According to what the Catholic Church teaches, if one lived a good life searching for God whole heatedly then they will not go to hell. For it would not be their fault for not hearing the gospel. Of course, non of us are the Judge, so none of us can truly say who will and who will not go to hell or heaven.
Well the body of believers are the Church with Jesus as its head. When you die are you still a part of the Church? As for soul sleep, I do not feel there is any valid basis for that doctrine two quotes from Ecclesiastes is not enouph for me.
Both commendable answers. Believe me I have seen some absolutely attrocious answers to this question.
if you will go to hell for having incidentally never crossed paths with Christianity, you are being punished for something you could not possibly have understood was wrong in the same way that a brain damaged person might kill someone and not understand what they were doing. An even easier analogy would be to put a rattlesnake in prison for poisoning someone to death. A snake would never think "thou shalt not kill", so to hold it responsible for killing is just ludicrous. To blame someone for not being Christian for never ever having heard of it is just as ludicrous.
Thats why it goes back to everyone having sinned against God. We ALL deserve Hell. The fact that you aren't there now is a testament to God's mercy.
Ignorance which is of no fault of one's own--is awfully hard to have these days (I'm not including people with brain injuries/disease or are incapable of understanding). However, most societies are very contrary to godliness--especially secular western culture--and some ignorance may be the result of this social sin that we all share in. Still, willful ignorance is not an excuse, and I do believe that we are responsible to that which we choose to ignore. I couldn't begin to know the heart of any individual, or what has or has not contributed to unbelief or disbelief or rejection--I hardly can figure out my own! God knows, I'll let him do his job and do what he told us to do: "Love one another as I have loved you."
You are claiming something completely outrageous. Almost like the belief that unbaptized babies go to limbo, or to hell. btw you ignored my post mate. Care to share?
I'm sorry, I am all over the forum, which post was it? I believe that babies go to heaven. But I do believe that unsaved children, after the age of accountability (at what age I'm not privy too ), that willfully sin knowing they're doing wrong, are guilty as charged.
No--we have a nature tainted by sin. God did not make Adam and Eve in sin--sin entered in with disobedience and self-love. If we had a nature of sin, then Jesus would have a nature of sin since he has a human nature. Jesus was perfectly sinless.
To think people who never herd of Jesus go to hell is crazy. That would make God unjust and unmerciful. Its not his fault us, his servants, have yet to preach the gospel to ALL people. If you believe in a just and merciful God, then you know he would not (*)(*)(*)(*) someone to hell for something they did not and were unable to know.
Even if this is true, now comes the hammerblow. If people who never hear of Christianity can not be guilty of rejecting it, telling someone about Christianity is worse than not telling them.
Naw... Again--it's right and just to worship God. We are exalted in exalting Him. Also, when we see Him face to face, the justice of it all will be known to us and the glory, ours to share. I really think Psalm 89 explains it well. Ps.89 [0] A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. [1] I will sing of thy steadfast love, O LORD, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations. [2] For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens. [3] Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: [4] `I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.'" [Selah] [5] Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! [6] For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, [7] a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and terrible above all that are round about him? [8] O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as thou art, O LORD, with thy faithfulness round about thee? [9] Thou dost rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, thou stillest them. [10] Thou didst crush Rahab like a carcass, thou didst scatter thy enemies with thy mighty arm. [11] The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; the world and all that is in it, thou hast founded them. [12] The north and the south, thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise thy name. [13] Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is thy hand, high thy right hand. [14] Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee. [15] Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance, [16] who exult in thy name all the day, and extol thy righteousness. [17] For thou art the glory of their strength; by thy favor our horn is exalted. [18] For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel. [19] Of old thou didst speak in a vision to thy faithful one, and say: "I have set the crown upon one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. [20] I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him; [21] so that my hand shall ever abide with him, my arm also shall strengthen him. [22] The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. [23] I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. [24] My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. [25] I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. [26] He shall cry to me, `Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.' [27] And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth. [28] My steadfast love I will keep for him for ever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. [29] I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the heavens. [30] If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances, [31] if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, [32] then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; [33] but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness. [34] I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. [35] Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. [36] His line shall endure for ever, his throne as long as the sun before me. [37] Like the moon it shall be established for ever; it shall stand firm while the skies endure." [Selah] [38] But now thou hast cast off and rejected, thou art full of wrath against thy anointed. [39] Thou hast renounced the covenant with thy servant; thou hast defiled his crown in the dust. [40] Thou hast breached all his walls; thou hast laid his strongholds in ruins. [41] All that pass by despoil him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. [42] Thou hast exalted the right hand of his foes; thou hast made all his enemies rejoice. [43] Yea, thou hast turned back the edge of his sword, and thou hast not made him stand in battle. [44] Thou hast removed the scepter from his hand, and cast his throne to the ground. [45] Thou hast cut short the days of his youth; thou hast covered him with shame. [Selah] [46] How long, O LORD? Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? How long will thy wrath burn like fire? [47] Remember, O Lord, what the measure of life is, for what vanity thou hast created all the sons of men! [48] What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? [Selah] [49] Lord, where is thy steadfast love of old, which by thy faithfulness thou didst swear to David? [50] Remember, O Lord, how thy servant is scorned; how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples, [51] with which thy enemies taunt, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of thy anointed. [52] Blessed be the LORD for ever! Amen and Amen.
Yes I agree, I'm sorry I didn't make myself more clear. Since the fall we have a sin nature. Jesus was Man and God, and not born of two humans.
But Jesus was fully man (and yes--of course fully God)--he had to be "one of us" to redeem the fallen nature. Jesus wasn't half-man/half-god. He was fully human.
