Afterlife

[oliveu2cm]

Do you believe in one? Why or why not?

Thanks, Olive

 

[bonosloveslave]

Absolutely - I'm filled with so much hope when I think about Christ's promise that he is "going to prepare a place for you".

 

[Gina Marie]

Yes, I definitely believe in that. For me, it feels pointless not to.

Sometimes it feels like it just has to be so much better than this one Of course that's not the reason to believe in an afterlife...

 

[nbcrusader]

With out a doubt YES. Scripture is filled with references to heaven, the afterlife, etc. Bonosloveslave highlights one of the clearest references. I would recommend John MacArthur's book on Heaven - it address many of the worldly misconceptions of heaven with full scriptural support.

 

[Dreadsox]

All I can say to this question is, thank goodness there are many rooms in Our Father's house......


Peace to all

 

[FallingStar]

Yes, I do believe; i don't nknow why, though...Life would be useless without a purpose I guess.

Do you blieve in an afterlife, Olive?

 

[Fritz]

Yes I do believe in a after life, but i don't know what it is, but i nkow jesus has somthing set up.

fritz

 

[oliveu2cm]

Yes, I definitely believe in an afterlife. I can't see THIS world as being the be-all-end-all for everyone. I think there's a lot more out there for us to experience, and an eternity for us to be with God, and I really believe He wants us to be with Him, hence creating the afterlife. Plus, that's the whole reason Jesus died on the cross- so we could live eternally.


What about the stipulations certain groups put on an afterlife? Catholics claim if you don't go to church weekly that's enough to keep you out of heaven. Born-Again Christians claim if you aren't "born again" then you won't get into heaven either. So.. what's the deal w/ people putting stipulations on that sort of thing? Can we "pick and choose" stuff of our religions to believe? Is it better to not constrain ourself to exactly what a religion may command?

 

[bonosloveslave]

What about the stipulations certain groups put on an afterlife? Catholics claim if you don't go to church weekly that's enough to keep you out of heaven. Born-Again Christians claim if you aren't "born again" then you won't get into heaven either. So.. what's the deal w/ people putting stipulations on that sort of thing? Can we "pick and choose" stuff of our religions to believe? Is it better to not constrain ourself to exactly what a religion may command?

I can only go on what the Bible says, and the third chapter of John lays it all out. From the NIV:

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


At the end of the chapter John says:

36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

From Romans 10:
9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."


Nothing here about going to church every Sunday, nothing about Hail Mary's.....

 

[nbcrusader]

BLS nicely lays out the basics for salvation. Our human side, however, can't accept that salvation can come from God's grace alone. That is when we (as humans) add "the extras".

 

[spanisheyes]

BLS nicely lays out the basics for salvation. Our human side, however, can't accept that salvation can come from God's grace alone. That is when we (as humans) add "the extras".

I agree nbcrusader, and thanks for putting it very plainly from the Word of God bss...also, I think so many people think that they have to give up so much to accept this free gift of eternal life, but what we get in return far out ways what we give up. Also, people have a real problem with absolutes, and God is a God of absolutes, and that is the way He has chosen to set up this life and the life to come.

Chris

 

[acadiashores]

yes, I believe in an afterlife. To me it represents hope, hope that I need to hold on to or I will just give up.

 

[Blue_Angel]

yes, because I don't understand how we could ever be presented with such huge things in life, only to have life not be a part of something greater. I doubt i explained that so that anyone can understand it but oh well, my answer is yes.

 

[bluephisto]

I think that it's arrogant for us to assume that we are the only intelligent life in the universe, that all that exists is what we see. By the same token, I think that there is an afterlife because there is always something ... after. Again and again, even in the world of hard science, we are taught that nothing ever really ends. It just goes on in a different way.

 

[adamswildhoney]

I believe in the afterlife, I agree with Carrie about Catholics, Im Catholic, although I personally believe that all pple who are good go to heaven, many Catholics were taught to FEAR God and that if they dont go to church then they wont go to heaven.

My gram was raised that way and she always thinks that the devil or evil will get her bc she doesnt go to church every Sunday!

 

[nbcrusader]

I believe in the afterlife, I agree with Carrie about Catholics, Im Catholic, although I personally believe that all pple who are good go to heaven, many Catholics were taught to FEAR God and that if they dont go to church then they wont go to heaven.

The Bible teaches us to fear God. The problem is that most reject this concept because of our human understanding of fear - cowering, scared, frightened, etc. The Biblical notion of fear has to do with awe, respect, obedience, etc. Another part of fearing God has to do with the fact that God is Holy ? He cannot have sin in His presence. As sinners, what we deserve is destruction by God. However, Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. Jesus makes us clean in the sight of God. This is something that cannot be accomplished by our own works.

Peace and blessings.