Faith and Deeds?

[Sleeker]

I believe the official Protestant belief is that in order to gain salvation, you only need to have faith and believe in Jesus Christ.  I'm a little curious.  If someone believes Jesus is the Son of God, but all his life he does bad stuff, like murder, stealing, and lying, never thinking what he's doing is wrong, he can go to heaven?  Thinking along those lines, the most generous, loving, great Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., would be forced to go to hell because they didn't believe Jesus was the Son of God, right?  That's certainly what it sounds like, and that certainly sounds wrong.  I personally believe that doing good deeds gets you into heaven, while faith and believing in Jesus Christ is just a large "bonus."

[Soldier4Christ]

It sounds as if you don't believe the Bible is the Word of God. Do you?

If the answer is no then I suggest that you read the  "FAQ for Non Christians" in this section (Apologetics).

[Sleeker]

It sounds as if you don't believe the Bible is the Word of God. Do you?

If the answer is no then I suggest that you read the  "FAQ for Non Christians" in this section (Apologetics).

Yes, I am Christian, and I do believe in the Bible (except that I think Genesis isn't literal).

[Soldier4Christ]

I believe the official Protestant belief is that in order to gain salvation, you only need to have faith and believe in Jesus Christ.  I'm a little curious.  If someone believes Jesus is the Son of God, but all his life he does bad stuff, like murder, stealing, and lying, never thinking what he's doing is wrong, he can go to heaven?  Thinking along those lines, the most generous, loving, great Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., would be forced to go to hell because they didn't believe Jesus was the Son of God, right?  That's certainly what it sounds like, and that certainly sounds wrong.  I personally believe that doing good deeds gets you into heaven, while faith and believing in Jesus Christ is just a large "bonus."

The subject here is not Genesis, so I will not go into that.

To gain salvation is more than just believing in Jesus Christ. It is also more than just being good.

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

There are actually steps to Salavation. First one must acknowledge that all have sinned:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God;

Then we must acknowledge and believe that Jesus Christ died for those sins.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

And to believe that if He had not that we are condemned to eternal damnation but through Jesus we can have life eternal.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

That if we ask  Jesus Christ into our heart professing Him as Saviour we will be saved.

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved.


Jesus tells us that:

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me.

This is saying that He is knocking at the door to your heart all you have to do is to believe in these things and to ask Him in.

This is something that you must do through direct prayer to Him.

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;


 

[Sleeker]

But, say Hitler acknowledged he had sinned, that Jesus died for those sins, believed that Jesus offered salvation, and that Jesus was the Savior, would he go to heaven?  I'm not criticizing this (at least, as of yet), I'm just wondering about the finer points.

[Soldier4Christ]

If he truly believed and truly repented of His sins.

[Sleeker]

If he truly believed and truly repented of His sins.

Is there a certain way he has to repent?  Or could he just have said, "I'm sorry for what I did," immediately before he committed suicide?

[Bronzesnake]

 Pastor Roger don't waste your time with this guy. Just look at the rest of his posts here, he's no Christian.
This wannabe future astrophysicist is a troll - there's no doubt in my mind that there's no mind in his doubt.  

Troll alert - This is not a drill!  

Bronzesnake

[Soldier4Christ]

If he truly believed and truly repented of His sins.

Is there a certain way he has to repent?  Or could he just have said, "I'm sorry for what I did," immediately before he committed suicide?

Act 8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.


If the point that you are getting at is can a person wait until just before they die, living and doing as they want to until then and then repent, then I say read this:

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.



1Jo 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jo 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jo 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jo 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

[Sleeker]

I'll end the line of can a bad Christian go to heaven, and start the line of can a good non-Christian go to heaven.  Say, would Gandhi be able to go to heaven, or must you accept Jesus and your Savior?

[Soldier4Christ]

I'll let the scriptures answer that for you as it is quite clear.


Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[Shylynne]

It sounds as if you don't believe the Bible is the Word of God. Do you?

If the answer is no then I suggest that you read the  "FAQ for Non Christians" in this section (Apologetics).

Yes, I am Christian, and I do believe in the Bible (except that I think Genesis isn't literal).

LOL! Theres the root of your problem  Sleeker, You believe "in" the Bible, and you obviously dont believe "it"
True believers dont try to override Gods Word with human reasoning  

[Sleeker]

I'll let the scriptures answer that for you as it is quite clear.

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

That's the part I don't like.  I just don't believe the non-Christians are doomed to hell forever.  Now that I've gotten a clearer picture of the Protestant teachings, I don't feel the need to post in this thread anymore, unless I must respond to someone after me.

LOL! Theres the root of your problem  Sleeker, You believe "in" the Bible, and you obviously dont believe "it"
True believers dont try to override Gods Word with human reasoning  

I also believe that true believers don't go around saying that he/she is a true believer, kind of like real war heros don't talk about war much.  Men are fallible.  Men wrote the Bible.  Not all of it will be true.  Some parts are exaggerations, some parts are morals stories, but that's just my interpretation of it.  You will obviously have a different interpretation of the Bible.

[Soldier4Christ]

Bronze and Shylynne,

I agree with you both.

[Sleeker]

Pastor Roger don't waste your time with this guy. Just look at the rest of his posts here, he's no Christian.
This wannabe future astrophysicist is a troll - there's no doubt in my mind that there's no mind in his doubt.  

Ahh...  I must've missed this post.  I'm Christian, and have been my whole life.  I don't get what my wanting to be an astrophysicist has to do with anything.  I'm not trolling, I'm just trying to gain a better understanding of the Protestant beliefs.  I'm also trying to represent those who have no other representatives (like Mormonism in the other thread, of which I'm a part of, and evolution in a different thread, which I do believe, but I try to show how it fits with the Bible).

Edit: I do believe the description of this particular forum is "Defend the faith, or ask questions."  I'm defending my faith and others, and if you have a slightly different faith (since we're all Christians, so it won't be too different), you can defend your faith, and in this thread, I was just asking questions.