I have asked this question to many pastors and theologians over the years and never got a straight answer. There are peoples in South America and Africa that have never seen a white man , let alone heard the name Jesus. If Christianity began in the Middle East 2000 years ago did generation after generation of people across the globe die and got to Hyades for being born in at certain time and location ? Millions burning because they never knew the way ? Doesn't seem right , but I'm told the Bible is to be taken literally. You tell me .

There is no way a good and just God, worthy of worship, would allow most of the people to ever exist, to suffer terrible, eternal torment, for no fault of their own, not knowing of Jesus Christ.

Keith

Most Christians will say the Bible isn't to be taken literally.

Does the atheist even care ? Can't go to a place that is not there.

Where there more people that lived and died before the bible was compiled, or more people after?

The idea that you yourself, are qualified or righteous to the point that you can pass judgement on another person's eternity is a pitfall. One man reads a bible, how can that possibly make him the judge of another man who reads a different text, or none at all.

So this says, not every one who proclaims faith and belief will get in-
and it also says that only those who do good works (will of Father) will get in -

Seems contrary to the by faith alone line of talk?

Romans Chapter 1

All mankind knew God from the beginning.

Op also included agnostics in the question. You are correct though about the atheist.

A few points to ponder...

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-happens-to-those-who-never-hear-gospel/

Mike

I sure am glad I am right on this one

I believe in God. I don't think any religion or living human being knows the true nature of everything. I believe there is some truth in the Bible, but that it was written by man. I think we were likely made in God's image and that there is a soul or divine part to us. I think the best part of dying will be hopefully learning all.

Keith

Thanks 330. I can't take the credit lol

Negative. It's cut and dry. For those that are saved desire to do the will of God (more than good deeds) and not desire to fulfill the sin nature. There are plenty who think they are saved but they live and act the world.

James 2:14- talks about works without fallout faith and vis versa
Matthew 6
Ephesians 2:1-9 saved by faith not through works

The question is could an atheist still go to heaven? What about if a person is like:Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

If he had rejected the Gospel call when it came and kept rejecting it til he died ( I am not God to judge). I'll just say if it was me I think I would be doomed.

As far as babies, mute. or the guy stranded on an island, or maybe a person in the middle of China that's never heard the gospel then I think Romans 2:14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.

If God is a just God how would he judge a person on a set of conditions the person had never even heard. Possibly some type of judgment would be in store for a person that was supposed to take the gospel to that lost person and didn't, a sin of omission.

If I want to tip toe thru the tulips and take the Gospel to the lost but believe they are too corrupt to be able to choose then I'm just wasting my time. However if I believe God has conditioned there heart to accept the Gospel, then maybe revival is at hand. Since I don't know for certain what God will do I must sow the seed even in windy conditions or keep the seed in a sack where almost for certain it will not grow.

As much as I loved Dorris Day's song "What ever will be will be", it leaves no room for evangelism or for "whoso ever will". I like God's two step program "Repent and Believe".

So probably my short lines here probably hasn't answered your question fully but i did make an attempt. When I was young and I would ask a guy with a PHD complicated questions kinda like the one the OP has asked, usually he would say"if you want to know something ask God". Yes they was complicated questions and he didn't want to get dirty. Imagine if a guy didn't want to get dirty and God would send him to stay at a tanners house. Also the same guy would stress that to much knowledge would lead to gnosticism, strange a guy would waste 4 or 5 yrs of expense on classes to gain knowledge, if he truly believed that. He seemed to hate the term "this much I know, that I know nothing at all". I would remind him often.

I think you have to have the knowledge of sin....When Adam and Eve were in the Garden they had no knowledge of right and wrong.

But after eating the Apple they gained that knowledge and were ashamed of their nakedness.

I also think at some point everyone will have the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and make a choice.

Never bought in to newborns being born into depravity, or people going to (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) without the knowledge of sin.

I was raised Catholic and taught you get to heaven through belief in Jesus AND through good works. I've been told many Protestants dispense with the second requirement.

I used to torment my parents with questions like this one: If Adolf Hitler had accepted Jesus, after taking the cyanide pill, would he be in heaven--alongside the six million Jews who were his victims?

As a variation of Pascal's wager, how about if you lead a debauched, wicked life, with the plan of accepting Jesus on your death bed? Of course, your conversion would have to be sincere--but sincerity would be easy if you're looking at eternity.

Jim

I believe in some of those things, but have to take issue with part of your beliefs. Unless we're speaking figuratively, saying we're made in God's image has no logic behind it at all. Why would God need arms and hands, when he can manipulate anything by thought alone?

Since God isn't stuck in the bottom of a gravity well, why would he need legs or feet? Why would he need a digestive system?

And why would he need reproductive organs, unless there is a Goddess out there somewhere?

Jim

Do Jews go to heaven when they die ? Don't they reject Jesus Christ as Savior ?

First it is unlikely that all 6 million Jews were in Heaven. If Hitler truly repented and believed, then yes he would go to Heaven. The Apostle Paul murdered Christians but became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
In His image....I often wonder what the immortal humans image was like, I've only known the mortal.

Adolf Hitler would be in Heaven, because before his theoretical conversion he was just as sinful as those Jews (all have fallen short of the Glory of God), and after his theoretical conversion his sins would all beforgiven, just like anybody else. Psalm 103 says he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.


Also, pretty much all jews don't go to heaven, since by the nature of being Jewish, they reject Christ. There are some Messianic Jews that accept Christ, but most jews do not.