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SaraJ
Guest
How do Christians know they are going to heaven? Will it be only Christians who except Jesus who go to heaven?
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exoflare
Guest
They don’t. Neither do you.
“accept Jesus” is a fundamentalist Protestant slogan with no substantial meaning. Please be more specific with what you mean.
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SaraJ
Guest
Why are you so flippant? If you dont like my Q’s GO AWAY!
My mum always told me as a child that if I didnt except Christ I could not go to heaven. THAT is why I asked.
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exoflare
Guest
heh, maybe you’re not a Muslim after all… sorry if I mistaked that but there’s so many closet Muslims here and they talk just like that.
Anyway if your Mom said that, I don’t think she really know what she means by that either. She was probably raised Christian or had a purely emotional conversion to some fundamentalist Church. Did she tell you what she meant by “accepting Jesus”?
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Dispector
Guest
Actually, exoflare has it right SaraJ.
No one can guarantee if they’re going to heaven or not. We know what things are pleasing to God, but we don’t know the yardstick by which he measures us. Essentially, all we can do is follow his teachings the best of our ability and pray for his mercy and grace.
When it comes to heaven there really is no guarantee. The judgement is left to God.
Respectfully,
Mark
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SyCarl
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Hello and welcome to the forums. I will try to answer your questions. It will be from a Protestant perspective since that is what I am.
1 John 13 states:
I would suggest that you read the whole of 1 John to see what is said.
I assume when you say accept Jesus that you mean those who believe He is the Son of God and trust in Him and His sacrifice for salvation. The belief or faith will show itself by works, which is what much of 1 John talks about. We are told that people who do this will be saved. With respect to those who have never heard of Jesus, we must trust God Who is just, good and merciful to do what is right.
Who goes to Heaven is God’s decision. We must trust and what He has told us knowing that everything He does will be right.
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KarenNC
Guest
Wow, how many negative assumptions and personal disparagements can one pack into one short post? I count four at minimum, and that’s only in three sentences.heh, maybe you’re not a Muslim after all… sorry if I mistaked that but there’s so many closet Muslims here and they talk just like that.
Anyway if your Mom said that, I don’t think she really know what she means by that either. She was probably raised Christian or had a purely emotional conversion to some fundamentalist Church. Did she tell you what she meant by “accepting Jesus”?
In the second paragraph, are you implying that
a) being raised Christian in some way makes one unfit to determine what one means by what one says about one’s beliefs?
b) that Catholics are not Christians?
c) that Christians (including Catholics) have an incorrect (in your view) belief expressed by the term “accepting Jesus?”
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Publisher
Guest
Sara J,
I’m not sure anyone can answer your question with any absolute satisfaction…I can share with you what I believe about the subject.
I believe God is love and some of His attributes are mercy, compassion and He desires to shower us with grace.
We are called to live in faith and accept His kindness and love into our lives. His great love and mercy are shown best in Jesus of Nazareth, what we wish to know about God’s character can be found in Jesus of Nazareth.
I have put myself into the hands of a loving and merciful God, I trust Him to do what is right and just and loving…for me that is enough.
Place yourself in His hands and care, in faith trusting, it’s the best place to be…not always the most comfortable…but the safest.
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Della
Guest
We cannot know, in the sense that we know the mind of God. But we can have what the Church calls “moral assurance,” which means that God can be trusted to keep his promises, so that those who live according to his will can be sure that he will do as he says and bring them safely to live with him forever.
No. When Jesus died on the cross he gained redemption for all of mankind. He satisfied God’s justice for our sins. Salvation is something else–it is the final result of living according to God’s will for each of us which is made possible because Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied God’s justice.
So, anyone who does what he believes to be right, by the grace God gives him, MAY be saved. I emphasize “may” because living according to God’s will without the benefit of hearing the Gospel or having access to the Sacraments Jesus established to help us to salvation (especially the Holy Eucharist) is difficult to impossible to do.
This is why we are to evangelize all men–to bring the Good News of salvation to them.
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elvisman
Guest
We are also told that those who persevere until the end will be saved. Matt. 24-13
We are further admonished to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling”. Philippians 2:12
****Kind of blows the whole OSAS out of the water, don’t you think?
As Christians, we must take ALL of God’s written word in context. We can’t simply take one line from here and another from there to suit our own needs.
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PaulDupre
Guest
Greetings SyCarl,
Your “Protestant perspective” expresses perfectly the “Catholic perspective”.
God love you,
Paul
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Grateful4mercy
Guest
AHH, you beat me to itGreetings SyCarl,
Your “Protestant perspective” expresses perfectly the “Catholic perspective”.
God love you,
Paul
I was going to tell him he is a closet Catholic hiding as a Protestant or something equally amusing to only myself. :whacky:
Oh well…God Bless your incredible insight, SyCarl!!
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