Who is going to hell? Or should I say, definitely not going to heaven...?

Question

There are a lot of folks who seem to have found god, but are at the same time, quite evil in their actions towards others... George Bush is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people- civilians, women, children, you name it. Is he going to go to heaven? What about Ken Lay who went to church every week but robbed thousands of people of their life savings? I personally know one woman who is 'born again' yet she hates on around half of the people she meets...

How can religious institutions accept these people, and how come all of them are so sure they're going to the good place?

Answer 1

>> How can religious institutions accept these people, and how come all of them are so sure they're going to the good place?

Nobody can be 100% sure they're going to go to a good place. But remember that Jesus came to seek out and save the lost. Christ came to call the sick, the sinner. "Those who are well have no need of a doctor".

Answer 2

Many of their reasons are different.
Perhaps a good way of putting it is that religious institutions should accept everyone, despite peoples hypocritical behaviour, into the religion. That does not mean that they will also be accepting of this persons behaviour. If you drive someone away for their behaviour though they may be lost forever.

So no matter what a person has done they may come to the faith.
In this case, anyone who has committed a crime while being part of the church or even at least claiming to be a Christian etc. will have to deal with their sin in the way they deserve.

It is not the job of any religious institution or church to persecute those whom we believe are guilty of a crime. As Jesus himself said "let those who are without sin cast the first stone" meaning we are not to judge these people for their crime. It is for the law to decide in the immediate case and God to decide for eternity.

They can say all they want that they are assured a place in heaven but it can mean nothing. If God judges them as wrong and insufficent for heaven then they will have an eternal death. In order to avoid hell these people must investigate what it is they are doing and whether it is actually ok by God for them to do this. If it is not then they are in the wrong and God will know this, even if we are not sure.

We must always let people be convinced of their own thoughts. We can only say what we know and why we know or think what we do. It is up to them to change their thought. Anyone who is currently hellbound is able to repent and ask for forgiveness for their actions and thoughts. Those who already have asked can only pray that God will open their heart and allow them to do the same.

Answer 3

the religious institutions need money to run so of course they are going to accept almost evreyone back no matter what they do and just think Ken Lay can give a lot of that stolen money to the church and that would not only make the church rich and happy that makes them the same as Ken for accepting the stolen savings money. oh yeah i hear heaven is getting downsized so some people who were good enough to go to heaven are going to hell instead look for the memo on your desk tomorrow if your one of these people

Answer 4

Actually, a very good question to ask, just not one we (as humans) can answer. However, the question is also much deeper than can be resolved in this forum.

As the first responder wrote, it is not for us to judge. Especially since we ALL sin.

"For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23 (KJV)

Additionally, from a christian perspective, we know, from the Bible, that not all who say they are christians (or specifically believe in Jesus) will see heaven:

Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matt 7:21 (KJV)

But, we do know that the way to heaven is through Jesus:

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 (KJV)

So, there is one person's perspective with biblical resource.

God Bless in your search for truth!

Answer 5

Hell is not a place of eternal torment like Christendom teaches. The Bible hell is where all people go when they die. It is the common grave.
How do we know that hell is the grave? Well, we can read many verses in God's Word that assures us of that fact. Here are but a few:

Psalm 139:8--"If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." (If hell is a fiery,hot place of torture, would David think God (Psalms 83:18) would be there ?)
Amos 9:2--"Though they dig into hell, From there My hand shall take them; Though they climb up to heaven, From there I will bring them down." ( Can you dig into fire? No, but you can dig into the earth and God can find you no matter where you try to hide.)
Jonah 2:2--"And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." ( The belly of the fish would have been Jonah's grave, if God had not rescued him.)
Ecclesiates 3:19,20--"For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again."
( Humans and animals go to the same place when they die)
Revelation 1:18--"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Why would Jesus need keys to hell? Because the dead do not have to stay in hell forever; they can be resurrected back to life.)
Revelation 20:13-14--"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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." (Hell delivers up the dead, meaning a resurrection from the grave), and what happens to death & hell? They are thrown into the lake of fire, meaning total destruction.
God is love and tortures no one.

Answer 6

Who are you to judge and condemn people with rush judgment?
Let God do the judging. Things happen for a reason in this world and concerning delicate worldly matters. If you do not know how to discern with wisdom, never, never judge anyone.

It is not institutions who can say people are going to a good place. Only God knows.

Answer 7

I have read only God knows the heart, what we observe on the outside is not always in the heart and their well be people in heaven what we see of them on the outside was not shall 'I say heaven bond" the same for for loosing heaven those who we saw as the worse sinners will be standing next to God because the heart is what God sees. It was a comfort in my grief when my brother who was addicted to drugs died.

Answer 8

The Bible says Except a man be born of the water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. This means To be baptized in his name and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.which is the spitit.

Answer 9

You do not need to judge someone to determine their destiny: heaven or hell. Yes it is God's decision whether you go to heaven or hell and we should not judge others. But God's promises are written in His word.

1 Corinthians 1:20 says that all the promises of God are in Him are yes and in Him amen.

For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, that any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

He that believes on the Son has everlasting life, he that believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)

We KNOW that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that does not love his brother abides in death. (1 John 3:14)

So, in saying this, we have self-assurance in God's promises whether we are saved or not. God's decision is based on His promises that He has given us in His word.

Having total faith in Jesus Christ and confessing, repenting and renouncing your sinful nature is the only way to be assured of your salvation.

Therefore, without judgment, I would consider these people that think they are saved, to rethink their salvation, and examine themselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see whether they have the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and obeying His word with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Answer 10

During the end of days everyone will get one last chance to see the truth, those that don't will spend eternity in hell.

There will be people of all walks of life there including Christians, kings as well as people that lived thousands of years ago.