Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!princeton!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: keinstr!keinstr!chaplin@uunet.uu.net (chaplin) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Non-Christians in Heaven (was: Original sin of infants) Message-ID: Date: 7 May 91 04:38:47 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Keithley Instruments, Cleveland, Ohio Lines: 30 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Raymond Lang) writes: >If a person cannot bring himself to accept organized >religion but nonetheless tries to lead the best life he can according >to his conscience, I cannot picture God condemning the man to hell for >eternity. God works in many ways; and if the bad behavior of the church >leads a person to seek alternatives, it is certainly within God's power >to provide this person with the graces necessary to find salvation. > >In general, I'm extremely hesitant to rule out anyone's chances of >salvation. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." > >Ray >lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu You are correct, and the Bible provides an example of God providing this grace in Acts chapter 10. Cornelius was "A devout man, and one that feared God..." If God could just accept Cornelius into heaven based on his goodness, why did He send Peter to explain the gospel of Christ? I heard a missionary tell of a man in Africa who early in his life came to the conclusion that the religion of his people just could not explain the wonder of creation, so he prayed to whatever God was there to reveal Himself. The missionary was the answer to that man's prayer. -- Roger Chaplin / Instruments Division Engineering / uunet!keinstr!chaplin CI$: 76307,3506 / voice: (216) 498-2815 / FAX: (216) 248-6168 "In the last analysis the customer is the independent auditor. In the merciless light of real use, every flaw will show." - Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.