Christians who believe in 'faith salvation'...?

Question

...what about bad people who believe in Christ? What about rapists and Nazis and murderers or even petty thieves?

How can heaven be perfect if such people exist in it?

Ok, so you have to repent... But surely you can be truly sorry for murdering/raping/stealing and still be a bad person? And you could have bad reasons for repenting, such as the fact you want to get into heaven, or you are in prison.

Answer 1

Oh, haven't they told you? THOSE people aren't REAL christians...

Answer 2

True repentence is a bit more than saying sorry.anyone can say sorry and neither mean it nor stop the behaviour. True christian repentence is a 'turning away' from previously wrong behaviour, after a realisation (brought on from conviction by the holy spirit) that one is in serious trouble and needs God to forgive them. It's a painful realisation, not a happy go lucky moment of bright lights and soothing music. Once you have asked Jesus for forgiveness, something incredible happens. You become a new person, literally God forgets all our sins, that's what Jesus died for. This wouldn't make sense in a secular world if not for the truth that we are made by God to have a relationship with him. It's that relationship that has been severed by sin and it's the blood of Jesus (blood shedding is important as it contains the life force) that restores it. If it were our world and our heaven and our choice, we may choose all the nice people to get in and all the nasty ones to keep out, but it's not, it's Gods, and I'm glad, because if it was up to me I might use a different yardstick. God is holy and only holy people can enter heaven. Yes there may be some people in heaven who did terrible things on earth, but at the moment of repentence they became new people.

Answer 3

I have a friend who is a Patriots fan. He keeps up with all the stats and how the players are doing - he watches all their games. Yet, he is not a Patriot.

There are those who may follow something but they are not "one of them". There are those who identify with something they are not really a part of. There are many who claim to believe in Christ, yet their lives show that they are not of Him, at all.

Nazis, neo-nazis, KKK and the like claim to be Christians. According to the Bible, they are not. They wear a tag that does not match the clothes they wear. Other evil-doers who continue to live their life of evil and claim to believe are in that same catagory.

Yet, I know that someone who believes that Jesus is Savior and decides that they want Him to also be Lord, repenting of their sin (not just saying "I'm sorry"), can enter into a life with Christ and go to heaven. God can forgive and clean up any sin and change any life submitted to Him.

Answer 4

Dear friend,
The Scripture says:"whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old things had passed away, now everything is new".
I guess this sole verse contains the entire answer. Whoever accepts The Christ as His Lord & Savior & repents from sins & sinful way, following Christ and lives in complete dependence upon Him is forgiven, freed from the past sins' burden and vindicated on account of Jesus paying for our iniquities in full & rising from the dead to be our Advocate & Helper in walking the life of faith. He/she becomes "a new creation" with a new biography going under the leadership of The Holy Spirit.
As the life in sin,without the dependence upon God brought in a person the things you narrated in your question, so the God-controlled and God-dependent life of a person produces new fruits: love, faithfulness,peace, joy, gentleness, self-control & kindness.
As simple as that. All we have to do is to take God at His Word & believe.

Answer 5

You are correct, even the devil believes. However, because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, we all inherited the sin nature. We are all sinners. Any of us can be homosexuals, murders, fornicators, thieves, adulterers, gossipers, addicts, gluttons or liars. Probably even more than one of those or any other sin. We all posses this sin nature, which causes us all to be born separated from God and do the things that He has told us not to do..

Jesus came to the earth for the purpose of becoming the blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Those of us who will choose Him as our Lord and Savior and repent (which means to turn away from sin), will be given the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life with God. When we choose Jesus, God declares us blameless. This is called justification.

God doesn't want anyone to be lost. He loves us so much even though we are born sinners. He has provided Jesus’ sacrifice for us while we are still sinners.

Not choosing Jesus is the only way that we remain separated from God. It is then, our job to stay filled with the Holy Spirit that He has given to Christians (those who have accepted Jesus) for the help we need to obey Him.

God sanctifies us which means He makes us holy. Sanctification is living every day in light of who we are in Christ. It is practiced purity- a challenge, especially in the culture in which we live.

Prayer, submittance and obedience is what God has ask us to do for our benefit.

Coming to Jesus as the Lord of our lives, for love, leadership and forgiveness is the way to have a better life here, a renewed relationship with God and the promise of Heaven. The only way.

Answer 6

Hello and let me re-do the most famous verse in all the holy bible John 3:16 "For God [The Father] "SO" loved rapists, Nazis, murders, thieves, you, and me, that He gave [Jesus Christ the second member of The Godhead gave Himself] that WHOSOEVER may BE-LIVE in Him [James 2:19 the devil believes and trembles] should Not perish but have everlasting life, also 1 John 1:9 "IF" you confess your sins He "IS" faithful and just to forgive [anyone] you your sins "AND" cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. God accepts anyone as they are but praise God He does not leave us that way and the folks that put nails in Christ hands and by the way, Heb.1:5-9, 13:8, John 1 tells us Jesus Christ IS GOD, if He can say father forgive them they know not what they do, if He can forgive then you and i must also a non-forgiving person WILL NOT be in The Kingdom of God, yes folks who do crimes will pay for what they did but we are to forgive others in Matt.6:14-15 Jesus tells us to forgive others there trespasses which are sins that are done on purpose, and in Matt.6:12 Jesus forgives you your sins [debts]"AS" you forgive others He uses YOUR measuring stick, find our more free bible lessons www.amazingfacts.org email not messenger me also [e-mail] God bless

Answer 7

I think it's hard to grasp the extent of God's grace and forgiveness to people who turn to him in repentance. Someone who honestly gives their heart to the Lord will be a changed person. A supernatural birth occurs and they truly are "born again". Infact, it is not possible to see the kingdom of God without being born again. You cannot receive God's forgiveness without it changing you for the rest of your life. We all have sinned and through Christ's blood we are given a second chance no matter what are past sins may have been. Amen!

Answer 8

If they are truly saved, then there will be a true change within the person. If there is no change, then maybe they won't go to heaven.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are all sinners, so we all shouldn't go to heaven. But through His mercy, we do, and by His grace we are changed.

Pray about it, and God will show you the truth.

Answer 9

If they are truly a reborn christian, then they should no longer be a rapist, or murderer.. God forgives, if you ask for forgiveness. With your whole heart.Christ died for us so that we may go to heaven..But you must have a relationship with him. If you don't accept Christ and realize your a sinner, You could be the nicest person in the world, and still not make it to heaven. God says it is so simple many will miss it.

Answer 10

As i read this post, this came to me...John, ch 3v3: Jesus said "unless a man be born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the Kingdom of God".
If you read on Jesus explains the difference between born of the flesh and born of the spirit...
Jesus gives us the way to be born anew spiritually, that way we are reconciled back to God. So unless the people you mention have received Christ as their Savior..they most definitely will not be in the Heaven God has prepared for those who know Him....
hope this answers your Q...
Scripture is from the Amplified version..

Shalom xx

Edit: if you are interested in reading Revelation ch 21 verse 8, these are the ones God says will not enter heaven...

Answer 11

Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:27-29 (in Context) Matthew 26 (Whole Chapter)


Mark 1:4
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:3-5 (in Context) Mark 1 (Whole Chapter)

Luke 1:77
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
Luke 1:76-78 (in Context) Luke 1 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 13:38
"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Acts 13:37-39 (in Context) Acts 13 (Whole Chapter)


When Jesus was on the cross there were two criminals also being crucified. He said to them in Luke chapter 23 verse
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

THIS MEANS THAT JESUS FORGIVES US IF WE REPENT, AND WE CAN SEE FROM THE LAST PARAGRAPH THAT HE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE SINNERS IN PARADISE.

IF YOU GO TO GOOGLE AND LOOK UP THE BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION AND TYPE IN SUBJECTS AND GET ANSWERS.