Heaven?

[3rinfalacho]

I have a neighbor who means a lot to me. We never talk about religion up till today. He knows I'm a christian and respects that very much. He doesn't believe there's God and there's heaven when we die. That makes me sad because I want him go to heaven.

IF a person does not believe in God and doesn't believe there's heaven, would he still go to Heaven? I'm not sure where he stands with this ?

I'm open to any comments.

 

[Mitspa]

I have a neighbor who means a lot to me. We never talk about religion up till today. He knows I'm a christian and respects that very much. He doesn't believe there's God and there's heaven when we die. That makes me sad because I want him go to heaven.

IF a person does not believe in God and doesn't believe there's heaven, would he still go to Heaven? I'm not sure where he stands with this ?

I'm open to any comments.

Well If you do not know Christ? in a living personal way? I doubt you need to be trying to judge whether your neighbor is saved or unsaved? You maybe should figure out what YOU believe, and why YOU believe what you say you believe? Then you can help your neighbor. What did the Lord Jesus say? Get the log out of your own eye then you can help to remove the twig in your neighbors!

 

[handy]

My goodness, Mistpa, where did that come from?


3rinfalacho, it very much depends upon whether or not your neighbor has heard the gospel and rejected it and continues to reject it throughout life...

If you are here in America... it's most likely the neighbor has rejected the gospel... If you are living in an area where the gospel is still not readily heard, then the neighbor may be operating more out of ignorance as opposed to rejection.

Both cases are dire, but ignorance is more readily remedied than rejection...

However, don't give up on your neighbor. Continue to reach out in love, build a good relationship with the neighbor, be a good witness and pray, pray, pray.... Your gentle and loving spirit could certainly help win your neighbor.

 

[Mitspa]

The Bible



<dir>Rom 10:6





But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
Rom 10:7


Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)




</dir><dir>We are not called to judge, but to know Christ for ourselves and to share Him with others, Then we have helped our neighbor</dir>

 

[handy]

The Bible



<dir>Rom 10:6





But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
Rom 10:7


Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)




</dir><dir>We are not called to judge, but to know Christ for ourselves and to share Him with others, Then we have helped our neighbor</dir>

hmmmmm..... well, you're word's weren't addressed to me. I viewed 3rinfalacho as having a sincere and valid question based upon her love and concern for her neighbor.... still unsure as to why her own faith was so questioned?

3rinfalacho, The text that Mitspa shared is a good one though... I encourage you to read the passage in it's entirety, because if your neighbor has heard of the gospel once before, the text becomes pretty hopeful:

The Word of Faith Brings Salvation

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).†8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heartâ€â€”that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.†12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.â€

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!â€

16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?†17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

 

[Mitspa]

hmmmmm..... well, you're word's weren't addressed to me. I viewed 3rinfalacho as having a sincere and valid question based upon her love and concern for her neighbor.... still unsure as to why her own faith was so questioned?

3rinfalacho, The text that Mitspa shared is a good one though... I encourage you to read the passage in it's entirety, because if your neighbor has heard of the gospel once before, the text becomes pretty hopeful:

I do not believe I questioned her salvation, but her knowledge? How can one help bring another to Christ by seeking to condemn? For Chirst Himself do not come looking to condemn but to save that which was lost. Thats how we bring Christ to others, when we walk as he walked. Too many think as "christians" our job is to go about finding fault in others! Then if we point out all their fault that we have somehow helped them? No!This is not a TRUE Chirstian attitude, The true christian brings the good news of Christ in a living way to those who are lost.

 

[eduardo]

Our bible says, "Least a man be born again he will not enter the kingdom of heaven," Nuff said. Its not a judgement call hear is it? Just a question of another mans salvation if he continues to not believe, right?

 

[handy]

I do not believe I questioned her salvation, but her knowledge? How can one help bring another to Christ by seeking to condemn? For Chirst Himself do not come looking to condemn but to save that which was lost. Thats how we bring Christ to others, when we walk as he walked. Too many think as "christians" our job is to go about finding fault in others! Then if we point out all their fault that we have somehow helped them? No!This is not a TRUE Chirstian attitude, The true christian brings the good news of Christ in a living way to those who are lost.

On the contrary, I clearly saw that 3rinfalacho was seeking in how to help her neighbor from being condemned. I found her post to be the antithesis of "seeking to condemn".

 

[handy]

Our bible says, "Least a man be born again he will not enter the kingdom of heaven," Nuff said. Its not a judgement call hear is it? Just a question of another mans salvation if he continues to not believe, right?

Correct. 3rinfalacho related the fact that she has shared her faith with the neighbor who has told her that, while he respects her faith, he does not belief in God or heaven. As long as he remains locked in that unbelief, he will be condemned. That is just a simple truth of man's condition. Mark 16:16 is very clear on this as are any number of other verses.

The question is then, how can 3rinfalacho best help her neighbor.

The answer would be to continue to develop a loving relationship with this neighbor, being a good witness, and being prepared with answers for the hope that her neighbor will see within her.

Part of being prepared is to increase one's knowledge of spiritual matters and 3rinfalacho has clearly shown that she's eager to do that simply by posing the situation here and asking sincere questions and advice about it.

So, bottom line, 3rinfalacho, your neighbor is either ignorant of the gospel or has rejected it. Rejection of the gospel is a serious matter, but I've known of several people who had previously rejected the gospel, but nonetheless the Holy Spirit turned them around. Either way, be a good witness and continue to build a loving relationship with him. I'm sure the Holy Spirit will use you as a good harvest worker in this man's life.

 

[Mitspa]

On the contrary, I clearly saw that 3rinfalacho was seeking in how to help her neighbor from being condemned. I found her post to be the antithesis of "seeking to condemn".

I may have laid upon her, in my first response to you, this idea which I see in many? Now that I look at her post, I do not see in her the desire to condemn. But my original point still stands. That one must know in Who and why they believe.


" IF a person does not believe in God and doesn't believe there's heaven, would he still go to Heaven? I'm not sure where he stands with this ? "

The answer, is that she needs to learn why Christ made the way for her. Not what he does not believe, but why does she believe. "Ye shall know the Truth, and the truth will set you free" So again the issue in helping others is to make sure we can give them the truth of salvation in Christ. I did not see this in her post, the ability to bring the truth to others is almost always the issue with most "christians" in helping others to see Christ. We cant just say "I believe" and you are wrong! Thus, I gave her Godly advice

 

[Carolyn]

My dad was prideful of his education. He had worked very hard to put himself through a private college during the depression. But it destroyed his faith. During the last years of his life I sent him a book by Francis Shaeffer, a Christian philosopher. At first my dad was upset. I told him that I hadn't read it and insinuated that it was a little over my head but that Shaeffer was well respected by people like Billy Graham. He called back and said if it was true then he had built his whole life on a false premise. A month later he stated that he had come full circle. Then he excitedly told us about a baseball player who had confessed Christ!

People can change. You have been living the life before this man and have won his respect. No man can go to heaven without receiving Christ as his Lord and Savior and being born again of the Holy Spirit. No man is good enough to go to heaven--only Jesus who took our sins on Himself and died on the cross for them. Only by receiving God's free gift of salvation can your neighbor go to heaven.

A really good book for him is "Evidence That Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell. There are others but that is the one off the top of my head. You might buy it for him and ask him to please read this because you want to make sure he has all the facts before he rejects a God Who loves so incredibly. Or you could ask him to read it and tell you what he thinks of it.

 

[Blev]

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1 John 5:11
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He 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.