Locked from the Inside

[FUNKMEJUNK]

Locked from the Inside

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

— 2 Peter 3:9


The Bible teaches that hell was not made for people. It's a place that God prepared for Satan and the demon powers that follow him. God doesn't want people to go there. In fact, God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!" (Ezekiel 33:11).

It breaks the heart of God to see a person made in His image make the deliberate choice to sin. That is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

No other prophet, guru, or teacher ever died on a cross for you. Only Jesus was uniquely qualified to bridge that great chasm that separates the Creator from humankind. Only Jesus was qualified to connect sinful humanity with a holy God and take the sin of the world upon Himself. And more than that, He rose again from the dead. No other religious leader, teacher, or guru has done that. Jesus is the only way.

It has been said that the gates of hell are locked from the inside. Believers know from experience that before their conversion, God's Spirit was tugging on the heart strings of their lives. They know that He reminded them of their need for Christ again and again.

To reject Christ is not a single choice; it's a series of deliberate choices that one makes throughout his or her life. God doesn't send people to hell; they send themselves. They practically have to climb over Jesus and resist Him again and again to get there.

 

[jakey501]

So what's your point?

 

[bulge]

!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[blueboi05]

Yeh, i don't get it.

 

[KingofFaeries]

No other prophet, guru, or teacher ever died on a cross for you. Only Jesus was uniquely qualified to bridge that great chasm that separates the Creator from humankind. Only Jesus was qualified to connect sinful humanity with a holy God and take the sin of the world upon Himself. And more than that, He rose again from the dead. No other religious leader, teacher, or guru has done that. Jesus is the only way.

most other religions never needed a bridge from us to the divine. nor needed thier messenger to raise themselves from the dead. So what does that say bout christianity that it did?

also show me proof other than the bible or biblical texts or anything having to do with religion, that a man named Jesus during that specific time period rose from the dead.

futhermore, show me the pages of the bible that are missing. Show me Jesus' teen years. Show me his siblings, show me everything the catholic church got rid of when the bible was coming together as the book we know today. Then and only then will I ever consider returning to the "flock"

 

[shogunofthedark]

You say. "...breaks the heart of God...make the deliberate choice to sin" and also, "To reject Christ is not a single choice; it's a series of deliberate choices that one makes throughout his or her life. God doesn't send people to hell; they send themselves. They practically have to climb over Jesus and resist Him again and again to get there." What about pre-destination vs. freewill? The bible tells us many times that we have freewill but it also tells us that God has planned our life from before time started.

For example, look at Adam, Eve and Satan. Surely, when God created Satan, he knew that one day he and his angels would rebel. The exact same goes for Adam and Eve. Also, what then is the point of praying? What is the use of asking for something in prayer if God has already decided we'll get it or we won't?

Surely then the fate of individuals are recored in the annals of Heaven, eternities ago by God and are not swayed by peoples' prayers?

Locked from the Inside

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

— 2 Peter 3:9


The Bible teaches that hell was not made for people. It's a place that God prepared for Satan and the demon powers that follow him. God doesn't want people to go there. In fact, God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!" (Ezekiel 33:11).

It breaks the heart of God to see a person made in His image make the deliberate choice to sin. That is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

No other prophet, guru, or teacher ever died on a cross for you. Only Jesus was uniquely qualified to bridge that great chasm that separates the Creator from humankind. Only Jesus was qualified to connect sinful humanity with a holy God and take the sin of the world upon Himself. And more than that, He rose again from the dead. No other religious leader, teacher, or guru has done that. Jesus is the only way.

It has been said that the gates of hell are locked from the inside. Believers know from experience that before their conversion, God's Spirit was tugging on the heart strings of their lives. They know that He reminded them of their need for Christ again and again.

To reject Christ is not a single choice; it's a series of deliberate choices that one makes throughout his or her life. God doesn't send people to hell; they send themselves. They practically have to climb over Jesus and resist Him again and again to get there.

 

[turtle]

Now that is the greatest argument (free will/predestination) within Christianity in the past 500 years. It's still not settled, people have agreed to disagree.

Which is good, because it will never be settled since it is argued with false premises.

 

[slobone]

Sorry, but the Bible is very clear that at the Last Judgment Christ will return to judge all human beings, sending the wicked to hell and the righteous to heaven. And during the time He was on earth, he wasn't shy about pronouncing imprecations on various groups of people he didn't approve of (rich men, Pharisees, etc.).

 

[Xenos Morphe]

"Quotes"

Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.

You know your God is man-made when he hates all the same people you do.

I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.-Gandhi

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.-Thomas Jefferson

The Christian symbol of the cross has stood for persecution and ignorance for centuries. Defy the new Dark Ages of blind faith. THINK FREE

 

[Xenos Morphe]

"One More"

Vinu Chandar Krishnaswamy writes:

When i tell people i don't believe in God, they look at me like I am ready to kill them. They see a man without values, a man totally ruined. Some people even ask me what is stopping me from going on a rampage. I have never been able to successfully tell them that these two have nothing to do with each other. ... They say that only a God-Fearing person can stick to values and morals... So, If somehow it is proved that God never existed and he doesn't ... will this person hold on to his values still? If its just God who is stopping you from raping, then what are you? what morals do you have? I think it's better to say "God doesn't stop me from doing anything, i chose not to do it out of my own will".

The bottom line is, "It is better to believe in yourself than in God. It is better to take credit for your actions than to say God made you do it. It is better to spend money on yourself than pouring a litre of ghee, sarees worth thousands and food to feed 10 people into the fire terming it as food for God. It is better to be right by will than by fear."

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

You say. "...breaks the heart of God...make the deliberate choice to sin" and also, "To reject Christ is not a single choice; it's a series of deliberate choices that one makes throughout his or her life. God doesn't send people to hell; they send themselves. They practically have to climb over Jesus and resist Him again and again to get there." What about pre-destination vs. freewill? The bible tells us many times that we have freewill but it also tells us that God has planned our life from before time started.

For example, look at Adam, Eve and Satan. Surely, when God created Satan, he knew that one day he and his angels would rebel. The exact same goes for Adam and Eve. Also, what then is the point of praying? What is the use of asking for something in prayer if God has already decided we'll get it or we won't?

Surely then the fate of individuals are recored in the annals of Heaven, eternities ago by God and are not swayed by peoples' prayers?

without free will and choice, there is no love. God wants you to want him because YOU want Him. He doesnt want robots and as far as God planning our life from the start, of course he has planned it but its up to us to go with that plan. God doesnt force anyone to follow him or his plan, but if we want his plan and will in our life, its there for us to choose.

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

Sorry, but the Bible is very clear that at the Last Judgment Christ will return to judge all human beings, sending the wicked to hell and the righteous to heaven. And during the time He was on earth, he wasn't shy about pronouncing imprecations on various groups of people he didn't approve of (rich men, Pharisees, etc.).

its not that he disapproved "rich men" God created money, but when money becomes your God that is what He dosent approve. God looks into the hearts of men for those who are truly seeking him...God knows us from the inside out.

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

"One More"

Vinu Chandar Krishnaswamy writes:

When i tell people i don't believe in God, they look at me like I am ready to kill them. They see a man without values, a man totally ruined. Some people even ask me what is stopping me from going on a rampage. I have never been able to successfully tell them that these two have nothing to do with each other. ... They say that only a God-Fearing person can stick to values and morals... So, If somehow it is proved that God never existed and he doesn't ... will this person hold on to his values still? If its just God who is stopping you from raping, then what are you? what morals do you have? I think it's better to say "God doesn't stop me from doing anything, i chose not to do it out of my own will".

The bottom line is, "It is better to believe in yourself than in God. It is better to take credit for your actions than to say God made you do it. It is better to spend money on yourself than pouring a litre of ghee, sarees worth thousands and food to feed 10 people into the fire terming it as food for God. It is better to be right by will than by fear."

there is more proof that God is real than not! look at the world and the universe, look at all of his wonderful and powerful creation. look at us! our design, our unique form, so different from all other creation. We are so wonderfully made, everything in its right place.

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

Now that is the greatest argument (free will/predestination) within Christianity in the past 500 years. It's still not settled, people have agreed to disagree.

Which is good, because it will never be settled since it is argued with false premises.

We are all predestined to go to heaven but God gives us a choice to choose him or not. Most people look and God and think he predestines us to go to hell but they are wrong. God wants all to be with him and no one to perish but of course that can happen because not all want to be with God. We are predestined to be with our loving God not hell!!! but YOU decide. God does not make you do anything you dont want to do.

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

So what's your point?

read it again

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

Yeh, i don't get it.

To reject Christ is to accept death eternally.

 

[cAndId]

We are all predestined to go to heaven but God gives us a choice to choose him or not. Most people look and God and think he predestines us to go to hell but they are wrong. God wants all to be with him and no one to perish but of course that can happen because not all want to be with God. We are predestined to be with our loving God not hell!!! but YOU decide. God does not make you do anything you dont want to do.

Just as a clarification... we are not meant to exist in heaven, we are meant to exist on the earth. God created the earth for humanity to thrive and live in for eternity. He stated that the meek will inherit the earth - not heaven.

Isaiah 45:18

For this is what the LORD says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited—
he says:
"I am the LORD,
and there is no other.

and according to the bible - hell isnt a literal place to go to, but rather a state of unconsciousness. - Ecc 9:5,10

 

[KingofFaeries]

there is more proof that God is real than not! look at the world and the universe, look at all of his wonderful and powerful creation. look at us! our design, our unique form, so different from all other creation. We are so wonderfully made, everything in its right place.

hate to burst your bubble love, but the fact that our world and the universe exists and that we exists as we do now, is no more proof of the christian god, than any other god/s. Not to mention the REALLY skeptical that don't believe in a god at all.

 

[chrisglass]

We are all predestined to go to heaven but God gives us a choice to choose him or not. Most people look and God and think he predestines us to go to hell but they are wrong. God wants all to be with him and no one to perish but of course that can happen because not all want to be with God. We are predestined to be with our loving God not hell!!! but YOU decide. God does not make you do anything you dont want to do.

This is, of course, not an 'orthodox' explanation of the predestination held by many Calvinist influenced traditions and it certainly doesn't match the debate about predestination initiated by St Paul (almost 2000 years ago).

There is a serious theological flaw in the above position. It asserts that God pre-ordains humanity's ultimate destiny as heaven. It is, therefore, God's will that all humanity 'goes to heaven'. To allow, therefore, that any (even one) do (does) not go to heaven allows for the the conclusion that God's will is not, as it were, 'the last word'. God cannot, in this theology, be omnipotent.

Far better, I suggest, to avoid the word 'predestination' all together - it's a totally different debate.

 

[FUNKMEJUNK]

Just as a clarification... we are not meant to exist in heaven, we are meant to exist on the earth. God created the earth for humanity to thrive and live in for eternity. He stated that the meek will inherit the earth - not heaven.

Isaiah 45:18



and according to the bible - hell isnt a literal place to go to, but rather a state of unconsciousness. - Ecc 9:5,10

of course it is a new earth but its a heavenly earth not like this corrupt one and as far as hell not being a place what about in revelations when it says people in hell will be nashing their teeth in agony? doesnt sound like unconsciousness to me. Either way its a bad place or Jesus would not have been sent to save us from it.