Is Jesus The Only Way To Heaven?

[Shadow Wolf]

If the Christian god loves every one like the Bible says, then why would millions be sent to hell, including the ones who never heard of Jesus, which does happen in modern times. Do you honestly think a loving, merciful god would tell someone who has never heard of him in life, "You must go to hell to suffer for all eternity because you didnt accept my son as savior?"
And people say that "mankind" chose to lead a sinful life. If I remember the Bible correctly, it was Eve who allowed her self to rebel against god, and then lead Adam to do the same thing. I didn't chose to live a sinful life, and i'm sure very few of us on this forum did. We are born that way. We didnt chose to be what the Bible calls sinners, we were born with a sinnful nature.
And if god works through everyone on this earth, like many Christians say he does, then god MADE ME pagan, and is FORCING me to live a life that will damn me after I die.

because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time

I have read several things that say god didnt forgive sins prior to Jesus crucifixion, and everyone who lived before that time, save for the prophets, are burning hell.

I don't believe in heaven, but I believe in a heaven-type of place called Summerland, and i dont believe that you have to worship a man to get thier, but rather everyone gets thier.

 

[Scuba Pete]

God doesn't "send" anyone to hell... those going there have chosen to go. God will respect their wishes.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

God doesn't "send" anyone to hell... those going there have chosen to go. God will respect their wishes.

A quick example: If a Hindu who has never heard of Jesus were to die thinking he would go to Nirvana, but suddenly finds himself in front of the "pearly gates" instead, god would sentence him to hell for eternity because he didnt accept Christ as Savior.
The Hindu never would have heard of Hell in life, and wouldn't have gotten to "chose" if he wanted to go to Heaven or Hell, yet he was sentenced to Hell.
That sounds like "sending" someone to hell to me. It also shows that god didnt respect that wish, since the Hindu didnt wish to go to Hell.
If your Christian is out there, and he really loves me and wants to save me from eternal damnation, why doesn't he make this more clear? Why doesn't god just drop me a sign?

 

[Draka]

Ok,God is Holy,Righteous and just,because your good,kind and fruitful, will mean nothing to a God on Judgement day when he will bring justice and punishe sin and unrighteousness where it is found

So, in essence, you are saying that someone could live like Mother Theresa and help thousands, lead a good, clean, and "sin"-free life and if they were not claiming Jesus to be their savior then they are going to be damned by God? Yet, a Christian who has committed horrendous moral and criminal violations and yet repented their sins and believed in Christ would be saved??? Where's the justice of your god in that? How is that JUST?

 

[Scott1]

So, in essence, you are saying that someone could live like Mother Theresa and help thousands, lead a good, clean, and "sin"-free life and if they were not claiming Jesus to be their savior then they are going to be damned by God? Yet, a Christian who has committed horrendous moral and criminal violations and yet repented their sins and believed in Christ would be saved??? Where's the justice of your god in that? How is that JUST?

Just remember..... not all Christians believe this..... ahem..... "stuff" (I'm trying to be nice )..... God is love, and everything else with follow along with that.

Scott

 

[Draka]

Oh, Scott, you know I don't dare claim that you or any other Christians believe this "stuff". It just irked me the way he put this "stuff". You know?

 

[Melody]

If I remember the Bible correctly, it was Eve who allowed her self to rebel against god, and then lead Adam to do the same thing.

That's a victim's mentality. Adam knew what God told them and could have refused to commit the same sin.

My sons knew at an early age that "but he made me do it" didn't cut it in our household. *Nobody* can *make* you do anything. Even if they put a gun to your head and tell you to do something or die, you still have a choice. It's a lousy choice, but you still have a choice.

Adam was just as culpable as Eve and Eve was no more guilty than Adam.

 

[Melody]

A quick example: If a Hindu who has never heard of Jesus were to die thinking he would go to Nirvana, but suddenly finds himself in front of the "pearly gates" instead, god would sentence him to hell for eternity because he didnt accept Christ as Savior.

I'm still looking for the verse in Romans, but there is a verse that says that God knows what is in our hearts and they'll be judged by that if they've never heard about Christ.

As soon as I find it, I'll post it.

 

[Melody]

Just remember..... not all Christians believe this..... ahem..... "stuff" (I'm trying to be nice )..... God is love, and everything else with follow along with that.

Scott

Scott,
Do you mean you don't believe that a belief in Christ is essential for salvation?

 

[Scott1]

Scott,
Do you mean you don't believe that a belief in Christ is essential for salvation?

A man lives..... never hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ..... follows his conscience, seeking out good over evil.... contemplates the world searching for an unknown/unseen "power" that may or may not exist.... loves his fellow man, looking to assist those less fortunate or weaker than himself.... this man dies, never knowing God of the Bible or Jesus Christ.

This man goes to hell?

I don't believe God is so cruel to damn this man because of geography or other circumstances that present themselves in the world..... Christ died for his sins, no matter if he knows that fact or not.

I don't profess to know who or who is not "saved".... I can only say that I believe Jesus Christ to be the Way ...... but also that there is an aspect of God and "Christian" truth in all faiths and morality in general. On the path of a moral life a man may achieve salvation.... because I believe God's grace transends our human understanding of faith.

Scott

 

[john313]

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:22-26


All who are in heaven are there because Jesus paid for their sins, God was able to have his justice served and people are still be able to enter heaven because they have the the righteousness they need if they are to stand before God "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." because they no longer are indebt to Gods law their sin is already paid for when they stand befor Him. It is the most precious gift from God to mankind so i sometimes wonder why so many people hold the name of Jesus with such contempt. But then verses like the following make it quite clear.

if having a human sacrifice gets you into heaven, then good luck to you. i personally cannot morally follow a religion that teaches there has to be a human sacrifice for anyone to get to paradise, especially the mithric-style human god sacrifice.

 

[Melody]

A man lives..... never hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ..... follows his conscience, seeking out good over evil.... contemplates the world searching for an unknown/unseen "power" that may or may not exist.... loves his fellow man, looking to assist those less fortunate or weaker than himself.... this man dies, never knowing God of the Bible or Jesus Christ.

This man goes to hell?

I don't believe God is so cruel to damn this man because of geography or other circumstances that present themselves in the world..... Christ died for his sins, no matter if he knows that fact or not.

I don't profess to know who or who is not "saved".... I can only say that I believe Jesus Christ to be the Way ...... but also that there is an aspect of God and "Christian" truth in all faiths and morality in general. On the path of a moral life a man may achieve salvation.... because I believe God's grace transends our human understanding of faith.

Scott

I agree. I don't believe God is so cruel as to condemn those who do not know. I'm still looking for that verse.

I'm not sure I understand the rest.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

But Jesus did say he is the way, the truth and the light, and no man can get to the father except through him.
Also, the Bible said, for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that who soever believed in him would not perish but have ever lasting life. This implies that to get to heaven, you must believe that christ died, and you must accept him as saviour. Thier are also other verses that would imply that you either accept christ, or go to hell.

 

[Quoth The Raven]

But Jesus did say he is the way, the truth and the light, and no man can get to the father except through him.
Also, the Bible said, for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that who soever believed in him would not perish but have ever lasting life. This implies that to get to heaven, you must believe that christ died, and you must accept him as saviour. Thier are also other verses that would imply that you either accept christ, or go to hell.

It's very hard to believe in someone if you've never heard of him.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's very hard to believe in someone if you've never heard of him.

I was just pointing out that the Bible does have verses that say the only way into heaven is that you must accept Christ as savior, or you burn in hell.

 

[painted wolf]

man poor Adam and Eve, Abraham and Moses... they lived before Jesus and never had the chance to accept him as savior.

seems odd that all those icons of Christianity would burn in hell for being born early.

wa:do

 

[scitsofreaky]

To be fair, Jesus was really just a different way for people(Jews, since Jesus did come to save the Jews, while (S)Paul, a genitle I believe, was supposedly told by Jesus otherwise, even though Jesus did say that he came for God's chosen people) to reach heaven. Jesus is a replacement for the animal sacrifices. So perhaps Jesus was sent because God started feeling bad for all of the animals that were being slaughtered.

 

[robtex]

if having a human sacrifice gets you into heaven, then good luck to you. i personally cannot morally follow a religion that teaches there has to be a human sacrifice for anyone to get to paradise, especially the mithric-style human god sacrifice.

That is a good point not only for the specfic point he made but also

1) against an omnipotent god....you wouldn't be able to kill one even if you wanted to. anything less than omipotent is a weak guarantee into a blissful palace.

2) Jesus has got to be the weakest deity in the existance of mankind....he comes down..gets jumped by a bunch of morals, gets beaten and hanged to die......how exactly is a guy like that deemed a savior? From the NT story sounds like the only person needed saving that day was JC.

3) Jesus in his haste to leave the earth didn't leave a roadmap to heaven other than some silly metaphores and some vauge statements about the sky. So little info that man does not know the location of the famed blissful place today.....couple that with his failed reapearance and you get ......no roadmap plus no tourguide = no eternal vacation in paradise.

 

[michel]

QUOTE=Prima's Father [You're at the bottom of a mountain. At the very top is heaven. Jesus made a nice, clear path, with just a few rocks and potholes of life. It leads directly to the top. Christians follow that path. Other religions follow other paths, but they were cleared by fallible, imperfect humans, so they're not nearly as easy. Some people try to make their own paths, which is exhausting and takes a lot of time, but may get them to the top. Some religions with a lot of extra junk are curly paths, going back and forth and looking really nice but taking a lot of time and effort. Cults start out looking just like Jesus's path, clear and easy. But then they take a turn, and instead of going up the mountain, circle the bottom of the mountain, making you think you're going somewhere when really, you're not.]QUOTE

I'm already on my third pair of hiking boots.:jiggy:

 

[painted wolf]

my faiths path has been taken by many, it blends with the mountain and while difficult to follow, the jurney is what makes reaching the top worthwile.
I've switched from boots to moccosins.

wa:do