# What do you get for following Jesus Christ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 31, 1999, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114 "1999-12-31T19:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![the\_first\_supraliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@the\_first\_supraliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_first_supraliminal)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/21 "2000-01-01T16:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Remember that Yahweh loves EVERYONE and does not want any to perish!! –Archangel Is that the interpretation you get after reading the Bible? The interpretation I get is that it is so ridiculously difficult not to perish that only a fool would try to save himself. What is that passage that states only 144,000 will go to heaven? Knowing the population of the world, that number seems kinda small. I think I have better luck winning the lottery. Remember that Las Vegas Casinos love EVERYONE and do not want any to lose their money. Maybe I’ll buy a ticket, if it’s cheap enough. * * * There’s always another beer. ---
**Author:** ![raptured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@raptured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raptured)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2000, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/22 "2000-01-01T16:25:00Z")
Wally, I _know_ the answer. You chose to ignore the answer. God gives us all free will, even Judas had it. God allows us our choices, and then uses the choice for _His_ purpose. We don’t always understand why something happens, but God **will** use it. When I sin by making the wrong choice, God does forgive me, but that does not mean there aren’t consequences to my sin. BTW, do you know what “sin” really is? No, I am not perfect, nor “good”, just forgiven. My Master is the Father, when He calls, I _will_ go Home. ---
**Author:** ![the\_first\_supraliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@the\_first\_supraliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_first_supraliminal)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/23 "2000-01-01T16:34:00Z")
I just calculated the odds. If 144,000 people randomly go to heaven, I got a 1 in 40000 shot. This is much better than the lottery. Doesn’t the Bible state that this 144,000 are comprised of only Jews? Since I’m not a Jew, I guess I have no shot. I don’t know the population of Jews, but statistic-wise, they got a much better chance than me. Besides, didn’t Christ say somewhere that all Gentiles are dogs? When you got enough lottery tickets for yourselves, throw one in my direction. I’ll try my damned hardest to fetch. * * * There’s always another beer. ---
**Author:** ![kerux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@kerux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kerux)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/24 "2000-01-02T00:13:00Z")
144,000 Jews are the only people going to heaven? That can’t be right… > [@](#): > > 4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. 9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, «Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.» The sealing of the 144,000 (12\*12,000) has nothing to do with who is and is not in heaven. This is shown in the next verse (verse 9) which says “a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.” Hope I helped clear that up. 🙂 * * * “7But all these things that might have helped me, I call them all nothing, because of Christ. 8Yes, I call them all nothing, because to know Christ Jesus my Lord is much better. It is for his sake that I have given them all up and call them just dirt.” Phil. 3:6-8 ---
**Author:** ![kerux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@kerux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kerux)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/25 "2000-01-02T00:14:00Z")
Sorry, the above quote is from Revelation 7:4-10. ---
**Author:** ![awood256](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@awood256](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awood256)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/26 "2010-12-04T06:09:03Z")
God wants all of us to be in Heaven. God however cannot be in the presence of sin. If you follow him then your sins were paid for by his grace/sacrifice. If you’re not a follower your sins aren’t washed away by grace. Even though/if God wants you in Heaven you can’t be. We don’t follow God to gain salvation, God gave salvation/Love first so we seek him. Just posting. Hopefully this’ll clear stuff up if you were having questions. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114/27 "2010-12-04T06:36:54Z")
Welcome to the board, **awood256**. I know Christians are glad Jesus rose from the dead, but we prefer if our threads don’t. This discussion is 11 years old and a lot of the participants have moved on from this board. If you’re interested in these issues and want to talk about them, you can open a new thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-get-for-following-jesus-christ/17114.md?page=1)