Who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell?

Question

I don't understand something. I've pretty much decided I'm an atheist. It was my own choice but there is something I can get out of my head. It's sort of more towards Catholics. Who would go to hell. A man who raped and murdered a woman, but afterwards went to church, got baptized, and asked for forgiveness? Or the atheist who tries to live a good life, donates to charities, raises her children in the best household they can, but never believes in God? Because the answer I have been told my many Catholics disturbs me. They all told me that the atheist would burn in Hell and the murderer would go to Heaven. Isn't God supposed to have infinite patience? Isn't he supposed to let those who lead good lives into Heaven? I just think that if you lead a good life, that if you try your hardest to be a good person, then you should go to Heaven. That's All. And please none of the "this is a question you need to ask yourself." I want your opinion. Thanks.

And I know atheists don't believe in Hell. And I'm not concerned with it. It's just something my religious friends have told me but couldn't really explain. I'm looking for a religious person who can.

Steven James, you just managed to give a very long speech without really answering my question between the atheist or the murderer. Thanks anyway.

Answer 1

Simple, sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell.

Answer 2

>>Because the answer I have been told my many Catholics disturbs me. They all told me that the atheist would burn in Hell and the murderer would go to Heaven.<<

I'm Catholic, and you need to tell those other Catholics to read paragraph 16 of Lumen Gentium: "Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life."

Answer 3

To understand the criteria for the placement of men in heaven or hell one must understand what Heaven and Hell really is.

It is the after-life, or the post-mortal life. A state of rest between death and the resurrection. Here Men are without their physical bodies. They are only spirits.

There is no wall separating them, no fiery ceiling or white cloudy floor, no veil or curtain. Here in this spirit world men continue to live as they lived on earth with physical bodies.

One cannot say that when he dies he will be restored to a state of being or a frame of mind, which is in opposition to that frame of mind or state of being that he was in while living mortally in the flesh.

Heaven and Hell is a frame of mind into which the spirit of a man is placed because of his behavior on earth. The term "frame of mind" is used because the spirit of a man IS his mind. As a man thinks so he does or acts. A man is a spirit dwelling in a tabernacle (house/home) of clay, or rather physical elements.

So, a man may experience heaven or hell on earth before he dies. Think of Saul the persecutor on the road to Damascus, who repented and became Paul the Apostle.

Men have minds or spirits, which can grow in intellect, or be deceived and/or deceive others. Intelligence is light or knowledge of truth. Christ is the most intelligent of all. He possesses the most knowledge, and also light. Christ was also the most righteous. Perfectly righteous.

Righteousness give a man confidence in presence of God. Confidence in God brings hope and happiness.

Wickedness never brought confidence with God, hope, or happiness.

Men also may be open minded or close minded. This is called contrition. If one is contrite, he is open minded and teachable.
If not, then he is stubborn and prideful.

All of these things pertain to a frame of mind or a state of spiritual being which can be experienced before, during, or after this life.

Heaven is light; Hell is darkness. Light lets us see truth.
Men cannot be saved in ignorance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They must be taught the gospel.
Heaven is Happiness; Hell is misery.

Placement of spirits in Heaven and Hell is based on two things. 1) How knowledgible of the gospel AND obedient to it one was on earth and 2) if one had not the gospel on earth, how receptive they would have been towards it.

People are still alive in the post-mortal life. All the bible prophets are there. Those prophets are preaching the gospel still there also. Others may listen or they may not listen.

If they will listen and receive, heaven with its happiness, rest, and salvation waits for them. If not, then misery, torment, damnation, and condemnation.
Judge not unrighteuos judgement, lest ye be judge with that same unrighteous judgement.

Answer 4

Both will eventually enter into union with God in Unconditional Love,within their hearts. The kingdom of God is within you,pure conscious unconditional love. We lived before we had this body and we will live after it is gone. We are the life of the body, spirit,unconditional love. Desire is the cause of humanities separation from God,it is the only "SIN" all others arise from this one. Desire, through Karma, actions in thought word, and deed are the creators of our life circumstances an our destiny.We will all return to God in the end. some baptized in water, some in spirit and some with Fire, we all must, like Gold, have the dross burned away, but in the end we will all shine like the pure Gold that we are. P S The fires of hell were destroyed when the baptismal waters carrying satans sins back to him, poured into it.

Answer 5

the atheist would not make it to heaven, however we are not here to judge and that is not my call. but the Bible puts it unless you confess Jesus and believe you cannot get into the kingdom of God. it says unless you are born or water and of Spirit. and repent. just because you live a good life does not make you saved.

and it is faith that gets you to heaven. not works alone. however faith without works is also dead. this goes for those who want to say all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you are saved. because there are many who believe but choose not to follow. there are some who choose to follow satans ways instead. satan himself believes. some who follow believe as well. they just feel that is a better way. the Bible says unless you are born of Spirit. in Acts. there were some who believed and still were not filled with the Holy Ghost. they were also baptized under Johns baptism and commanded to get baptized in Jesus name and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues.

if you truly believe in Jesus and want to live for him you wont be ashamed. you will go out and share Gods word with everyone. you will read the Bible daily and pray daily and go to church and do what we were commanded to do.

and God knows that person heart. rather they truly mean they are sorry. for all sin is forgiven but one. that is blasphemy the Holy Ghost. that means if you have tasted the truth and then blasphemy.

Answer 6

The whole thing is, you can't get to heaven by good works. We are all sinners, and the Bible says the wages of sin is death. We all, everyone of us, deserve to go to Hell. It is only because God is loving, that He gave us a way to avoid Hell, and live for eternity in Heaven. Christ paid our debt for us, He died on the Cross in our place. Only way we can live in Heaven is to accept what Jesus did for us, and to ask Him to forgive us of our sins.
There are going to be a lot of good Atheist in Hell.

The way you asked this question, it seems to me that you believe in Heaven already. The Bible says that the mind can't comprehend how wonderful Heaven is. I pray you rethink your choice, and that you choose to spend eternity in Heaven. I'm sure there will be a lot of Christians here praying for you.

Answer 7

You can not get to heaven by good deeds alone,the only way is by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal saviour and asking him to forgive your sins.I know it may not sound right but it is true a person who ask commited a sin and asks the Lord to forgive him before he dies has a better chance to go to heaven then a person who just does good deeds,according to the Bible.

Answer 8

Heaven belongs to people who embrace the truth after the truth comes to them or after they find the truth, i.e. believe in the Oneness/Unity of The ONE God The Creator.

Hell? Go figure.

God knows best

Peace and Love

Answer 9

The bottom line is this....Revelations 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

And the only way to have your name written in this book is by this....

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Oh and....Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Answer 10

There isn't any hard and fast rule. Usually the ones who Believe in Christ will most likely go to paradise, the ones who don't will most likely go to hell/the grave/damnation. I can't explain it any better than that. It is not by works that one is saved, but by faith.

Answer 11

Works dont get you into heaven.If I understand right;works will help determine the degree of your reward or the degree of your punishment

But yes,faith in Jesus Christ will be the determining factor for who get in heaven and who goes to the other place.