Are you good? Meaning, do you do good things, and live a good life, and do you consider yourself a good person?
There are many Christians who are good and do good things; so what does God think of them?
I have known non-believers who are good and do good things. I knew a man who did not believe in God, but he was the kindest, gentlest, more generous and forgiving person you'd wish to meet. He is long gone now. Is he in Heaven? I would not like to say. It is not up to me or you who is in Heaven.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
I don't really know what this means. Perhaps you have your views and opinions.
I don't think it matters to God whether you are good or bad. I think it is more a question of: Do you reflect Christ in your life?
Are you Christ to someone every day of your life?
Christ cared for and loved the people He met and treated each one as an individual with respect, compassion, pity, mercy and forgiveness, as well as generosity in responding to their needs.
Are you Christ-like in your dealings with others?
...Christians don't have a monopoly on being good!
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
Ouch! However, I do appreciate you asking the hard questions. I think of my late mother, who embodied the most Christ-like behaviors. Another lady immediately comes to mind, but unlike my mother, is not a Christian. Do you think, Victor, a practicing member of the Jewish religion can go to Heaven? (This has bothered me for some time, but we're not close to broach the subject of religion.)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mevely, for asking the brave question.
DeleteLet us remember that Jesus was Jewish, and He is in Heaven; and so are a lot of His disciples and early followers. They were not called "Christian" until many years later. So there's a whole generation, at least, of Jewish and "non-Christians" in Heaven.
Next, we come to the quotation above: "“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)"
What does it mean? There are those who believe that it means what it says. That is, only "Christians" (those "saved") will go to Heaven.
I have a different view on this. I believe to go to Heaven we must be Christ-like. We must live our lives each day as Christ did, and show the same qualities of love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and generosity as He did. We do not necessarily need to hold a Christian "passport" in order to enter Heaven. Saint Peter will not check the "religious nationality" of our passports at Heaven's Gate.
There's one point I struggle with though; how about a "good" person, a "Christ-like" person, who does not believe in God or Jesus? I cannot see how he would enter Heaven since throughout life he denied the very existence of the Divine Person he would wish to be with after death.
But to answer your original question: Can a practicing member of the Jewish religion go to Heaven?
Years ago, I discussed this with a priest and he believed "yes", basing his argument on how the individual has lived his life.
I hope this helps a little, Mevely. I underline, this is a personal opinion; I am not a priest, pastor, vicar or member of any clergy.
God bless always.
Am I good? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. I'm human like everybody else. BUT I am approved by God because I believe His Son, Jesus Christ, paid for my sins (past, present, and future) when He died on the cross. So in that sense, yes, I am "good."
ReplyDeleteWe are good when we are Christ-like in our behaviour and the way we live.
DeleteGod bless you, Barbara.
Victor: This will be a bit long, I was in emergency services, I took a lady home to Duluth Mn from Minneapolis, it was a patient who could walk, she asked if I could stop at her bank in a town before Duluth, we did, in the lobby between the doors was a man who was not dressed well and was no very clean, she actually told him to get out of the way, the look on his face was so sad, I stayed with him while she did her business, I talked to him thanked him for his service in the military, we talked for many minutes, he thanked me for spending such a short time with him, when she came out she was mad at me for talking to him, I asked her in the vehicle if she believed in God she said she did, I told her God has a way of presenting himself, maybe you insulted him through this lovely man, the look on her face was devastation, bang it dawned on her she was not polite to him. Maybe in the future she held her tongue I hope so, I also hope she asked God for forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteI see God in all people, I found that man to be gentle kind and very much a child of God.
Catherine
Thank you so much for taking the time to write, Catherine. We meet people who need a helping hand, sometimes just a smile, every day. The way we treat them is the way we are treating God. You were right to tell that woman that God has a way of presenting Himself to us. The way we react is the way we treat Him. "Whatever you did to them you did to me!" (Paraphrase).
DeleteGod bless, Catherine.
Gods Blessings Victor
DeleteCatherine
I consider myself good but I know I have room for improvement. I can only do my best and the rest is up to God.
ReplyDeleteAmen Bill. We all have room for improvement.
DeleteGod bless.
I don't focus on myself that much. ❤️
ReplyDelete---Cheerful Monk
God bless you always, Cheerful Monk.
DeleteActually, I have no desire to the Christ-like. I'm with Martin Buber, “Before his death, Rabbi Zusya said "In the coming world, they will not ask me: 'Why were you not Moses?' They will ask me: 'Why were you not Zusya?”
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, I'm with the Dalai Lama, " My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." No need to complicate things. ❤️
---Cheerful Monk
Kindness to others is kindness to God. (See my comment to Catherine above). Kindness is one of the Christ-like qualities we should strive for.
DeleteGod bless, Cheerful Monk.
Our pastor has been challenging us to go beyond the walls of our church and bring the message of God's goodness, through our actions in love, to our community in every way we can. For me, goodness is obeying God's will and becoming more like Christ in every moment we live and breathe. Am I good in and of myself - no way! I need Jesus!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Victor!
Your pastor is correct. Our responsibility is to be Jesus to someone whenever we can, within the church and beyond its walls. In the streets, shopping malls, schools, hospitals and everywhere.
DeleteEven by starting and maintaining a Blog, we are reaching others beyond the confines of our homes.
Amen to what you say, Martha. God bless you.
good? Not by a long shot, but HE loves me......
ReplyDeletewe be HOT inside and out! 106 f inside ... 41.1111111 c
Yes, God loves you always, Jack.
DeleteThe other day over here it reached 39*C in the shade. I was clever and did not stay in the shade.
God bless you and Sherry.
I try to be a good person but I know I am not worthy of a Holy God's love. But He loves me anyway. :) I will be going to heaven NOT because I am good but because God is!! Going to heaven is a GIFT that God gives us through His Son Jesus. The only thing we have to do is admit we are sinners, ask God for forgiveness, and believe Jesus died on the cross for out sins.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree generally with what you say, Happyone. I would also add that our behaviour should also be as God expects of us. We cannot be complacent that because "God loves me anyway" we can do what we want.
Delete"Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants them to do." Matthew 7:21.
God bless.
Oh I agree, we should try to live good lives to please God and do good works, but we are saved to DO good works NOT BY good works.
DeleteI think the verse means that just because someone says they are Christian and do good works but doesn't really knowJesus and aren't saved, He will say He never knew them.
Yes, I agree.
DeleteGod bless, Happyone.
thecontemplativecat here. When I was 4 yr. old, I became aware I was a sinner, and would go to hell. (The Midwest had no middle ground). I sat on the couch crying. Mom called the preacher, Brother Hamilton, and he talked with me. Praying with me lifted me, and I felt warm. Jesus' warmth flooded over me.
ReplyDeleteHe was a good and understanding preacher. A rare thing sometimes. You were very fortunate Susan, and I am glad your Mom called on someone to help and pray with you.
DeleteGod bless you and yours.
I do my best to be good, kind and helpful.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Amen Jan. God bless.
DeleteI am not good, He is. I ask Him to live out His goodness through me, to make me a willing vessel.
ReplyDeleteAmen Mimi. God bless you and your family.
Delete