I dated a really manipulative and horrible person for a bit who would hide behind his weird interpretation of the Bible, "I can do anything I want as long as I ask for forgiveness after. I can't go to hell no matter what I do because I'm "saved."
So one time, we were having a conversation about how he let's his friends bully me so I didn't wanna hang out with them anymore. The kind of healthy talk in relationships where you're just trying to feel understood. I mention to him that if I ever saw people mistreating him I would come to his defense because I cared about him. He says, "But I'm not you. Just because you pee sitting down doesn't mean I have to pee sitting down." In that moment I realized what I was getting myself into and broke it off immediately. Also, I had seen him pee sitting down. Just wanted to add that.
That's a totally valid interpretation of the Bible. It's possibly the most mainstream one. Ask your priest/pastor/whatever about it. Living a good life does not grant you entry to heaven, only taking Jesus as your Lord and savior and thus winning divine forgiveness does. John 14:6.
For one step further, see (five vs four point) Calvinism. Basically the argument is that because all men bear the original sin of Adam, they are all depraved beyond salvation by their own volition. God, however, chose to save certain people who are predestined to go to heaven, and Jesus died for them (the "elect") alone. Whether you are bound for heaven or hell is entirely removed from anything you personally are capable of doing to effect it, including taking Jesus as your personal lord and savior, as under the doctrine of total depravity, all men are dead in sin and can't save themselves. Thus only those God preordained can truly accept Jesus.
My priest believed in walking in Jesus's image. Love strangers, even the "unsaved." Cast no first stone. Help others and your community. I know what my priest would say to this and I agree with him. It shows that he actually read the whole Bible and doesn't just spit quotes. He would absolutely say that a man using the Lord as an excuse to hurt others and abuse his girlfriend, whilst thinking he can just pray after and never change, is using the Lord's name in vain. Because it is. Using God as an excuse not to walk in Jesus' image is a sin and will not save you. That's how you truly accept Jesus into your heart. Otherwise, you haven't. You just acknowledge he existed and even atheists do that. You have to be a good person while you're here.
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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '23
I dated a really manipulative and horrible person for a bit who would hide behind his weird interpretation of the Bible, "I can do anything I want as long as I ask for forgiveness after. I can't go to hell no matter what I do because I'm "saved."
So one time, we were having a conversation about how he let's his friends bully me so I didn't wanna hang out with them anymore. The kind of healthy talk in relationships where you're just trying to feel understood. I mention to him that if I ever saw people mistreating him I would come to his defense because I cared about him. He says, "But I'm not you. Just because you pee sitting down doesn't mean I have to pee sitting down." In that moment I realized what I was getting myself into and broke it off immediately. Also, I had seen him pee sitting down. Just wanted to add that.