Can a Christian go to hell?

[Bethshaya]

There is nothing that we can and cannot do, aside from deny Christ as savior that will earn us, or deny us heaven.

That would make US idols. That is puffed up pride to think that we have the power to save or condemn ourselves. That goes for man too...no other man has the power to forgive our sins, including priests. We don't need a mediator in Mary, a saint or man. If you have a relationship with him, just like your earthly parents, then there is no need to find a third party to talk to them and ask for forgiveness. You wouldn't ask a friend to talk to your father for you unless you are too astranged to speak to him on your own. The same goes for God.

Once we accept Him as our personal Savior and recognize that he died for our sins, it doesn't matter how we stumble, we are still saved.

However, the truth is in the heart. Someone who truly recognizes Christ as Savior is going to have a radical change in their heart and lives that will turn them from sin. The Spirit will gravitate you to things of God. You will no longer have a taste for the things that drive you to sin. That doesn't mean that you wont succumb to temptation, but that generally speaking, you won't be hanging out with the street gang, you wont continue dealing drugs, etc. It also means that someone who truly believes in their heart, will never deny Christ again. So the question of once saved, always saved never has to come into play. Someone who wasn't really sure to begin with will be the person who may turn to other faiths, or to satanism, wicca etc. They didn't become "unsaved", they were never truly saved to begin with. They heart and spirit didn't change therefore the heart and spirit wasnt involved in the decision to begin with.

Someone who has genuinely given their heart to Jesus will naturally want to please him and attempt to seek out the truth to change.

[Mograce2U]

This will turn into a OSAS/NOSAS argument.

When you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, did you only get forgiveness for the sins you committed up to that point, or for all the sins of your entire life?

Initially? Yes, it was past sins for which we were forgiven when we came to faith.

(Rom 3:25 KJV) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

But that is not the end of the story for those who continue in faith & repentance:

(Rom 3:26 KJV) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

(1 John 1:9 KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

[Mograce2U]

Well, that question can be answered simply. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, how many sins had you committed? Answer: None. Christ died for all our sins - past, present AND future.

God Bless.

Which is why we continue to avail ourselves of His mercy thru faith, knowing where our forgiveness is found.

(Heb 4:16 KJV) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

(Luke 18:13 KJV) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

[seamus414]

You are so right. Baptism never saved anyone.

God Bless.

Never said it did.

[seamus414]

That isn't the traditional Christian position - that's RCC doctrine - not believed on this Forum, which is Protestant.

First of all, baptism being the sign of a person entering the New Covenant is consistent with Calvinism (as far as I am aware of it) and, therefore, consistent with Protestant theology.

Secondly, as there is no evidence of anything other than my post being taught and believed by Christians for its first 1500 years, it is traditional among Christians.

[Bryan43]

quick reply.. the answer is yes.

now for the why.

Not everyone who claims to be christian is saved. jesus himself said ther will be many who cry out that they did all kinds of things in his name. he will reply, depart for I NEVER KNEW YOU. these were not true believers. they thought they were saved. but into the lie. and were not saved.


as for one giving up his salvation and denying Christ.

John answered this in his 1st epistle

"they went out from us, BUT THEY WERE NEVER OF US.

Again. they were never saved. they just claimed to be christians. but truely their heart. they had no faith.

[crossnote]

Why should a sinner repent?

WHY SHOULD A SINNER GIVE UP ALL HIS SINS?
BECAUSE GOD DESERVES THE OBEDIENCE THAT HE DEMANDS !!!

Yes God deserves the obedience He demands...and praise God He provided His Son who yielded Himself in perfect obebedience to those demands!!

For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Christ) shall many be made righteous.
(Rom 5:19)

[Ron Brown]

Can a Christian go to Hell, yes.

Most who claim to be Christians are not saved, they just claim to be a Christian. Most who claim to be a Christian have never been saved, they are Christians in name alone, and on their way to Hell.

Claiming to be a Christian does not save any person, being one of God's elect by the drawing and then indwelling of the Holy Spirit is what saves a person. You can't come to Christ by saying a prayer, or being born into a Christian family, or by going to Church, for some examples. The only way to the Father is through the Son, and the only way to the Son is through the Holy Spirit. If your name is written in the Book of Life, it will never be erased.

[Nobunaga]

Yes God deserves the obedience He demands...and praise God He provided His Son who yielded Himself in perfect obebedience to those demands!!

For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Christ) shall many be made righteous.
(Rom 5:19)

...................... brother

[Sold Out]

Well, that question can be answered simply. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, how many sins had you committed? Answer: None. Christ died for all our sins - past, present AND future.

God Bless.

I agree with you...but I wanted the OP to answer the question so he could reason it for him/herself.

[9Marksfan]

quick reply.. the answer is yes.

now for the why.

Not everyone who claims to be christian is saved. jesus himself said ther will be many who cry out that they did all kinds of things in his name. he will reply, depart for I NEVER KNEW YOU. these were not true believers. they thought they were saved. but into the lie. and were not saved.


as for one giving up his salvation and denying Christ.

John answered this in his 1st epistle

"they went out from us, BUT THEY WERE NEVER OF US.

Again. they were never saved. they just claimed to be christians. but truely their heart. they had no faith.

I completely agree - but the OP's point is - can a TRUE Christian go to Hell?

[9Marksfan]

Can a Christian go to Hell, yes.

Most who claim to be Christians are not saved, they just claim to be a Christian. Most who claim to be a Christian have never been saved, they are Christians in name alone, and on their way to Hell.

Claiming to be a Christian does not save any person, being one of God's elect by the drawing and then indwelling of the Holy Spirit is what saves a person. You can't come to Christ by saying a prayer, or being born into a Christian family, or by going to Church, for some examples. The only way to the Father is through the Son, and the only way to the Son is through the Holy Spirit. If your name is written in the Book of Life, it will never be erased.

As with Bryan43, I agree - but what would you call those whose names are written in the Book of Life, if not "Christians"?!?

[Ron Brown]

As with Bryan43, I agree - but what would you call those whose names are written in the Book of Life, if not "Christians"?!?

Most religious people in the USA call themselves Christians, but the word Christian in the 21st century does not describe a true Christian, because the word Christian is thrown around very lightly today. Everybody in their gord claims to be Christian these days, because they go to church, or were born to Catholic parents, or were made to go to church as a child, etc.......................................but their names are not written in the Book of Life, because they were never born from above through Christ.

We need a new word to describe "TRUE" Christians? But what? I like Born from above Christian myself.

[Mograce2U]

Most religious people in the USA call themselves Christians, but the word Christian in the 21st century does not describe a true Christian, because the word Christian is thrown around very lightly today. Everybody in their gord claims to be Christian these days, because they go to church, or were born to Catholic parents, or were made to go to church as a child, etc.......................................but their names are not written in the Book of Life, because they were never born from above through Christ.

We need a new word to describe "TRUE" Christians? But what? I like Born from above Christian myself.

(Rom 9:16 KJV) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

Everybody seems to forget this part - the evidence of the Holy Spirit is that one has in fact received the mercy of God. And so often the "sinners prayer" you hear does not even make this request! It is always about us inviting Jesus, when it ought to be about asking Him to accept us.

[9Marksfan]

Most religious people in the USA call themselves Christians, but the word Christian in the 21st century does not describe a true Christian, because the word Christian is thrown around very lightly today. Everybody in their gord claims to be Christian these days, because they go to church, or were born to Catholic parents, or were made to go to church as a child, etc.......................................but their names are not written in the Book of Life, because they were never born from above through Christ.

We need a new word to describe "TRUE" Christians? But what? I like Born from above Christian myself.

Yep - pretty accurate - interestingly, in Middle Eastern countries (that have an even worse time with the name "Christian" than we do), they call believers just that - "believers" - I think that's pretty good!

The problem with saying a Christian can go to Hell is that it actually teaches the OPOSITE of what you and I believe about the perseverance of the saints! Hey - maybe that's what we should call oursleves - saints!