A question for Christians- If you are a good person, but not a Christian, do you go to heaven or hell?

Question

I am not trying to start a big fight, so please no mean or negative responses.

In Christianity, they teach that if you accept Jesus as your savior, you will be accepted into heaven, no matter what your background is (ie- if you were a murderer, but you apologized and took up Christianity, you would still get into heaven). On the other hand, if you are a good person and you commit relatively few sins under the Christian teachings, but you do not believe that Jesus is the son of God, then you will go to hell.

Do you believe this to be true or do you believe in something different?

Just for clarification, I'm not a Christian, so I don't personally believe this to be true. It is just something that I have been confused about for a long time and I was looking for opinions/good explanations for it.

Just as another clarification, I'm not asking this because I'm worried about going to hell. I personally don't think that hell exists.

But, like I said before, I am trying to understand this belief. It doesn't make very much sense to me. How can people who use their lives to do good things be sent to hell while people who do attrocious acts in their lives go to heaven, all just on the basis of a belief? I am looking for your opinions on this. Thanks.

Just as more clarification, I didn't say that I don't believe in God.

It is not a contradiction to ask this question. I am trying to understand a belief, not to sway anyone's opinion.

I want opinions on this, not quoted theology. I want your personal opinion on it.

Answer 1

I like your question so much. Thank you for asking this question...!

Well First thing is nobody is good and perfect but again thats what the difference between we people and the GOD.

The second thing is If the person is good and trying to live as good person. Then he is already in heaven. And he will go in heaven no matter if he accept Jesus as his "Savior" or not. Currently I have seen many peoples who are making money on the name of JESUS. They are trying to divert the people in wrong way for their own benifits. They are telling them self as "Christians"!!! But I belive that Christians means what? Christians means follower of Christ is it correct? Every Christians read the Holy Bible. Every sunday and the day of service in the Church they read bible hours and hours. But who really trying to think and follow the way of Jesus.?? Jesus lived for others, for society, he tried to feed the people, helped the poor people, helped the sick people. I am born by Hindu, from India. I been going in Church but after that I noticed. They not even talk or think in the church that ok, lets do something towards this poverty out of this multimillions dollars funds of the Church. Lets try to help give the job who really needs. Lets try to find the people who are hospitalised and needy and ask them what they needs and spend our fund for them. To accept by MOUTH that Jesus is my SAVIOR will lead u to heaven? That means you just accept one sentence? thats it?

But a person who is really trying to live good way, he alrady accepted Jesus by heart, just may not be accepted by mouth. So he will go to heaven before all above people I described.

And not only that I guess Jesus is smiling by watching these church meetings, ARRANGED prayers, services and he is thinking that THESE ALL MY CHRISTIANS WHO ARE SO PERFECT IN SERVICE IN CHURCH JUST FORGOT WHAT I DID IN MY LIFE.

So in short, Good person will go to heaven that is no doubt and the people will get shock when JESUS HIM SELF PULL HIS HAND TO TAKE HIM INTO HEAVEN.

Thanks.

P.S. Please dont take this as wrong. This is what the reality is. I belive in Jesus but it gives pain more when we all forgot that how he lived? and What he did when he was here?

Answer 2

First of all there is no such thing as a "good person" sure we may have some moral values but we are all sinners, our hearts are full of evil and we have evil thoughts, sure there are some good thoughts too. But the point is being "good" does not make up for all the evil things we do. Gods word says Sin is Sin, no one sin is better or worse than another. You break one command you are guilty of breaking it all. Here is the thing WITHOUT THE HELP OF GOD...NO MAN and or woman can live a holy life. That is why we need a savior to begin with because he was God in the flesh and never sinned...he died in our place..For the wages of Sin is death ,but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus! Hope this helps clear things up a little.

Answer 3

First of all, you do not get into Heaven for being good. You have to accept Jesus as your personal savior and live a Christian life. Also, I personally do not believe " once saved always saved". If you were saved at the age of 6 and for the rest of your life you don't live like a Christian and you commit murder and sin all the time and always do bad things- I do not believe you will be allowed into Heaven either. When you arrive at the gates of Heaven you have to be accountable for all your sins. To be saved means to live a Christ like life and that does not mean to commit all these horrible sins. Yes, you will sin and yes you can ask forgiveness and you should. But like I said before- if you were saved young and then lead a horrible life and die before you could or did ask forgiveness, then you were not forgiven.

Answer 4

John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

There it is right there. Christians get to heaven because of the Grace of God. It's that simple. There's no way we can get there on our own. So, simply put, the only way one will end up in heaven is if they accept Jesus as their Savior. Go and talk to a Christian pastor about this, and they will explain it more. God bless!

Answer 5

Think about it this way.

God created man. Many live before Jesus, so they go to Hell. Then God makes One Perfect Persn, sends Him to Earth to die an absolutely barbaric death--and if you don't follow Him, you go to Hell.
You can be the best Samaritan ever to walk the Earth, donating al your time and money and heart to humanity and other living craetures, but if you don't believe that Jesus is your saviour, to Hell you go.

But then there is Hitler who WAS, contrary to popular opinion, a Chrisitan, and he's going to Heaven.

All this because some little book. Does that mean that Cinderella is real, or Beowulf, or the Egyptian Book of the Dead? Why does the Bible have so much more credence? Because Christians say so?

I. Don't. Think. So.

Quite trying to prove things using the Bible. For us non-Christians, quoting the Bible is like quoting a Greek parable--mildly interesing, greatly annoying, and totally irrelevant. I think people quote the Bible so they don't have to learn the facts about certain aspects of society and life.

Check out Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsh. I find it to be one of the best "Bibles" (meaning religious texts) available beacuse it is non-judgemental, all-loving and abasolutely certan that God loves EVERYONE

Answer 6

This is a reason Islam is so appealing to many. It teaches that Islam is the religion of truth, yet Muslims are not the only ones in Heaven. Christians and Jews who follow the teachings of the books sent down can also have a place in Heaven. For example, a Muslim by name who murders, steals, commits adultery, etc. is worse of a human being than a very good Christian who does his/her utmost best to follow the religion and be kind to other humans. God knows best. Our goal is to find the truth and to do our best.

But, you won't get that from many Christians on here. Many will tell you that just because they say that Jesus is their saviour that they are automatically guaranteed a place in Heaven. Since when did we get anything free in this life? Why would we get the ultimate reward of Heaven for free? Islam teaches that God judges you for your actions, that there is no salvation without being a good human being.

Answer 7

Well I am a person who believes in Jesus Christ being the Savior of all mankind. He is the judge of where people go in the end. Live a good life to the best of your knowledge and hopefully you'll find the truth...check this site out literally and take some time looking around and see how you feel about your question...if you want. I am not going to answer your question you will :)

Answer 8

Our God is a loving God. There is so much we do not know... BUT one thing is for sure... YOU must accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior if you want to go to heaven. Those that have not heard, have not had the chance to choose so they are not going to hell. Repent (ask forgiveness for your sins) and ask Jesus into your heart... that is all you need to do...then try your hardest to follow the commandments and do what you can to live a righteous life. We are not perfect and God is a loving, forgiving, just God.

Answer 9

Christians believe that you are saved by believing that Jesus Christ is the Savior for their sins and that they ask forgiveness for those sins. For your example of a murderer, they would have to ask forgiveness with a pure heart. They have to truly mean that they want forgiveness.
The only thing I know of that comes close to an explanation in the bible is that there is a story of a Father and two brothers. One brother runs off when he is young while the other stays and continues tending to the fields for his Father. Several years later, the first son returns. The Father has a feast for him and both sons are given equal parts of his estate. It is ultimately the Fathers decision as to where his estate goes. Meaning that it isn't necessarily about "fairness" but about God's (Father's) will as to what should happen. But, also, in my opinion, whatever does go on in the afterlife.. I believe that we have a loving God that does have "fairness" in mind, but to go to heaven... you have to believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and ask for giveness. You said you don't understand why Christians believe this. It is written in the bible and Christians believe in the bible as the ultimate source of what is the truth. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."

Answer 10

to get into heaven, you have to be perfect. if you commit one sin your whole life and all you do is wish you had your neighbors boat, you are not perfect. God does not care how imperfect you are. There are no F-'s and F+'s, just pass or fail. since "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," how, then , does one reach heaven? Well that's where Jesus comes into the picture. you might be familiar with john 3:16 - for god so lived the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. that pretty much sums it all up. Jesus lived a perfect life,; and when i say perfect, i mean not even one sin, however big or small. he then gave himself up in love for us. he was ridiculed, beaten and was killed. he rose again on the third day. in doing this, he washed us from our sins that we may be perfect in Gods eyes. We need only to come to Him, accept his saving truth and ask for forgiveness.

Answer 11

If your not a believer in Jesus as your savior then you arn`t going to Heaven or should say be in Heaven..If your a good person and live good but still don`t believe in God then when you die your life is over when you die.gone for ever.Good people don`t go to hell.Hell is for evil.Hell will also be thrown in the lakeof fire and will burn for ever.That doesn`t mean forever literaly it means thats the end.period.