Narcissus said:
I am aware of that Christianity (or rather, the Lutheran version to which I am accustomed to) requires that you accept Jesus Christ as your savior in heart and mouth (rough translation from Swedish, I'm not aware of the precise English wording). My question is basically this: as all men are sinners, does that mean that for instance a Muslim man who has committed as few sins as are humanly possible, but without accepting Christ as his savior, will be punished at judgment day whereas a Christian with far more sins on his conscious will enter the gates of paradise if he repents, and accept Jesus as his savior?
Yes. Anyone who accepts the grace freely offered through Christ is longer regarded by God as a sinner, but as righteous, because Christ is righteous and our identity is in Him.
That is not to say that everyone who dies in their sins will suffer equally. The amount of suffering they endure will be proportional to their sinfulness:
[jesus]And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.[/jesus] Luke 12:47-48
You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters. Ezekiel 16:52
[jesus]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.[/jesus] Matthew 23:14
[jesus]Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.[/jesus] Mat. 11:21-24
In other words, are everyone required to repent in this life or is it possible to do so when you face your judgment?
Yes, everyone is required to make their decision in this life.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, Hebrews 9:27
If people could just choose to accept God's grace after they die, there wouldn't be the sense of urgency in spreading the Gospel that we find in Scripture:
For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:13-15
Is this what is holding you back? Do you reject the gospel which you are well aware of because of some hypothetical people who are not aware?
Wouldn't it be wiser to accept the gospel, and then get busy telling those who don't know about it?
