Why do I have to believe and worship christ to go to heaven? Please read extra section below?

Question

I believe in God, or a God.

I have been told on many occasions that if I dont believe and worship christ, then I will not be going to heaven.

If god is so nice and benevolent, why would he not allow all nice people to go to heaven. Instead it seems he will deny access to some good people, and allow some repentant sinners.

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT

Say I am (Im not) a tribesperson from another country that has not been exposed to the Bible or Jesus' teachings.

I may have lived a life holier than a westerner might seem possible.

If such a person dies, without having acknowledged or believed in Christ, then he will not go to heaven???

Is this God so nice and benevolent after all?

Answer 1

I like your q. it makes me think. I hope you find your answer. I just wanted to tell you I like your Q.
Thanx again

Answer 2

A nice atheist rejects God and Heaven. They will not go there. The bible states that Christ said, "I am the truth, the way, and the life. None comes to the Father save through me." Without accepting this one cannot enter Heaven.

Ok for your important bit. The rich man who asked Jesus what it takes to be saved has one example . Jesus told the man follow the commandments, the man replied I have all my life, Jesus told him to sell his possessions and to follow Jesus. The man wouldn't. The man had lived a good life in accordance with the things he "should do", but because he would not follow Christ and forsake his stuff he couldn't become one of Christ's followers. Another question that would need to be answered is had the tribesperson been told about Christ? If so, then he had to have made the choice to reject Christ, and thus reject God as well.

"Is this God so nice and benevolent after all?" Yes, he wants what is best for you. But remember he also views us as children , and what disservice do you do to a child without discplining them when they violate the rules you have set for them? When a child grows up with no consequences for their actions, they grow up without feeling the responsibility for them. Our society is rampant with problems stemming from this. The consequence for not following God's plan of salvation through Christ(action) is Hell(consequence).

NOTE: I am not advocating beating children. That is wrong. Children do need rules and consequences though.

Answer 3

It is not about your niceness, or Jesus did not have to die on the cross. Plus, when you really compare yourself to Jesus, like you should ( and not to bad people ), you will find that you are not that nice and good after all. All of us falls short from the glory of God, and we get saved only by His mercy. He died for all of our sins; what we have done, what we do a nd what we will do.

Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and no one will go to our Father's house except through Him.

I believe that all the people who have not been around the knowledge about Jesus, they will go to heaven anyway. I think htat we are going to be judged by the amount of oportunities and knowledge we had around.

Answer 4

First off, about the tribesman situation, God does not hold it against a person if they have not had the opportunity to learn about Christ. Now, if somebody has the opportunity to learn and know Him and they choose not to, then they will be held accountable. However, in the case of a tribesman who has not had the opportunity to know Christ, he still has the opportunity to go to heaven.

Now, as to the reason one must believe in Christ to go to heaven. The only reason we have the opportunity to go to heaven is because Christ died for our sins. Without His death, very few of us would be getting into heaven. You see, before Christ came, the ultimate power of sin and Satan was death, because after death, for virtually everybody, came hell. The three days between Christ's death and resurrection, He was in hell freeing those unjustly sent there. Christ rising from the dead destroyed the power of sin. Without this sacrifice, we would not go to heaven. We must accept that Christ is Lord and He is our gateway to heaven. If we don't accept what He did for us, then we believe that we are still unworthy of heaven. Just my two cents.

Answer 5

Everyone has sinned. Jesus died for our sins. Only His sacrifice can cleanse us from those sins in the sight of God the Father.

All people will be judged on their knowledge of what God has done for us. Just because someone does not know Christ does not remove the knowledge of a God who created everything around us. I don't know how God will judge those who don't hear about Jesus, but I am sure He will judge them justly.

Answer 6

The view of God that you have been given tends to contradict the loving God that created us.

I too have asked these same questions. Considering that those born in countries not exposed to Christ of the bible will not have the opportunity to acknowledge or believe.

Through searching and finding in my own relationship with God I have come to realize that God does not condemn people if they don't believe in Christ as taught by some religions.

The reason we are here is to learn to love. And when anyone dies, whether they believed in Christ or not, they will be placed in a locality in heaven based on their level of love.

The view of your question stems from the religious teaching that there is one heaven and one hell. And that you will end up in one or the other based on your life and that you will spend eternity in the place you end up. However, after studying traditional religious sources and various spiritualism sources both have indicated that there are many levels of heaven. In addition, as you grow in knowledge of God and love, you will progress to higher levels of heaven.

The bible verse John 14:2 in my Father's house are many homes (mansions). If it weren't so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.

There are many levels of heaven as indicated by this verse -
2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

This biblical verse mentions a third heaven. Hence if there is a third heaven there must be a first and second. These are the mansions that Jesus spoke of in John 14:2. Though there is certainly more than two or three.

God is loving and benevolent but there are those in this world that seek to control people and have used traditional religious systems to do so, removing the true message of love that is God. People who grow up in countries where the message of Christ is not taught will not necessary go to heaven or hell but will be placed in a locality based on the condition of their soul when they die. God works with all of us individually and does not condemn one person for a lack of knowledge but makes necessary provision for such to learn of Him and to learn to love.

Don't despair God is certainly more loving and kind than many religious views would have you to believe. I have learned to follow my heart in such matters and let love lead the way.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (KJV)

Answer 7

I don't believe in Heaven or Hell...I believe we die and our souls go to place that's equivalent to Christians Heaven and we wait until it's time for us to be re-born...and we live another life on earth. and since I don't believe in the devil then there can't be a hell. I am Pagan/Wicca.

Answer 8

Its all about faith.

Visiting a holy place like church or temple relieves your stress and makes you a better person- a kind one.

Isnt it good to smile, greet others and feel light. What else is heaven?????