Dear Patti C:

I’m sorry to hear about your sister’s passing and not knowing whether or not she ever made a profession of faith.  Don’t give up hope for your sister.  After Christ’s millennial reign, all of those who did not take part in the 1st resurrection, will be resurrected in the 2nd one, at the Great White Throne Judgment.  The book of life is opened and the dead are judged by their works.  Revelation 20:15 indicates that there will still be people who are written in the book of life at this time.  It is my hope that these people (the ones who are written in the book of life) will also include people who died before the millennial reign.  Keep in mind that God is merciful.

I have a younger sister that did make a profession of faith, after I had, when I was 13 years old.  We were baptized at the same time.  I’m not sure that she was ever really saved, because she has not lived the life of a Christian; far from it.  My fear is that she may have been pushed into being baptized by my stepmother or that maybe she wanted to do it just because I was.  It is not for me to judge whether or not my sister will go to heaven or hell.  I only know the things that I see in her and the things that I don’t see in her and I greatly fear what might happen to her.  I won’t go into detail about the situation, but I can tell you it has really been bad; especially the last couple of years, and I’m heartbroken over it on a daily basis.  

About a year ago, I had talked to my mother over the phone, and she told me about some new bad things that my sister had done and also my sister’s 17 year old daughter.  After our conversation, I tried to busy myself with house work, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  I was sweeping the dining room and talking to God at the same time, asking “what is going to happen next” and “what can I do about this” and asking the Lord to please take care of this.  Then, I heard a man’s voice in my mind that said, “If they are not saved, you will have no memory of them”.

These following verses are what I have to keep in mind, at least for the time being.  I still have hope that she will straighten up.

Isaiah 65:17  For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
http://bible.cc/isaiah/65-17.htm

Revelation 7:17  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
http://kingjbible.com/revelation/7.htm

Revelation 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
http://bible.cc/revelation/21-4.htm


I hope the following verses in Revelation 20 will give you comfort.

Revelation 20
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and  another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
http://kingjbible.com/revelation/20.htm

Your Friend In Christ,
Kimberly