FAQ from student: What about people who believe in a different religion but are great people - would God really send them to hell for believing something different, even though they might be a better person than me?

Tough question. Not an easy one to answer, and one that has been batted around for hundreds of years...

Let's start with God.

If God is God and has been there since before the beginning, and he is real, and he is perfect and holy, then what you or I, or anyone else believes about him, really makes no difference to what really is. (When I'm looking at a traffic light, the stop light is red, regardless of whether or not I believe it's red or say it's red... it's red. Even if I'm colourblind and see it as green, that doesn't make it green... it's red. I'm colourblind.)

God is God. Who I say he is and what I believe about him is makes no difference to who he really is. That is based on what he has revealed about himself. As Christians, we believe that God is One and that he has revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is God, then to turn away from that truth and not follow him would be turning away from God. That is the light we have been given.

To someone who hasn't been given that light (who hasn't had the opportunity to hear of Jesus, has been raised in another culture that has never received the gospel ro has never come in contact with Christianity) God says in his Word that we are all accountable for the light we have been given. God has placed in every human a conscience to determine right from wrong and a desire to seek truth (which is really a desire to seek him). They are accountable to pursue right over wrong and truth over falsehood. God will lead them toward the truth.

Which brings us to those who follow Jesus. Not only are we accountable for the light we have received to follow Jesus and pursue a godly life, but we are also called to be light in a dark world - to help shed God's light to those who are seeking truth. And we need to do that by more than just ramming the Bible down some unsuspecting person's throat. Our lives should reflect his character as God has placed his Spirit within us. He will draw people to himself as they seek truth, which means they may be drawn to you, might ask you questions about your life and/or faith. And we need to be ready. God has placed you where you are for a purpose.

The bottom line is that it is God who judges and decides, not you or me. And he judges fairly and justly. And we need to trust him in that as well.

Check out these passages from God's own Word:

John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Romans 2:12-16 - "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For itis not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."