| I am writing this page in response to a question from my husband and my friend Dave. I do not remember exactly how he worded it but he wanted to know if: Lets suppose an eighty year old Buddist man was living on a mountain he loves being a Budhist and one day a bunch of granola eating Christians come up and they tell him about Jesus and he says that he likes being a Budhist and doesn't want to change will he go to Hell, has he rejected God at that time. I asked my dad the question. He wrote me a letter and here is the Letter Dear Beth, I want to try to more fully answer your question on the phone. Since the writer of these pages has a much better way of saying things than I do and is far better educated in Eastern religion than I am I will include his articles. I assure you it is not pride nor exclusiveness when the Bible says there is salvation in no other name but Jesus. Its just common sense. The dragon Satan is continually casting up insinuations against God's people to destroy some unwary soul., don't listen. Jesus will samve all those who respond to the appeals of His Holy Spirit. This whole salvation thing is a serious rescue operation. All others are not safe to save. They would soon make heaven a violent hell. Some may never have heard that name but still have chosen righteous living. Without the drawing of the Holy Spirit none would even seek for the true God. No other religion has a saviour who dies for his people to pay their penalties for sin. The eastern religions have reincarnation and continuous lives to live ever trying to reach perfection to merge into nothingness. And these religions create a hell to live in here. Just go there and see. Even western nations that are Catholic remain the most backward. We here in the U.S.A. are progressing to a one world governmen. Making equal all religions. New age doctrines are finding their way into our churches. We are becoming more like the communists we complained out a few years ago. We think we can build a utopia without God's laws. The yin and yang the mingling of evil with good and good with evil are a part of all false religions. The Bible uses the term light and darkness. 1 John 1:5 In Jesus is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:7 If we walk in light as He is in the light...the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin. This may seem like a long letter but actually I am being very brief. Somehow when Adam sold out to Satan shortly after creation he received something that infected all fo his posterity with a bent toward sin, violence, and corruption Genesis 6. Already by flood time God could save only a few. Even in this few the bent to sin still existed but was watered down enough that God could still keep man in existence. As time went on things again became so bad and the knowledge of God was almost extinguished. Then God pulled another scheme and established the nation of Israel to keep a lighthouse still alight to save those who chose. (Just a note) The nations around Israel were so bad that to live in them would have been worse than living in Germany with Hitler. All nations get this way who reject God. Even as Israel began more and more to recede from God and their bent to evil became more and more progressive. God brought His ultimate effort Jesus came as a friendly gesture from God. That cross of Jesus draws all who learn of it. Those who reject choose a life apart from God. At this time and for this purpose the christian church was born. Even in the christian church God has had to move from one group to another to bring more light for this world. Today we know right from wrong. For us there is no excuse. After the appointed time for this period Jesus will come again and the rescue operation will end, this world will be destroyed. To know Jesus Christ as a friend in a personal way is the most awesome wonderful thing in the world. True it does expose our sin it calls for change and for effort to overcome for those who find it painful to leave some cherished sin it becomes a challenge. The more we know Jesus the more we learn to love Him, the more we cherish his care his faithfulness, his patience, his unrespectfulness of persons fairness. He sees our heart not just if we are pretty or young. For most of my life I could not accept that God would have Israel destroy utterly anihilate the wicked nations around them. Early one Sunday morning when I was sleeping at Stanley's, Jesus came not in flesh and sat by my bed. He appeared very humble and He said, "What else could I do? My mind became clear. I could see the picture better Jesus depended on Isreal to keep a knowledge of salvation available to all men. All around them were a people who hated them and their God. These people were totally committed to kill the Israelites. Their gods were such they ould lead Israel to destruction. To preserve Israel and salvation God had to make a place for His people. In doing this He demonstrated to all that Israel's God was superior to all others. Some even of these evil Canaanites were converted to Israelites. Much love from your Dad, |