"Tell your friends about Jesus or they're doomed" - Your take?

[followingtheway]

Out of interest, I came across a video of my friend’s Pentecostal Church in where they did a skit of a teenage kid who died in a car crash and went to Hell, because his friend didn’t tell him about Jesus in time. They message was aimed at everyone, but mostly towards young adults, teenagers, and children.

My question is what is your take on this? First, are they right? Should we “tell our friends about Jesus before they go to Hell”? Was this a good way to spread the message? Or were they in the wrong/what is brainwashing?

 

[LilyM]

To a certain extent - we certainly shouldn’t hide our light under a bushel.

But then we should be careful about picking the right time, place and person for such talks, and talking to them in the right way, otherwise there’s a real likelihood that we’ll drive them away instead of bringing them to Him.

 

[ltwin]

My question is if you know that a friend of yours is not a Christian, why wouldn’t you want to tell your friend about Jesus? Certainly, there is a right way and wrong way to talk to someone about Jesus. We should pray for wisdom to do things gently and in love. We should also make sure that we ourselves are actually displaying Christ’s love through the way we live. If we are not, then any words we speak to our friends about Jesus won’t have any credibility; instead of seeing Christ in us all they will see is a hypocrite.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Out of interest, I came across a video of my friend’s Pentecostal Church in where they did a skit of a teenage kid who died in a car crash and went to Hell, because his friend didn’t tell him about Jesus in time. They message was aimed at everyone, but mostly towards young adults, teenagers, and children.

My question is what is your take on this? First, are they right? Should we “tell our friends about Jesus before they go to Hell”? Was this a good way to spread the message? Or were they in the wrong/what is brainwashing?

You cannot preach what is wrong.

 

[JD27076]

I am correct, Romans 1:18-20 implies that if anyone does not hear the Gospels because of location and time, then one is going to heaven because of invincible ignorance.

A good example would be, Native Americans in 1000AD, they worshiped the “Great Spirit” (Some might presume as God in a different name). Anyways, they, out of no fault of their own, did not hear the Gospel, because it was a thousand miles away.

If these people died, they would go to heaven. Saying their going to go to hell is like saying all stupid people go to hell. Which is blatantly wrong.

The “Great Spirit” could really be God himself who has revealed himself to these people. I remember Romans 1:18-20 says you will be saved if you do not suppress what has been revealed, for their is no excuse.
Like my priest says, “If much is given, much will be expected”…This applies to the Native Americans. Not much was given to them, so much less will be expected.

Hope this helps.

 

[ltwin]

I am correct, Romans 1:18-20 implies that if anyone does not hear the Gospels because of location and time, then one is going to heaven because of invincible ignorance.

A good example would be, Native Americans in 1000AD, they worshiped the “Great Spirit” (Some might presume as God in a different name). Anyways, they, out of no fault of their own, did not hear the Gospel, because it was a thousand miles away.

If these people died, they would go to heaven. Saying their going to go to hell is like saying all stupid people go to hell. Which is blatantly wrong.

The “Great Spirit” could really be God himself who has revealed himself to these people. I remember Romans 1:18-20 says you will be saved if you do not suppress what has been revealed, for their is no excuse.
Like my priest says, “If much is given, much will be expected”…This applies to the Native Americans. Not much was given to them, so much less will be expected.

Hope this helps.

The problem with that is that in America, most people have had some contact with Christianity. Therefore, “invincible ignorance” is a hard argument to make.

 

[JD27076]

The problem with that is that in America, most people have had some contact with Christianity. Therefore, “invincible ignorance” is a hard argument to make.

Oh, sorry if I didn’t make it clear. I was talking about in 1000AD, where the Gospel was only preached in Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia…

Sorry.

 

[Jennet]

You know, I *knew *there had to be an advantage to not having any friends!

 

[ndeparis88]

I think people today don’t really get so Heaven works. It’s better to keep someone in ignorance then to absolutely loose the soul. When people here that stuff coming from Pentecostals they related it to all other Christians when it’s simply not the same. At the end of your life when you meet God your still going to be given the option to go to Heaven or Hell. Now you say yes to God and then you may be put into purgatory. I think that is just such a bad way to spread the gospel. God’s will in infinitely above ours if he wants to put a non believer in Heaven than that’s whats’ going to happen. I think that’s awesome so when I get up there I can say to the non believers I know “I told you so” lol. JK, JK.

 

[Jennet]

Seriously though, often the best gospel message to your friends is how you live.

A faith-filled life cannot help but have an impact… especially if you are praying for said friends too. Eventually, they will be the ones who come to you to ask what makes you so different from everyone else!

 

[followingtheway]

You know, I *knew *there had to be an advantage to not having any friends!

To me there is none, I would not live that life nor recommend that way of life to anyone.

Seriously though, often the best gospel message to your friends is how you live.

A faith-filled life cannot help but have an impact… especially if you are praying for said friends too. Eventually, they will be the ones who come to you to ask what makes you so different from everyone else!

That on the other hand I agree with.

 

[Love_God_Too]

Seriously though, often the best gospel message to your friends is how you live.

A faith-filled life cannot help but have an impact… especially if you are praying for said friends too. Eventually, they will be the ones who come to you to ask what makes you so different from everyone else!

Wish I had a LIKE button…

 

[AHapka]

A good example would be, Native Americans in 1000AD, they worshiped the “Great Spirit” (Some might presume as God in a different name). Anyways, they, out of no fault of their own, did not hear the Gospel, because it was a thousand miles away.

If these people died, they would go to heaven. Saying their going to go to hell is like saying all stupid people go to hell. Which is blatantly wrong.

I would think that these people would be judged based on the law that’s written on our hearts (from Romans).

To say that every single person went to Heaven simply because they didn’t hear the gospel is incorrect in my mind.

I’m all for saying that they had less culpability in many things. But we still know right from wrong based on conscience.

I have a hard time believing that you couldn’t find one person in an entire civilization who knowingly choose evil. Sadly, some people simply do.

 

[Qoeleth]

That sounds like typical Pentacostal nonsense.

Since God judges us according to our deeds, it is possible to get into Heaven without knowing Christianity. Maybe it might even be easier:
“If you were blind you would not be guilty, but since you say you can see, your guilt remains.”

 

[CatholicSheila]

I believe that it is important to live your faith, and that your religion is apparent as a result.

I don’t believe we have to tell everyone ‘about Jesus’. In the west, where I live, most people have heard of Jesus. They know Christians claim he is the son of God. They know that we believe you must be Christian (excluding exceptional circumstances) to get to heaven. They know the basics. If they want more, they’ll ask.

It is all about timing for me. I could walk up to my homosexual friend and tell him he’s going to hell if he doesn’t repent. But what would I achieve? He already knows what the church teaches, and all that would be achieve is putting someone offside and most likely more hostile to the gospel than he already is. If he wants to know more about the Catholic faith he knows where to find me.

This is true of most of my friends. They know I live by Church teaching - but I won’t force it on them and giving them a “Jesus lecture” will sound like judgment.

 

[ndeparis88]

Seriously though, often the best gospel message to your friends is how you live.

A faith-filled life cannot help but have an impact… especially if you are praying for said friends too. Eventually, they will be the ones who come to you to ask what makes you so different from everyone else!

I agree. I actually think this allows your being to speak for yourself. I think of Tim Tebow when I hear this. It’s really funny because I think one of the biggest reasons he gets flak, is because he actually practices what he preaches, and it really gets people’s goats you know.

 

[ltwin]

That sounds like typical Pentacostal nonsense.

Since God judges us according to our deeds, it is possible to get into Heaven without knowing Christianity. Maybe it might even be easier:
“If you were blind you would not be guilty, but since you say you can see, your guilt remains.”

Is this official Catholic teaching? That you don’t need to know anything about Christianity? No Jesus? No Eucharist? No confession? No penance? Just do good?

 

[Qoeleth]

Is this official Catholic teaching? That you don’t need to know anything about Christianity? No Jesus? No Eucharist? No confession? No penance? Just do good?

Yes- if you do not get to know about Jesus- you can still be saved!! It is the official teaching of the Church.

But if you do know about HIm, you cannot acts like you don’t.

 

[Pug]

Is this official Catholic teaching? That you don’t need to know anything about Christianity? No Jesus? No Eucharist? No confession? No penance? Just do good?

Here is an answer for you that is from the Catechism:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.

Note, however, that this still does not happen apart from Christ (Jesus), and they must have been moved by grace, and furthermore, this will still require faith, but it is only clear to God how he moves the person to this needed faith when they have not heard the news from a missionary. Christians still have the obligation to evangelize all men.

So the “no Jesus” part is not quite correct, neither is the “just do good” part. But it is possible to not have participated in the normal way in the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. Repentance or penance or conversion or turning to God, though, would still be present in some sincere way.

Even so, I am making assumptions and shortening up things to make this post, so ask again if that would be helpful.

 

[Pug]

Out of interest, I came across a video of my friend’s Pentecostal Church in where they did a skit of a teenage kid who died in a car crash and went to Hell, because his friend didn’t tell him about Jesus in time. They message was aimed at everyone, but mostly towards young adults, teenagers, and children.

My question is what is your take on this? First, are they right? Should we “tell our friends about Jesus before they go to Hell”? Was this a good way to spread the message? Or were they in the wrong/what is brainwashing?

Call the guy who died Bryce and the friend who didn’t tell him about Jesus in time Bob. I would have watched that as a youth and looked at it from the perspective of Bryce. I would wonder why God would make the salvation of my soul stand or fall simply on the actions of some random guy, like Bob is in charge of if I go to heaven or hell. I’d wonder why God is not in charge of stuff like this.

I wouldn’t respond that way now. Now I’d just cringe a bit and move on. Yes you ought to evangelize, and we each need to do it as the Holy Spirit gives us. Perhaps we’ll meet a person on a train, perhaps we’ll inspire a girlfriend by our devotion to Jesus, perhaps our conversion story will lift someone up, or whatever it turns out to be.