Does strength of faith determine your place in heaven?

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Stuart

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If you are not as learnered about the bible or proficient in the word, does that determine your place in heaven? will i get judge for weakness of faith,

I feel like i have strong faith but i am not as proficient as others, i havent read the bible fully, so i think maybe i will be judged for that :( it is something i want to improve, i would like to read the bible before i die but i am very slow :(
 

Pearl

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If you are not as learnered about the bible or proficient in the word, does that determine your place in heaven? will i get judge for weakness of faith,

I feel like i have strong faith but i am not as proficient as others, i havent read the bible fully, so i think maybe i will be judged for that :( it is something i want to improve, i would like to read the bible before i die but i am very slow :(

God doesn't love you less because you haven't read the bible as often as others. To some people the bible is a god. Concentrate on your relationship.
 

Addy

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If you are not as learnered about the bible or proficient in the word, does that determine your place in heaven? will i get judge for weakness of faith,

I feel like i have strong faith but i am not as proficient as others, i havent read the bible fully, so i think maybe i will be judged for that :( it is something i want to improve, i would like to read the bible before i die but i am very slow :(

Dear Stuart ( and Trevor the tree )...
Some of us have been very busy simply trying to SURVIVE the traumas that have occurred in our lives... and have not had the time or energy to delve into the entire Word of God. However... within that reality... GOD Himself shows up to meet with us... to comfort us... to heal us and to redeem us... until such a time as we are "going to be ok"... That has been my experience... I am now at a place where I can actually begin reading things in the bible. Be patient... don't worry... and just keep up your communication with FATHER... HE has promised to finish within you what HE has begun... and you can take that to the BANK... HE loves you... He is for you... and HE sings over you with JOY.
 

mjrhealth

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If you are not as learnered about the bible or proficient in the word, does that determine your place in heaven? will i get judge for weakness of faith,

I feel like i have strong faith but i am not as proficient as others, i havent read the bible fully, so i think maybe i will be judged for that :( it is something i want to improve, i would like to read the bible before i die but i am very slow :(
Why do we think thii is high school, that God is going to ask you ten questions about the bible and pass is 80% if you fail you dont get in.. Knowing the bible adds nothing but an excuse to boast, our salvation is in Christ and we can only know Him by Him, that is not an option, talk to Him He is a far better and more patient teacher, and He has plenty of time few bother to ask Him anything.
 

Stuart

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I was told i will not be Judged before God, I was told i would have a place in heaven but what if they are wrong?
 

Pearl

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I was told i will not be Judged before God, I was told i would have a place in heaven but what if they are wrong?
Who the heck told you that? Your place in heaven does not depend on how much of the bible you have read but on your heart, on your relationship with Jesus. If you are re-born spiritually then you are a son and heir and your place in heaven is assured.
 

Stuart

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I still have doubts that i will get into heaven as i dont think i am good enough, i dont feel worthy enough, if i was a boat i'd have sunk a long time ago :(
 

Pearl

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I still have doubts that i will get into heaven as i dont think i am good enough, i dont feel worthy enough, if i was a boat i'd have sunk a long time ago :(

@Stuart You are not good enough. None of us are.

So Jesus paid the price for us - he ransomed us - with his blood. He bought us. He made us good enough. His blood washed our sin away. If you have been born again you are now in Christ and he is in you. That's what makes us acceptable to God.

It's not about how much we read our bibles; it's not about our knowledge of events in the bible. It's about our relationship with Jesus.

There are many people who will tell you lies about what makes you acceptable but if it's anything different from what I've just said ignore them because they are teaching a false gospel.
 
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Pearl

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@Stuart I always think that I have been blessed to have learned early on in my Christian life that my relationship with God depends more on who he is than who I am. Whatever I may think of myself I know he loves me, I know he has forgiven my sins – every last one – and that he is merciful, gracious and loving. Also I know that he delights in me and wants the best for me; that he doesn’t care if I am not beautiful or clever or if I have status or wealth. He loves me for who I am in him not for who I am in the world.
 

Addy

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I always think that I have been blessed to have learned early on in my Christian life that my relationship with God depends more on who he is than who I am. Whatever I may think of myself I know he loves me, I know he has forgiven my sins – every last one – and that he is merciful, gracious and loving. Also I know that he delights in me and wants the best for me; that he doesn’t care if I am not beautiful or clever or if I have status or wealth. He loves me for who I am in him not for who I am in the world.
THAT is the key to intimacy and sweet security... Being able to rest in the promise of His finished work on the Cross... AMEN
 

Prayer Warrior

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Hi, Stuart, I understand the pressure to read the Bible just for the sake of reading it, but when I read as the Holy Spirit leads, God’s word becomes food to me. Sometimes I chew on just a few words—the words I need to get me through the moment. Sometimes it’s part of a Psalm of David or words spoken by Jesus. I’m amazed at how the Holy Spirit ministers to me through the words He inspired men to write. I pray that you will be ministered to as you seek God through His word.
 

Addy

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Hi, Stuart, I understand the pressure to read the Bible just for the sake of reading it, but when I read as the Holy Spirit leads, God’s word becomes food to me. Sometimes I chew on just a few words—the words I need to get me through the moment. Sometimes it’s part of a Psalm of David or words spoken by Jesus. I’m amazed at how the Holy Spirit ministers to me through the words He inspired men to write. I pray that you will be ministered to as you seek God through His word.
Beautiful words of comfort... and hope.
 

Pearl

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Hi, Stuart, I understand the pressure to read the Bible just for the sake of reading it, but when I read as the Holy Spirit leads, God’s word becomes food to me. Sometimes I chew on just a few words—the words I need to get me through the moment. Sometimes it’s part of a Psalm of David or words spoken by Jesus. I’m amazed at how the Holy Spirit ministers to me through the words He inspired men to write. I pray that you will be ministered to as you seek God through His word.

That's like my experience. It isn't the bible as a whole that makes the difference in our lives, it's the individual verses that jump off the page and give us hope and direction, encouragement and inspiration. The bible is a library, a series of books. We wouldn't go into our town's library and start at one end and work through it. There are reading plans for reading the bible in a year but I find those big chunks too much and too boring. I read small portions each day and ask the Holy Spirit to show me things. Occasionally there is a wonderful response to something I'd been praying about but most times not. But it's still food. And because I've recently read something I can often quote it for it to bless someone else
 

Billy Evmur

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I still have doubts that i will get into heaven as i dont think i am good enough, i dont feel worthy enough, if i was a boat i'd have sunk a long time ago :(

We ALL would have sunk, whatever rewards or losses there may be we are all assured of our place in heaven. With God the least is the greatest, the weakest is the strongest and the most foolish the wisest.

...the more we receive and have in this time the more responsible we are and the harder the judgement.
 
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Hidden In Him

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I feel like i have strong faith but i am not as proficient as others, i havent read the bible fully, so i think maybe i will be judged for that :( it is something i want to improve, i would like to read the bible before i die but i am very slow :(

Not at all. There is a passage in Galatians that reads, "Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden." (Galatians 6:4-5)

What it means is that every person is born with different aptitudes. I am fairly strong in the word, but that doesn't mean I will be judged more favorably than you. All it means is that God will hold me accountable for the way He created me. We are all dealt a certain hand, and the way we will be judged is not in comparison with one another, but on the basis of how well we did with the hand we were dealt.

Now that having been said, you do want to do your best to study the Bible. It is His word that instructs and corrects, and protects you from deception while helping you to grow spiritually. But don't feel bad if you are "slow." For one thing it is NOT an easy book to follow. In some respects it is the one of the most complicated books on earth to accurately comprehend, while some passages are so simple even a child could comprehend them. But just pray to God that the Holy Spirit teach you what God means. If you do that, the Lord will increasingly open up the scriptures to you, and give you comprehension of all things.
 
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Stuart

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I read a little now and then but i feel i am not doing enough, i sometimes miss Church and forget about God a lot of the time, I try to live from his point of view though every action or choice i make i subconsciously ask myself 'is this ok with God?' i think about the bigger picture and God is at the forefront of my outlook on life. if i had more knowledge i'd be stronger in Christ but my memory is also poor. I'm not sure what is worse my I have a lot of improvement to make, it feels like i am at the foot of mountain at the moment that i need to climb and all i can really do is pray.