This is sad.
Emphasis on “professing”.
I’ll play the “Devil’s Advocate” (heh) here and ask what about the millions that lived and died before Christ was even born or who otherwise never had the opportunity to reject Jesus?
Ping.
Bookmarked
My understanding based on my biblical studies is that the default position after death for a human is hell - separation from God. It is only through God’s grace anyone is saved. If you think of Heaven as analogous to God’s home why should he let anyone in His house if they don’t even accept that He exists.
But what about tribes and those who never knew about Jesus? I have no idea. It is in God’s hands not mine.
Implicit salvations, by faith in a Christ who wasn’t yet fully understood by the believer, are testified to in the Old Testament.
With the explicit revelation of Jesus to the world, is that affected — I don’t know. I have met pagans who appear to have been approached by the Holy Spirit and are believing (and even more, displaying in their lives, to an extent that sometimes puts most Christians to shame) things that go beyond their nominal religion. (Karma based religions have no concept of grace.) Perhaps they are destined to later believe on Christ if they haven’t somehow done so already.
Pathetic. Parents and teachers are too scared of teaching the Truth because it may hurt feelings or offend. Jesus said his Word is sharpers than a 2 edged sword. The Truth does that. It cuts you to the core and points you to Him.
GOOD ARTICLE
What if Someone Never Hears About Jesus?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/advice/faithdoubt/what-if-someone-never-hears-about-jesus.html
Its not hard. God doesnt force Himself on anyone. If you dont want a relationship with him, He lets people be apart from Him. Now and in the future.
If they dont want him in their lives now, why would they want him in the afterlife? To be around something you hate for eternity would be hell for those people.
There are lots of people who profess to have accepted Jesus but have never shown any indication of ever having a real heart change.
And there are lots of people who will accept a simple *I believe in Jesus* as a profession of faith and evidence of salvation.
Starting in about the 1600’s, Christians have decided to plot their own course....umpteen “denominations” all of which do things their own way. We now have female pastors, Bishops, homosexual clergy, same sex marriages being conducted, abortion OK’d, suicides allowed, all in the name of diversity I guess....PATHETIC!!!
The number of Christians who know what the BIBLE teaches is declining in America.
Those 40% have no idea what Christianity is if they think those that have not heard the word go to Hell.
Because "organized religion" has been thoroughly demonized, so people don't go to church, and, as a result, they don't know anything about the Bible or what He says in it.