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To: wmfights

However, I'm not sure if your implying that an individual faithfully practicing a religion that denies the true path to salvation would still be saved because they are pious. IOW, if a person is a Muslim and is diligent in following their religion are they going to be saved?
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That's the critical question about Graham's statements.

On the whole, on average, typically . . . I'd say no.

HOWEVER, WE DO !!!NOT!!! KNOW THE HEART ATTITUDE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL.

GOD IS STILL SOVEREIGN.

GOD THE FATHER HAS DECLARED THAT THOSE WHO SEEK HIM SHALL FIND HIM. I assume that He meant that those who seek Him earnestly, from and in their hearts shall find Him.

Does that mean that if someone of any other religion seriously, earnestly seeks God Almighty from their hearts, in their hearts that they will find Him regardless of whether they have consciously been presented the history of The Gospel of Jesus The Christ before their moment of death?

I believe that it AT LEAST MAY BE the case that God--in such cases--presents Jesus to the individual at their moment of death and gives them the choice of rejecting or accepting Christ as their Savior at that moment of their death and life review.

This does not violate any Scripture about Salvation, to me.

It is not something I'd encourage anyone to hold out hope for. Far toooo eternally dangerous for that, imho.

However, I am not the judge of each individual at their moment of death. God is. And God Himself has declared that HIS MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER HIS JUDGMENT.

I VERY FIRMLY BELIEVE that God's Nature is such that HE IS LOOKING FOR BIBLICAL 'EXCUSE' TO SAVE PEOPLE, !!!!NOT!!!! BIBLICAL EXCUSE TO DAMN THEM.

I believe what I've outlined above is Biblically plausible as to how Graham's statement could end up true yet also still Biblical.

And, there are quite a number of anecdotal reports indicating that such is, indeed, true. Many atheists, and folks of all kinds of other faiths etc. brought back to life have reported meeting Jesus at their moment of death and of accepting Him as their Savior at that moment.

Further, Assembly of God Pastor Roland Buck reported on his visit to the Throne Room with The Father that what Roland had taught all his life that if a person died without knowing The Gospel, there was absolutely no hope--he found in Heaven, that wasn't always necessarily true along the lines I've outlined above.

Again, I would not want to teach it as doctrine, per se. That's not the kind of dangerous last minute 'out' that I'd want anyone to cling to.

By the same token, God is a God of hope. And there are many situations in life where I believe that the above scenario is a very plausible, valid and probably true one. I believe it may be applied in many (not all) suicide cases. I believe it is likely applied in many other religion cases where the individual seriously sought Almighty God in their hearts.

I have just learned in my 59 years that God does NOT fit in our human construed tidy little boxes--even when they are so obsessively constructed on 100 proof texts of Scripture.

The religious leaders of Jesus' earthly days also had many 100's of Scripture proof text proofs of how and why God would do as they construed things. But God-in-the-flesh proved them wrong repeatedly.

I think that cautious humility and trust in God's mercy triumphing over His judgement--AS SCRIPTURE DECLARES--is the wise perspective on this issue.


1,028 posted on 04/28/2006 6:00:34 AM PDT by Quix (TRY JESUS. If you don't like Him, the devil will always take you back.-- Bible Belt Bumper Sticker)
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To: Alamo-Girl

Would appreciate your comment on my perspective in this post.

Either way, of course.


1,029 posted on 04/28/2006 6:04:38 AM PDT by Quix (TRY JESUS. If you don't like Him, the devil will always take you back.-- Bible Belt Bumper Sticker)
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To: Quix

"That's the critical question about Graham's statements.

On the whole, on average, typically . . . I'd say no.

HOWEVER, WE DO !!!NOT!!! KNOW THE HEART ATTITUDE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL.

GOD IS STILL SOVEREIGN.

GOD THE FATHER HAS DECLARED THAT THOSE WHO SEEK HIM SHALL FIND HIM. I assume that He meant that those who seek Him earnestly, from and in their hearts shall find Him."
___________________________________

It sure sounds like we are on the same page. I suspect that if Billy Graham had elaborated that we would see evidence of that persons salvation by their works we might not be arguing. We had a former Muslim who has been saved speak at church and he talked about how he knew in his heart that something wasn't right with his faith and was seeking for an answer for a long time till the Gospel was presented and then he knew immediately he needed to believe on JESUS CHRIST.

It seems to me this is why supporting missionaries is so important. The person I mentioned above would have never stayed an active Muslim because he knew something wasn't right, and I am certain that GOD intended for him to hear HIS WORD.


1,038 posted on 04/28/2006 6:42:43 AM PDT by wmfights (Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The WAY!)
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To: Quix

###Does that mean that if someone of any other religion seriously, earnestly seeks God Almighty from their hearts, in their hearts that they will find Him regardless of whether they have consciously been presented the history of The Gospel of Jesus The Christ before their moment of death?

I believe that it AT LEAST MAY BE the case that God--in such cases--presents Jesus to the individual at their moment of death and gives them the choice of rejecting or accepting Christ as their Savior at that moment of their death and life review. ###

What a positive view my friend, Quix. We know that all are really hungry for God, some have just not been as fortunate to hear about the Lord of Love.

How can we say piety springs out of anyone but the Lord of Love? They just don't know it, yet.

Heaven may be an interesting gathering as many meet Him and realize that they have just had wrong names they were using.

I can not wait to see the joy when they realize it was Him they found in their seeking.

Quix you have opened interesing insights.

Thank you so very much.


1,041 posted on 04/28/2006 6:48:05 AM PDT by alamo boy (I left my heart in San Antonio)
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