Are you reading the bible? And if so.....

[Carabas]

There is no such thing as a human who is without sin, regardles of his religion.

And you need to look up wat the word "judgemental" means.

[The Whovian]

I wrote:
Those cities were so full of sin that God had to erase them so they wouldn't influence or compromise other people.

Someone who thinks that justifies murder is not someone I want to know.

If you're referring to God, you do realize that He is God? He's omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Our mortal minds cannot grasp His understanding anymore than a bug can grasp our's. You're trying to understand and wrap your mind around something that you're incapable of doing so because you're not God. Your understanding is finite, His is not. You need to trust in the Lord and have faith that He knows best.

And that still doesn't justify the woman he turned to salt.

People don't understand this event in the bible. Lot's wife wasn't turned to salt simply because she looked back (although that in and of itself would be disobeying God's direct command). The reason she was turned into salt was because she longed in her heart to stay in that city and be a part of it. That's why she looked back and that's why she was turned into a pillar of salt.

God was destroying Sodam and Gommorah because the only sinless people in those two cities were Lot and his children. That's how bad sin had taken root in those cities and flourished. They had to be destroyed or they would start to corrupt the Jewish people. Look at like this: You have a child and he plays with other children. However, you find out that some of the children he plays with swear, steal and are violent. As a responsible parent, you explain to your child that he/she can no longer play with them and you remove him/her from their presence. This is what God did.

I said:
You're assuming that God is taking a direct role in these events. He's not.

He's more than capable of stopping them.

You're right, He could stop them and some times He does. God does still perform miracles in our lives, we just don't always see them. You hear about them on the news sometimes, but they aren't always reported. You want God to stop ALL the terrible things in this world from happening. You know what this world would be if He did that? Paradise. Except it can't be because He already gave us Paradise, the Garden of Eden, and we blew it. Adam and Eve introduced sin into this world and now we have to live in a sinful world until Jesus comes again.

I wrote:
These are just part of nature and the result of sin.

Whose sin? The people who died or just sin around the world in general?

See my response above.

[Cross]

also the vast majority of the time people take the 'dont judge others' part WAY out of context. we're told several times across the entirety of the Bible to judge between each others, to weigh right and wrong, there are instructions on how to bring correction to other believers. telling someone what is and isnt a sin in God's eyes is NOT the judgement that was talked about. there is a clear distinction.

we're told not to judge a persons salvation, their heart for God. because that's something we cannot know, and only between them and God. and when we do that we stand in the place of God which is just stupid. telling someone what the Bible says about behaviors, sin, lifestyle is NOT judging their soul. when done in a Biblical manner it's bringing correction, its helping in their walk. its making sure they know what fruit a life with God bears, and helping/discipling them. (which we're called to do)

people dont like correction. but you know what? sometimes its needed.

[The Whovian]

also the vast majority of the time people take the 'dont judge others' part WAY out of context. we're told several times across the entirety of the Bible to judge between each others, to weigh right and wrong, there are instructions on how to bring correction to other believers. telling someone what is and isnt a sin in God's eyes is NOT the judgement that was talked about. there is a clear distinction.

we're told not to judge a persons salvation, their heart for God. because that's something we cannot know, and only between them and God. and when we do that we stand in the place of God which is just stupid. telling someone what the Bible says about behaviors, sin, lifestyle is NOT judging their soul. when done in a Biblical manner it's bringing correction, its helping in their walk. its making sure they know what fruit a life with God bears, and helping/discipling them. (which we're called to do)

people dont like correction. but you know what? sometimes its needed.

Well said Cross

[Ghost Rider TheHellfireDemon]

A big unanswered question is why Elijah was transported to Heaven while still alive.

[Cross]

falls into endtimes. he's believed to be one of the two witnesses that come and speak against the anti-Christ.

[The Whovian]

A big unanswered question is why Elijah was transported to Heaven while still alive.

His role as God's prophet was finished and the mantle was passed on to Elisha. Elijah couldn't just walk away from the Jewish people because some would continue to follow him. It was now Elisha's time to be God's prophet so God took Elijah basically the same way that He translated Enoch.

It's also a theory (unsupported by the Bible) that Enoch and Elijah will be the two witnesses in the end of times and this was why they were both taken by God alive instead of dying a physical death.

[t hedge coke]

Because Elijah and God were cool like that. Invite your buddy over for beers and gaming cool is every day, but when one of those buddies is God it does sort of bring it up a level.

[Kieran_Frost]

As a christian, you can't say you follow Jesus and then engage in sinful behavior. It's not judgemental for a Christian to come to a other Christian and tell them (in a respectful way) that what they are doing is in fact sinful according to the bible. God/ Jesus has designed sex to be an expression of LOVE between HUSBAND AND WIFE. Yes, sex is good and God doesn't mind you having it, as long as it's in the right context. These days some people's interpretations of Christianity is way off and is more influenced by the secular world than is is by God or the bible. I have a friend who is says he is a Christian but thinks is okay to watch porn and engage in premarital sex. Ummmmm no sexual immorality is a SIN no question about it.

I always find such hateful speech disappointing, but such is life. I know God loves me, and the fact I bring love through my life, my work and especially my marriage to my husband brings God nothing but joy. God cares far more about having good, kind people on this Earth (and one day in heaven) than those who spend their lives erroneously spouting hateful thoughts against gay people in his name.

[The Whovian]

I always find such hateful speech disappointing, but such is life.

How is that hateful speech Keiran? And you actually proved his point by what you just posted. You live in secular world that says "This is okay now, you can do whatever you want".

I know God loves me, and the fact I bring love through my life, my work and my marriage to my husband brings God nothing but joy. God cares far more about having good, kind people in heaven than those who spend their lives spouting hate in his name

Being good and kind does not mean you will spend eternity in Heaven. The only thing that you need is faith in the Lord Jesus, given by the grace of God.

There are a LOT of "good" and "kind" people who lived, live and will live in this world who will never go to Heaven because they thought that they only needed to be a "good" person. That's sad. Because I don't want anyone to be separated from God for all eternity. But if we don't correct people in a loving matter and tell them the truth of the gospel, not what the world deems okay or right, then we fail as Christians and sadly, those people will not enter the Kingdom of God.

[t hedge coke]

Being good and kind does not mean you will spend eternity in Heaven. The only thing that you need is faith in the Lord Jesus, given by the grace of God.

Did we not just confirm that, according to the Bible, Elijah got picked right up and taken to Heaven? Did he have a lot of faith in Jesus? Because, the Bible, you'd think, would've mentioned that.

[Kieran_Frost]

How is that hateful speech Keiran? And you actually proved his point by what you just posted. You live in secular world that says "This is okay now, you can do whatever you want".

Being good and kind does not mean you will spend eternity in Heaven. The only thing that you need is faith in the Lord Jesus, given by the grace of God.

There are a LOT of "good" and "kind" people who lived, live and will live in this world who will never go to Heaven because they thought that they only needed to be a "good" person. That's sad. Because I don't want anyone to be separated from God for all eternity. But if we don't correct people in a loving matter and tell them the truth of the gospel, not what the world deems okay or right, then we fail as Christians and sadly, those people will not enter the Kingdom of God.

I always find this theory bizarre. Do you think God's an idiot? He cares far more about leading a good, loving life than he ever will about "box ticking" your way through life. He's not going to disallow a loving, kind, caring person into his light but accept a bitter, cruel or hateful person who has managed to live their life not "breaking rules" but spreading hate and unkindness nonetheless. God can't be tricked or fooled by "rule followers" sprouting hate in his name.

God's not stupid. He can see through the "words" and know the heart. THAT is what counts. And the love I bring (esp. in my marriage) is what God cares about. Because he's not stupid

[The Whovian]

I always find this theory bizarre. Do you think God's an idiot? He cares far more about leading a good, loving life than he ever will about "box ticking" your way through life. He's not going to disallow a loving, kind, caring person into his light but accept a bitter, cruel or hateful person who has managed to live their life not "breaking rules" but spreading hate and unkindness nonetheless. God can't be tricked or fooled by "rule followers" sprouting hate in his name.

God's not stupid. He can see through the "words" and know the heart. THAT is what counts. And the love I bring (esp. in my marriage) is what God cares about. Because he's not stupid

Do you read the bible Keiran? Being a loving, kind and caring person are admirable traits. But those traits alone don't make you a Christian. You have to believe in Jesus and have faith in Him that He is the Son of God, who was crucified, died for your sins and resurrected three days later and ascended to Heaven:

John 14 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Keiran, those are Jesus' own words. If you still think you can spend eternity with the Lord just by being a good person, then I have to tell you as a friend and Christian, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

[GreenLanternRanger]

Kind of pretentious to tell someone they wont go to heaven because they don't believe the exact same way you do.

[The Whovian]

Kind of pretentious to tell someone they wont go to heaven because they don't believe the exact same way you do.

Not just the way I believe, but what is stated in the bible. Big difference GLR

As a Christian, I have a duty to inform and spread the truth of the gospel to those that don't understand it. Someday I will stand before God and if I don't help someone understand how to have a relationship with Christ or inform them of the scriptures, then I will have to answer for not doing that.

I take that duty seriously and I'm not going to just be another person of the world who tells people what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear.