Judgment and Salvation

Luke 6:46-49

The other day I was talking to someone and I mentioned that I believed there would probably be more Gay people in Heaven than christians.  The person was really surprised and asked me why I would say that.

I explained that most Gay people knew they were sinning.  Like Paul, they do that which is not allowed (Romans 7:15) and, Like Paul, may repent even as they sin.

Judgmental christians who rebuke those they believe are sinning without benefit of the Holy Spirit disobey Christ who told us "Judge Not" (Matt 7:1) and who also told us "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30) and "And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me." (John 8:16).

In addition Christ tells us: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21)

In Luke 6:46-49 Christ tells us: "⁴⁶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? ⁴⁷ Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:⁴⁸ He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.⁴⁹ But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

We have Gay people doing something repeatedly, like Paul, that they know the Bible tells them is a sin and so they may repent.

We have "christians" who judge without benefit of the Holy Ghost, breaking the commandment of Christ to Judge Not, and who believe they are righteous and so do not repent.

Who enters into Heaven?  The repent sinner or the self righteous and unrepentant christian?

How do we know the difference between the self righteous christian and a Christian following Christ?  Christ tells us in John 5:30-31,

"31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.  32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true."  The Holy Ghost witnesses with those whose witness is directed by the Holy Ghost.  If the Holy Ghost is not witnessing with the person judging, the person is breaking the commandment of Christ not to judge.

There are those who believe the Bible gives them the authority to judge, they do so without the benefit of the Holy Ghost, and there are those who are called to servitude in Christ and to spread the Good News of the Forgiveness of Sin through Christ.

People will be rewarded as they deserve, those sinners who repent are forgiven, those sinners who believe that they are righteous do not seek repentance and are not forgiven.

Christ tells us, in Matthew 25, that people will be separated as sheep and goats.  In John 10 we are told that Christ's sheep will know his voice.  In Matthew 7 Christ tells us that there will be those who believe they are saved, and yet never knew Christ.

Listening is the most important part of any relationship.  We have to listen to God.  If we don't listen, hear and know God's voice then, on the last days, we won't respond to Christ's call and we will follow the goats out of the presence of God.  Even those who believe, and yet do not KNOW Christ, will end up in hell because they didn't know Christ, Christ's voice, and couldn't respond to the call.

So, do I think a repentant sinner ends up in hell while an unrepentant, judgmental and authoritarian pseudo-christian ends up in heaven?

Or, do I think a repentant sinner ends up in heaven while an unrepentant, judgmental and authoritarian pseudo-christian ends up in hell?

I could argue against most sinful behavior, including my own, from twenty different perspectives.  Yet, sin is inconsequential for people are saved by faith in the grace of Christ and not by law.  Romans 6:14-15: "¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."  What constitutes "sin" before God?  For this we can depend on the instruction of people who teach a false doctrine OR we can depend on the Holy Ghost who teaches a true doctrine and gives understanding.

Look at whom you have received instruction from.  If you depend on instruction of people, if you give people authority over the definition of any word in scripture, your faith is false.  If you depend on God and don't open your mouth unless God talks to you your faith is true.

Is anyone perfect?  Can anyone always speak nothing but the Holy Ghost?  There is one, and one only, and that is Christ.  The rest of us struggle between placing our faith in ourselves, other people and God.  The truth is, only those (and this includes me) whose faith, whose belief in things unseen, is strong enough will hear Christ on that last day.

Practice listening to the Holy Ghost at all times and remember that it is not the judgment of people, nor the esteem among mankind, that will open the gates of heaven.  It is only through faith in the Grace of Christ that we may KNOW our Saviour and enter the gates of Heaven.

So pity those who judge, yet, always be open to the Holy Ghost whose judgment is perfect and who may choose to speak to us through the mouths of people.