Who is going to hell?

He sees us as we are and loves us.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6)

A Christian friend of mine was recently approached by a very angry woman who pointed a finger at him and said, “I suppose because you are a Christian, you think everybody else is going to hell.”  In the heat of the moment, he was a bit at a loss as to how to respond.

How would you respond?

Here’s what I think.

First, before we respond we need to prayerfully gauge the spirit of the person approaching us.  He/She may have been painfully wounded by someone claiming to be a Christian.  If the tone of our response is harshly judgmental, the truth of what we say won’t likely be heard at all.

Next, we need to show spiritual humility.  I generally say, “I’m not the one who decides who goes to hell, and I thank God for that.”  The mystery of our ultimate destiny is one that no one – not even the greatest Biblical scholar – can figure out.

Finally, it is essential that we do offer the hope of our confidence in faith.  Something like, “One thing I do know by faith is that Jesus Christ is the way to a new and better life – now and forever.”  Don’t get sidetracked comparing and contrasting Christ with Buddha or Mohammed or Moses or whoever.  To paraphrase the Apostle Paul – “Preach Christ, and Christ alone.”

January 24, 2010
Today’s Scripture

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
-Romans 10:13 (NRSV)

I noticed a beautiful little plant with delicate blue flowers scattered throughout.  However, it was growing in terrible soil conditions, right next to the road.  I carefully dug it up, making sure to get all the roots, and then transplanted it into my perennial garden.  There it would have rich soil, fertilizer, water, and loving care.  Surely it would thrive in the perfect conditions of my garden and under my watchful eye.  To my dismay the plant was totally dead in a matter of days.  Apparently, what I considered to be perfect conditions were not. I was wrong.

I began to think about how my experiences with this plant compares to people and where they thrive in worshipping God.  I live in a small town with four distinctly different Christian churches.  Why are there so many in such a small town? Because people’s needs are different in how they worship God.  What works best for me and my relationship with God may not work well for someone else. Some like traditional services, while others prefer a contemporary setting. Some relate better to God on an emotional level while others do so on an intellectual level.  We come from different backgrounds and have different expectations and needs.

Just as certain plants need different conditions to survive and grow, so people grow and flourish as Christians in many different settings.

Prayer

Loving Father, help us to tolerate one another and to actively encourage each other despite our differences.  Amen.

Thought for the Day
In what settings do I thrive spiritually?