1st Cor. 15
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
I do not think being saved from death is what being saved really refers to when most people use the term today.
Because we are all sinners and because Christ took all the punishment for our sins we have the potential of being saved, we must however be accepted by Christ and He has let us know what will gain His acceptance.
I personally follow Christ to the best of my ability, sometimes I slip or don’t do as well as I would like but then that is why He suffered for my sins if I repent and ask for forgiveness. It simply does not happen because I confess Christ as Savior of the world. Although no person can earn His acceptance anyone can gain it but it takes more than words as so many people profess. It takes faith, hope and charity. If you don’t have hope in Christ you are as good as lost. If you don’t have faith which is very much related to that hope again, you are lost. If you don’t have charity then you don’t really have faith and are lost. But that is a discussion that has been going on between people of different religions for many, many years. I have a different question to put forth, although related to who is saved or when are they saved.
The vast majority of the people to have ever lived in the world have never even heard the name of Christ Jesus. Are they then doomed, through no fault of their own to eternal damnation? If they are damned am I to be punished for not telling those in my lifetime who I could have reached?
The Roman and other Catholic churches have a solution for this which has been around well over a thousand years, Purgatory. Peter the Apostle said Christ went to the spirit world, some would say Purgatory, to preach to the spirits of those where there and as the disobedient as in the days of Noah.
Somehow the offshoots of Catholicism lost Purgatory. It started with Luther, while not completely denying Purgatory it was completely redefined.
I have a problem with the vast majority of humanity who have never heard God’s word being condemned for eternity. Surely a God of love would not do that. There is much to admire in much of Protestantism but that condemnation is not part of it. I don’t think I could ever be a part of such an organization that condemns people because of where or when they were born.
Ping
Surely a God of love would not do that.
Now God is MUCH MORE than love. He is many things but He MUST be JUST. That is who he is foremost. Mercy is at his discretion.
I encourage you to starting reading your Bible and let God tell you who he is, instead of you defining him.
Attributes of God is the terminology but again, go to the original source, don’t let others tell you about God.
The Roman and other Catholic churches have a solution for this which has been around well over a thousand years,
The response to false doctrine is, What does God say on the matter?
Now you may find verses to fit this man made doctrine. But when you look at God Word as a whole it does not fit.
Systematic Theology is something all should become familiar with. It is fitting man into God’s system, not God into man’s system.
Now systems are another issue. You can look at this one small point and say “THAT’S NOT FAIR”. But when we look at any system it soon gets beyond our comprehension. So the only options are to ignore the system and be in control of the one small thing or get on our knees and say God is God, and we are not.
Now this is not say give up, we can’t understand anything. God reveals somethings for us to understand and chew on to have an inkling of who He is.......................
I do not think being saved from death is what being saved really refers to when most people use the term today.
What does God say on the issue?
We are saved from His wrath.
Repeat,
We are saved from His wrath.
I will not make any assumptions about what GOD may or may not do.
John 6:28-29
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
I have a problem with the vast majority of humanity who have never heard God’s word being condemned for eternity. Surely a God of love would not do that. Are they then doomed, through no fault of their own to eternal damnation? I
First, doctrine is never to be simply based upon what you think a "God of love" would do or not do.
Second, no one is damned for what they are not culpable and guilty of, but are condemned for choosing to sin, contrary to the light they had, and in in accordance with the grace given them, and with those who were blessed with more, being the more accountable.
If they never hear and cast all their faith upon the mercy of god in Christ, then they will die in their sins and be sentenced according to what they did know, and to sin against the innate essence of the Law, is to sin against Christ, "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. "(John 1:9)
You may argue that it is not fair that some are condemned despite not having explicitly heard the gospel, but God owes grace to no man, while those who obey the light they had will be given more light, leading to Christ, which is what Cornelius realized, and who was lost until he believed. (Acts 11:14)
And those who rejected the gospel will received "greater damnation.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. (Romans 2:2)
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (Romans 2:14)
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47-48)
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. (Luke 10:13-14)
f they are damned am I to be punished for not telling those in my lifetime who I could have reached?
If you have become born again, which few Catholics and mainline Prots have, then we will be chastened for not warning the wicked as Christ (whom we are to follow) and the apostles did, and calling them to repentant faith.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ezekiel 33:8-9)
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27)
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. (Acts 18:5-6)
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. (Acts 24:25)
Because we are all sinners and because Christ took all the punishment for our sins we have the potential of being saved,
The Roman and other Catholic churches have a solution for this which has been around well over a thousand years, Purgatory. Peter the Apostle said Christ went to the spirit world, some would say Purgatory, to preach to the spirits of those where there and as the disobedient as in the days of Noah.
You doctrine is false and your statement is contradictory. See here on RC EOs tend to reject RC Purgatory) as Gopd gives grace.
Christ took all the punishment for our sins then there would be no need to make expiation for them in Purgatory, which is one reason given for it, with the delusion that one attains perfection of character therein being the other.
Moreover, RC doctrine on Purgatory holds that it is for the saved, not such souls who were under damnation and thus slain in the days of Noah,
Doorbell rang. B back later.
This is a very popular question along with "Why does a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people?" I would suggest these question indicate wrong thinking.
God is a God of love. Trouble is man is evil and wants nothing to do with Him. It isn't God's problem but man. God keeps calling, man keeps rejecting. It's like trying to tell a liberal there is no such thing as climate change. The only way God can overcome this attitude is to change our wicked hearts.
As to why God allows bad things to happen to good people, one may wish to rephrase that statement as to why God allows good things to happen to bad people. If one starts to look at themselves as how really corrupt and sinful they are, then they can understand that God owes us nothing but hell. Yet He wants the very best for us including offering us eternal bliss, despite us nailing Him to a tree. We, OTOH, are arrogant enough to think God owes us something.
For works I would call your attention to the following:
John 6:28-29 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
Salvation isn't complicated. We just like to make it so with our own corrupt works. There is only one thing we need to do, and that is to believe on Him.
That's because purgatory was never there to begin with...It was called Paradise...Does that sound like purgatory to you???
This purgatory, Paradise, Abraham's Bosom had gates to it...These people were waiting for heaven...They were not being punished per the mythical purgatory of the Catholic religion...They had to wait because heaven was not yet prepared for them...
The biblical Paradise had locked gates that kept the people from leaving...Jesus went there and removed the locks and flung the gates wide open, never to be shut again...There was no need, heaven was prepared...No one goes there anymore...
The vast majority of the people to have ever lived in the world have never even heard the name of Christ Jesus. Are they then doomed, through no fault of their own to eternal damnation? If they are damned am I to be punished for not telling those in my lifetime who I could have reached?
Not if you're a born again Christian...However;
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
You will not be punished for failing to spread the word of God but you will not receive the rewards that those who preach the word will receive...
The vast majority of the people to have ever lived in the world have never even heard the name of Christ Jesus. Are they then doomed, through no fault of their own to eternal damnation?
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
If these people you are referring to don't know the Law of God, they can't break the law and be judged for it...This then is your answer:
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Even those who don't know God/Jesus know that there is a power from above that has a hand in every thing on Earth...And they know in their hearts the difference between good and evil...
Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Those people will be judged by what's in their hearts...Good and bad is pretty much universal...They are not automatically doomed to hell...
I have a problem with the vast majority of humanity who have never heard God’s word being condemned for eternity. Surely a God of love would not do that. There is much to admire in much of Protestantism but that condemnation is not part of it. I don’t think I could ever be a part of such an organization that condemns people because of where or when they were born.
Your religion sadly, has misinformed you about what non Catholics believe...And it is sad that people who claim to be Christians of the One True Church (because some man who wears a religious looking robe told him so) are so ignorant of what God actually teaches in the scriptures he provided and preserved for those who want to follow him...