yes.
My culture believes it's how you live your life that determines the path you will walk in the afterlife.
If you believe in the Christian's way, I don't think the concept is to be able to live a wrong life and at the last second claim salvation.
I think their bible and theology is designed to be a lot like other religions and spirituality and that is to show you how to try and live a just, moral and honorable life. The whole do unto others thing, you know...
Now we're at the reason I brought this whole matter up and now I'm glad I couldn't delete the thread.
OK.... I know a man who lives on the Eastern Shore. He is bi-sexual. Actually he's bi-polar and when he's in a manic phase
he tends to exhibit homosexual behavior. He's had a couple of long term homosexual relationships over the years. He's also been married twice and has three children by the first marriage. Within the last 10 years he was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.
Anyway.... when he's taking his medication for the bi-polar disorder he's really a good hearted person who would do anything to be just, moral and honorable.
About 30-35 years ago this man followed his wife to a revival. He stood [didn't sit] at the back of the church and at the alter call, he ran [not walked but ran] to the alter yelling "I'm Saved".
His wife [the first one with whom he has three children] was mortified by this because she knows him. The church people didn't know him because he didn't attend church with her. They were thrilled because of this display. She remained quiet because the church was making such a big deal out of it.
Several weeks later the pastor of the church made his regular home visit. She confided in the pastor telling him about her husband's past. She told him that one of the reasons they had moved to the area was to get her husband away from the latest affair he had been in. They were trying to repair the marriage for the sake of their child.
The pastor pulled out his Bible. He went to the New Testament and went to the letters [I think it was in Jude]. He said he didn't want to tell her what to do but he did want to show her a verse. The verse told her that she didn't have to stay in the marriage if the marriage was going to cause her to loose her faith.
The pastor had no idea that this woman had already been put through some miserable trials due to this marriage and her faith had sustained her. He was only aware that this woman believed that marriage is a lifetime commitment according to the Bible.
This Bible verse allowed her to look at things in a different light and it allowed her to take a different path a few years later. Yes... she stayed to try to save the marriage and had two more children before things got much worse and she had to leave with the three children and the clothes on their backs.
I don't know if this man found salvation on that night or if he found salvation after that. I have heard that he attends a Methodist or Presbyterian church but I don't know if his attendance is regular or if he has responded to any other alter calls.
Salvation is a personal thing and I really hope that he did enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I do know that no matter how just, moral, and honorable any man is, you
cannot earn your way to heaven. You must be born again.
I wonder though.... is it possible that this man did indeed find salvation that night at the revival.
no, no....not getting sucked in. You and 2A had many a battle.
