Is it right at the funeral to say he will be in peace in Gods arms? I should add that my belief is that if you die in sin you go to hell.
As this group is for pastors, it highlights the difficult position when faced with a death in the family to lie. Trust me I understand this pressure to say everyone unrepentant mass murders included, all go to heaven. Maybe I should say just, all those who have never been saved and those who have backsliden.
I am not addressing the OSAS issue and if that is your position then just read this as, should we say that the lost all go to heaven at a funeral?
Some including myself see this as an opportunity to evangelise.
What is our job, before God in this situation? This is obviously opposed to what is our job that is often expected by the community?
An argument could be put with regard to timing in telling the truth of Gods righteousness, although I might not agree in all instances, does this then extend to saying to the lost you dont need to be born again to get to heaven? This, to me, is like a pastor opening the doors to hell himself.
Hypergrace and greasy grace is sweeping your nation as it is mine, but if you have not come under this deception then we are faced with what we do and say in such times.
By Oskar Abley-Healthcare business consultant
If the young person was saved, then that person is with out Lord in heaven. If you sin then get hit by a car the next minute but you have been saved, that does not mean you will go to hell, unless you have never been saved–meaning having made a profession of faith and repented in sorrow for past sins. But we all have sinned and fallen short. So, we cannot say that someone who dies would ever die without some kind of sin. But we should try to help a Christian brother or sister who is in constant sin and try to bring him or her back to following the right path so they can enjoy a happy life and fellowship with the Lord and other believers. Also believers who continue going against God’s directives are giving the Lord a bad name among those who have not believed or do not believe and thus call believers hypocrites; and this may cause unbelievers to not beiieve. Also, someone who purposely continues to grieve the Holy Spirit is in a lot of trouble, if they know they are doing this and just don’t care. But the Lord will deal with them if they are a believer because He has told us in Scripture that he will discipline his sons (and by extension daughters) because He is a good Father. And of course we should always speak the truth in love…and we cannot say that someone who is a believer and died from a drug overdose is not in heaven since this may not be true. If the person is a believer and was misled or stumbled, this does not mean they are not with the Lord when they die suddenly. Who are we to judge this person? The Lord knows if the person knew Him or not. We are not his or her judge and I know that if the person made a mistake and he or she is a believer, then they are the Lord’s but the Bible says there is a sin unto death–meaning if we continue to sin as believers we may end up dying–but the only unpardonable sin according to Scripture is denial of Jesus as the Son of God. If a believer continues in sin, this will just make the believer’s life harder and may interfere with their fellowship with other believers and with the Lord. But we believers must help them and we must make sure we don’t get caught up in the same things that have trapped them.
I intended first sentence to say: “If the young person was saved, then that person is with our Lord in heaven.” I apologize for the mistake (typo) and hope my meaning was understood or will be understood correctly. Basically if you are a believer, don’t continue in sin and you will have a much happier life of fellowship and walking with the Lord in fellowship with other believers. You will miss this if you continue in sin and your life more difficult and it will do no good for you or for others. But this does not mean you will go to hell. But if you repent you will restore full fellowship and joy. “For all have sinned and fallen short….” but Jesus is and always will be the Mediator for our sin as believers. But we should be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit because He is our Helper and Comforter and He is Holy as our Father is Holy and we will be in misery as believers if we continue in sin.