re questions from a newbie the concept of god as a teacher is indeed interesting does he grade on a curve does he cheat that is interesting not to mention thought provoking my own concept is that he is a father and we are his children in that he loves us with a love that we can never understand until we are with him the bible says that he looks on the heart as the final measure from that perspective in a grading context the heart is the final test specifically most christians would agree that there is only one heaven and one hell from that perspective it is heaven or hell you either go to one or the other the grading on a pass fail basis is done by god the father with intervention by jesus the son not by others for only god sees the heart the bible says of the heart who can know it i would say there has always been and always be an unchanging method that is what makes a relationship with christ so secure in an uncertain and ever changing landscape he is always the same yesterday today and tomorrow concerning whether or not our childhoods are considerd as part of the test my own conviction is no were that the case i certainly wouldn t be going to heaven the bible speaks very plainly about the love and care jesus had for and about children the reality is that we are all children some of us just have bigger bodies and grey hair but the father our father is always there like most fathers he wants only the best for his own there maybe decipline but there is more love it s sometimes looks like christianity is a test to see who makes it and who doesn t those who do pass heaven and those who don t go to the other place but it is really much more than that there are few experts most of us are just travelers looking for the light and the way home praying that we can bring others with us
