Question about Damnation

[Silverchild79]

Obviously the Bible is very clear on it's stance concerning the acceptance of Christ and how that effects your afterlife one way or the other.
One thing I have always had the hardest time getting my head around is will someone like the Dali Lama or Gandhi be damned during the judgment? I know the answer from a Biblical standpoint but I continuously fail to put this debate to rest. To be completely honest I disagree from within my very heart, and I can find no temptation or other impure aspect to my objection.

Does that make me not a Christian?

 

[Guest]

Obviously the Bible is very clear on it's stance concerning the acceptance of Christ and how that effects your afterlife one way or the other.
One thing I have always had the hardest time getting my head around is will someone like the Dali Lama or Gandhi be damned during the judgment? I know the answer from a Biblical standpoint but I continuously fail to put this debate to rest. To be completely honest I disagree from within my very heart, and I can find no temptation or other impure aspect to my objection.

Does that make me not a Christian?

I too have wrestled with that question - it is easy to rely on a finely-worded doctrinal statement, it is another thing to live it out.

I have a couple of questions before I provide my answer:

1) How do you know that you disagree 'from within your heart' finding, 'no temptation or other impure aspect to your objection'?

2) Your tagline says that you will have no other advocate when you meet God. How does that compare to 1 John 2:1 "I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" ?

 

[Silverchild79]

Oh you misread me I'm afraid, (and we all no miscommunication NEVER happens when discussing religion haha).

What my sig says is in reference to my stance that I don't care if another person thinks I'm wrong, if I just bought into someone else's beliefs because they were a pastor then I'm living my life through their interpretation of God's word. And they won't be there as my advocate when I die. It referenced Christ ad an advocate in no way, only other foulable people.

I know that my belief is not rooted in temptation or impurity because there is no sinful component to it, in essence my failure to see them as wrong is wrought of love not judgment. It's difficult to explain a feeling in words but I thing that's the gist of it.

 

[Silverchild79]

I was really hoping someone would respond to this (or more then one person). Anybody?

 

[Guest]

I know that my belief is not rooted in temptation or impurity because there is no sinful component to it, in essence my failure to see them as wrong is wrought of love not judgment. It's difficult to explain a feeling in words but I thing that's the gist of it.

If we are born with a sinful nature and a corrupt body (which I believe we are) - then any action or thought as a sinful component to it.

In Isaiah it says that "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." Isaiah 64:6

 

[TanNinety]

Silverchild - I had some similar thoughts as you. View "A call for good samaritans" and see if you can reach or find any answers. Though the thread does not conclusively answer the questions you have raised may be it will help you see the views on both sides of the fence so you can form your opinion about it. It is a long read so you will need your patience because the thread takes a few twists and turns from the initial topic. I pray that God blesses you with answers as you search for His truth.

 

[Hugo]

Does that make me not a Christian?

It's probably evidence of what makes you a christian.

I think it's only a struggle if you have conceded the traditional concept of Hell and eternal punishment.

 

[waitinontheLamb]

The Dali Lama (sp?) or Ghandi or any other person who goes to hell will not do so because they didn't hear of Jesus or any other notion. If they go there, it will be because they have transgressed the law of God and died without repentance.

If your question is one of them going to hell because they were "good people" then you need to read the Bible. It tells us there is NONE good. NOT ONE!

There is not one person who has never told a lie or stolen something or looked on another with lust or put something, anything before God. The expectation is perfection to go to Heaven and none of these "good" men have come close.

So, the answer then is yes. If they or any other "good" person dies in their sins, they will go to hell as the Bible tells us.

Does it mean you are not a Christian? I don't think that would discount you. What I would say to you though is that the Bible tells us to examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith. Do that. Have you repented and TURNED from your sins? Do you seek to follow the Lord every day? Do you do what He has commanded us to do? If so, I would say that this is pretty good evidence of a soul that has been regenerated and is being conformed into the image of the Lord.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

Obviously the Bible is very clear on it's stance concerning the acceptance of Christ and how that effects your afterlife one way or the other.
One thing I have always had the hardest time getting my head around is will someone like the Dali Lama or Gandhi be damned during the judgment? ?

Should there be exceptions to God's rules?

Perhaps the question should be "How could someone like the Dali Lama or Gandhi reject God's love and the salvation that is offered through the shed blood of Jesus Christ?

 

[mutzrein]

How can one who is not drawn to Christ by the Father be a child of God?

And how can one repent who is not a child of God?