A question for Christians

[helenabear]

Well, according to Christian theology, God has changed his mind in the past. The Jews had a covenant, and then God decided to erase that covenant when he sent Jesus. (Never mind the fact that God said the covenant was everlasting.)

Not all Christians believe it was erased... just added to. Some do believe that the Jews are still the "chosen ones" and that Jesus was brought to help non-Jews have a way towards God since conversion to Judiasm is not possible for all.

However the rules do not coincide with what many of us practice today. Otherwise we'd see more head coverings during the service and more of us would be against marriage.
For those who take the Bible so literally, trust me, that's all in there

 

[majicintheair]

simply put......you get into heaven by following God's master plan. Accepting Jesus as the saviour that God gave to us.

 

[JoyG]

I will not make this a debate; if someone else wants to, I'll join in. I'm curious how other Christians will answer.

If you were standing before God & He were to ask you, "Why should I let you into My heaven?", what would you say?

I will wait to post my answer until later.

Jimmie,

I haven't read any posts on this thread except the first one so I don't know if it's blown up or not, but here goes...

I would say I took You on your word when you said "Whosoever believth in Jesus should not perish but have everlasting life." Other than having faith in Jesus, I haven't done a solitary thing that is worthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[flipflop]

simply put......you get into heaven by following God's master plan. Accepting Jesus as the saviour that God gave to us.

Regardless of what sect of Christianity you belong to?

 

[frndshpcptn]

As a Jewish person, I find this discussion really fascinating! Growing up it always amazed me how many different types of Christianity there are.

Question - is there one "most observant" form of Christianity?

For example, in Judiasm there are a number of ways to practice the faith.

Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox, etc. We all practice with varying degrees of adherence to the original principles. Orthodox or Hasidic Jews are ultra-religious, reform Jews are more likely to adapt religious practices to current times.

Is it the same in Christianity?

 

[majicintheair]

Regardless of what sect of Christianity you belong to?

Honestly, I don't know to much about what different "sects" beliefs would be....
I was raised in a Catholic family, but have found that being a Babtist Christian is something that makes alot more sense to me. It really does seem pretty simple, if you believe that Jesus existed and died on the cross for humankind, then you are saved. A believer in Christ, one of the family. It was hard for me to accept that....I'm pretty hard headed, and had a problem admitting-thinking that I was a sinner (it sounds so bad, I thought that as long as I tried to be a good person, that was enough). But God planned all of this out, and I am still learning the details. Lol. I have been saved for almost 2 years now, and it has truly given me a great sense of happiness, and I think alot more about my actions than I used to. I'm very glad that I had the courage to start going to church, so that I could learn what this "Jesus stuff" was really all about. I had to go to a few different churches to really get a good understanding of where I needed to be. Even in the same denomination, not all churches are the same.

 

[JoyG]

As a Jewish person, I find this discussion really fascinating! Growing up it always amazed me how many different types of Christianity there are.

Question - is there one "most observant" form of Christianity?

For example, in Judiasm there are a number of ways to practice the faith.

Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox, etc. We all practice with varying degrees of adherence to the original principles. Orthodox or Hasidic Jews are ultra-religious, reform Jews are more likely to adapt religious practices to current times.

Is it the same in Christianity?

People practice Christianity in a number of ways also, but we don't use the words "more/most observant" to describe it.

There are more fundamental/literal interpreters of the faith, and other demoninations that are more liberal.

Fundamental denominations usually include: Baptists, Wesleyans, some Methodists, Non Demoninational, Pentacostals....

More Liberal denominations include: Episcipals, Lutherans, some Methodists...

 

[MiniGirl]

As a Jewish person, I find this discussion really fascinating! Growing up it always amazed me how many different types of Christianity there are.

Question - is there one "most observant" form of Christianity?

For example, in Judiasm there are a number of ways to practice the faith.

Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox, etc. We all practice with varying degrees of adherence to the original principles. Orthodox or Hasidic Jews are ultra-religious, reform Jews are more likely to adapt religious practices to current times.

Is it the same in Christianity?

There are many different denominations among Christians, and each has its own customs and observances. If we are defining "observant" as rituals and ceremonies, then I would say Catholics and Mormons are, and non-denomination Christian churches would be the least. This is just my own personal experience, of course. I also need to add that I think Christianity is not about rituals. It is a heart thing. God wants a relationship with us; but because He is holy and we are sinners, it is not possible without the rightousness given us through the sacraficial blood of Christ. So while I may not observe as many holy days as I did during my Catholic upbringing, I am no less a Christian, nor does it mean I love Christ less. However, even within the same denomination, there are differences in worship styles. Some prefer contemporary music with clapping or raising hands in the air and others prefer the more traditional hymns of faith. Neither is right or wrong. It is dependant on the heart of the individual worshipping.

I hope that makes sense.

Of coure, there are also those that claim Christianity simply because they were raised in the church but they have never actually accepted Christ.

 

[JARNJ3]

I will not make this a debate; if someone else wants to, I'll join in. I'm curious how other Christians will answer.

If you were standing before God & He were to ask you, "Why should I let you into My heaven?", what would you say?

I will wait to post my answer until later.

I don't want to be influenced by the other answers - so I'll answer first - read later.

I would say - I tried to be kind to others, forgive whole-heartedly - I tried to follow the teachings of my faith (when appropriate) - I tried to always believe in Him - and felt guilty when I had doubts - and finally I tried to follow the lessons Jesus taught in the gospels........

Oh and PS - I honestly didn't think you'd care that I stopped go to church because of "man-made edicts......" or that I ate meat on Fridays......

 

[majicintheair]

but how do you KNOW that the Bible was God's last thought on the subject??

I KNOW two things: One, there is a God. Two, I'm not Him.

I can't think for Him, I can't choose for Him and I can't speak for Him. All I can do is live my life the best I can in service to Him.

I have thought this way also, but, I think that the "knowing" that there is a God is something that He built into all humanity. Maybe that is part of the "how does the heathen in the jungle know about Jesus/God?" question. I believe it is in every human...the knowledge of a higher power. It was this knowledge of His existence that motivated me to start going to church, to be able to learn more about the God that I too, wanted to live my life the best I could in service to him. For me, that started with trying to learn what it was all about. I didn't go to church as a child, so I was pretty much a clean slate....I just knew He was there and needed to learn more!

 

[jimmiej]

One thing that has always meant a lot to me is that God doesn't give us a simple rule book. He gives as an endless fascinating book, full of stories, metaphors, allegories, puzzles, passages that seem to contradict, etc. Why did God do this, and what does it tell us about God's nature?

I believe God wants us to think, to ponder, to come up with our own ideas about what God expects from us. If that's not what He wanted, he would have given us a very different book. And if God wants us to think, ponder and come up with our own ideas, God has to know that different people will come up with different ideas. God expects us to come to different conclusions. And since I don't think God wants only one person to be "right" and everyone else to be "wrong," I suspect that there isn't a single right answer - God is flexible.

Take somethign like child baptism. Is half of Christianity wrong, or does God accept either?

Bolded mine. Our own ideas? Uh...no!

 

[Aidensmom]

I have not read the whole thread yet, so forgive me if it has taken another direction, but if God asked me the question in the OP, I would feel that apparantly my beliefs have been wrong. I don't think God is going to ask me why I should be there....I believe he told me that if Jesus was my saviour, there would be no doubt. I don't think God needs to ask, and I don't think he will. He knows that I know I am not worthy, and he knows what is in my heart. I just don't think he's into trick questions.

 

[jimmiej]

Regarding the whole Trinity thing...

If you're familiar with the OT, you know God always required a blood sacrifice for the remission of sin. Jesus was the ultimate & final blood sacrifice. This event was prophesied about for centuries.

God- Holy Father & Creator
Jesus- fully God & fully man, sacrifice, Savior
Holy Spirit- Comforter, confirmation of salvation

 

[jimmiej]

I have not read the whole thread yet, so forgive me if it has taken another direction, but if God asked me the question in the OP, I would feel that apparantly my beliefs have been wrong. I don't think God is going to ask me why I should be there....I believe he told me that if Jesus was my saviour, there would be no doubt. I don't think God needs to ask, and I don't think he will. He knows that I know I am not worthy, and he knows what is in my heart. I just don't think he's into trick questions.

IA. It's just a good way to start the conversation.

If your name is in the Book of Life, you're in.

 

[frndshpcptn]

IA. It's just a good way to start the conversation.

If your name is in the Book of Life, you're in.

In Judaism we have our names written in the Book of Life during our high holy days. Is it the same thing?

 

[Buckalew11]

Bolded mine. Our own ideas? Uh...no!

I want to think, ponder, question and all that too but I do NOT want to come up with "my own ideas". No thanks. We'd all have different ideas (as seen here) and how would that be fair and just? I want to know what God expects and I think He is pretty clear about it all. I am thankful for that because guessing and always wondering if I'm on the right path would be terrible in my mind. Jesus stated "It is finished". I believe that. He did what He came to do for each one of us. We can be reconciled to God through His actions and love for us.

As for the man in the jungle. We talked in my SS class about him for several weeks actually. There were differing views on it. I spent quite a sleepless week worried about that man in the jungle and trying to find answers.

This is what I believe (which means nothing to most).

I believe that God has put into each life a desire to know Him in some way. There is something in us that makes us wonder if there is something or someone greater than ourselves out there. I belive we each have a void that can only be truly filled with God's love. Anything else will not do.

I think it is true that there are people who have never been told about what Jesus did for them. But I do believe that God shows Himself through nature, His creation, and through different individual things in our lives. So, I believe that even if someone has never heard specifically about Jesus, that if they recognize to the best of their capability that there is something greater than themselves and they are not (for example) worshiping the tree that bears them good fruit to eat and shade from the sun etc. but believes that something, someone made the tree and placed it there, and that is all they may know as God, then God would judge their heart accordingly.

I think if they worshiped a false god, (say the tree itself) that would be unacceptable to God. I think god knows our hearts and will be fair. If we have heard about Jesus and reject His actions and love for us on the cross then, yes, I think you will be judged according to that and held accountable for it.

I think if you are not mentally capable, too young, etc. to understand the concept of salvation through Christ then God will judge you fairly also because He knows that person's heart.

I have thought about this long and hard and read and studied until I could not see straight just a few weeks ago. I will say my class had different thoughts and opinions and some people held everyone equally accountable whether they were living in the USA or that deep, dark jungle. It was a subject that we just agree to disagree on.

As a Christian, if I believed that Jesus Christ was the only way for that man in the deepest darkest jungle to have salvation and it was going to be partly my fault that he would not know and would be eternally separated from God because of it, I would sell everything I own and I'd head to the jungle. I could not lay head on a pillow at night and have any type of peace knowing that that person's salvation was up to Christians and me specifically.

These are just my own thoughts. Something I have thought long and hard about this year.

 

[jimmiej]

In Judaism we have our names written in the Book of Life during our high holy days. Is it the same thing?

In Christianity, the Book of Life contains the names of all believers. Jesus is the only one worthy to open the Book of Life. Those who reject Christ will be shown that their name is NOT in there.

Revelation 20

15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

[JoyG]

I believe that God has put into each life a desire to know Him in some way. There is something in us that makes us wonder if there is something or someone greater than ourselves out there. I belive we each have a void that can only be truly filled with God's love. Anything else will not do.

I think it is true that there are people who have never been told about what Jesus did for them. But I do believe that God shows Himself through nature, His creation, and through different individual things in our lives. So, I believe that even if someone has never heard specifically about Jesus, that if they recognize to the best of their capability that there is something greater than themselves and they are not (for example) worshiping the tree that bears them good fruit to eat and shade from the sun etc. but believes that something, someone made the tree and placed it there, and that is all they may know as God, then God would judge their heart accordingly.

I think if they worshiped a false god, (say the tree itself) that would be unacceptable to God. I think god knows our hearts and will be fair. If we have heard about Jesus and reject His actions and love for us on the cross then, yes, I think you will be judged according to that and held accountable for it.
.

I just reread Romans Chapters 1 and 2 based on a post of Jimmie's earlier.

I really think what you posted above is what it means. I agree with your interpretation.

Funny, (not so funny) thing is, I don't think this is my church's official stance on the subject...and that's a little disturbing. I believe if I asked the pastors it would be "Jesus or nothing" kwim?

I need to spend more time studying this topic.

 

[jimmiej]

As a Christian, if I believed that Jesus Christ was the only way for that man in the deepest darkest jungle to have salvation and it was going to be partly my fault that he would not know and would be eternally separated from God because of it, I would sell everything I own and I'd head to the jungle. I could not lay head on a pillow at night and have any type of peace knowing that that person's salvation was up to Christians and me specifically.

These are just my own thoughts. Something I have thought long and hard about this year.

Great post Buckalew!

Re: the above part of your post:

I believe Christ's return will be delayed until the Gospel has been preached in literally every corner of the earth.

 

[majicintheair]

Let the missionaries go forth! Maybe that is why we are supposed to (obligated to) tell everyone about the miracle of Jesus....to eventually reach into all the corners of the world. And really, it's not just heathens in the jungle, what about communist North Korea? I have read that if your found with a Bible there, it's pretty much a death sentence.