[quote]PonyWhisperer wrote:
Opeth,
Just wondering what your stance is (or what you think God’s stance is) on non-sinners that do “not come to faith in Christ”? I understand that you may want to answer with something like, “there are no non-sinners” or bring up original sin and such, so let’s just say that the person I’m referring to is just about as “non-sinny” as you can get. This person gives freely of their time to others, doesn’t lie cheat or steal, works with charities etc. They just haven’t for some reason accepted religion as their cup of tea, whether it be a bad indoctrination, bad PR, a general lack of faith or a naturally skeptical nature.
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Of course, those with a naturally skeptical nature are usually not naturally skeptical of their own natural skepticism. But about the person who is “about as ‘non-sinny’ as you can get.”
In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus Christ preached the law first, showing the rich young man that he could not meet up to the standard of righteousness that the law requires. In Romans 1:18-3:20, Paul showed that everyone without exception, from the irreligious Gentile to the religious Jew, were without a righteousness that the law required, and that their works were evil. Jesus Christ, the God-Man Mediator met the inexorable demands of God’s law and justice for all whom He represented at the cross. All for whom Jesus died will go to heaven; all for whom He did not die will go to hell. WHY? Because salvation from God’s holy and just wrath is conditioned not on the sinner’s efforts, but on the law-fulfilling efforts of Jesus Christ alone.
[quote]PonyWhisperer wrote:
So they are aware of the Church (in all its’ many incarnations and denominations) they just haven’t bought in. Is God still happy with this guy not buying in? Is this paragon of human virtue screwed on judgment day? I’m not mocking your beliefs just asking for a clarification of how you think it works.[/quote]
Anyone trying to fellowship with God by his own efforts, even his very best efforts, is hated by God, because He hates all who do not have a righteousness that equals His. This goes for the most outwardly moral and religious person who is very concerned, to the outwardly immoral person who is irreligious and unconcerned. Is there then no hope?
There IS hope for those whom God has chosen to be His from the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-7). And that hope DOES NOT and CANNOT reside in the character and conduct of the people whom God chose, because His elect people are SINNERS, just like the rest (Ephesians 2:1-10).
The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus Christ answered the demands of God’s law and justice in suffering the ultimate penalty for the disobedience of His people that the law demanded. Thus, while upon the cross, Jesus Christ, as a perfect representative, substitute, and sacrifice for His people, became a curse for His people and suffered the unmitigated fury of God the Father, which was equivalent to suffering the very pains of hell. This was not for any guilt He had contracted Himself but for the sins of His people. Their guilt was imputed to Him, and He suffered the penalty their sins deserved. His finished work on the cross appeased God’s wrath in full toward all for whom He died and paid the ransom price in full for all for whom He died, guaranteeing the salvation of all for whom He died.