Are Good People Going to Hell?

I hope my thoughts are not offensive, and I apologize in advance if that is the case.

One day in church I was there with my non-believing husband and non-believing daughter. A seemingly kind man read aloud a passage in the bible (I believe it's Revelation 21:8):  "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Basically my husband took this to mean he will be sent to Hell for not believing in the God of the bible. And this really upset him. After that, he didn't feel like going back to church.

And I didn't blame him. I know what the Bible says, and I do believe in it. I certainly don't have all the answers as a new believer. But I do know my husband and my daughter are two of the most kindest, sweetest persons I have ever met. It's a hard pill to swallow that Jeffrey Dahmer is sitting up in heaven after murdering 17 humans, yet my husband and daughter will go to hell simply because they did not know (don't believe). It's hard to think that humans and children all over the planet will go to hell because no one told them who Jesus Christ was, that he even existed. Hardly seems like a God of Love.

When I expressed my concern to a friend, they said it was good for my husband and daughter to hear that. They need to know they will go to hell if they don't believe. My stomach turned. I thought "is this really the message we want to send to non-believers?" As a former non-believer, I can tell you with 100% certainty if you would have told me this, I would have told you to go to hell yourself. What I cannot stand is righteous religious people who stand up and say others are going to Hell while they themselves commit all sorts of sins and are forgiven - and simply "go to Heaven" because they believe. It doesn't feel like the message Jesus wanted to send, at least not to me.

I went to a bible study one night and a man said something that has stuck with me. He pointed out that when Jesus came and walked among us, the people from the lowest dredges of society were drawn to him. He didn't come for the perfect could-do-no-wrong people, he came for the prostitutes, tax collectors, the lowly of the low. Jesus was good news for the poor and oppressed. This gentleman pointed out that as followers of Christ, are we drawing people like that to us? I fear the answer for many Christians might be "no."

During last week's service my pastor made the observation that as followers of Christ, "Christians" - that when people see us we are supposed to be good news. "Look, a Christian has arrived! Thank God help has come!" Or when you see a church being built, people should think "Thank goodness, help is coming!" But is this the reality? I fear not.

I recently told a Christian friend about my new found love for the Lord and how much peace and happiness this relationship has brought to me life. This person's reaction was "now do you find it hard to hang around friends who aren't believers?" I must admit, at first it was. I didn't want to make them uncomfortable because God was all I could talk about. But distance myself from my friends that have seen me through difficult times in my life, and have always stuck by me when I was less than loving? I didn't think that felt right. I love my friends. I think I will simply take the advice I have heard so often since finding God. "Don't talk about the light. BE the light." Actions speak louder than words. By walking away from friends that don't believe, or distancing myself, what does that say to them about God? What message does that send?

I wear a necklace with a cross on it. For some reason when this cross is visible to others, I feel strongly compelled to smile more, showing over the top kindness, patience, gentleness, and love. I constantly think "Heather, you are REPRESENTING." I am Christian, and I represent everything for which Christ stood. I can only hope I am making Him proud. I want non-believers and everyone else who doesn't know Jesus to really see what it means to be a Christian, and for me this is a very tall order. Be the best person I can be. Love everyone, judge no one, don't be a hypocrite, don't think that my relationship with Jesus makes me better than other people.

Today my prayer is that fellow Christians all over the planet would remember that we are representing Christ. To practice kindness and love - to be gentle and loving and forgiving as Christ was with all persons viewed as "sinners" (...the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars...).

I don't believe anyone is going to Hell. That's where I stand today. For me Hell was right here on earth, living in depression. Now I have entered the Kingdom of Heaven, meaning I've found true inner peace and happiness. :-)

As always, comments and feedback are welcome. I love discussing this stuff. If I have this all wrong, by all means please tell me!!

Heather's Random Thoughts - There are Millions!

I decided to write a blog because I think so much and I really think some of my thoughts are worth sharing. Let me start by saying some friends have advised me to not say so much private stuff on Facebook. I promise to think BEFORE I write/speak and will do my best to not write things I may later regret. Also, I am not going to worry about proper grammar, etc because this isn't college and I'm not being graded. If I was, it would take a lot longer but you can bet I'd get an A+, because I am a perfectionist when it comes to school (and work, and well everything else).

Today I am thinking about a couple of people (myself included) that are experiencing family problems. Siblings aren't speaking or getting along. If the person who you are upset with died suddenly, how would you feel about your last words spoken? Would you have regrets? I know I would. I have found that no one hurts me more than my own family members. It's because I love them and have allowed them "in" my heart, so I become a target when they are less than loving.

If this is something you're struggling with, please NEVER forget the two main teachings of the wise man named Jesus. "Forgive" and "Love." It's hard to forgive people who hurt us and it's even harder to keep on loving them. Something that helps me is what Jesus said on the cross as people mocked him "Forgive them Father, for they do not know." He asked forgiveness for people that were killing him. If He can do that, and if God can continually forgive us for making really stupid mistakes (daily in my case) can't we then forgive our families for when they are just plain jerks and can't see our point of view?

I saw a quote recently that went something like this "God created guilt to help us realize when we do not act lovingly."

Today I am going to reach out in love and kindness to my family members who have hurt me.

Thanks for reading my random thought of today. More to come :-) Please comment because I really like attention. Or my ego does anyway. ;-)

Further "Biblical" Reference on Forgiveness:

A blog from my pastor on Forgiveness: http://www.newlife-glastonbury.org/blog/2010/10/19/the-freedom-of-forgiveness/

Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Luke 6:35-38-42 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ... How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.