Q. I'm a Christian, and I'm not a big fan of this idea. I feel like if someone kills someone in cold blood multiple times, that should make them ineligible for heaven?
A. In some instances, possibly yes.
A hardened criminal MIGHT repent on his deathbed, but I think there's a greater probability that he CAN"T, on his own, that is.
The biblical basis of this belief is the narrative in Luke 23, as Jesus was hanging on the cross between 2 criminals:
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Some people think it would be easy even for hardened sinners to just repent and believe. How can it be, when it's difficult to do even for those who haven't done any crime; those who are upright based on human standards (I can sense many of them here in R&S)?
On the other hand, I don't think any sinner is ineligible for heaven.
I believe that there are only 2 requirements to be saved:
(1) One must be a sinner. All sinners are qualified; not just the minor offenders; ALL sinners; therefore ALL people.
(2) One must repent and believe. This is an individual, subjective matter.
Once a person has heard and understood the Good News, yet decides to continue in his life of sin and defiance of God (deceived into thinking that he will still have a chance to decide otherwise later), the more difficult it would be for that person to repent and believe.
Hebrews 6
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,
6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Luke 8
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
5 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
What gift to give to my Japanese friend?
Q. My japanese friend is coming to visit in October, and i have no idea what gift to give him. I know it is an act of politeness to give gifts in the japanese culture, but i honestly don't know what he would like. I know for a fact he likes comedy, but i can't get the box set of his favorite American show cause i can't find it anywhere.
I live in California, so maybe something unique or local? Suggestions?
A. Kingdom Hearts
If Paul baptized entire households, did those households exclude infants and children?
Q. Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul�s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.
Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
I Cor 1:16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don�t remember if I baptized anyone else.
A. Further, St Peter said that baptism was offered to everyone: "repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children" (Acts 2:38-39).
1) Where in Scripture do Catholics get the idea of infant baptism?
The first place to look is in the Old Testament, where baptism in prefigured in circumcision. St. Paul makes this comparison in Col. 2:11�12: "In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism" (emphasis added). The Old Testament presents the similarities that St. Paul is writing about. The first is that children were circumcised in Judaism, even though they had yet to make a 'profession of faith.' It was assumed that they would be raised in the faith. Faith was not a prerequisite for circumcision or baptism in regards to children. For adults in Judaism, faith was a prerequisite for circumcision. The pattern is the same in Catholicism: if one is an adult, faith is a prerequisite before receiving the rite of membership (i.e. baptism); if one is an infant (can't make the decision for oneself), one may be given the rite of membership in the knowledge that one will be raised in the faith. Paul�s reference to baptism as "the circumcision of Christ"- that is, the Christian equivalent of circumcision- becomes clear.
What we do find is entire households being baptized... everyone. Some Fundamentalists will assert that children are not part of these households... but that is a ridiculous idea! Of all the households mentioned, they all contained only adults? Let's look at those Bible verses: "She [Lydia] was baptized, with her household" (Acts 16:15); "I [Paul] did baptize also the household of Stephanas" (1 Corinthians 1:16); "he [the jailer of Paul and Silas] was baptized, with all his family" (Acts 16:33). St. Peter said that baptism was offered to everyone: "repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children" (Acts 2:38-39).
What did the early Church say about infant baptism? I'll only include two in this post, but you can read more of them here.
Irenaeus: "He [Jesus] came to save all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore he passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age" (Against Heresies 2:22:4 [A.D. 189]).
Hippolytus: "Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them" (The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]).
Let us remember the words of Christ- "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16).
etc....
What is this bible verse referring to, exactly?
Q. Luke 21:35
For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
I think I have an idea, but I can't be too sure.
A. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.
-Luke 21:35-36
This bible verse is referring to the "Rapture".
Jesus is coming for a pure and spotless bride. He is not coming for a bride that loves sin and practices lawlessness. The scriptures are absolutely chock full of passages that consistently state this in clear terms. If our sins are not blotted out, they are remembered and we will not be spotless and will not enter the kingdom of God. To sincerely repent, we must not only avoid our sin, we must HATE SIN. The flesh, our unrepentant heart is hostile to God and cannot please Him period. s, the Holy Spirit. The whole heart means ALL, 100%. Anything less is not true repentance and we harbor idols in our hearts. If we do not repent we do not fulfill God�s law, we practice sin or said another way commit lawlessness. Once we fully repent, the power of God comes into us and circumcises our heart and so long as we are led by the Spirit we will purify ourselves of all sin and idols. Paul told us in Romans 8:14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God those are the sons of God.
If we are not led by the Spirit of God, we are tares and deceive ourselves about our faith. Jesus cannot be our Lord, we have not repented or if we had, we have fallen away from the faith. Paul confirmed that repentance is a change of heart. Not a partial change of the heart, but a radical change of heart.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 6:23
Check out this video by my brother in Christ Emmanuel - talking about true repentance. He has alot of other VERY VERY good videos on his channel, I highly reccomend you check out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmBHfqPmRLk
We must ALWAYS be bearing good fruit.
�I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;a and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
�I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does NOT abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
-John 15:1-8
Check out my website - It's all for Jesus.
http://www.wix.com/jesusisthetruth/jesus
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I pray you seek a deep intimate relationship with Jesus.
May Jesus bless you.
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