Surprised, I'm Sure We'd Be
Should we find ourselves in Heaven, surprised I’m sure we’d be
To find amongst the saved ones some we thought we’d never see.
Yes, should we get to Heaven, and there cast our eyes around,
Let me tell you who I think within Heaven would be found.
We’d see Catholics, Baptists, Methodists and Anglicans,
Jews, Seventh-day Adventists, Quakers, Presbyterians.
We’d see Mennonites and Hindus, Mormons and Brethren,
Jehovah Witnesses, Buddhists, Muslims and Lutheran.
Yes, in Heaven we’d see people from every denomination,
From every religion and race, for all are God’s creation.
There’d be Christian and non-Christian, for our God who reigns on high,
The clear conscience, and Christ-like heart, would hardly Heaven deny.
There’d be those who once told lies, who defrauded and deceived,
Those who once were murderers, or cunningly evil weaved.
There’d be those who once were cruel, and who violently abused,
Those who raped, stole, and plundered, or others just wrongly used.
There’d be those who once plied drugs, or grew rich from prostitution,
Those who acted wickedly hiding behind an institution.
There’d be those who used to curse, or fed on immorality,
Those who once were blasphemous, those against Christianity.
Oh yes, our God loves sinners, and past sinners there will be
Residing in His kingdom, living righteously and sin-free.
These sinners that God receives, are sinners who repented,
Not those who kept rebelling, and thus their fate cemented.
Yes, surprised by some we’d see, I’m most sure we would be,
Were we sharing God’s kingdom with some we didn’t think we’d see.
But would those very people, that we’d be surprised to greet,
Be just as surprised as us, if you and I, they chanced to meet?
By Lance Landall
Regarding non-Christians
Romans 2:14-16
“When Gentiles [pagans], who do not possess the law [the written revealed code], DO INSTINCTIVELY [according to the promptings of conscience spontaneously] WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES [principles of the moral law], THESE, THOUGH NOT HAVING THE LAW, ARE A LAW TO THEMSELVES [the need and the impulse to do good that exist in the reason and conscience are, in a sense, a standard and law to each man]. THEY SHOW THAT WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES [the conduct the law demands (James 2:12)] IS WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS [wherever there is an impulse of love and sympathy, there is revealed the working of God’s Holy Spirit], to which their own conscience [acts according to the light it has] also bears witness [some awareness of the will of God]; and their conflicting thoughts [hidden things (Eccl 12:14; 2 Cor 10:5; Matt 5:28)] WILL ACCUSE OR PERHAPS EXCUSE them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge [the judgment (Dan 7:9,10; Rev 20:11,12)] the secret thoughts of all.”
“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ” (Rom 2:14-16, NASB).