(July 26, 2017 at 1:45 pm)Drich Wrote: Might sound preachy but there is still alot of confusion between simple salvation and the rewards know God can yield.A longtime ago people made up this fairy tale. Drich made it up again. This is how the religion meme works. An ongoing creative process.
Going to heaven/getting to decide who gets to go is not on us, the church we go to, the things we do nor the religious title we may give ourselves. It's all about what Christ decides. We are given a life (y) the time from life to life varies (x) we are also in the life given varied exposure to God (z) then we are all given gifts, and how we use those gifts all are considered by Christ.. That is how Christ determines who is and who is not worthy of Heaven. Meaning who is and is not Christian. No one can be born a christian, like no one is born 'saved.' Christ decides based on who you are the time you had and what you did when you were here. Yes church is the easiest way to be judged a Christian, but not the only way. one of my last threads here explain how there are going to be alot of 'non-Christians' rolling round Heaven.. at least by 'church standards.'
So again salvation is free and just needs the tinniest bit of faith if that to work if you are genuine.
That said once you get to heaven, we do not all arrive on equal footing. Some enter as kings destined to sit in honor and power next to Christ while others enter as if they were escaping a great fire with their cloths and hair singed by the fire.. Meaning heaven's homeless. That is what knowing who God is about. That is why we must A/S/K that is why we seek out and serve God. Not only for the reward in Heaven but to get to know and experience God in this life. If you want proof of God what better way to 'proove' God then to have Him Show up in your life in some meaningful way...
But what if your way your religious ideas are corrupt? Your religious idealism maybe enough to find you the grace to enter heaven's getto but it isn't enough for God to show up in the way of the Holy Spirit and directly connect with you. why? because God is not who you think He is. God is not looking for a son. God is looking for a servant First. Someone who will seek and do things His way at first. No different than getting a job. the better you are at it the greater the reward until God makes you apart of the family.
So remember no one is born a christian. no one can truly claim to be christian. That is a matter Christ will decide at some point. At best we can call our selves deciples of Christ or followers of Christ, as of yet none of us has been saved. The bible keeps pointing forward to that moment. It is not something that happened but will happen when we are all judged. Also know salvation at a poverty level is free to everyone. It is when you want to deal with God directly that God demands you come to Him a certain way.
God thinks it's fun to confuse primates. Larsen's God!