kally said:
I believe in both and was wondering what everyone's beliefs are on this matter. I have been asking around just get people's Ideas. Some people believe that their are levels of heaven and hell that you go to. Some think that heaven or hell is within us. Other believe that you go to either once you die. Some do not believe in either and it is just a belief. Some people believe that all you have to do is know that Jesus Christ is your lord and savior and that all is forgiven and that all it takes to get to heaven, while others believe that and along with living a life that honors God will get you there. What actions justify going to Hell? If someone was evil and they come and then the day of there death they decided to believe in Jesus Christ as their savior will they still go to heaven? Is so how is that fair to the person who has lived to please God. all alone? They still ended up in the same place. So what is your view and how did you come to that belief?
Great question!
I wanted to address the highlighted section. God is not a fair God, He's a just God. Look at Isaiah 45:18-21. I've abbreviated it to get to the point:
“18... I
am the LORD, and
there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob,
‘Seek Me in vain’;
I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 20 ... They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god
that cannot save. 21 Tell and bring forth
your case; ...Who has declared this from ancient time?
Who has told it from that time?
Have not I, the LORD?
And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; T
here is none besides Me."
Jesus says in John 5:30 (KJV),
"I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just".
Notice that Jesus said his judgement is just, not fair.
When dealing in fairness, you have to give equal portions to everybody, regardless of whether they deserve it or not, or need it or not. When dealing in justice, you give according to what is merited and needed.
A person cannot lay dying and say "I believe in Jesus," just to cover all his bases, incase there really is a God, to get to heaven. God knows the heart of man, and cannot be fooled. This person isn't going to heaven. But if he really means it from the bottom of his heart, God is just, and faithful to forgive him, and accept his confession. It may not be fair, according to the definition of fairness that we go by, but it is just. Jesus
died for the sinner, so that his sins might be forgiven. That was the point of Jesus dying on the cross. And since God is a God of His word, if He says that the blood of the lamb saves the sinner, it saves.
Fairness would dictate that regardless of what kind of life people lived on earth, everybody would go to heaven. In that case, we could all put down our bibles, pick up a beer, a joint, and head down to the club. There would be no difference for anyone. That's fairness.
Justice recognizes what one merits over the other. And I use the word "merit" because I can't think of a better word. None of us merits going to heaven. If we had to get what we really merited, none of us would see heaven. It's by grace and grace alone that we're saved. Works can't help us.
1 Peter 4:18 declares that:
Now, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? "
For those who have openly and honestly confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, accepted His sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and
try to live our lives holy unto God, Jesus accepts us into His Kingdom. Those who have not accepted Jesus
will not see heaven or the Father. That's justice. He said it, He meant it, He'll do it.
Is it fair? No, but it is right, and it is just.
