[shuttertalk]

... to someone (Christian) who just lost a loved one who was not a Christian? Apart from the appropriate condolences and all that, I think it would be very hard...

[peter]

hrmm thats a tough one ..some christians would take it harder then others ..caus eosme firmly beleive that you cant be saved igf you arent a chrisitian .. if thats the case.. you can urmm . .reaffirm them of gods kindness and that god love unconditionally.. and that ... it depends on how willing you are to talk about these things ..

[Rufus]

If that "loved one" was a man's wife, then she is covered by the man's belief. That is, as I understand the good book.
Other than that, well..... I cant help feeling a bit useless here. It is extremely difficult.
Let's not forget the "deathbed conversion". There's just no saying what went through the mind of the deceased just before death. It could have been repentance and faith.....
God WILL take those he chooses, no matter what their time and manner of death.

HTH.

[Rufus]

hrmm thats a tough one ..some christians would take it harder then others ..caus eosme firmly beleive that you cant be saved igf you arent a chrisitian .. .....snip....... ..

Peter? What exactly are you saying?

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except by ME"

[adam]

If that "loved one" was a man's wife, then she is covered by the man's belief. That is, as I understand the good book.
Other than that, well..... I cant help feeling a bit useless here. It is extremely difficult.
Let's not forget the "deathbed conversion". There's just no saying what went through the mind of the deceased just before death. It could have been repentance and faith.....
God WILL take those he chooses, no matter what their time and manner of death.

HTH.

I don't believe that you can be covered by someone else's faith if you are related to them. I believe that it's an individual thing, that is, your relationship with God. I may have misinterpreted that though, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father EXCEPT through him; not through knowing someone who knows him.

I agree that comforting someone is difficult, You never know what was going through their mind as they died, they could have accepted Christ, so we will never be certain, and so, I would try to avoid saying things like "He's in heaven now", he may not be, he might be; even if that is a phrase used to comfort people, we aren't certain about it, it's not for us to decide, and if we're telling something that isn't true, then, would that be a lie?

That brings me back to talking about cameras again,I feel that I do this a lot, I don't fully understand something, yet, I try to make sense of it and may be can even answer some questions, but no one really understands a topic in full, maybe some better than others. If I tell them something in the way that I understand it, but it is not correct, am I lying? Could this be related to bearing false witness? I better stop here before I go even more off topic

[lemangoholic]

I kinda agree with adam... no one is can be covered by someone else's faith... Eg. Just because you were born and raised in a Christian family... or you were baptised when you were a baby... that doesn't mean that you are a born again christian.

I once heard this analogy... just because you were born in McDonald... that doesn't make you a burger... thought it was quite cute when I heard it...

[lemangoholic]

As for ST's question I reckon it's tough to offer any words of comfort apart from the appropriate condolences...

But you can always pray for comfort from God... who is our strength and shelter in times of trouble.

[peter]

Peter? What exactly are you saying?

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except by ME"

Yeah of course i know thta it is abbsolute..
just saying that it might help console the person a bit better ~_~ .. .
but i guess that would be lying ..

hrmmm .. i guess it is a tough situation ...
paying for that persons soul is pretty much all you could do now .. dunno if it woudld help tho ..

[Rufus]

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Eph 5:28 So men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your household.

[adam]

look at couple verses down...
Acts 16:33 ....then he and his entire family were baptised without delay

Interesting discussion;
If it were that way, that only the head of the household needed to be saved, then there would be no need trying to get your family members to accept Christ, as they would be under the household?

[Rufus]

Let's not forget though, that a "household" is only the husband, wife, and children who are below the age at which they make their own decisions, (13 I think). So beyond that, it is only the couple. After all, how could they be " of one flesh" yet go different ways?
Somewhere, in the OT, is a reference to the household including "stock" ie, cattle and sheep!!!
I'm not suggesting FOR A SECOND, that it is acceptable to allow a husband to be comfortable with his wife in disbelief, nor am I saying that I think that wife should be comfortable in her disbelief, no. What I am saying though, is as I already stated.

But.......

I was wrong once.....A long time ago, before I became the fount of all knowledge

[peter]

I was wrong once.....Along time ago, before I became the fount of all knowledge

looks llike i have someone to ask when i feel like enquiring about something ...

[Rufus]

Yes. All my answers will be correct, apart from the ones which are wrong!

[shuttertalk]

Gee, thanks for all the responses! It's can be really hard being truthful and sensitive at the same time... or maybe just try to dodge the issue...

[adam]

heheh, okay
I think I see what you mean Rufus

[peter]

Yes. All my answers will be correct, apart from the ones which are wrong!

*Walks into a wall while thinking about the concept*