Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!stanford.edu!rutgers!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: One way to Heaven Message-ID: Date: 7 May 91 04:42:35 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton Lines: 46 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jbaird@bbn.com (Janet Baird) writes: >My question is: How do you explain to your friends, who are good people >with their own various beliefs, that only through Christ can someone get >to Heaven? This is the kind of question that starts arguments and pisses >everyone off at you. (Quite frankly), I don't. I'm really quite uncomfortable with scaring souls to Jesus. I don't hide my beliefs. I try not to parade them either. If friends ask me questions, I do my best to answer. I invite friends to church if I think they might accept. I *personally believe* that if a person attempts to follow the law, (or Jesus) only to go to Heaven they've already missed the boat. I *personally believe* that a person who follows Christ's teachings 'cause they think they're real good ideas is a lot closer to the mark than the person who follows Jesus 'cause God's gonna get 'em if they don't. I'm not saying that *you* only follow Jesus to escape Hell. It's obvious that you are concerned for your friend's feelings and their eternal souls as well. I believe that you have a strong faith in Jesus, and that you believe he is your only redemption. Don't lie to your friends. If they ask you about your beliefs, tell them that you believe in Jesus and that he is the one true way. But don't tell them that he's their only chance as a way to convert them. Show them the teachings of Jesus. Show them how you put them into action. Lead the life you believe Jesus would have you lead. You say your friends are good people, by this I would assume that they would agree with most (if not all) of Jesus' teachings, they just don't go for all of that "religious stuff"*. (Right?) Great! Maybe they have other faiths. What beliefs do you have in common? How can you affirm the beliefs you share? Be a living witness. We've all heard that "actions speak louder than words". I truly believe this. Acting out your faith beats talking about it by a mile. Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton * One of my favorite books in the Bible is Romans. A great treatment of Romans can be found in "How to be a Christian Without Being Religious". There are both youth and adult versions of this book.