Faith and the Reward of Heaven

[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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

+1

The world hates Jesus and refuses to recognize Him. He’s the way in to heaven. None of us can get there through our goodness or good deeds.

Although we should try to be good, and help others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

+1

The world hates Jesus and refuses to recognize Him. He’s the way in to heaven. None of us can get there through our goodness or good deeds.

Although we should try to be good, and help others.

That's correct, what you need to do is accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Nothing else is determinant.

[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.

Amen, sister.

[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.

Hitler was not repentant.

He killed himself, sinning as his final act.

[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.

Has any Christian on this thread posted anything different?

I did not see any Christian posting about a scene as you describe.

[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.

Hitler was not repentant.

He killed himself, sinning as his final act.

That may be true, but is by no means the point.

[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.

I’m not a Christian so where his heart was at conversions is moot. But, it is telling that Dobson sat down with him and gave him the platform to say that even though I brutally raped and murdered I too can be saved, b/c all sin is equally abhorrent to God. That is the argument.

In reality, Dobson’s real agenda was for Bundy to blame pornography for leading him to becoming a serial murderer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

+1

The world hates Jesus and refuses to recognize Him. He’s the way in to heaven. None of us can get there through our goodness or good deeds.

Although we should try to be good, and help others.

Is this true? I thought the Pope has said otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

+1

The world hates Jesus and refuses to recognize Him. He’s the way in to heaven. None of us can get there through our goodness or good deeds.

Although we should try to be good, and help others.

Is this true? I thought the Pope has said otherwise.

Where has the Pope said this? Link?

How could any man override the words of Jesus Christ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

He said it's hard to get into Heaven because He is the only way to get there and most people will refuse to believe it, not because you have to be so good. This board is pretty much proof of His point.

+1

The world hates Jesus and refuses to recognize Him. He’s the way in to heaven. None of us can get there through our goodness or good deeds.

Although we should try to be good, and help others.

Is this true? I thought the Pope has said otherwise.

Where has the Pope said this? Link?

How could any man override the words of Jesus Christ?

https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077

[Anonymous]

Ephesians 2:8-9

Jeremiah 23:16

Romans 10:9

Revelation 22:18

God sent His Son for mankind, truly.

But good works will not save you. Man cannot save himself.

If man could be good, and do a lot of good works, and help others, etc, and gain salvation, why did Jesus die on the cross? What was His sacrifice for?

[Anonymous]

There’s no righteous deed we can do that will earn us a place in heaven (Titus 3:5). We come to Christ empty-handed. We can take no credit for salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). This gift cannot be worked for, earned, or achieved. It’s dependent solely on Christ’s generous sacrifice on our behalf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ephesians 2:8-9

Jeremiah 23:16

Romans 10:9

Revelation 22:18

God sent His Son for mankind, truly.

But good works will not save you. Man cannot save himself.

If man could be good, and do a lot of good works, and help others, etc, and gain salvation, why did Jesus die on the cross? What was His sacrifice for?

But one can get into heaven without being a Christian, or even a believer. The Pope has said so.

[Anonymous]

“Pope Francis has good news for atheists. Jesus died and was raised for them as well. His redemptive embrace was for all, not just a chosen few.The choice to accept its reach is our own. The Holy Father was not teaching anything new. In fact, this hope that all who do not yet know God are not only capable of doing good - but will progress toward that knowledge of God by doing good - is ancient. The Church wants all men and women to be saved.“

The Pope said all can be saved by Jesus. By Jesus. Jesus “redemptive embrace.” That’s correct.

“Those people must still do good. In fact, it is in doing good that they are led to the One who is the Source of all that is good. In essence he simply restated the hope of the Church that all come to know God, through His Son Jesus Christ.”

So the Pope says “doing good” will lead you to Christ.

So although you do “good,” you still need to come to know God and Christ.

Some people are led to God because they haven’t done good.