Religious Word Problem #2

[KevinK]

More serious, this one:

A man wakes from a horrible nightmare. He dreamed that his wife dies in a terrible plane crash. Indeed, his wife is scheduled to take a business trip by air that very day. Visibly shaken, he tells his wife about the dream and pleads for her not to go. The wife tells him he's being absurd, and although being very religious herself, does not think this was a legitimate "vision". She refuses to alter her travel plans. Seeing it's no use arguing, the exasperated husband makes an alternate request: would it be a problem if he accompanied her on her business trip? At least, he reasons, they will die together and have a chance of spending eternity with each other. She acquiesces and shortly thereafter they are on a flight seated side-by-side. But just as portended in the dream, the plane suddenly develops mechanical problems and starts falling from the sky. The couple hold hands and pray together as the aircraft plummets. Finally it crashes to the ground, instantly killing everyone onboard.

The wife goes immediately to Heaven. But what about the husband? Whether you believe or not in dream visions, he genuinely believed they were on their way to their deaths by boarding that plane. Would then his actions be considered a suicide, discounting his salvation and entrance through the pearly gates? And what about not warning the airline company and others on the same flight?

What was the judgment on the husband?

(Note: this isn't a trick question, and I don't know if there's a definitive answer.)

 

[Eugene]

Brother KevinK, how is it that the wife went to heaven? Religion is certainly not the answer in my thinking. There are billions of religious nonbelievers on their way to hell.
Though the vision came to pass, was it from God? If God didn't want them on the plane, He certainly had power to keep them from taking the flight.
I believe of a certainty the mass of humanity are on their way to a Christless eternity that could occur at any moment. Am I responsible for those at the airlines to know and believe it. Is my salvation dependent upon any other thing than believing on Jesus?

 

[reba]

Joh_15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Another one. A rebuke to Peter when Jesus predicted his death and Peter told Jesus not to say such things.
Mathew 16:23.
Who know what God will descide when we meet Him in the realms after we die. All we can have is hope for ourselves, and hope for those we know, and those we love.

 

[KevinK]

Brother KevinK, how is it that the wife went to heaven? Religion is certainly not the answer in my thinking. There are billions of religious nonbelievers on their way to hell.
Though the vision came to pass, was it from God? If God didn't want them on the plane, He certainly had power to keep them from taking the flight.
I believe of a certainty the mass of humanity are on their way to a Christless eternity that could occur at any moment. Am I responsible for those at the airlines to know and believe it. Is my salvation dependent upon any other thing than believing on Jesus?

The wife went to heaven based on things not in the story. The question specifically focuses on the husband, and what constitutes suicide.

Does it matter where the vision came from? The point is the husband believed it to be true, and in effect walked knowingly to his own death.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

28Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it." (Judges 16:28-30 NASB)

 

[KevinK]

Joh_15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

But did that man go to hell? I personally think no. But I've heard people say that it was still suicide, and that condemned him. Sinful suicide is when you are trying to run from your problems.

 

[KevinK]

I believe of a certainty the mass of humanity are on their way to a Christless eternity that could occur at any moment. Am I responsible for those at the airlines to know and believe it. Is my salvation dependent upon any other thing than believing on Jesus?

Very excellent question. What about Ezekiel 3:18 "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Very excellent question. What about Ezekiel 3:18 "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

He's talking about the watchman. Those appointed to be watchmen. His prophets. The reference escapes me at the moment.

 

[Eugene]

Very excellent question. What about Ezekiel 3:18 "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

This brings about more questions.
Was the man born of the Spirit of God?
Can he be lost by his actions?
Moses died the sin unto death for his action. Deut 32:50-51.
Jesus chose to die for us so as to be with us eternally.
King Saul committed suicide, but as Samuel told him in 1 Sam 28:19,
to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me. Where was Samuel? In Abraham's bosom.

 

[KevinK]

He's talking about the watchman. Those appointed to be watchmen. His prophets. The reference escapes me at the moment.

Good observation there. In fact the previous verse does reference the watchman: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." Ezekiel 3:17 So my next question, are Christians in general required to evangelize?