Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: credmond@watmath.waterloo.edu (Chris Redmond) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Last moment (death bed) Message-ID: Date: 3 Apr 91 07:38:52 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Waterloo Lines: 37 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu There has been a continuing discussion of why one "should" be "saved" as soon as possible, rather than making a gesture on one's deathbed (as if it were possible to plan to change an opinion at some future date!). In the course of this discussion, Ken Roth commented -- In article wheaton!kroth@uunet.uu.net (Ken Roth) writes: >Well, who do you think has more enjoyment from life? I have found that people >who are hedonistic and do whatever they want before they are saved are >miserable in life. They have no goal and no guidelines for joy. They seem to >believe that joy comes from freedom, but I have found that I must enjoy >slavery if the master is just and loving! > >You can also argument that there will be more rewards in heaven, and believe >it or not, I think that there will be stratification of heaven (not levels, >just people who have a better time). Those who have been Christians all their >lives will have the satisfaction that they have done the work of the master as >much as they could. That is a great reward, and those who are saved just >before they die never have this joy. True enough, but only part of the answer. Rather, if you like, that's the answer from the *human* point of view. From *God's* point of view, isn't there another answer? God does not merely want us TO BE SAVED, God also wants us TO DO SOMETHING in this world -- feed the lame, clothe the sick ;-) -- there's a job to do, and God's people to do it. To orient all our thinking towards heaven, rather than to the world God made, is to fall into a fundamental error: "spirit good, flesh bad", which is rather unChristian. As someone said earlier in the discussion: if we are saved we show it. And I say, that's not a side effect, that's the PURPOSE of being saved. CAR