Will We See Them In Heaven?

[Guest]

I met a lady today who opened an opportunity for me to witness to her. I had just told her I was retired from the Navy. She said something about the world and the Navy (I don't remember exactly what). I told her they don't like me. She said, "No one in the Navy likes you?" I said no, I have friends from the Navy but, the world doesn't like me because I'm a Christian. I asked if she was a Christian and had she received Christ as her personal Savior. She said, Oh yes, and began to tell me about receiving Jesus and being saved through the witness of her sister. She explained she was a Catholic, had gone to many different churches after being saved but, had recently returned to the Catholic Church. She said she attended Pentecostal, 'Quiet Baptist', 'Loud Baptist', Methodist, and others but finally settled back into the Catholic Church. She told me the Catholic Church was so much more worshipful.

 

I then questioned her at length about the teachings of the Catholic Church and their sacrament requirements. She agreed there were many things the Catholic Church required for membership in the Catholic Church. I asked her if she understood that salvation is through faith by grace in Christ alone and she said yes. Further, I asked if she understood no works can be added to faith in Christ. Again she said yes, she understands. She then said she is trusting Jesus Christ for her salvation. I asked her what the sister had told her concerning salvation. She said her sister showed her in the Bible how you must have faith in Jesus Christ to be saved. 

 

I have to believe the woman is saved and she will one day be in heaven with the rest of us who have received Christ as our Savior. I didn't have the opportunity to speak further with her. I don't understand it but I'll leave it to the Lord.

 

 

[Covenanter]

I'm sure there are many confused believers out there, in all denominations (including RC & IFB) who yet believe Jesus is Lord, God & Saviour. She may not understand the RC theology of the Mass, with transubstantiation, etc. Many people of other religions (& denominations) have a vague idea, but accept that they are of their family religion without clear theology.

 

It seems she has accepted the true Gospel in spite of her RC attendance. Your witnessing may may her thnk again.

[2bLikeJesus]

I just recently posted my salvation testimony on this site, and as you will read in it, when I was led to the Lord I was not discipled in any way and it was years before I found an IFB church.  Was I not saved before I found out that I was Baptist?  Of course not, I was simply a baby Christian and still ignorant of much of God's word.  At this stage in my life, I no longer consider myself a baby Christian, and it is hard for me to imagine being comfortable sitting in a RCC service.  The Holy Spirit would be having a fit inside of me, and I am tuned into His leading enough now that I would not be comfortable at all.  By your account, I will hope that she is just like I was in my early years as a Christian, saved but ignorant about the word of God.  

[John81]

From my experience with such I would have to agree there are those who are saved but remain babes in the faith and live as such. Scripture says there will be some who basically just barely make it into heaven; in that they are saved but nothing beyond that as what they did with their lives is burned up.

 

As Bro Garry mentioned about when he was saved he received no discipleship. The same was true in my case as well. It wasn't until some time later that the Lord brought a good friend into my life who helped disciple me, introduced me to his fine Baptist pastor, and it was at that point I really started to grow in Christ.

 

I think if a person really has a heartfelt desire to learn of the Lord and grow in Christ, the Lord will bring such about. In my own case, I know I hungered for growth in Christ, and I tried on my own, but it was the Lord working things together that made it happen.

 

For some people, they don't have that hunger or desire, which is why they seem content in their wayward churches and their minimal Christian life.