However: thats not the entire story. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. Abraham replied, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them. No, father Abraham, he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. He said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets. I tried to contact him on December 26, but he wouldnt respond. Take a deep breath, ask God for help, trade some of the less-important things in your week for some more important things, like finding biblical answers to your questions, like singing songs that inspire you and help you grow, like finding someone else who needs your help and friendship, and spending one-on-one time with God. Then what? https://bethelgrace.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/are-you-lukewarm, http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/036-outpouring.html. Christianity itself has never been truly explained to me and Im afraid that if I dont do something soon it will be to late. Sometimes I wish I could just transfer ideas from my brain to someone elses, so you could see what I see. It may be better to take another tack: Its not your job, or mine, to correct your grandparents. Who goes to Heaven? Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. I believe in him with all my heart. I want to ask a question that makes me wanna cry right now.. Before I start, I want to introduce myself.. Im a 14 years old girl who lives in a family that never go to church but we pray sometimes.. Its embarrassing to say (im crying right now) that we pray like twice a year.. Be blessed. I was so scares if we didnt go to heaven like what im hoping for.. Peter, seeing this, said: Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. This passage says nothing about baptism. That might be a huge mistake. Im very happy to hear that youve taken control with regard to porn and your thoughts. That appears to say that if you dont believe you are condemned to death or hell. Thats not at issue. Infant damnation - RationalWiki Have you been born again? Can a person be saved if they are not baptized, not Catholic and don't go to church. God IS love, and all that He does is done in love. He said yes, but its not his Name. Im grateful for your courage! The idea of baptism, however, is that it is a public ceremonywhere you show the community of faith that you intend to join them. Im not against Rob Bell. "And that is when we can discover that . If youd like a hand picking a few local churches to visit, I can help. Theres no magic involved. I feel so bless to be connected to your site, it is a great help to the Christian community. True story. Im not baptised so I cant be saved! Its equally strange to think that we can have a relationship with God but never figure out what Hes really like. And does he accept Catholics & Mormons? The Bible says that God is love. Do you believe that God just happened to love us? Please dont hesitate to contact me with more questions, or if you need to talk, or would like to learn more about apologetics. Sometimes the language Christians use can be confusing. Regardless of your personality or field of study, theres probably an apologetics ministry thats a good fit for you. Gods love and grace and mercy is all over the place. (Going based off the idea that one must atone for sin before entry into Heaven). It was that way for the Jews, and its that way for Christians. Christianity teaches that its the other way around: first God adopts us into His family because we accept His love, and, In a religion, people are on their own. Augustine's Earliest Thoughts on the Salvation of Infants Nobody is forced to agree with me, either in fact, time after time, I tell people to NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR ANYTHING. My responsibility is to help them learn what the Bible says, and to try to help them understand it. Once they understand, they need to know that God has already commanded them to be baptized. Thats a good question! It sounds like a paradox to me. My experience is very clear in this regard. So you want to grow in Christ, yes? I can tell you whether youll make it to Heaven. Pentecostals believe that those who die in their sins without seeking God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ will spend eternity in a literal hell. You see, there are a LOT of reasons people dont want to go to church, but theyre not all the same. Youre now part of the discussion. Do his teachings shed light on difficult passages of Scripture, clearing up misunderstandings? Yes, there are good ways and worse ways to try to help people understand the gospel but it really matters. Admittedly, Ive strayed from the straight and narrow, I think its normal for a teenager, but I usually try my best to be productive, polite, and helpful, not necessarily for salvation, but because I thought it was the right thing to do. What about good deeds done for the wrong reasonscan someone get into Heaven for doing good when they have selfish reasons? If Jesus the man was ignorant of the time of His return (Matthew 24:36), then He could also be tempted as a man. So, we seem to have a bit of a conundrum. Baptism is a public declaration of faith. Ask questions. I hope youll join me there. All of the above is actually Step 1 combined for receiving the Holy Ghost Then theres Mark 11:24 where Jesus says you WILL receive what your heart desires.. so, if you desire to make it to heaven, Jesus made this promise to believers.. Then theres Acts 2:4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Whoever says that this was for then, is highly mistaken! At the moment of death the soul of the lost is sent to hell where it is in conscious torment. Wait until you are 100% certain, until your godly friends confirm for you that you seem to understand this situation properly, and until there are no more questions to answer. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Is it right?? Bring your guilt to God and ask Him to help you turn from the things that you should avoid. When youve decided to actually FOLLOW Jesus, thats when you should be baptized. God the Father loved the world and gave His only Son to save us. The apostle Paul said that that would be preferable, actually. I hope you will share my confidence that God WILL help you grow into exactly the woman He wants. Jehovahs Witnesses borrow the idea of Jesus, then claim that He isnt God but only the first person created by God. Jesus told us that in order to receive the holy spirit is through baptism. Those who surrender to God go to Heaven, warts and all. If youre looking for information about Christianity which will help you grow quickly I can recommend ministries like Stand to Reason, Cross Examined, Cold Case Christianity, and Reasonable Faith. And, of course, let me know if theres more I can do for you. That means they learn what Jesus said and did, and that is how they choose to live. If youre already a follower Jesus that is, if youve already been born again I recommend that you find some people in your area who follow Jesus closely, and be baptized. Hes not that at all. There are also great free Bible apps for your phone, if you have one. They should teach the Bible all the time, rather than other things. If youre confident that the chair will support your weight, thats belief, not trust. On the other hand, some also have only half of the story on Jesus. Jesus DID endure a horrible beating and death on our behalf. You can still show your faith in ways that your parents will appreciate, and you can be baptized later. Trust that Jesus knows best, and avoid the idea that your dreams are what people need. Please help! Im praying for you right now, Reita. Ill explain: As you can see by looking around, humans are kind of messed up. . Get the wisdom they offer, ignore the silliness, and continue asking good questions about what God wants. John answered them all, I baptize you with water. Nonot a level of sin. The main confusion that I see is that youre not convinced that the Father and Son and Spirit are all ONE GOD. Dying can be a gradual process, including . In the meantime, God wants to give us joy, and peace, and confidence, and courage. When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the penalty for sinall sins, for all people, for all time. As my knowledge was limited and I didnt have a community, I was also not aware of all my sins, so I didnt really change my lifestyle. You might complain about your boss at work, and He might complain that theres a whole bunch of people who think theyre going to Heaven but really arent. The Bible teaches that if we trust God to guide us, He will help us become what we should be. Can i have a Private Baptism at Home in my pool with a Pastor where its only with some Relatives and Friends. Then, I finally really pursued God. He didnt just love the obedient, Jen He loved the whole world, even while we turned our backs on Him. Jesus saved the sinners. The answer is yes, that is what He commanded. Which is something I struggle with. Im the church. Thats not how it works. So: Thats it. You are born again. Eating pork I can prevent easilly. The general presumption among most commentators is that our spirits will be reunited with our bodies. You and I can both know whether well make it to Heaven. Long answer: It breaks my heart every time a mother or father asks that question upon the death of their infant or child. One might suggest that, being guilty of a capital crime, the odds are that he wasnt a faithful, observant Jew. Verse 7 of Romans 6 says, anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Amen for freedom! Also, what if youre not baptized nor have any religion, but still believe in a higher power, just not part of Christianity or anything specific; does that mean youre going to hell? But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. No, a whole bunch of people on here are wrong. Of course, there are questions behind your question. What determines whether someone goes to Heaven or Hell? Isnt disobedience a sin? While I usually recommend that Christians are baptized as soon as they know they want to join a community of believers, I dont recommend that children or young adults rush into it if their parents arent behind them. Where Do Unbaptized Babies Go When They Die? You are free to be baptized if you wish, but it could mean a lot to not be baptized against their wishes, or behind their backs. I found it difficult at times to trust God, because I was afraid of my own father. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. I am torn. =), Hi I am 12 years old and i have never been baptized, but I do Believe in God very much so. Let me be frank: I enjoy discussing Bells words. Again, is it too late for me to be saved? I wish no parent had to suffer in this way. However: one of the things that young people struggle with is patience. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. The Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church - Learn Religions So if you havent being baptized yet, my encouragement to you is you must get baptize. Still, Im pretty old, and have suffered maybe a bit more so I hope you understand my desire to go home and be with God, and with my loved ones who loved Him. I dont know. It seemed to be more frequent when I was pregnant with my daughter . Theres nothing wrong with being young! Going on the Bible, from the beginning of time God has severely punished us for disobedience he is not forgiving, he threw us from the garden of eden naked and afraid and continued with his wrath against disobedience on people up until Noah. Ive been studying what Jesus said and did for a long, long time. He taught His disciples to serve, rather than be served. But Im confused if I fully understood what that meant at the time. Really! First, a false teacher is a teacher. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Both Jews and Christians are monotheists that is, we believe in ONE God, not two or three or four hundred. When we say that the forgiveness of sins in Acts 2:38 has two parts first repentance, then baptism were reading the passage outside its original context. Im Confused: We must have faith and follow the rules that of which God has put forth and listed. >> Thanks Tony for taking the time to answer so many questions over the years. Did you catch that? Thanks for asking! Let me reassure you: nobody goes to Hell for a small mistake. But no where does it specifically refer to Jesus doing that in reference to animals. Most Pentecostals believe the Bible's descriptions of a lake of fire, of burning, gnashing of teeth and the "worm that doesn't die" should be interpreted literally and used to warn . Youre kind of right: if you ONLY read Acts 2:38-39, you will see that baptism is indeed a necessity. Being good isnt the measurement. Thats it. 39 For the promise is unto YOU, AND TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, as MANY as the Lord our God SHALL call. Young people want things now, but thats not usually how God works. God is compassionate. Christians are to baptize disciples. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. Abraham replied, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them. No, father Abraham, he said, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. He said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31). Let me know if my explanations have created more questions for you. This is a lot more common than most people think. Feel free to email me, too. It seems very unfair that someone who murders or rapes or any other sick crime could be let into Heaven while someone who loved and respected all living things would be tortured for eternity in hell? If thats not what you mean, will you explain a bit more? In a sense, Christianity is just one religion among many. Hell is for those who refuse to submit to Godthat is, its for people who want nothing to do with God. I dont like to argue from silence that is, make a statement without evidence to back me up but Im going to go out on a limb and answer. One kind of baptism was to publicly show that you had converted to Judaism. The Bible is abundantly clear that some people will be there, but its not because of their sin. That would mean we could earn our way to Heaven by being good. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. No thanks. They have minds, memories, emotions, wills, consciences, morality, movement, can talk, etc. Thanks for your comment! The kind of baptism commanded by Jesus is the kind that accompanies personal faith. And God is helping me. What youve written is so vastly different from Christianity, Im having a hard time believing that you believe what you say you believe. Thats a big encouragement for others, and a wise thing to do. You ask good questions! I moved to my grandmas at some point in 2012. Did Jesus not sin because he is God and God cant sin due to being perfect or was he just different from all the rest of humanity in some way? Of course not. We want to say something to make people feel better, and we too often arent worried about whether its actually true. Thats not necessarily money and material things, but peace and joy and purpose. All believers should be baptized in front of their community of faith, but that has never, and will never, save anyone. Demonically controlled? It is just so confusing because why would someone go to a place that they arent even sure exists and be punished so severely for their personal beliefs? I say it to encourage you, because you CAN know the Scriptures! Ill reply here, too, since some might need to know the same thing. (Luke 3:16). God lives in you, Hannah! I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. I really respect you. He didnt raise questions and leave people hanging. Sometimes a visitor might happen or a medicine might be due during that sleep. Much later, He told the Israelites to not eat pork and a bunch of other stuff. >> Also you say that means you wont go to heaven or hell. I respect my grandparents very much. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Im happy to help, Prabha. Everybody HAS a relationship with God, but not all relationships are good. Older people do too, but usually less. Im not going to publish your full comment at this time. And do i get cremated or is that wrong? He knows when were being honest, Justinif we really want to leave behind our old sinful life, He will both forgive us and help us. First, we must repent of our sins (Yes, Jesus paid for our sins, yet, we are still born in sin). You see, nobody has what it takes to get to Heaven on their own. The Bible tells us that God has been working on you for your whole life. What I know so far is God is vengeful, full of wrath and anger and will punish if disobeyed. His dad, my son, is a wonderful dad. Is it that you dont really know Him ? Read more in 2 Corinthians 5: We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. Theres a very simple reason for that: everybody involved already knew what baptism was, why they did it, and how to do it. I generally agree with you, in fact but neither of us can say this with certainty, as God has not said it. He calls Himself Father for that very reason: He wants to be our spiritual father, and Hes very good at it. In fact, your comment has inspired me to create an article listing my favorite Christian apologists. Nonsense. I got baptized because I was scared to go to hell and thought I had to do it to be saved.. A careful examination of the Scriptures is required, and THAT is what I recommend on GodWords, again and again and again and again. He was born with medical problems, and I have done as much as I can to help. What happens in limbo? When someone decides to follow a teacher, they make a permanent, lifetime commitment to follow that teacher and obey them, no matter what. There were different kinds of baptisms in Judaism. Do dogs go to heaven? | U.S. Catholic Dont get me wrong: you wont stop being a Christian just because you stop going to a particular congregations meetings. First, lets clear up a couple of things. God loves you, Leah. So: if everyone is forgiven, doesnt that mean everyone goes to Heaven? Do you write them off as unspiritual? I hope youll write back and let me know. >> Is there ever a level of Sin where repentance and acceptance of Jesus as ones savior cant cover it? The problem with that idea is that people think they can do whatever they want in life, and there will be no consequences. Will that affect my relationship with god? In 2 Samuel 12 we learn of David's affair with . Righteousness equals belief), then you deserve to access all of the realms and Kingdoms in the heavens with God ? Dont be afraid to ask Him for help. Youll want to find some other people near you who follow Jesus closely. Youre 15. I hope he is. A lot of that happens when the child recognizes that, for this time in their life, they need to submit to their parents. To go to Heaven, we have to sit. Fear is something most of us live with, but we dont have to. Wouldnt you want to learn from their wisdom? Baptism doesnt wash off your sins. We know that Jesus did not sin. That means being there when your brothers and sisters need you, and letting them be there for you. We went to Disneyland a bunch of times. Why do you want to do things for which youll need forgiveness? Christianity is exclusive. Listen. I feel that there are so many christians hammering gays over the head with the bible, but what are we really doing to them? If you have vomiting along with diarrhea, you lose even more fluids and minerals. You may think you know their answer, but God may be working in their hearts in ways you cant see. You should believe Him, and seek Him. Because we have a relationship with God, and because we want to know Him better, we should make sure that we learn all we can about Him.