I haven’t killed anyone, yet people think I’m going to Hell because I’m an agnostic. He kills 75,000 and he’s praised for declaring he’s against the procedure later.
A serious question—anyone have any references to Christian writings on this sort of thing? Thanks in advance.
Luke 15:25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Non-Christians, and even some Christians, are under the mistaken idea that committing sins is what will send you to hell. They won’t. All sins have been forgiven; yes, even murder and genocide.
The acceptance of that forgiveness and the willingness to submit to the grace of salvation is what saves a soul from hell.
It’s not what you do wrong, it’s if you will accept the gift of salvation.
Give the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20: 1-16) a quick read. It’s as good a place as any to start.
“I haven’t killed anyone, yet people think I’m going to Hell because I’m an agnostic. He kills 75,000 and he’s praised for declaring he’s against the procedure later.”
“A serious question—anyone have any references to Christian writings on this sort of thing? Thanks in advance.”
Christianity says, (speaking to relatively “more righteous” people): “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” (Rom 3:23-25)
Anyone can accept the gift of life in Christ—waiting for them—however, they cannot claim it and cling to their own rights...their own “just deserts” or really, their own sins—to be able to accept that gift. You either trust yourself and your own goodness/righteousness.... or trust Jesus’ righteous life standing in for you.... and then: “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is how the one thief on the cross next to Jesus was able to go to Heaven: he trusted Jesus at His word, and rested in that—NOT looking to his own good deeds (which evidently being a thief weren’t so good anyway!) to save him. The same is true for any Christian—we are only beggars and thieves compared to Jesus Christ, and we find rest only in trusting in Him.
Acts, chapters 7-9. He actually participated in a murder.
I for one do believe in God and believe he came to earth to save us from our sins..I have no answer for you about this man only God can tell you that..
Although I am a Christian I wonder why people like this and other murders get into heaven..I would never judge anyone because that is not my place..Oh I can think things and thing like this where this man murdered these babies and also wonder why he is getting away with it but I can't judge him....Well one day I will find out when I go to meet my maker..
That’s an excellent question, Darkwolf. I can only refer you to John 3:18, two verses later than most Christians’ favorite verse.
I appreciate your not having killed anyone, but would like to pray for you anyway. May God bless you.
We often adopt a perspective that is ridiculously egotistical, thinking about the subject of salvation as if it were a natural right. Nothing could be further from the truth. God owes you and I nothing. And while some people are better than others from a human perspective, we all fall short as sinners, and we all have _nothing_ to offer God that He needs from us. So the Gospel really makes sense - either salvation is a free gift, or it would be at a price none of us could pay.
But I don't want to put that too flippantly either. Salvation involves reconciliation with God, and for it to be sincere there must be more than an empty affirmation of faith. We have to be willing to be transformed to enter Heaven (otherwise, to let us in would be to 'contaminate' it with sin, and it makes no sense to complain of others sins while holding on to our own), not holding on to our own sinful will.
So yes, a mass murderer who sincerely reconciles with God and accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour (as I believe Dr. Nathanson did), is ready for Heaven, while a person who has rejected Jesus' sacrifice for themselves and is clinging to their sinful pride and will contra God, is destined for Hell. Regardless of how 'good' they are in their own eyes, it's never good enough in God's eyes.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
God loves both you and the former abortionist. The difference is that the abortionist repented and you haven't decided that God even exists. Once you decide that He does and you repent of your sins and accept His salvation, then you'll be heading up, not down. I pray that you will come to know Jesus as your personal Savior and the best friend you'll ever have. Don't give up the search.
Saul of Tarsus violently persecuted Christians before becoming one of them. If any person in modern history has had a similar "road to Damascus" moment, I would wager it was probably Dr. Nathanson.
Darkwolf-
I want you to KNOW that you can KNOW Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You are an agnostic. Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” (John 17:3) When you put your faith in Jesus, He will come into your life and you can KNOW Him in a personal way. Good works don’t count. It is by faith you are saved.
Wonderful question, one that marks the best evidence that God loves us. He will forgive — the hard part is realizing we need forgiveness and then asking for it -— sometimes the *really* hard part is forgiving ourselves.
There’s the parables mentioned above and the fact that Paul was a persecutor of Christians. He helped those who stoned Stephen and prosecuted Christians for years.
Then there’s the story of the workers in the field: Matthew 20 — same pay at the end of the day, no matter how much work you did or how long you worked. He’s the Boss, He can do that.
Matthew 20:9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. 10 20:10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 20:11 When 11 they received it, they began to complain 12 against the landowner, 20:12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 20:13 And the landowner 13 replied to one of them, 14 ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 15 20:14 Take what is yours and go. I 16 want to give to this last man 17 the same as I gave to you. 20:15 Am I not 18 permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 19 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”