If you think I'm a huge diehard Whitney fan, you're wrong. What upsets me is the judgement from Christians about who will and won't be in heaven. I have a serious problem with this. Who are we to say that someone won't be in heaven? I believe that God's word is true and complete. I believe what is said in Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I believe that young or old, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior that we are His. That nothing can separate us from his love and eternal salvation. I do not believe in a hierarchy of sins, I believe that we are all sinners and that my sin is no different or better than yours. I believe that Christians are just as easily subject to addictions as non-Christians and that addictions are sin that is equal to any other sin. Therefore, how can we say that a Christian who professes Jesus as their Savior, yet dies while actively suffering through their addiction won't be in heaven? That doesn't sound like the grace of a Lord who died on the cross for our sins.
What I do believe is that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He is the only one who will judge you and your life. He is the only one who knows our hearts. I also believe that as believers we throw out judgement too easily and too harshly. A pastor of mine once said, "...If we could truly comprehend how awful hell is, we would never lightly say that someone might be there. We would never wish that on anyone." If we start judging each other's lives and salvation, aren't we doing just that?
Well said Melissa! I agree with you 100%. My biological father was a believer, yet he molested my sister (his step-daughter). I truly believe in my heart that I WILL see him again in heaven!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is NOT our place to judge who is and who isn't in Heaven. That is just not in our job description. I endeavor really hard not to do this because I am convinced that a lot of us will be surprised when we get there who is and isn't there.
ReplyDeleteBut I also have a problem with those who say we are not to ever judge what is and isn't sin. We are to call sin exactly what God says in His Word what sin is. In that way we know people by their fruits. We know what they/ourselves are doing is Christian or not.(ie our/their actions) We do not know whether or not they ARE a Christian or not.(ie who a person is in Christ) We do not know what is in any person's heart and we do not know whether or not they have repented of those sins before they draw their last breath or not.
So thanks for the thoughtful blog Melissa. God bless you!
I agree with you! My brother committed suicide last year; he was a drug addict and an alcoholic. He got saved when he was in his twenties and there was fruit at the time...however, addiction is a very hard thing to overcome and he did not overcome it. I believe with all of my heart that he is in Heaven...even though some say no.
ReplyDeleteI know for me, I was saved at 12. There was a period of about 10 years in my life that I completely walked away from God. I still felt His pull, I still knew He wasn't done with me, and yet I have a fried who says there is no way I could have been saved and done the things that I did...I know Whom I believe and I know Who's I am no matter what others say!
Hey Melissa! I thank God that I am not in the position to judge, and that He is merciful, so that we don't "get what we deserve" but rather we get His Grace. I hope Whitney is there, would love to hear her joining with the angels in song! But it's not up to me to decide either way. My job is to work on ME, every day, to wipe more of ME away and ask more of HIM in to my life's walk. It's a HUGE job and keeps me so busy, I don't have much time for judging people I've never even personally met!! God bless you as you share your faith and personal life with us on the air every day, love your show! Um -- of course I mean your and MATT's show!! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa - who can throw the first done! Are we not all as sinful as the prostitute the people were going to stone! Jesus said "Go and sin no more", knowing this is impossible due to our sinful nature! The point being we are to continually strive for Jesus? Whitney was by nature sinful and thus condemned on that aloneBUT because of Jesus dying on thecross for our sins, he has taken away our sins if we only ask. Who knows what money, fame and the lifestyle of the famous must be like, this may have been the cross for Whitney to bear to keep her close to God, where with outit she may have been completely lost to God.
ReplyDeleteThrow the first stone not done
DeleteI happened to be listening to WAY-FM in the car during a comment about this blog so I looked it up and I was just wondering what you think about the following: First of all I hope that Whitney is in heaven with the Lord right now. As you said, who are we to judge. But I am also aware of many scriptures that would tend to balance out this thought of "once saved, always saved", no matter what you do. One scripture as an example would be Galatians 5:16-21 and in particular the part that says "I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." NIV or Galatians 6:7-8 "a man reaps what he sows". A person in your position where many young people are listening and being influenced by your "interpretation of the scriptures" should be very careful how you word things. You (and I) also will be judged. I would think that the best we can do about Whitney is to say - yes we loved you and your music and this is so sad, and just to hope and pray that during those final moments that there was repentence in her heart.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are absolutely correct! We are ALL sinners and Jesus died for all who will believe in Him and that He shed His blood so that we can stand before our Heavenly Father. Then and only then will we completely understand the sentence we deserve and that Jesus paid the price.
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday School class is reading about "Respectable Sins" and how we only think of murder, adultery, addiction....etc. as sin and think that gossip, envy, a critical spirit, anger, impatience...etc are "minor" sins. God's Word says sin is sin and we ALL fall short of the glory of God. I believe that if Whitney confessed Jesus as her Saviour, we who also confess the same will see her in Heaven.
Great post!
Michelle
I'm not here to judge Whitney or anyone else for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that you shouldn't ever judge where someone went after they die. Heaven or hell. Because you never know what that person said to God in there last seconds. (If there was time) But I honestly would like to know what you think of 2 Peter 2:20-22
New International Version (©1984)
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
ReplyDelete22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Yes, we should not be "guessing" where Whitney is spending her eternity. We don't know what her last moments were. And I do not wish hell on anyone.
But God expects us to live a sin-free life. It is not impossible. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Just because you accept the Lord does not mean that you will automatically make it into heaven. You cannot live your life any way you want to and make it into heaven. You can accept the Lord into your life at an early age, middle age, or old age but then backslide and have to come back and repent and get your life in right standing with Him. If it were as simple as just accepting Him at an early age then everyone would do it and just live how they want.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says to be either hot or cold and not lukewarm or else he will spue you out of his mouth. Rev. 3:16. You either live for Christ or you don't. And I'm not saying this about Whitney but just in general.
Yes, God is a God of grace but he is also a God of wrath. And everyone who says Lord, Lord will not make it into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of God. Matt 7:21.
I mean seriously, look at all Moses did as far as getting his people delivered from their oppressor and leading them out and to the promise land and because he smote the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded him, he was not permitted to enter into the promise land. He was a great man of God and did so many things for his people through God, but that one little thing he did cost him to enter into the promise land. I mean does this not say anything about what you are speaking of.
Again, I want to stress that I am not talking about Whitney, I'm just talking in general. I was very appalled when I read your blog. What I got was this if you accept Jesus then you automatically go to heaven, and this is not the case at all. You have to daily beat down your flesh, repent for your sins, and TURN from them.
Yes, Jesus died on the cross for us that we might have eternal life, but that cost comes with a price on our end to live our life like Christ, do the Father's will, and glorify Him in all we do.
i was listening to your program and i hear somebody said " who doesn't die in their sins" since we are All sinner.... we never get to that perfection point until we get that new body, and i was reading the bible last night and i came to this point.
ReplyDeleteHebrews 10 The Just Live by Faith
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[e] says the Lord.[f] And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”[g] 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. is one thing to sin and another to live in sin. and i know we are accountable for every word that come out of our mouth and the destiny of those people to listen to us, if they fall because of us their bloods will be in us. Where Whitney is now, i don't know, but i know where I am, where I am with God and that is what we all need to know daily examine our self, make sure we are pleasing our creator, with our actions, words, habits, we live in a evil world and the word of God said "wow to those who call evil good and good evil, the word also said 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. and remember in 2 timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness