CAN A CHRISTIAN GO TO HELL?

CAN A CHRISTIAN GO TO HELL?

Thursday, February 04, 2016

John [ESV] 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans [ESV] 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians [ESV] 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

  I’ve been asked “Can a Christian suffer separation from God in everlasting hell?”

  The answer is “Yes.”, but then I’ve always had to explain why it is possible because of common held concepts of what and who a Christian is.

·         Though commonly used in society, especially USA, “Christian” is only mentioned 2 times in Scripture. “Christian” in NT Greek means “Follower of Christ.” Act.26:28, King Agrippa saying unto Apostle Paul.; 1Pet.4:16, the Apostle Peter penning to believers as temporary residents in this world.

·         “Christians” as a designating categorization was initially given by human observers at Antioch. (Act.11:26) This social classification became normalized conversationally and continues unchanged. It is term broadly applied. Classifying USA as “Christian nation.” is a prime example.

·         Religious individuals and/or groups may claim His example, teachings, and power but are in their end condemned. Jesus explained about true and professing followers “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (NLT Mt.7:21-23) Also note Paul’s explanation to Timothy “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. (NLT 2Tim.3:1-8)

·         Then we have Paul’s letter warning the believers at Corinth “The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. … Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.” (NLT 1Cor.3:8, 10-15)

  “Christian” religion is not automatically synonymous with present and eternal salvation. Eternal salvation is by His grace, love, and power alone, not ours. Following the example and teachings of Christ can be manifested in one’s life even among those presently and eternally lost. (Mt.7:21-23) Conversely, God’s children may in free will though at great cost (Consider David) not manifest the example and teachings of Christ and yet live forever redeemed. (1Cor.3:15)

  The Word says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. … Jesus answered [religious leader Nicodemus], "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (ESV Jn.1:1-13; 3:5-18)

  Any questions?

  I have three: If we exercise mind shift as exhorted in Romans 12:2, as His child shouldn’t we identify self and family as the Word identifies us? If not this world’s “Christian”, then what? What difference does it make if and when we do so?

EBB4