized what horrible sinners we were, and we needed to be forgiven. Heaven is something that God in his infinite love and mercy provides for those who have faith in Him. He wants us to be where He is, and that's by necessity a great place. And all He wants is for us to recognize our sin and put faith in His Son. If we truly do this, He helps us live better lives than we could on our own, but in no way should this be construed to mean that we're better than people who don't believe. The premise of this thread doesn't resonate with me, and I'm sure it wouldn't resonate with my Christian friends and acquaintances. We simply don't regard Heaven as some sort of "reward." We just look forward to the time when we will shed these sinful bodies and be united with LORD, in whom we have believed. Until you come to the LORD, I believe it is very difficult to understand this as a motivation.

Thank you! Many Christians believe people can’t be “good enough” to “earn” heaven. It’s belief and acceptance that the sacrifice of Jesus has saved us, alone.

And then, although you can’t earn heaven, you still have to be obedient to the word of God, and reject sin, and help your fellow man.

You don’t get a free pass to be a jerk while claiming victory over death through Christ.

As for who can accept the offer of salvation, that’s truly God’s choice. As we are all sinners, I don’t think we have the authority to declare who is redeemed and who isn’t. And who is beyond redemption. I think that’s between God and the sinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

It absolutely matters that your repentance be sincere. That’s the problem with these last minute/death row conversions. Are you repenting because you know the clock is ticking and now you’re afraid? That’s absolutely not the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

It absolutely matters that your repentance be sincere. That’s the problem with these last minute/death row conversions. Are you repenting because you know the clock is ticking and now you’re afraid? That’s absolutely not the same thing.

Or is he repenting because he hopes the judge will go easier on him? I don’t know why. But God can see into his heart.

As the gospels make clear, it’s very hard to get into heaven. Jesus talked about how it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven, for example. This idea that you can just declare belief and it’s all good is weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

Why do non-Christians think it’s cool or ok to post nonsense like this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

Why do non-Christians think it’s cool or ok to post nonsense like this?

Why is it nonsense? How is it wrong? And why is it a bad thing? -- it's the single greatest thing about Christianity. No one is beyond redemption.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the replies but I think at least some folks on here are referring to a concept of heaven that is not biblical. The Kingdom of Heaven as described in the gospels is the return of God to a renewed Earth. It is the remaking of Earth how it used to be and was always meant to be. It is not relaxing on a cloud forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

Why do non-Christians think it’s cool or ok to post nonsense like this?

Why is it nonsense? How is it wrong? And why is it a bad thing? -- it's the single greatest thing about Christianity. No one is beyond redemption.

The point I made was that it had to be *sincere* repentance. Yes, the rules are the same for everybody, and that goes for sincerity. I didn’t know Bundy, but I was doubting his sincerity. That’s all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Bundy would be another example of the difference between you saying you believe vs God looking at what’s really in your heart. In Bundy’s case I have a hard time finding the death row conversion credible.

Doesn't matter, the rules are clear. Repent and accept Jesus and you are in Heaven. Rules are the same for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and you.

Why do non-Christians think it’s cool or ok to post nonsense like this?

Why is it nonsense? How is it wrong? And why is it a bad thing? -- it's the single greatest thing about Christianity. No one is beyond redemption.

The point I made was that it had to be *sincere* repentance. Yes, the rules are the same for everybody, and that goes for sincerity. I didn’t know Bundy, but I was doubting his sincerity. That’s all.

PS. Sorry, I thought you were the troll who is constantly yanking the conversation back to an infantile understanding of redemption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the replies but I think at least some folks on here are referring to a concept of heaven that is not biblical. The Kingdom of Heaven as described in the gospels is the return of God to a renewed Earth. It is the remaking of Earth how it used to be and was always meant to be. It is not relaxing on a cloud forever.

Agree. The cloud idea is in line with the idea of God being an old dude with a long, grey beard. These make for great Renaissance paintings, but they aren’t biblical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The point I made was that it had to be *sincere* repentance. Yes, the rules are the same for everybody, and that goes for sincerity. I didn’t know Bundy, but I was doubting his sincerity. That’s all.

That's all well and good, and you can doubt he was sincere, but you can't deny that if Bundy or Hitler were sincere, they would be admitted to The Kingdom of Heaven.

[Anonymous]

Redemption is between God and the sinner. Anyone who claims they know what is in a person’s heart and mind is guessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The point I made was that it had to be *sincere* repentance. Yes, the rules are the same for everybody, and that goes for sincerity. I didn’t know Bundy, but I was doubting his sincerity. That’s all.

That's all well and good, and you can doubt he was sincere, but you can't deny that if Bundy or Hitler were sincere, they would be admitted to The Kingdom of Heaven.

No, I don’t agree. Jesus said it’s really hard to get into heaven.

[Anonymous]

The truth is that there is only one way for any human being to get to heaven and that is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every human being is, by nature, a sinful being. The Bible says that our efforts at doing “good deeds” are not acceptable in the sight of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). God alone is holy. God alone is good. So, God has made a way for sinful human beings to enter into His heaven.

God is the only perfect Being in the entire universe, and He came to earth 2,000 years ago, as a man -- Jesus. His mother was a virgin by the name of Mary. But, Mary was not impregnated by a man, but by the Holy Spirit of the Living God. She gave birth to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s laws required that a life be taken to save a life. Mankind was so sinful that the animal sacrifices of the Jewish people could no longer cleanse them of their sins. So, God sacrificed Himself, through the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that our sins could be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. During His time on earth, Jesus led a perfect, sinless life.

Jesus Christ died on a cross. He was buried in a tomb for three days and, on the third day, He was raised from the dead. After forty days, He returned to heaven, where He currently reigns. He will return to earth a second time to claim those who have confessed their belief in Him.

Jesus died so that those who believe in Him would no longer be condemned to an eternity apart from God. If you want to be assured of going to heaven after you die and you believe that Jesus Christ died to save you from the penalty for your sins, answer these questions.

Do you understand that you are a sinner, and you believe that Jesus Christ came as the one and only Redeemer of sin? Are you ready to receive God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ? If so, believe in Christ, repent of your sins, and commit the rest of your life to Him as Lord:

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The point I made was that it had to be *sincere* repentance. Yes, the rules are the same for everybody, and that goes for sincerity. I didn’t know Bundy, but I was doubting his sincerity. That’s all.

That's all well and good, and you can doubt he was sincere, but you can't deny that if Bundy or Hitler were sincere, they would be admitted to The Kingdom of Heaven.

No, I don’t agree. Jesus said it’s really hard to get into heaven.

Ok, so how does one get to heaven?