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Question of the age the correct answer NO, scripture is quite clear on this point, by faith only and that faith must be in the Lord Jesus. He is the door and only by His Holy blood do His humble servants enter in. Many man made religions and denominations teach god plus something else must be done or added for salvation. Galatians 4:17 As if the completed work of our Lord on the cross somehow wasn't good enough, we must now help Him out by adding golden candlesticks or good theatrical works. Galatians 2:21 Consider that for atheists to enter heaven is not logical as that would be hell for them, to be in the presence of Him and those whom they have spend their lives rebelling against........ forever......not logical doesn't compute! This conspiracy of man that somehow (love bah, bah) WE all get to ride on the cosmic heavenly bus, if just we do as the wise inflated oracles instruct us. The book of Galatians is clear on these conspiracies creeping into one's life, be wise and not foolish, let no one deceive you! The Lord Jesus build His cosmic bus by His rules, He is the only driver and the only ticket taker, standing at the enter door of His bus........no ticket or wrong ticket.......NO RIDE.........depart from Me for I never knew you. Consider that the ticket in your hand maybe for another bus and driver's route? Hurt my FEELINGS bah bah, which would be kinder of me to know the truth and yet with hold it, so that you may labor in a lie, warm and happy for a season. Ezekiel 33:1 atheist : random chance + 0 = 0 dead ville end of story. man idea: some god + bah, bah,+ nice shoes = salvation maybe, update later? SCRIPTURE: JESUS + 0 = SALVATION Romans 3:23......in the Lord's freedom warrior on.
JESUS is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other way to eternal life except through Him. Remember the path is narrow and difficult that leads to life, while the path to destruction is wide and easy. Only through our Lord do you have any chance at salvation.
I say No but Pope Francis will disagree with me. He explains it in light of James 2:18, "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class. We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all. And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: We need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: We will meet one another there."
Christian morality is only truth, if God is truth. Atheist can not have morality. They just live and behave with in the rules of their society. They may appear to live good and righteous lives but in reality they have no sense morality. History has proven this many times, When a society removes God from the equation, it is disastrous. Millions upon millions die. In just recent history we have Hitler- 7 million Jews dead. Mao- unknown millions dead. Po Pot 20 million dead. Stalin- 20 million dead. Jung (North Korea) unknown millions dead. These crimes against God were committed by what appeared to be "good and Righteous" people, but when left unchecked they are dog eat dog. There is no such thing as a good and righteous atheist. They are just well behaved. If not for Christians among them to keep them in check, they would turn into wolves, with no restraint for power. So no, an atheist will not go to heaven. As far as other religions go, I honestly can't answer that question, as I do not have the wisdom to do so.
No, they won't inherit anything from God except the lake of Fire... There are many "GOOD" people everywhere. They may be atheist, buddist, hindu or whatever. Many of them are better people than some "Christians"... And I believe Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was more than enough to even have their sins forgiven... 1John 2:2 NIV - "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the WHOLE world." But they lack ONE thing, they don't believe in the Son, Jesus... {Jhn 16:9 NLT} The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. We are commanded to do good, i.e. to "Love" each other and to believe in Jesus. Anyone that does not do that does not have eternal life... 1John 3:23 NIV - "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." Unfortunately not everyone can do that, for without the Holy Spirit the natural man/woman cannot understand and thus believe in the things of God.... 1Cr 2:14 NIV - "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit."
I believe that if a person could enter in to the kingdom of God by good works aka doing good or being "good" there would have been no reason for The Christ to die. We know that God doesn't act for no reason their is a reason for His death because He is our Savior therefore we need to be saved you have to be in a situation to be rescued. Therefore " no one comes on to The Father but by Me".
Anyway, what is a 'good/righteous' life? The Bible explains it in Psalm 1:1-6; 15:1-5; 112:1-10. Being a Christian or non Christian/ other religion, does not guarantee that they will live a 'good/righteous' life,as prophet Jeremiah said: "You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts."(Jeremiah 12:2). An atheists, one who denies the exsistence of God will never live a'good/righteous' life and they do not even know what the Heaven and Hell are, because the main purpose of their life is just to satisfy their flesh desires, the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:19-21) and the spirit of the world dwell among them. Honestly saying, most of us were an atheists/pagans, until the words of God has reached us as a fruits of Christian Great Commissions (Mathew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20); and a fulfillment of God's Covenant with Abram: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; AND ALL PEOPLE ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU" (Genesis 12:3).
Here is a clear and simple answer. No it is not mine, but my Pastor as he too, as have well been hit with this question. (And it's not even his answer, it was another pastor that he was visiting.) The simple answer is this: Do you know anyone that is that 'good' - that 'righteous' - that 'pure'? As for me, I certainly do not.
The premise of the question is faulty: no one can live a "good/righteous life." Jesus is the believer's "righteousness." He lived that righteous life for mankind. His righteousness is bestowed upon believers through faith in Christ. See Philippians 3:9. There's no other way to BE righteous. We are DECLARED to be holy and right with God through faith in the Savior, the One whom God sent to save us. Our "Brand" of righteousness is like "Auto Mechanic Shop Rags" that have been put in the washer. You wouldn't want to use one for a dinner napkin.
In order to live a righteous life you have to know God. We have no clue what is righteous without God telling us. What we think is innocent or good is completely opposite of what God thinks. So no without salvation in Jesus and living a righteous life through him There is no way in heaven for them. Also salvation is not a ticket to heaven. You cant get saved and then live in disobedience and expect to receive the heavenly award. The Word of God says that true sons obey their father. Therefore we cant live the way we want and not grow in our faith because we will eventually rebel and turn away from God. It is not by works that you are saved. Everyone has some good in them and do good to others but that is not good enough. Not for saved Christians and not for the unsaved.
There will be no Non-Christians in heaven. That's for sure! Because unless one believes in Jesus (Who is the Only Way to heaven, John 14:6), no chance for anyone to get into heaven (Acts 4:12). The good that they have done, God will make it sure that they will be recompensed to them either before they die or in the judgment day. But the good they have done will never earned them the right to get into heaven. (Ep 2:8-9)
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