All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
when an unsaved loved one dies
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Permalink Reply by Jane Smith on
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Hi again,
I am preparing to respond to your post, but there were a couple of things you said that I am need of clarification on as I was not clear as to your meaning. So, please help me out here and we'll go on from there.
First what do you mean when you say that after 40 yrs. you are just now getting back to the fundamentals?
When you say liberal ideas, do you mean that you were affected by liberal ideas or are you just speaking in general terms to others?
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Permalink Reply by Bible Sword Words on
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I guess we should stick to the topic about losing a loved one. But, it is hard to preach to someone dying, because I don't know if I'm a six day, young earth creationist, or a billions of years creationist. Do the facts of scientists define or help to interpret or explain Genesis?
Sometimes I don't believe that so many good, self sacrificing people, like my sister will be lost, because she won't bend her knee to literal Bible-believers, somewhat like me, that interpret the Word of God in an unmerciful, proof text & sometimes unprofessional manner. We sometimes miss the message of Jesus, don't we?
I read a book on dispensational, pretribulation & premillennialism prophetic interpretations about the book of Revelation & I thought this is great, I'll accept that. That's what I'll tell people I believe about the Bible. Prophetically it is a miracle & without error. The Bible, that tells us about our only Savior Jesus the Anointed One is completely trustworthy. In the past I thought dispensationalism was only a thinly disguised gimmick for trying to prove that the Bible is completely inerrant in prophesy & that the book of Revelation is soooooo easy to understand.
Now I watched some debates on the Internet that have upset me again. Creation versus a skeptic, a fundamentalist, a Hebrew language expert & a Progressive Creationist (God created in billions of years). How are we supposed to present a united front when so many sincere, evangelizing, Bible studying Christians disagree? I find myself having to fall back to my wishy-washy position that the Bible is the perfect living Word for salvation issues, Jesus is the only Savior, but
I don't know much about prophesy except that Jesus will return. Mankind was created & didn't evolve, but Genesis allows a "gap" of time that the earth may have existed, been destroyed & then God put Adam upon it on the six day or age.
God doesn't call everyone to believe in Him, most people won't & so despite these scriptural difficulties God's sheep will come to Him.
I sent out my email declaring Jesus is the only way & the rest is up to them.
It frustrates me that those who follow don't believe in Jesus as the only Savior like: Communists, Humanists, New Agers, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews & Christian cults firmly believe one line of thought & doctrine. They can be so cocky, but wrong. I don't want to be cocky, but I'd like to have a confident approach when talking about something that will affect us all for eternity. I don't want to be forced to believe in something that has alternative explanations that are also very solid.
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Hi Bible Sword Words,
I'm sorry it took me a bit to get back to you- the Holy Spirit took me on a detour. I did not forget you, however, and have a response for you now.
God uses ordinary ppl. He is not impressed at all with those who speak from a greater intelligence or theological flair, because they are wrong half the time and aren't one iota as knowledgeable as the Lord lol. It's ok to go at it like that if that is the gift God gives one, but most of us are not called to that.
When someone asks me a question or challenges me in an area that I am not gifted in, I just refer them to somebody in the Body of Christ who is gifted in that particular area ( science, apologetics etc.) I don't feel like I have to know it all. The Lord just wants to know we will we open our mouths for Him and let Him fill it to reach the lost.
First of all, I believe in doing all things in the power of the Holy Spirit. I can't do anything that will please God without the Spirit. When one witnesses or ministers in the power of the Spirit, at some point things are going to kick in and he will represent the Lord with a holy boldness.
God is far less concerned with how well we speak or how knowledgeable we are then with the fact that we are willing to listen to the HS and speak up whenever He tells us to. And, yes, that means wherever we may be whether we feel like it or not.
If one is listening to the HS He will often tell us to speak up at the most embarrssing moments. We love to think of all kinds of excuses for why we just don't have anything to say. But what I have learned in my Chrisitan experience is, if the HS tells me to do something I better obey or I will regret it lol.
Again, the Lord does not care how perfect our witness is. I promise you, it is foolproof. One can not fail if he speaks out for the Lord. It has taken me a long time to see this.
Like you, I felt I had to get prepared and say things just right. What a wonderful relief it was when the Lord brought me back to the innocence of my early days as a new believer when I was so exuberant that wild horses couldn't stop me from telling ppl about Jesus.
And the Lord has a wonderful sense of humor as ever since I realized what needs to be done here, I will open my mouth and the most amazing words come out. You see, I am not doing it- I am speaking by the power of the HS. It has absolutely nothing to do with my natural personality that is pretty outgoing. No, its God giving me the words through the HS.
Another thing to realize is, do you know there is so much power in the Word of God, that even if all you could say was one syllable or one word, the Word cuts through the hearer's heart like a 2 edged sword? For that matter, just the mention of the name of Jesus is enough in itself as there is no higher name in the universe- the power in that name can break any yoke!
It is also a big relief to know that I am not responsible for saving anyone. That is the Boss's job. All I have to do is be a willing vessel to speak up for Him.
Re your remark about God only calls a few. No, I believe He calls everyone to have this wonderful salvation and life with Him for eternity, but He gives all a free will to accept or refuse the invitation. That's why he requires us to get busy and give out the invitations. That way when we lose a loved one or friend to death who refused the invitation we can live with the peace that we tried.
The revelation of these truths from the HS has so changed me that I am a walking, talking witness for the Lord now every single day of my life. I will witness anywhere, anytime, any place the Lord leads me to.
I believe, every believer, without exception, is called to do the same. To not obey is to live a stunted life minus the joy of the Lord that can not be equaled with any other endeavors. It is the highest calling that all who are His share..
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Thank you, Carla. We serve an awesome God!
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Hello sister Jane,
You asked:
>>is it possible that they are given one last chance before they die, unknown to us, and that they then surrendered, thus we will see them again when we enter Heaven?
It is very possible for anyone to be saved in the last minutes of their life. Our Lord is so good.
>>do those who only gave a little to serve God enter into Heaven along with those who gave their all to serve the Lord?
Since salvation has nothing to do with our works, but it's strictly by God's grace that we are saved, both those who gave it all and those who only enjoyed the beauty of being born again a little bit, will enter heaven.
Blessings
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Chris,
I am sorry for your loss. I hope you have many joy-filled memories of him to carry with you as you go through this time of mourning.
Blessings,
Rita
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chris,
I am sorry to hear that you lost your brother-in law. I guess this is a timely topic. My prayers are with you.
Jane
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Who are the lukewarm?
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David,
Sorry I meant my reply to go to you re who are the lukewarm?
Jane
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Hello sis Jane,
The Lukewarm are the people who are not cold, those who teach false doctrine or openly reject Christ and they are not hot, they are not full of passion for Christ. They are lukewarm, hyprocrites professing to know Christ, but not truly belonging to Him.
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
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David,
In your previous post you said:
"Since salvation has nothing to do with our works, but it's strictly by God's grace that we are saved, both those who gave it all and those who only enjoyed the beauty of being born again a little bit, will enter heaven."
We are saved by grace not by works, but when we are truly saved there will be works of our witness for the Lord. We will be passionate in our service for the Lord. I believe that "those who only enjoyed the beauty of being born again a little bit" are the lukewarm you speak of in your current post. I do not mean that if a person just got saved and does not know how to serve the Lord yet that such a one will be barred from Heaven should he die soon afterwords. But I believe that God will judge every heart and those who put forth little effort to serve the Lord will not make Heaven for they are what the Bible calls the lukewarm.
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