Posted on 05/16/2010 5:24:35 PM PDT by lovesdogs
My neighbor was buried today. He was a Jewish man of devout faith. Now mind you he was no saint, he had his share of issues just like anyone else. But in his later years, he became much more involved in the temple and study of the Torah. His Rabbi was at his home every other day and sometimes every day for study and company.
I looked all over for an answer to this question and I cannot find it. My friend did not accept Christ as his savior. As a Jew he did not accept Christian belief. Can anyone help me with what will happen to his soul? Will my prayer help? I have no experience with this sort of thing and I am heartbroken with the loss of this good man.
You express well the ideas of your sect of Christianity.
Still, the orthodox faith,, Christianity before the Roman church split off explians it like this,,
“in what sense do we pray for the souls of the departed? Why, in the same sense that we pray for the souls of those with us because Christ is Risen, trampling down death by death. The barrier between living and dead has been eliminated due to the Resurrection of Christ. Those who are departed are just as much with us and just as much a part of the Church as those who we see living on this earth. There is no longer any separation. And so not only do we pray for them, but they also pray for us; in the same way that you might ask your friends to pray for you and in turn pray for them, so also do we pray for each other without concern for the separation of death.
When we pray for either the living or the dead we use the same prayer: “Lord have mercy”, to express our desires. We do not know what to pray for, even for those with whom we live, because only God knows what is best for our salvation, and so we say “Lord have mercy”. Likewise we do not know the needs and concerns of the departed, but God does, and trusting in His knowledge we say, “Lord have mercy”
We do know that, like all of us, those who have departed require forgiveness of sins, and that they look for a “place of rest” in the bosom of Christ and so we make this petition, that God will provide these things, but again as for specifics about how this should happen we simply conclude with “Lord have mercy”.
Nobody here knows what will happen to your friend.
Nobody.
At all.
Especially those who think they know. They are probably the most ignorant because they don’t know just how ignorant they are.
You might as well have asked for opinions in line at White Castle.
Trust in God. Your friend’s fate in in the hands of a perfectly just God.
I just read it now.
Very beautiful.
That said, I think there is a leaked copy of the Book of Life on eBay. Can’t vouch for it’s authenticity, though, but you might wanna have a peek.
The only exception to that rule is Jesus.
And maybe Milton Berle.
marker
“Yes, he deserves hell. I deserve hell. You deserve hell. the Pope deserves hell. My children deserve hell.”
Paging Jonathan Edwards! Call on line 3,,,
One wonders, with a legalistic faith such as Judaism, how would one be judged as being worthy of the next life? Many will say that if a person commits one single sin while on the Earth they are doomed by the law. And we all know that we sin. I personally believe that if one is an observant Jew and tries to study and follow Torah, they are doing what they were expected to do by God. And there is a big covenant for them. The later covenant that covers the Gentiles does not revoke the original covenant. I know, Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but by Me. But God has made the covenants He has made, and it is not for us peons to question them or nullify them. The answer to your question is way above my pay grade, but I am optimistic for your friend.
Buddhists certianly to not believe in a judgment day at the end of time. I don't think Hindus do either.
Don’t worry about it.....wish your friend a happy journey and get some sleep.
“You might as well have asked for opinions in line at White Castle.”
Thats kind of harsh for those of us who live out west and can’t run out and get one now! BUT,,, good point, and made me smile.
From what I’m gleaning on this thread, your friend will get to Heaven, but the nameplate on God’s office will have an underline where the “o” goes.
snicker,,
Hmmmm .. one of my very favorite Books of the Bible.
Hebrews is in the New Testament .. so I believe this is about the New Testament - which was now in force for those WHO BELIEVED ON JESUS.
And .. if you back up to vs 15, it reads, “[Christ, the Messiah] is therefore the Negotiator and Mediator of an [entirely] new agreement (testament, covenant), so that those who are called and offered it may receive the fulfillment of the promise of everlasting inheritance - since a death has taken place which rescues and delivers and redeems them from the transgressions committed under the [old] first agreement.” Amp
However, even by adding 16 and 17, you still cannot prove the Old Covenant is dead.
And vs 18 proves otherwise by saying, “So even the [old] first covenant (God’s will) was not inaugurated and ratified and put in force without the shedding of blood.” Amp
What it doesn’t say .. that the shedding of blood was God’s, making God’s “covenant” dead. Therefore, God’s original covenant is still in force.
The scriptures only say that as believers, we have a better covenant based on better promises. Nothing is ever said about the old covenant no longer being in effect.
Dear DesertRhino:
That’s all nice sounding stuff, but it contradicts the Word of the King and therefore is not binding in His kingdom.
You stop sinning once you die because the word “sin” means separation from God. Even this teaching you quoted says that there is now no separation from God for the dead.
To pray for the dead’s sins or ask them to pray for you? Why? Jesus said that He intercedes or prays for us. Our prayers are only in effect, or binding, or have power, when they are in accordance with God’s will. And since God cannot contradict Himself, we know what He thinks on the subject from the His word where it says we are forbidden to pray to — or for — the dead.
“Once to die and once to judgment” or “once to die and then the judgment” for your life works done in faith — or not. Our focus is to be on The Mediator, the King, the Intercessor, the Anointed One, God.
Adding doctrines of men to the Word of the King,
even interesting doctrines that pontificate on the logistics of the afterlife,
is also an accursed sin, according to St. Paul.
(You cannot add to a contract or covenant without changing it...)
The teachings of Hinduism say that each time a human dies, they have their own judgement right then and there. There is no mass day of judgement for everyone. It’s individual. Each soul that is not ready to enter the eternal Kingdom of God - called, among other names, Paravyoma (eternal sky) recieves its own judgement and is sent on its way accordingly. Also, hell is not eternal. There are many kinds of hells described, and they all have a time limit.
I went to an all catholic girls’ high school. We were taught that Jews wouldn’t go to heaven. I told my teacher that was a ridiculous conclusion. I was disciplined for my opinion.
&&&
I find it very hard to believe that you were taught this. If this is true your teacher was not teaching Roman Catholic doctrine which holds that anyone, no matter his religious beliefs, including the many good people who lived before Jesus even came to Earth, can go to heaven.
12 years of Catholic school...ditto your BS call
Some Evangelicals have endorsed a “dual covenant” theology, whereby Jews are different from all other non-Christians and do not have to accept Christ to be saved. Very controversial on both sides.
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