Questions.

[ayin jade]

I was taught that as long you're a good person and you love God, you will enter Heaven.

The bible tells us that no one is good. We are all sinful. Our sin keeps us apart from God. Yet God in His infinite love provided a means of atonement for our sins-- Jesus, IF we accept Him as Lord and Savior. Our works cant get us into heaven, because of our sins.

I don't mean to sound childish, or offend you in the least (I really hesitated to come to this site because I knew that I would probably say something to someone unintentionally), but what about the people who were born into Bhuddism or Hinduism? Are they going to Hell because they believed in what they were taught?

Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

The bible tells us no one has an excuse. The bible tells us too that if they truly seek to know who God is, He will reveal Himself to them. My husband was born in a pagan belief system, on an Indian reservation. Yet he came to know Jesus and in turn all of his family turned to Christ. You hear of many people born in alternative belief systems who have not heard of Christ but sought to know Him, and eventually came to salvation through Christ.

Its not their beliefs that condemn them. Its their sins. Jesus is the grand pardon for sin, for the condemnation of sin that we all face. They have to believe in Him though.

And in that case, am I going to Hell because I'm Catholic? My faith is strong, but is it wrong?

It depends on what your faith is about. Who is Jesus to you? Where do you place your faith? There are many catholics who are saved. Many who are not. I grew up Lutheran but had no clue who Jesus was, so I was not saved then.

Lisa is my only Christian friend who actually is true to that. My best friend "Xu" is the complete opposite, however, she is Methodist. Xu is very special to me, mind you. She is wild, though. She drinks. Does drugs. Has protected/unprotected sex. She is on a path of self-destrction. And yes, I worry for her health and soul.

I have concerns over your friend Xu. Christians have changed hearts, a change in us because we become new creations in Christ. Our old selves, the sinful lost self, is dead. Sounds like Xu may be someone who thinks she is christian because her parents are and she was baptized as an infant. She needs to know who Jesus is too. If she isnt saved, then she needs to know Him. If she is saved, then she needs to grow in her faith and turn away from a sinful lifestyle.

I'd be kind of lost without Lisa telling me I'm a goof xD.

She will probably still tell you that you are a goof lol. Christians dont lose their sense of humor. Take a look at fellowship hall here and see for yourself lol.

To be brutally honest, when I was in grade school, we were not allowed to read the bible. My teachers said so. I don't know if it's permitted in my religion.

That is the saddest thing I have heard lately. May I suggest that you read it. Start with Luke, John and Acts. Luke and John are 2 of the gospels, which talk about Jesus' life and ministry on earth. Acts is the account of the beginnings of the church.

[Sconzy]

Datan

Jesus said to Necodimus, as the wind blow and no one sees it where it goes, so it is with him who is born of the Spirit and water. When the Holy Spirit takes ove to someone's life alot becomes deferent, why? The world does not know the things of the Spirit except him who is of the Spirit. Apostle Paul used to kill the Christians of his time but as soon as the Lord got hold of him things changed, his friends had many questions but he knew what happened to him.

So the same applies for your friend, alot has happened to that camp, no words can explain it. As long as you keep you religion as a decider of where you are going. You are still to be confused.

Remember Christianity it's not a religion but relationship......

[Guest]

Welcome To Worthy Dear One

So is God mad that I've never actually read the Bible?

The Wonderful Thing About God Is - God Is Wonderful

Little Sister Look At God

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Does He Sound Like He Is Mad At Little Sisters?

I Am So Happy God Brought You To Worthy To Fellowship With And To Learn From These Wonderful Loving Folk.

I Pray You Will Stay A While And See Jesus And Be Blessed.

Another Look At God The Father To See If He Might Be Even A Little Mad At You.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

He Loves Me So Much I Sometimes Cry For Little Sisters Who Do Not Know How Much God Loves Them.

Be Blessed

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Love, Joe

[senerhu]

It sounds to me like your friend is basing there salvation on the convictions of her own heart. Everybody has to obey the 10 Commandments, but for those things not mentioned in the Bible, such as the type of music you should or should not listen to, those are issues that each of us has to workout for ourselves according to what we feel in our heart is right or wrong...

First off, thank you for your time.

It's funny that you say 'convictions,' for she used the same exact term to describe her reasonings for changing.

I think watching her trying to change is frustrating for me in a way. I know she's a good person; she's very sweet and very kind. And without me even knowing it, she's been praying for my health and happiness. That's not something I'm used to, you see.

I love and adore Japanese culture; my family has Asian ethnicity and, for me, dressing in trendy clothes and celebrating the music they play over there right now is second nature. I know she likes the videos games and music from there, too. Actually, that's how we became friends. We bonded over a video game, haha.

So ... am I wrong? Am I living the lifestyle that's inexcusable? I'm at a loss. A true loss.

I don't know if you are wrong or not. You are the only one (besides God) that knows your heart, Avin Jade is correct. John 3:16 should answer that question for you. Do you remember in the Bible the question of whether it is right to eat sacrifical meat? Some believed it was ok to eat and some didn't. That's when I believe Paul basically said to not lead your brother to sin by forcing him to eat. Your friendship is valuable and I would hate to see it break over differences of opnion, but if there are things you are doing that she feels is wrong for her then I believe you need to respect those convictions she has. It really isn't that hard to do when you think about it. After all the goal is the same...

There are some people in this site that have alot more knowledge on these issues than I. Also the search feature will give you a wealth of ideas and information to answer your question.

I just hope the little I said helps you answer your question...

I don't think I have bad heart, but, like you said, only God would really know that. I try to keep my nose clean, you know?

And no. I've never actually read the Bible, for as I explained to Avin Jade, I was told that I wasn't allowed to in grade school. And I figured that my teachers weren't stupid enough to pass around such false information. But I guess I was wrong.

You make such a good point, though. I would never want to break up our friendship over something silly like music, or silly jokes -- although I am silly at heart, and a little boy crazy, too. Gah T.T. Talk about being in a tough spot.

Anyway, I do respect and support her, and whatever I can do to help is not a question at all.

I'll seek these people out, and I'll search around for answers.

I just want to be a good friend. A good person. A good daughter.

And I really appreciate everything you've offered to me. Honestly, I do.

But may I ask you something? If you had a daughter who was around 16 or 17, would you allow her to listen to non-Christian rock if she wanted to? Would you let her listen to stuff like My Chemical Romance and, perhaps, Cartel?

I know Relient K is a Christian rock band (I love them, personally), would they be okay?

I'm just asking so I have an idea what I could mention to her next time we talk ...

I love rock. But if I'm with somebody that is offended by it for whatever reason, I don't listen to it then. Some of the things in music or movies doesn't effect me or my salvation, but it would be terrible of me to indulge with another in those activities if it effected them. but I'm getting more conservative now, I'm finding myself avoid movies or music from those that obviously are not Christian...

[EricH]

Moved from the Welcome Forum to the General Discussion Forum.

[Datan]

Datan,

No God is not angry that you haven't read the Bible, but now is a good time to start.

I am not Catholic but I know many Catholic's that have accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour and they still attend the Catholic church. Please continue to ask questions and be open to reading the scriptures that some of the wonderful people on this board have already given you. Ayin Jade has given you some powerful scriptures to study.

I will be praying for your health tonight.

Pam

Dear Pam,

Thank you for your kind output. And I really appreciate it that you encourage me to ask questions without fear of being shunned or being a pest. I really do enjoy the learning experience. And my friend (the one whom I was talking about in my earliest post) has sent me some of the nicest passages that I could ask for.

When I was saddened over some of the things that were going on in my home, she sent me this:

Psalm 34: 15-18

"The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;

His ears are open to their cries for help .

But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;

He will erase their memory from the earth.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.

He rescues them from all their troubles.

[and this is my favorite part:]

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

he rescues those who are crushed in spirit."

Whenever I'm sad, I read that. I contemplate what it means. And although the sorrow I still feel hasn't resolved itself completely, in my heart I know God loves me, and Jesus will save me from whatever fret I do come to know.

Thanks so much for everything. I truly and utterly appreciate the prayer, and I shall thank God tonight for sending all of the lovely people here.

Much love,

Daimiko.

[Datan]

The bible tells us that no one is good. We are all sinful. Our sin keeps us apart from God. Yet God in His infinite love provided a means of atonement for our sins-- Jesus, IF we accept Him as Lord and Savior. Our works cant get us into heaven, because of our sins.

I do accept Jesus :]. And I pray to him often -- thanking him, asking him why some things happen and others don't. And I say I'm sorry often for doing some of the stupid stuff I do. I'm 19 and I still act like a little kid most of the time. My mother got into a horrific fight the other day over -- well, over my dad. He's an alcoholic, and when he drinks he becomes verbally abusive and stuff ... he's been doing it my whole life, so I just lost my temper Monday and blamed my mom for everything. And that was wrong. I asked God to forgive me for that, and of course I asked that of my mother, also.

Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

The bible tells us no one has an excuse. The bible tells us too that if they truly seek to know who God is, He will reveal Himself to them. My husband was born in a pagan belief system, on an Indian reservation. Yet he came to know Jesus and in turn all of his family turned to Christ. You hear of many people born in alternative belief systems who have not heard of Christ but sought to know Him, and eventually came to salvation through Christ.

Its not their beliefs that condemn them. Its their sins. Jesus is the grand pardon for sin, for the condemnation of sin that we all face. They have to believe in Him though.

That kind of makes me happy and sad at the same time. In my heart I accept Jesus and I love Him, and I know that he loves me too. There was a time in my life that I was so angry with everything, and I started to say that I didn't believe in anything anymore. I don't know what really sparked my faith again, honestly. It was a momentary epiphany, I think, and I just learned to love God again.

Anyway, it would be nice if everyone could see that. No matter what religion, as long as they could go to Heaven too ...

I want to see all of my friends there one day ^ ^.

It depends on what your faith is about. Who is Jesus to you? Where do you place your faith? There are many catholics who are saved. Many who are not. I grew up Lutheran but had no clue who Jesus was, so I was not saved then.

Who is Jesus to me? I actually took a few minutes to think that over before answering. Jesus is the Son of God. The Saviour and sort of knight who protects the small, meek folk, while slaying (sometimes saving) the malevolent ones. When I feel alone, I know He's there with me, rooting me on. When I shed tears over sorrow, He's there to wipe them away.

Jesus is ... a hero. Like a super-hero :].

My faith is what keeps me out of trouble -- real trouble. I place it high, for it shields me from unsavory behavior -- much like Xu's.

So what you're saying is that it doesn't matter what faith you're born into; being born is just that, for you need to know and love God to be saved.

This is all very, very interesting.

I have concerns over your friend Xu. Christians have changed hearts, a change in us because we become new creations in Christ. Our old selves, the sinful lost self, is dead. Sounds like Xu may be someone who thinks she is christian because her parents are and she was baptized as an infant. She needs to know who Jesus is too. If she isn't saved, then she needs to know Him. If she is saved, then she needs to grow in her faith and turn away from a sinful lifestyle.

Well, Xu doesn't think much about anything, honestly. I don't know where she stand in terms of her faith, nor do I know how she graduated from high school. The girl never went. She was too caught up in her promiscuous life to consider those things, I suppose.

I don't want to say anything false, but I've known Xu since she's four and she's never been truly the religious type. And her mother and step-father are not what one would call "model examples. (and I'm being quite generous with that)" She wasn't taught right. And now she's going to suffer quite a bit, and it pains me to say that.

I remember when it was time for her younger brother to be baptized, actually. The boy was an absolute terror, so the priest had them ostracized from the parish. Again, that's on the parents, though.

She will probably still tell you that you are a goof lol. Christians dont lose their sense of humor. Take a look at fellowship hall here and see for yourself lol.

Hooray :]. I hope she doesn't stop being the funny girl I've come to know and love. And I'll have to see that hall you mentioned.

So, if it's not too personal, what do you do for fun?

I'm an artist and I draw silly pictures. For example, I once drew Aladdin's Jafar in a bikini and high heels ^ ^. I was so bored that day xD.

That is the saddest thing I have heard lately. May I suggest that you read it. Start with Luke, John and Acts. Luke and John are 2 of the gospels, which talk about Jesus' life and ministry on earth. Acts is the account of the beginnings of the church.

I'm sorry. I know now that's it not great. I had no idea, though. And I think I will. I have a lot to catch up on. But I like to read, anyway.

Okays. I'll start there. Thank you.

[Datan]

I love rock. But if I'm with somebody that is offended by it for whatever reason, I don't listen to it then. Some of the things in music or movies doesn't effect me or my salvation, but it would be terrible of me to indulge with another in those activities if it effected them. but I'm getting more conservative now, I'm finding myself avoid movies or music from those that obviously are not Christian...

Oops. Seems I've been offending my poor mom with constant Japanese rock -- well, not really offending, just annoying the heck out of her with it

:3. She doesn't understand a word of it, and a lot of them scream for no apparent reason, so, yeah, I guess I could understand why she gets mad xD.

Seriously, though, I think that's rather nice that you would put your friend's feelings ahead of your own. I wish more people were like that. Although I'm not sure I really know anyone (other than my friend right now) who's really offended by rock. I mean, my dad is an avid collector of '70s-'80s' rock. He adores Kansas, but I don't xD. They're old.

I really don't watch that much television, and I prefer movies made in Japan rather than in the States. Although I do love the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

From a conservative stand-point, what movies are you avoiding? And you said you love rock, any bands in particular?

Like I said, I really do love Japanese rock. Stuff like 12012, An Cafe, The Gazette, and KuRt :]. I dance a lot in the car to them.

[Datan]

Datan

Jesus said to Necodimus, as the wind blow and no one sees it where it goes, so it is with him who is born of the Spirit and water. When the Holy Spirit takes ove to someone's life alot becomes deferent, why? The world does not know the things of the Spirit except him who is of the Spirit. Apostle Paul used to kill the Christians of his time but as soon as the Lord got hold of him things changed, his friends had many questions but he knew what happened to him.

So the same applies for your friend, alot has happened to that camp, no words can explain it. As long as you keep you religion as a decider of where you are going. You are still to be confused.

Remember Christianity it's not a religion but relationship......

I'm glad for my friend, really. I want her to be happy, and if this is what makes her glad, then so be it.

You're right, though. And I hope that one day I'll get to feel the as she is, that I'll be more convicted.

And I hope all of our relations can improve.

Thank you so much, Sconzy :].

[Datan]

Welcome To Worthy Dear One

So is God mad that I've never actually read the Bible?

The Wonderful Thing About God Is - God Is Wonderful

Little Sister Look At God

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Does He Sound Like He Is Mad At Little Sisters?

I Am So Happy God Brought You To Worthy To Fellowship With And To Learn From These Wonderful Loving Folk.

I Pray You Will Stay A While And See Jesus And Be Blessed.

Another Look At God The Father To See If He Might Be Even A Little Mad At You.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

He Loves Me So Much I Sometimes Cry For Little Sisters Who Do Not Know How Much God Loves Them.

Be Blessed

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Love, Joe

Thank you, Joe :].

I think I really like what you had to say the best. You've made me feel very welcomed, and I appreciate that dearly.

I'm not very used to people being so nice to me, so this quite the unexpected but embraced change.

And I'll stick around for a while. I really want to learn from all of you.

Honestly, I knew that God loved me (and everyone else), but I didn't know to that extent, I suppose. It's all very comforting in my time of crisis -- putting aside my questions of my friend's change, I mean.

But thank you so much again. And I'll thank God for sending me all of the wonderfully loving comments and replies tonight. I really am so grateful.

Much love,

Daimiko.