I heard an interesting semi-theological discussion about going to heaven on the radio this morning. I grew up as a baptized-in-the-river-Baptist, and was taught that if you believed, you were saved. No matter what came before.
The people on the talk show were discussing whether one guy's uncle would go to heaven, after accepting Jesus on his deathbed. He lived a pretty sordid life that left a lot of scorched earth behind him. Someone called in and said that, absolutely, if you accepted Jesus as your savior, it was a ticket to heaven. Someone mentioned Hitler. Would he get into heaven if he had accepted Jesus at the last minute in the bunker?
I know the Bible talks about good works and living a good life. So what about The Thief On The Cross next to Jesus? He was saved. Sure, he has an edge on the rest of us, being two feet away from The Savior. But whether or not you agree that baptism is essential to salvation, we know the thief on the cross was saved. Of course, he may have already been baptized. But I digress...he was saved at the last minute, despite living a wicked life.
How do the various Christian religions deal with this? Having recently seen Star Wars (Episodes 4,5, and 6 now), I think about Darth Vader's redemption. He overthrows the emperor and he is saved (we see him later happily hanging out with Spirit Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi). After a life of senseless killing, he is redeemed by one act. Is it the same with the mainstream Christian belief system? Can you be saved at the bell, or must you live a life of good works? /jack
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Being a slapped on the ass with a yardstick, by a nun type of Catholic, I was raised that if you truly are sorry for the wrong doing you had done in life, then that one moment of redemption would aloow you past the pearly gates.
ReplyDeleteNow I don't know about Hitler but George Lucas should burn in hell right alongside Joe Stalin and Lee Marvin for Episodes I and II.
Debate all you want. There is one fact: only 144,000 anointed Christians go to heaven to rule with Christ, while the rest of mankind has the opportunity to live forever in paradise on earth. My church (Jehovah's Witness) tell us it will take more than a deathbed conversion to get into heaven.
ReplyDeleteDebate all you want. There is one fact: only 144,000 anointed Christians go to heaven to rule with Christ
ReplyDeleteWHAT? How the hell can you call something a FACT when it can't be proven? What is the basis of this other than you own belief and faith?....You could have said Contrary to Christian faith, my faith says...No instead you say here's a FACT.
, while the rest of mankind has the opportunity to live forever in paradise on earth.
Paradise on Earth?...I'm not saying that life on Earth doesn't have it's good days, but paradise?..Does that mean that only the coosh with nary a problem on earth are living in paradise?..What about children in Somalia, who are ravaged by war and starvation..They all can't be going to Heaven ( especially if their Christian..It'll mess up God's quota of 144,000 )I also doubt their living paradise on Earth, then again bathing in the same place you urinate might be paradise..I dunno
I could be wrong but I believe that the 100K + people of which you speak where not referred to as "Christians" as you put it but as 'Jews"... Also I think the person that said paradise on earth was correct- because if I am right the bible says "the earth will be made new"... Earth is actually heaven... It's just that God will destroy all that we know and rebuild it into paradise...
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