To: Chris land who wrote (196 ) 6/4/2001 9:22:41 PM From: SOROS Read Replies (2) | Respond to Obviously, anyone who has heard the truth will be more responsible than a "good person" who has not. You make several assumptions here. You assume I am not a good person -- as judged by dedication of service to others, I presume. You also assume there are "good people" who have not heard the truth. I am certain there are such people, but certainly NOT in the USA. I would guess that 99.999% of those in democratic societies HAVE heard and have either accepted or rejected -- just look at the responses on SI. These are mostly intelligent people who have given the Bible and what it says at least sufficient thought, and they have made a decision -- at least for now. In other parts of the world, I am sure if there are people who truly have not heard and know nothing of Jesus, then God in His wisdom certainly knows how they WOULD have chosen if confronted with the truth, and their eternity will be based on that. But if you believe that Scripture is infallible, then you will certainly agree that there will be many thousands more people than these that have never heard, who have led "good" earthly lives but HAVE heard the truth and simply rejected it for whatever reason. It will be these, IMO, who will say "I helped people, and I did good things, and I lived a good life" who will spend eternity without God because their pride or intellect or something made them never accept the ONE way into heaven. No one is perfect, but the Bible is very clear on what grace is and how it gets one into heaven no matter what they do on this earth. The thief on the cross is a vivid example. It may not be "fair" as we see it that a "good" person can go to Hell while a murderer can get in heaven, but then, we did not write the rule book, did we? It sometimes makes me mad as well, and I don't understand it, but I will not let my pride, or intelligence, or ignorance, or anything make me say, "If that is how God is, then I don't want it" or "I choose to believe a loving God will not send anyone to Hell". Those who say that forget He is both loving and just. And simply because we are intelligent, or kind, or caring, or even a complete genius, that will not stop the laws and rules that the creator goes by and has informed us about. Anyone can say the Bible is a load of crap, or just believe anything, or we are all going to the same place, or there is no heaven or hell, etc., but that will not change whatever is the eventual, absolute Truth. I can't claim to know what it is (because I have not spoken to a dead person lately), but I am not willing to be so cocky as to assume it's all a crock and dismiss it when eternity (even if some think it a tiny chance) is on the line. May everyone examine what they will and make the right decision. Does it make sense when people say just be good, but they think the Bible and its words should be rejected? If you lived by it, would you not lead a better life towards others anyway -- if that is indeed what you want to accomplish?
