If a person accepts Jesus as their personal savior and then commits a major sin, do they still go to heaven?

Question

Will the person who has accepted Christ as their personal savior still go to heaven after murdering, raping, molesting a child, etc? Why?

So the little kid that lied about taking a cookie from the cookie jar is the same as Adolf Hitler? I don't see how all sins are the same.

"The only condemnable sin is no accepting Jesus."

So being a mass murderer is forgivable, but not accepting Jesus isn't? Why is does the bible make repentance a requirement when all you have to do is believe in Christ?

"and forgiveness is always there if we come with a repenting heart."

I thought you were saying all I have to do is accept Jesus. Now your saying I have to repent?

"Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and repented of your sins you should have no other desires than to follow God's word and His commands."

I take it you have accepted Jesus? You don't have any other desires than to follow God? Are you saying you are perfect?

"Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and repented of your sins you should have no other desires than to follow God's word and His commands."

I take it you have accepted Jesus? You don't have any other desires than to follow God? Are you saying you are perfect?

"In most cases a person who has "accepted" Jesus as their personal Savior and who has done one of the things that you have listed has made a mere profession of faith and is still on their way to Hell."

So where do you draw the line on the severity of the sin? I thought you guys believe all sins are equal.

Answer 1

I disagree with two of the answers so far. Giovanni is wrong in my opinion. I believe that a Christian may "fall from grace" even though a number of our Baptist members will disagree with this. There are examples in the Bible that are given and we are told what must be done to be forgiven of those sins if they are not intentional in nature. Tim seems to think that as a Christian we are able to do anything and be admitted to heaven. This is not the case. Otherwise, Christians would not face the Judgment. The Judgment is for each and every one of us and we will answer for those things that we have done while on earth according to what I have read.

Read the following about being Lost as a Christian...
A Christian is “saved and can not be lost.” The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:18-20: “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.” If these two Christians could be lost, then so could other Christians. In Galatians 5:4-7, we are told that some fell from grace. We know that others have and will fall from grace according to: 1Timothy 4:1-3; Hebrews 3:12; and 2 Timothy 4:4-10. We also know it is possible for Christians to sin, according to Hebrews 10:26. From these examples, we see that it is possible for a Christian to be lost. The answer is for a Christian to pray for forgivness. If it is a public sin then the congregation may pray for that member as we are told in the scriptures. Have a great evening and a wonderful week!
Thanks,
Eds

EDIT:
Some say that Hitler was a Catholic. I am not sure but I do not Believe that the Catholics are presently following New Testament Christianity as it was written according to my Bible.
Eds

Answer 2

In most cases a person who has "accepted" Jesus as their personal Savior and who has done one of the things that you have listed has made a mere profession of faith and is still on their way to Hell. That is, they have given an intellectual consent to the gospel message but they have never been born again and so they are still under the power of Satan and a slave to sin.

Does that mean that they WILL go to Hell?

No, they can still make a true confession of faith and repent of their sins and be saved. If on the other hand such a person was actually born again and say in a fit of rage they lost control of themselves and accidentaly killed someone else then that wouldn't cause them to forfeit their salvation because Jesus paid for every sin that a believer has ever commited.

It's very unlikely that a born again person would do any of those things, but I guess that it's possible, although since I'm not God I couldn't say for sure whether or not He would allow something like that to come to pass in a true believers life since He has given us this promise.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Answer 3

I believe once you have been saved, You cannot lose your salvation. The question should be, if I am a true believer in Jesus would I want to commit those sorts of things? If one would, the likely of them being a Christian is very slim. Christians will certianly sin yet they have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness is always there if we come with a repenting heart. All sins past, present and future have been forgiven on the cross 2000 years ago. Thank God for that!

Answer 4

Yes, of course. The Bible says that all are sinners and no sin is worse than the other because a sin is a sin; no matter how bad the world makes people see it. If a rapist is a christian and he TRULY repents, then God will forgive that person. The ONLY way to be saved is through Jesus, and nothing can separate you from it.

Answer 5

Many people make the mistake of believing that God forgives “little” sins such as lying, anger, and impure thoughts, but does not forgive “big” sins such as murder and adultery. This is not true. There is no sin too big that God cannot forgive it. When Jesus died on the cross, He died to pay the penalty for all of the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). When a person places his faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, all of his sins are forgiven. That includes past, present, and future, big or small. Jesus died to pay the penalty for all of our sins, and once they are forgiven, they are all forgiven (Colossians 1:14; Acts 10:43).

We are all guilty of sin (Romans 3:23) and deserve eternal punishment (Romans 6:23). Jesus died for us, to pay our penalty (Romans 5:8). Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ for salvation is forgiven, no matter what sins he has committed (Romans 6:24; John 3:16). Now, a murderer or adulterer will likely still face serious consequences (legal, relational, etc.) for his evil actions – more so than someone who was “just” a liar. But a murderer’s or adulterer’s sins are completely and permanently forgiven the moment he believes and places his faith in Christ

Answer 6

If one commits a serious or grave sin freely, and with full consent of the will, it's reasonable to conclude that the Holy Spirit no longer dwells in the soul of that individual, and without the Holy Spirit, that person is no longer fit for heaven.

The standard method of recovery from serious sin is through contrition and true repentance: We must be sorry for our sins, we must apologize to God, and we must change our ways.

Catholics have a sacrament that is very effective in accomplishing all these things, and that allows the penitent to know with certainty that all his sins are absolutely forgiven.

All others must hope that God has accepted their apology, and hope that their concept of true repentance is also acceptable to God.

As for one sin being as bad as any other ... that was according to old rules of the old covenant, which fortunately, no longer apply in this age of grace and mercy, in Christ Jesus.

God is perfectly capable of discerning the severity of sins, and he's not likely to punish the cookie thief the same way that he would punish a mass murderer.

Anyone who would tell you otherwise simply doesn't know God ... or the Bible.

Answer 7

Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and repented of your sins you should have no other desires than to follow God's word and His commands. Committing such a crime would not take away your salvation but it would question it. Obviously such person is not close to God anymore. The devil seeks to destroy anyone who believes in God and does all he can to work harm. Should a true believer, who has received forgiveness stray away from God and commit a crime, they are still forgiven. But they will be judged by God according to their deeds.
Think of the story of the prodigal son. He left his father for the world and committed many sins. However, when he returns home, his father is waiting for him ready to embrace this lost son and to give him love. Can the world understand such love? No, only God is capable of it.

Answer 8

You will not come into the presence of God if you are living in unrepentant mortal sin. You can lose your salvation and Paul tells us that whoever perseveres to the end, shall be saved.

We must make a conscience effort to live for Christ each day. You cannot get "saved" by accepting Christ and then live anyway you wish assuming "once saved, always saved". It simply does not work that way.

P.S. Addition....to Skinny Piggy and TIM A, if all sin is the same, none worse than another, please explain the following:
1 John 5 16-17
16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. (1 Jno. 5:16,17

Why does the New Testament Letter of First John tell us there is a sin that causes death and a lesser sin that does not bring death? By the way, this is the Biblical basis for the Catholic doctrine of Mortal sin and Venial sin. It comes directly from sacred scripture of the Christian Holy Bible.

Answer 9

The bible says that God forgives all. But I don't see how all sins are equal. Is stealing a chocolate bar equal to torturing and killing 10 people?

If anything the fact that they are forgiven is more likely to make a person commit a sin. There was a question asked here a few days ago, that showed that around 60% of all criminals in jail were Christian, before entering prison.

Answer 10

Yes, but at the same time its not a license to go commit such acts. The only condemnable sin is no accepting Jesus. The real question is what really means accepting. We can never be perfect even after accepting Jesus. However, your actions and heart should begin to shift. Words mean very little without action.