5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

I have a friend who unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago.  He collapsed, went into a seizure, had a heart attack, and finally entered a coma -- all within minutes.  This was all due to a brainstem leak which was inoperable.  He had no brain or body organ activity.  He was taken off life support after four days.

He was not a christian as far as I know.  He was involved in sin (living with his girlfriend who is currently pregnant, drinking, cussing, etc., and his girlfriend is married to another man… although I'm not sure if he knew this as this was a new relationship for him, and it's all come out since his passing) when he passed away.

My question is: do you think he had a chance to make it to heaven?

We on the outside look at collapsing as happening within a second or two; although, people that talk about death experiences, talk about "their life flashing before their eyes."  Do you think, by chance, in the person’s mind as they are dying everything becomes slow motion?  Although, we looking from the outside look at it as a second or two?  That God allows their mind enough time to repent when we don't see that time?  What about being in a coma?  Could that be their moment?  As far as I know, doctors don't really know what's going on inside you while in a coma.

I hope this makes sense.  I am broken because, as a christian, I know what the Bible says about going to heaven, but I also know God doesn't want anyone to perish, and He is a God full of grace and many chances.  I don't believe the Bible says anything about this subject (or does it?), but what are your thoughts?  Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Clinging To Hope

Dear Clinging To Hope,

There is absolutely no way to tell what happens in someone’s mind in the last moments near death.  What we can tell you is that God doesn’t make mistakes.  We can find comfort that God doesn’t desire anyone to perish, but for all of us to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9).  Anyone that goes to hell will go there because they chose to be there in spite of God reaching out to them throughout life.  No one accidentally ends up in hell, and no one accidentally ends up in heaven.  Our lives dictate our eternal future.  We can’t tell you the eternal future of your friend – Christ is the judge of the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1).  We can tell you that we are so very sorry for your loss and that a sudden death is extremely painful.  Our prayers are with you in this time of grief.  We can also tell you that the only way to know for sure that we are going to heaven is to do what God says it takes to get there.  Read our article “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” for yourself, and then decide for yourself where you feel your friend stands in relation to the Bible’s teachings.  Ultimately, God doesn’t make mistakes – if your friend is meant to be in heaven, he will be.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

(This is a follow-up to “Destructive Force”)

Thanks for the answer about Exodus 12:23.  On this same Scripture, suppose that for whatever reason an Israelite doesn't or forgets to smear the blood of the lamb on the top and sides of their doorways.  Because of this, even though he or she is an Israelite, will he or she still suffer the plague sent by Jehovah?

Sincerely,
Friend Or Foe?

Dear Friend Or Foe,

Yes, if an Israelite didn’t obey God’s command to put the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel, they would have lost their firstborn son to the plague.  This is a great example of what faith really is.  As James says, faith without works is dead (Jas 2:17).  If an Israelite believed that the plague was coming, but didn’t work (i.e. place the blood around the door) to prepare for the plague, that belief wouldn’t save them.  Working faith is biblical faith.  It isn’t enough to just believe in God (even the demons believe – Jas 2:19).  We must act upon that belief in order to be saved.  God’s salvation is a gift that can’t be earned, but it is also a gift that we must respond to.  We are called to hear and do what the Word says (Jas 1:22).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom