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You forgot one major option -- Election. No doubt you'll be hearing from that group one day...

I think it's strange, how people react when they encounter something that departs from their assumptions about folks who are religiously different from them. Too many think that religion naturally should make people enemies. When they develop a friendship with someone who turns out to be of a differing group, they naturally wonder -- what's wrong with my prejudices?

Here, Billy G. tries to keep the prejudices in place by saying, in effect, "If you think your heathen neighbor is good now, just imagine how much better she would be if she had the right religion!"

It should ring hollow for the person who sent in the question, as it does for anyone who has friendships that defy prejudices. But for those who prefer to lead insular lives, their primary desire is to keep their prejudices as alive and active as possible.

Their loss...

"I thought only religious people were supposed to know what it means to love others."

She thought wrong.

If someone's love for another person, or for humanity at large and in need, becomes what Graham describes as "twisted and selfish", is it ever really even "love"? So, I suppose it's Satan's tricks: inspiring people to give altruistically, loving deeply on the exterior but harboring some mental accountbook within, eh? Okay, who's to say 95% of humanity subconsciously doesn't do the same thing? There's no proof, just like there's no proof for gods or devils.

I say, if this person's neighbor behaves in ways that make her and others around her happy, bringing joy and love (even on the "exterior", supposedly..), that's enough any of us should hope for. Why does a recorded anti-Semite (see Nixon tapes) like Graham feel the need to say, oh, but she'd be so much more loving if she only joined our (and your...to the letter writer) club?
That's not loving. That's hateful and arrogant.

If someone's love for another person, or for humanity at large and in need, becomes what Graham describes as "twisted and selfish", is it ever really even "love"? So, I suppose it's Satan's tricks: inspiring people to give altruistically, loving deeply on the exterior but harboring some mental accountbook within, eh? Okay, who's to say 95% of humanity subconsciously doesn't do the same thing? There's no proof, just like there's no proof for gods or devils.

I say, if this person's neighbor behaves in ways that make her and others around her happy, bringing joy and love (even on the "exterior", supposedly..), that's enough any of us should hope for. Why does Graham feel the need to say, oh, but she'd be so much more loving if she only joined our (and your...to the letter writer) club?
That's not loving. That's hateful and arrogant.

The issue here is not how people, with greatly varying degrees of psycho-emotional health, treat others; the issue is heaven. The Gospel declares that there is a need for atonement to cover man’s sin and unbelief, so that he can enter the presence of God in the spiritual realm. Otherwise, he is “still in his sins,” stained with the racial guilt of Adam. To be saved, or regenerate means not only positional atonement, but a real, substantial change within. Many people over the centuries, once in the bondage of sin and death, have testified to this inner transformation, which brought them infinite peace, love and joy – as well as a burning desire to share it with others and serve all kinds of human need.

People, for many reasons, come to see the benefits of being kind and loving, regardless of their religious experiences. Of this there is no doubt. And there are many who claim to have known the new birth of the Gospel, but who choose not to live it out. But for one who has experienced the new birth, and nurtures that reality, it grows into many expressions of human kindness, service and love. The same Spirit that inspired Messiah to heal, love and serve also is manifest in the regenerate Christian, inspiring like service and love. The selfishness, lust, crime, hated and depression that sin generates in human exp[erience is a telling counterpoint to this reality.

Does that previous post mean that the only reason s Christian bothers to treat others with some semblance of decency is out of their selfish desire to enter heaven- and if they didn't believe in heaven or hell, they'd treat everyone else like dirt?

alice,
this forum usually hosts adults, and generally these adults have something of value (at least to each of us) to add to the conversation. you sound adolesent and immature - you're loathing for Christians is so very apparent. your post is illogical and ill informed and you seems to have some apparent gift to read between the lines and formulate a scathing p.o.v. of nikos intentions. simply put, hell will be filled with many people who throughout theirs lives were very generous, giving and kind to humanity, but by their own choice(s) deemed Christ as ineffectual and unimportant, thereby relegating a sentence of damnation upon themselves for rejecting Messiah. i was a kind person before i accepted Christ - and afterwards i was still a kind person who realized my capacity for loving and forgiveness needed attention and i've been working on that for many years. the salvation experience is not superficial but rather a metamorphosis and scripture states this in Rom.12. go look at the life cycle of a butterfly and you will begin to understand God's transforming power to the human spirit.

I agree, Buz; Bless her heart, Alice is just not paying attention. I said, claerly, that people have varying degress of ability to be kind,benevolent, thoughtful and loving. But these positive expressions do not make up for thier alienation from God, and a concurrent capacity to sin and disbelieve the Gospel and Word. The Scripture informs us that "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Is. 64:6 This is in regard to Israel, in context, but it aptly expresses all men's essential rebellion and sinfulness - regardless of personal dispostion, training or human effort. The Scripture also tellsus to "live at peace with all men as much as possible." We should be thankful for common grace and the indirect affects of the Gospel in our culture. I thank God for all goodness and caring - whatever the source or motive. The alternative would be wretched indeed.

"The issue here is not how people, with greatly varying degrees of psycho-emotional health, treat others; the issue is heaven."

So while you're busy trying to get everyone to see things your way so that they'll get to heaven, treating others with a modicum of civility and being a good neighbor can just take a back seat, is that it? I think I'd far rather have someone with today's best interests at heart as a neighbor, rather than a person who thinks harping on eternity is the way to go.

It would seem to me that the issue here is the woman's obvious ignorance about people and their capacity for compassion.

"I thought only religious people were supposed to know what it means to love others."

It's quite obvious this woman leads a sheltered life and it would be to her advantage to reach out and actually learn a little something about people without religion instead of beLIEving without questioning what she's been told. A little first hand experience can be a marvelous educational experience.

Oh Buz- you're such a charitable and complimentary " soul" you make me blush.

oh alice you should try to remember that i said i was a work in progress........

"and afterwards i was still a kind person who realized my capacity for loving and forgiveness needed attention and i've been working on that for many years"

if i've not met your standard - remember that i'm still working on it ! :-)

Eric, having concerns about heaven never stopped Jesus - the ultimate heaven-provider - from doing good, healing folks, preaching love, building the Kingdom, and presenting truth. The Bible (and I try to do the same) always challenges us to love our neighbor, and build a better world here "on EARTH as it is in heaven."

Nevertheless, it also informs us that this passing, ephemeral blurr is not all there is; that our souls, created in the divine image, are eternal, and will not be complete and satisfied until attaining the glories of the transcendent realm, beholding our Redeemer face to face. And that there is a lickage between what we do here and our eternal state. "He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." But I, (and I believe most Christains), am motivated not exclusively by the prospect of heaven - altho it comes to mind frequently - but by the love of God "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit." Or as St. Paul put it, "The love of God constraineth (motivates and channels) us."

No one who has read the Bible, particularly the Gospels and Epistles, can ever legitiamtely assert that Christains are not told continually to love one another - and everyone! It's just silly to suggest otherwise.

to answer nancy's original question......
faith now
works later

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

i have an open question......when did the 'new' testament actually begin ?