God knows

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rhmom

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I am trying to discuss an issue with someone, and need advice. The question this person has is why does God abandon (allow to go to hell) people who think they were good people. God should know who they are, and what they need to know Him.
 
Well, if someone genuinely thinks they are a good person - in other words tries their uttermost to know, love and serve God above all else - then God will take it into account. He surely knows whether they genuinely tried their hardest but simply had no way of knowing any better. Such a person has as fair a chance of going to heaven as anyone.

He also knows whether a person perhaps wilfully decieved themselves into thinking something was what God wanted them to do because it was easier for them. And thus that their belief that they are good is based on self-deceit. And it’s all too common.

For example, the person who says to themselves ‘but confession to a priest is so embarrassing - how could God possibly want me to do it’? or ‘Surely God won’t grudge me for choosing to be with this person I love, even though I vowed lifelong fidelity to another person in front of Him and am thus breaking that vow’ or the like.
 
That is a good answer Lily. I don’t know if it answers the part where this person is basically blaming God for not giving them enough proof of Himself. I told them that if God did that, He would be forcing Himself on them, because they couldn’t help but believe, however, why is it ok for God to just let people stay in the state of unbelief like this person.
 
It is not just belief, but in bearing good fruit. Are these “good people” of which you speak my responsibility, to teach them the truth of Christ? I fear it might be so.
Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
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This passage is personally anxiety-provoking for me. Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing enough? Have I personally sacrificed enough? When I freely give to my family the resources I have earned, am I doing good? When I give to charity, am I really assisting in doing God’s will? If the people I have tried to help by my work and generosity do not seem to be getting closer to God, am I really doing God’s work or am I fooling myself?
Mt 7:22-23 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
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Will I be in front of Jesus someday and say, “I tried really really hard to do your will, but I was so broken, so ineffective”, and will I hear him say those awful words to me, “I never knew you”? Could my heart bear to hear those words?

Please, God, do what you need to do to me, so that I may know your Son.

Tim
 
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