Do you think God makes exceptions for really, really good people?

Question

For example, would Bill Gates get into heaven just because he's done such great things via philanthropy? Einstein? Da Vinci?

Feel free to answer from the perspective of a God-believer or not.

Answer 1

Wel he doesn't make exceptions because I do not beleive he has specific set of rules stating if you do this, you're going to hell and this heaven. I think that part is manmade. God knows everyone has reasons and a history for why they do what they do. However- I do beleive that great people will go to heaven because the good they did while living AND after deserves reward :-)

Answer 2

1. Why would anyone let someone in their house if they believe that person doesn't exist?
2. If God allowed people into heaven based on good works alone, who is to judge what and how much works to do before entrance?
3. Bill Gates donates $1 billion to God in heaven, this could be passed as a bribe.
4. If all this was true, Jesus died in vain.

I feel sorry for that first atheist, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Why would you go to "God's kingdom" when you don't believe He exists? When an atheist "banks" that he may be wrong, his foundation and arguments of his belief become moot.

Answer 3

I don't think so. If He made an exception for one then why stop there. God is fair, and He has let it be known how to get to Heaven. If people pray on their behalf, I believe that God will provide them with more chances to see the light. I don't think at all that God would allow a nonbeliever into Heaven. It wouldn't be fair.You might be surprised who is in Heaven and who's not. I bet a lot of people believe right before death.

Answer 4

Nope, either one is righteous or one is wicked. God has made a law, and He would be unjust to spare some who have broken that law yet punish others for the same crime. God is fair, honest and just. One can spend a lifetime trying to justify their sins through good works, but if their heart is not obient to God, they strive in vain. Acts 4:12 states that there is no salvation in anyone besides Christ. And Revelation tells us that unrighteousness cannot dwell in the kingdom of God, "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh aboination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in teh Lamb's book of life." v21:27.
But praise God, He has provided such a simple way into His Kingdom, through Jesus Christ.

Answer 5

So the picture I'm getting is Bill Gates getting to the gates of Heaven and declaring they should let him in based on the fact that he gave up a whole bunch of money to a charity? So even though he doesn't even believe in God, God should just let him 'come on in' because he did one good thing.

I don't think it works that way hon lol

Answer 6

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). Keep that rule in mind always. This rule begins Peter's realization and sermon about the fact that salvation is available to all people, Jew or Gentile, Greek or Barbarian, male or female, slave or free, rich or poor, on the basis on one thing: that Jew Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Tho He was born a Jew, His salvation is to any human.
Notably, this salvation is available to any human . . . so why would any "works" factor into it?
As for Bill Gates style "philanthropy," that is truly philo (love of) anthropy (man), but not love of God. Rather, Jesus says, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward" (Matthew 6:1-2). They have done no good because they did it to show off, never to please God. Sheesh, they don't even like God.

So, in sum, those who enter heaven are those who WANT to spend eternity with God. The rest get what they want too: they spend eternity without God.

Answer 7

God has no favorites.

God never make exceptions, otherwise he would be unfair!
Can you really imagine yourself trusting in an unfair God?!

(1) When Paul wrote to Colossians, he said God has no favorites! It illustrates that God never makes exceptions for good or bad people.
What do you expect, read this reference from the Bible, New Living Translation (NLT)

Ref: " Work willingly at what ever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." Col 3:23-25
He also repeated 'God has no favorites' in Ephesians 6:9

For ex: when you do work, whether you sweep dirt and rubbish in the streets, play tennis or whether you are Thomas Edison or Einstein or Bill Gates, God will judge accordingly as explained in the above verse.

Another example: If you are a celebrity star promoting sex or you are athlete who takes sports as an idol, then this is wrong, because God warned many times about sexual immorality and taking anything to be an idol.
You can't say that Bill gates is really a good person or Roger Federer is a good person just because what they do!!

If you want to know what you are doing is right or wrong (while you can judge yourself) or what other people are doing is right and wrong without judging them, you can ask yourself this question in the first letter of Paul to Corinthians; "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1Co 10:31 NLT
Is this person doing such activity to glorify God or to glorify himself or herself?! It is as simple as that.
He warned about idolatry in the book of Isaiah, Corinthians, Galatians and Colossians. He also warned about sexual immorality in many books.

(2) I don't know why you label Bill Gates under "get into heaven". The Lord warned about prejudice in the book of James Chapter 2 from verse 14 to the end. This second part of the chapter summarises the relationship between faith and good deeds and when you read it, you will know where you stand.

(3) The Lord said he will judge people as written in the book of Psalms. How do you know that Bill Gates have done good things in the eyes of the Lord?!
Ref: "The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." Ps 7:8 KJV. The word judge is repeated myriad times in this book. Who shall judge? God not anybody else!

Conclusion:
A- God has no favorites.
B- Accomplishment and successful achievement do not determine whether you are really good or bad person.
Ex: You can be the poorest person in your neighborhood with casual sex partners and die in your sin and not get saved while you could be a very rich person living with integrity and get saved or it could be vice versa.
C- We can't judge anybody simply because it is not our job, it's God job. If we are going to judge everyperson whether rich or poor, famous or neglected, good or bad, then I wonder what will God do, then?!
D- My greatest advice to you. "Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and their plans die with them" Ps146:3-4 NLT

Answer 8

Interesting question, but I don't see how it could matter. Many people would do what Gates did if they had his money.

I think if there is some starnadard on which a god judged, it would be absolute and would not allow for exceptions.

But how would humans ever know definitively what that standard is?

Answer 9

I believe that this whole system of reward and punishment is a human construct. No god has a need for such a system.

Answer 10

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

James 2:10

Are you telling me that bill gates did not committ one little sin and lived a sinless life? Only Jesus Christ has done that.