Foremost, let me say that I do not believe ANYONE knows if they are going to Heaven. It is GOD who decides, so no matter how much scripture you quote, you can’t say if a person is going to Heaven or hell. Scriptures were made to guide us in our own judgements, not in the judgement of others.
So what constitutes following God? Here is what I believe:
It is impossible for everyone to “follow God” because there are people out there in this world that haven’t even heard or had a chance to know about God. To follow Him is to try and be like Him, which means being perfect. This is impossible for human nature to achieve until our bodies are “renewed” during God’s Second Coming. Until then we can only attempt and struggle to truly become as righteous as Jesus was. It is up to you to decide what will provide the most sincere relationship between you and God (or whatever you define this “god” to be) whether you’re a Jew, Christian, Hindu or so on. (Concerning the atheist, I’ll explain my opinion on that in a later response.) This is a decision that must come from the heart. But honestly, like any decision from the heart, there should be a brain guiding it as well, and that’s why we often look for evidence to “back our faith”.
“But don’t think that God is blaming us. That is why He’s giving us a chance for salvation. Instead of thinking that the Bible says you’re “unworthy” of salvation, think of it in the sense that you didn’t earn the right to salvation just by being alive.”
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Why not?
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I’m sure you understand what I meant overall. I don’t want to argue this point further because it is what it is. I don’t want to force any opinions on you, but how spoiled as humans are we if we think that being born earned us anything? At most, it earned us a right to a chance at life (yes I know the chances aren’t fair either). As a principle though, nothing should be taken for granted.
“In fact, it was Jesus Christ who earned that by dying on the cross.”
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I’m not the one to ask that question. I will say however that God could have eliminated sin and suffering altogether so that it never existed. Instead, he gave us free will to do what we want to do. Why? Because it seems some of us would rather choose to live a life that excludes Him. And now is when I direct you to your own quote.
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and…
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Although I doubt salvation will lead us to “an eternity of worship” which does seem more like torture as you portray it, I think the above helps prove my point that people want the option to choose… and that’s exactly what God gave them.
As for the evidence of God that you’re asking me about, I’m not referring to anything in specific. It’s everything and anything that leads you closer to Him during your lifetime.
