How Can Christians Believe Such Things?

                  How Can Christians Believe Such Things?

Don't people have the right to question Christian beliefs? I'm suspicious of any religion that forbids or threatens harm for asking questions. How else are we to learn the truth? Such religions it seems must have a bad background and false and dangerous teachings they want to hide. It's true hostile deceived people can harm honest questioners. But Bible Christianity invites honest thinking people to question it freely without fear because it gives evidence of being God's truth. Let me briefly address two Bible issues many people understand little or nothing about, or may have heard lies.. See my other articles for other questions and fuller discussion. God bless.

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1. Isn't being good the way to a good God and a good Heaven? That seems so logical and true, but it assumes a host of false notions people never consider. It assume God's goodness means he approves things we think good, and disapproves things we think bad. It assumes our selfish prideful desires are normal and not displeasing to God. It assumes Christianity is just a bunch of unnecessary rules that spoil our fun. It assumes our teachers, and parental examples were right. Now please consider God's teachings and reasons. "We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

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This is the relationship God wants to have with us now and forever. "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things." (Gal. 5:22). Now why is there no law against these things? Could it be that people know this would be the ideal world with a God who loves us? It's God's desire we have a kind of Heaven on earth in relationship with Him.
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I hope this is not the way our Creator and Owner may see you in the day of judgment. "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sensual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you . . .that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians  5:19-21). Many people call these lifestyles fun. They don't realize they're rejecting the standard of God who loves them. Their choice of rejecting His offer of love is an eternity of torment in darkness, loneliness, guilt and shame--it's called Hell.  God loves us enough to tell us the truth!

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2. How can a loving God send anyone to Hell?  Could there be some false assumptions here too? Does love mean it's alright to do anything we desire without reprimand or punishment? Should everybody be allowed to run the streets robbing, rapeing, killing people they don't like, or for fun? Is it a mistake to put such people in jail? How do you know there is life after death? Should such people be allowed to do their thing in Heaven? What is the meaning of justice and does it have anything to do with love? Is it better to allow one person's feelings rule over the good and safety of all others? Isn't hell God's torture chamber? Is there a way to avoid hell? Can you put your feelings aside for a moment and be courageously honest and open to Bible teaching?

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(1) Nothing we think, believe, or do ultimately matters if death means we cease to exist.  That's a meaningless insane world going nowhere. We have no dignity, freedom, purpose, or hope. We're just  born, struggle to exist, reproduce, and die, lights out. But if there's a Heaven we can gain and a Hell we can avoid, then human dignity, freedom, ethics, and everything else comes together, makes sense, and shows an ultimate purpose.

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(2) A loving God doesn't send anyone to Hell-- we sinners send ourselves by rejecting God's loving offer of salvation. True love invites; it doesn't force itself upon us. People go to Hell by their own choice of preferring their way to God's way and rejecting the Savior. "Anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but remains under God's angry judgment" (John 3:36). God is very patient with us inviting us to trust in Him to save us from our sins. "He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent" (2 Peter 3:9 NLT).
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(3) The afterlife in Hell is not torturous fire, but fiery torments. It's  memories like described above in Gal. 5:19-21). It's aloneness, darkness, hate, guilt, shame, regret, lost opportunities, God's wrath, and a hopeless forever.  Hell was created for the devil and his angels which are evil spirits. So, Hell's undying worms aren't consumed in physical fire, but tormented with burning evil passions. Hell's lake of fire is degrees of torment-- serial killers tormented worse than liars. Sins in life decides degrees of torments in Hell (Luke 12:48; Rom.2:6). Love applied socially is God's truth and justice: "Don't be misled--you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant" (Gal. 6:7) 
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(4) Unrepentant God rejecting people can't be allowed to corrupt God's perfect Heaven. Believers in Christ aren't perfect, but shouldn't their sincere faithful efforts be rewarded? Bible says they will be given crowns and wear white robes of purity. Not their righteousness, but Christ's who they trusted in to save them. Now the worm is not consumed, so the Bible doesn't teach annihilation of the unrepentant wicked. Considering that God rejectors despised His ways on earth and mocked His worship, blessings, and praise, so why would they be any different in Heaven? They would enjoy turning Heaven into their kind of Hell! So wouldn't it be most unloving of God to allow them to destroy Heaven?
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(5) Jesus, the world's only perfect man suffered for nothing on the cross if we sinners would go to Heaven anyway.  "For the wages of sin is death (spiritual & eternal), but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). Jesus did this for us as his enemies leading shameful lives. "If keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die" (Gal. 2:21). The whole Bible from Genesis 2:15 until Revelation 22:21 in many ways teaches Jesus blood and righteousness is humanities only means a loving God provided for us sinners to come into relationship with God and be made fit to dwell in His perfect Heaven. Do you know Him?

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Have you ever felt empty longings that there must be something greater than you've known in life? We need water, water exists. Do you seek inner peace and ultimate purpose? Have you sensed  Someone calling you to relationship with Him? Could trusting your soul into Jesus care be what you need? Pray, Lord, I'm an unworthy sinner, but I trust You now and forever to be my Savior, Lord, and Guide until You come for me, or death takes me to You. Now use me Lord to do those things that really count for now and for eternity.
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