When I was a teenager, I was pretty worried about my own spiritual life. Everyone said you have to be 100% sure you are going to heaven. Otherwise, you are not a true Christian. You should go talk to your pastor/Sunday school teacher/mentor.
I never did.
I knew all the Scriptures promising us eternal life when we believe in Jesus. I didn't think anyone could tell me anything I didn't know. After a lot of struggle, I finally managed to think I was sure I was going to heaven.
Now more than a decade older. I don't see why we need to put so much emphasis on the certainty that we're going to heaven.
(I'm sure some of you will think I need another long talk with pastors.)
During my study of church history, Calvin reassured the people by predestination, when God have decided to save those people, they'll go to heaven. The people still won't know if they're going to heaven, only that the people of God will not be lost. (Perseverance. Not once saved, always saved, as we interpret it now.)
"Salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation."
"The people of God WILL persevere to the end and not be lost. The foreknown are predestined, the predestined are called, the called are justified, and the justified are glorified. No one is lost from this group. To belong to this people is to be eternally secure. But we mean more than this by the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. We mean that the saints will and must persevere in the obedience which comes from faith. Election is unconditional, but glorification is not. There are many warnings in Scripture that those who do not hold fast to Christ can be lost in the end."
Even the scriptures never said we need to 100% sure we'll go to heaven. Jesus said people who think they're doing well may not be acknowledged by Jesus at all after death.
Why are we still printing all these booklets- "Are you sure you're going to heaven?" etc???
I simply don't see the point.
3 comments:
Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (I assume this verse is directed towards "Christians" who are believers in speech, but not in heart. It implies that we need to ask ourselves whether we can enter the kingdom of heaven)
Since you are Bao's colleague, I assume you are in the medical field. My entire family is too except me. I am in business and marketing.
(not to cheapen our salvation) The question "are you sure you are going to heaven?" is a "marketing" slogan for Christianity. It is an invitation to act and to think.
In sales we call it an "opening" question. Whether their answer is YES, NO or DON'T KNOW/CARE, it gives a great opportunity to enter into Gospel sharing. But for us to share the Gospel with non-Christians, we must first ask ourselves that question.
Predestination (预定)and Foreknowledge (预知）is another very sensitive issue. If we believe that all believers are predestined, then where is the freedom? If we fully believe foreknowledge, then why does the Bible say that we are chosen? I believe it is the combination of both．Since God is above time, space, He is able to foreknow and predestine without contradiction. Augustine has a different interpretation. Either way, we still need to constantly ask ourselves whether our faith is true. There are too many heresies and extremists, too many "instant noodle Christians/churches", too many luke warm Christians/churches", etc. We need to keep asking ourselves, are we one of them?
I think it's ok for us to think about the problem, but I think it's emphasized too much to the extent that I actually felt I'm not a true believer if I don't know for sure that I'm "going to heaven" when I die.
I spent a few years worrying about it during my secondary school. Which in my opinion NOW is completely unnecessary.
I know there're different opinion on predestination, but the fact that we're just talking about it one sidedly makes me sad. Even theologians don't agree on these issues, and how come we have to make people feel guilty about these problem?
For non-Christians, I think it's an acceptable opening question, not good, but ok. However, most of the time when I see this question it's targeted at Christians. So I don't know why we're wasting time on this issue.
Hope you understand what I mean.
I grew up in a Christian family. My parents were devout Christians and ever since I was in my mother's womb, I have not stopped going to church.(except for a period in Uni I was lazy hehe)When people memorize verses in Sunday School, I memorized Chapters. I was top kid in Sunday School, became youth leader blah blah.
However if you ask me, when I was SURE I was a Christian, it wasn't until after an uncle in church asked us this question. My point is, you can live a Christian life, but not be a Christian. Faith without works is dead, but works without faith is a waste of time! The requirements of salvation is (1)profess in mouth (2)Believe in heart.
I have seen many many people that come to church for other motives. They profess that they are Christians so that they can enjoy the earthly benefits the church offers. I have also seen many people who believe the wrong Gospel. If you listen to the song I changed, the original version "converted" many people to a cheapened Gospel about emotions only.
Although I see the value and importance of keeping ourselves in check, I do not ask this question to the people under my counsel. "Heaven" is our ultimate destination, but going there should not be our only motive of becoming a Christian. Instead ask "If God did not come to save us, and we have no way of entering into heaven, would you still believe that He is God and worship Him because He created you?"
I think you are courageous in openly sharing your feelings and thoughts. One illustration that is very appropriate for this is about me and my dad. Everytime after I have parked the car, he ALWAYS asks "Have you locked the car?" I mean it is a push of a button, such an easy job and I am a big boy, so annoying. But the more he asks, the more I become unsure, and I go check. More often than not, I DID lock the car. But you know his motive is for our benefit. He asks maybe because it has become a habit for him, or maybe he does care......but still annoying. :)
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