Heaven or Hell for All

Salvation: By Faith?... By Works?

Heaven or Hell for All:

Every human being, from Adam, will go to eternal Heaven or to eternal Hell, after death... rejoicing every minute for an eternity in Heaven, or continually suffering eternally in Hell.

Eternally with God, or eternally with Satan!.

This is a most clear teaching of the New Testament (Matt.25:31-46)... you will go eternally to Heaven or to Hell, no matter if you are a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu or a Buddhist... believe it or not, like it or not, it is a fact!... each Indian or Hindu of 5000 years ago is now in Heaven or in Hell... each Christian or Muslim or Jew born today will go forever to Heaven or to Hell after the only one life he will have on earth.

Hell is described in the Bible as "the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever" Re.20:10, 14:10-11)... and one of the worst torments of each one of the condemned will be to realize the fact that he had in his only life on earth a thousand and one opportunities not to go to Hell, and he rejected them all.

Heaven is described in the Bible as "the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God... "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." (Rev.19:1-3, 7:9-12).

Atheists-Pantheists: The existence of heaven and hell is, of course, denied by atheists, materialists, and pantheists of all centuries as well as by those rationalists who teach that the soul perishes with the body - in short, by all who deny the existence of God or the immortality of the soul: Hindus, Buddhists, Communists... Jews and Muslims do believe in eternal Heaven and Hell

"How many" will go to Heaven and Hell?:

How many will go to Hell?:

Every time it talks about how many will go to "Hell", the word "many" is used... 4 times!: "The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt.7:13-14, in the Sermon of the Mount). "On that day many will say to me: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name... (Matt.7:21-23). "many are invited, but few are chosen" (Matt.22:14). "Someone asked him: Lord, will only a few be saved?. He said to them: Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many will try to enter and will not be able... (Lk.13:23-29).

How many will go to Heaven?:

Here is used the word "few", as we just saw (Matt.7:13-14)... but those few are "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages", says Rev.7:9. So, I pray that you and I are not one of those "many" who go to Hell, but one of those "few", one of that "great multitude" who go to Heaven.

Salvation:

By Faith?... by Works?... (Who will go to Heaven or to Hell?):

Catholics and Orthodox believe that you go to Heaven by the grace of God, by faith in Christ, plus good works... because the true faith always brings good works, like the lighted wood always gives light and heat... and indeed, love is the measure of faith... God will bestow Heaven on all those who depart this life in the grace of God, free from original sin and personal mortal sin, and who are, consequently, in the state of justice and friendship with God.

Concerning the purification of those just souls who depart in venial sin or who are still subject to temporal punishment for sin

On the lot of those who die free from personal sin, but infected with original sin,

On the immediate beginning of eternal happiness after death, or eventually, after the passage through purgatory,

To Hell go all those who die in personal mortal sin, as enemies of God, and unworthy of eternal life..

Protestants believe that you go to Heaven only by faith in Christ, by grace, without works... however, most Protestants I know do not do what they say: The say, "only faith, without works", but then they all do good missionary works, they preach even in the streets, they feed the hungry, help the poor, care for the sick, and they have programs to improve housing and jobs and neighbourhoods... they do lots of good works, praise the Lord!.

Some Protestants claim that once you have accepted Christ, and received Him by faith, you will go to Heaven, no matter how many crimes you may commit afterwards... most Protestants believe you have to repent of every sin you commit after receiving Christ in order to go to Heaven.

Most Protestants do not recognize the doctrines of Purgatory,

Limbo, nor the Particular Judgment.

The reason of this apparent discrepancy is mainly due to two factors: 1- The meaning of the word "salvation" in the New Testament. 2- The distinction between the difference "true faith" and "false faith".

Often the the New Testament states that if you have faith in Christ you are saved, you have eternal life (John 3:36, Ephesians 2:8, Acts 16:31).

But this "salvation" does not mean that "you are in Heaven", it always mean that you have been saved from sin, from the slavery of the flesh and of the devil, and you have been made a "new creature", a "child of God", freely, by grace!... as a "gift"... the most wonderful gift a person can receive on earth!...

It is like the son of a King: He is a Prince, freely, not because he is handsome or because he has done good deeds, but just because he is the son of the King, freely, a gift... but if that Prince does bad things, he will be a bad Prince, and it is a shame, because as a Prince he had the opportunity to do many good things... the same goes for a "Christian": He has received more good things than a Prince, and if he does bad works it is a shame, and he will go to a worse Hell than an Indian who does bad works, but who never even heard about Jesus, nor had the Bible for guidance, nor the maternal care of the Church...

The "faith" is a "gift", a "charisma"... like your hands or your face, or the Bible, or the Church... all are "gifts" of God... and you do not go to Heaven because of the "gifts" you received, but because of the "fruits"... because of the "works" you did using your hands, and your Christian faith, and the knowledge of the Bible, and the maternal care of the Church...

So, what Faith is good for?:

It is a most wonderful gift, the greatest treasure on earth, able to fill us with the love of God, because Jesus Christ Himself comes freely into you, just by faith, and then you can love and do good deeds, and not you, but Jesus who is in you! (Gal.2:20)... In Christianity, faith is the foundation of the building, love is the building itself, and hope is the windows of that building, to receive fresh air and light and warmth... (1Cor.13:13, Gal.5:5-6).

True faith always brings good works, and joy, and peace, like the lighted wood always gives light and heat... and indeed, love is the only measure of faith, the only one measure used in all passages of the Last Judgment in the Bible, not faith, but love... but, of course, there is also "false faith", the faith that is good for nothing, say Jesus and Paul, or the faith of the Devil, says James (Matt.7:21-23, 1Cor.13:1-3, James.2:18-20)... please, keep on reading for more on this., what Paul and James and Jesus say about this "false faith" ... we all want to love, but no one can love, because we all love ourselves since Adam, and selfishness is exactly the opposite of love... but if Jesus is in your heart, then you are going to have the love and joy and peace that only God can give, and that no one can take away (Rom.8:28-39).

Paul is specific on this issue: "If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (1Cor.13:1-3)... nothing!... faith without works is the faith of the Devil!... the Devil believes, but trembles, he knows about the Bible more that all humans put together... the Devil knows about Christ, but he can't be another Christ, and because he "knows" and "is not", that's why he is the Devil, and the Christian who knows about Christ but he is not another Christ is like the Devil... it is "to be", not just "to know", the essence of being a Christian (James 2:18-20).

The Protestants often mention Ephesians 2:8-9, but they usually skip he next verse, Eph 2:10, which states very clearly that a Christian have been saved freely, by grace, as a Gift of God, not by works... like a Prince!... but read next verse: "To do good works!" (Eph 2:10) 8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - 9: not because of works, lest any man should boast. 10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Thanks God most Protestants I know do not do what they say: The say, "only faith, without works", but then they all do good missionary works, they preach even in the streets, and they feed the hungry, and they care of the poor and the sick, and they have programs to improve housing and jobs and neighbourhoods... they do lots of good works, praise the Lord!.

Jesus Himself is more specific and even frightening!: He states that "many" Christians will go to Hell, it is not just to believe, but to have the right faith that produces fruits of good deeds!... many Christians with faith enough as to be preachers or prophets, even who cast out demons in the name of Jesus, and who did mighty works in the name of Jesus, will go to Hell!: "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' (Matt.7:21-23).

Often, "many" says Jesus, the "false faith" is used to justify bad works, the ambition of the bad preacher who only looks for his honour and glory and money...

"Faith" in "Christ", or in "God":

The Gospel of St. John talks both about the "faith in Christ" and the "faith in God", and in both cases says that he who has faith in Christ or in God "has eternal life" (Jn.3:36, 5:24)... A Christian has faith in Christ; Abraham had faith in God; many Indians, and Jews, and Hindus, and Muslims, have faith in God... and they have "eternal life"... a glorious life, like in eternity... but they are not yet in Heaven, they can still loose that life, if they do bad works, after having faith in God or in Jesus Christ...

So, what's the difference between a Christian and a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu?: Every human being has God with him, to guide him, to protect him... the uniqueness of a Christian is that he has God within him, in his heart!, he is another Christ!... this is indeed the greatest difference between the Old an the New Testament: In the Old Testament, God was with His people, guiding and protecting them, in the New Testament, God is within every Christian!.

God wants every human to be saved (1Tim.2:4), and every human will have all the graces he needs to go Heaven, even those Indians born 5000 years ago, long before Christ... Jesus himself tells us that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets are in Heaven ((Matt.8:11, Lk.13:28)... and they were born hundreds or thousands of years before Christ... because the redemption of Jesus Christ was for all, retroactive, for every human being ever born!, praise the Lord! (Rom.5:18).

This present life on earth is very short, like a drop of water compared with the ocean... and it is a "period of trial": He who lives trusting in God, is going to do many good works, is going to be happy on earth... and, on top of it, he is going to go to Heaven... he who does not trust in the Lord, is going to have a miserable life on earth, trusting only in his nothingness, unable to do any good deeds, and on top of it, he is going to Hell... ... and this "trust in God", or "faith in Christ" is not just the decision of a minute, but a faith or a trust in God for every second of every day, the life lived every second of the day in Christ!... and for this, Paul says that "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" (Rom.14:23)... and he who dies in sin goes to Hell!, be it a Christian or a Pagan... ... in fact, the message of every page of the Bible can be stated in three words: "Trust in God", in the Old Testament, or "Faith in Christ" in the New, which is almost the same.

So, Who will go to Heaven or to Hell?:

The Last Judgement:

The teachings of the New Testament are very clear on this, in all the places that the Last Judgment is mentioned: Matt.25:31-46, Jn.5:29, Rom.2:5-11, 2Cor.5:10, Rev.20:11-5...

You will not be asked: Were you a Christian, or a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu?... or rich or poor, wise or ignorant?... the only thing you will be asked for is, did you do good to your neighbour?: So, come on to Heaven!... or, did you do bad to your neighbour?:

So, go to Hell!...

1- In the "Last Judgment" in Matt.25:31-46:

This is how it is described by Jesus Himself:

To Heaven will go those who fed the hungry, and gave water to the thirsty, those who clothed the naked, and visited the sick or in prison... and to Hell will go those who did not feed the hungry, nor visited the sick or in prison... and it is for all!, for those born 5000 years ago, and those to be born in the next 1000 or 5000 years!... for all!:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left

"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.' (Mt 25:40)

"Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do to one of the least of these, you did not do to me.' (Mt 25:45)

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Mt 25:46: Here is the execution of both these sentences)... and "Faith" is not even mentioned!.

2- Paul says the same in Romans 2:5-11:

"He will pay anyone according to each one's deeds", repeats in several ways... and Paul is more specific in Rom 2:11: "for God shows no partiality": If a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim has done good woks will go to Heaven... if a Christian or a Muslin or a Hindu has done bad works, he will go to Hell... there is no partiality with God!... everyone will be measure with the same standard (Rom 2:11)... he mentions the Jew and the Greek... for the Jew too, there will be also glory and honour if he does good works!... here again, Faith is not even mentioned... only good deeds, works, because love is the only measure of faith!

But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

3- In the Judgment of the "great white throne" in Rev.20:11-13: The same account is given : The dead were judged by their "works", their "deeds", "by what they had done", as recorded in the book of life... notice again that the "works" are mentioned twice, and "faith" is not even mentioned.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.

4- John and 2 Corinthians repeat the same: By the "Works": - Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (Jn.5:28-29) - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2Cor.5:10).

Who goes to Heaven?

Can a Jew go to Heaven?:

Sure!... Jesus himself says that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Prophets of the Old Testament are in Heaven already (Matt.8:11, Lk.13:28)...

Can a Christian go to Hell?:

Sure!... these last two quotations add, "while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt.8:12, Lk.13:28)... and not only that, but "many" who look good Christians, who made prophecies in the name of Jesus, and who healed the sick and cast out demons in the name o Jesus, will go to Hell! (Matt.7:21-24, Sermon on the Mount).

Can an Indian or Muslim go to Heaven?:

Sure!... because in God there is no partiality... a South-American Indian born 5,000 years ago who did good works in life, is now in Heaven, as Abraham or Isaac, or a good Muslim, or a good Hindu, all of them by the merits of the Blood of Christ who paid for the sins of every men and women born before or after Christ...

The Atheists?:

They have "no excuse", says Paul, because since the creation of the world God has shown to them his eternal power and divine nature, in Rom.1:18-24... Psalms 14 and 53 call them "fools"... and Job says to them: "ask the beasts!, and they will teach you"... who made the feathers of the birds, or the lungs of the fish...? (Job 12:7-9).

God wants everybody in Heaven:

"God desires everyone to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1Tim.2:4)... God wants every man and woman to go to Heaven... this is the God of the Bible!: He wants every man and woman, before and after Christ, to go to Heaven... every Indian who lived 3,000 years ago had all he needed to know God, and to go to Heaven... every Hindu or Jew woman who lived 2,000 years before Christ is a treasure to God, and God gave her all she needed to reach Heaven... and Jesus Christ died for her!...

The "Eternal Hell":

It sounds like scandalous... it looks unjust to have only one shot!... but it is not, because the main sorrow in Hell for the damned will be to realize how foolishly they wasted the thousand and one opportunities they had on earth to go to Heaven... all of us!... Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists...

When we "sin", we "crucify again the Son of God" (Heb.6:6)... it is an infinity evil, because it is an evil made against the Infinity, and the only infinity in man is the eternity... so, the only way to justly pay for sin is with an eternal punishment, and that's Hell!.

It is not unjust for a man who killed another man to go to jail for life... and it is not unjust that he did not have another shot at it!... in the same way, it is not unjust for a sinner to go to eternal Hell, rather it is the normal way justice can be done... if the Devil would be in Heaven, God would not be just, He would not even be good!... and you an I, sinners, are not in Hell for the mercy and justice of God, because Jesus paid for our sins with his own blood, of an infinity value.

Two Eternities:

In short, two eternities are waiting for you and for me: Eternally in Heaven with God and all the saints, or eternally in Hell with Satan and all the demons... and it depends only of you and me!... because God wants us in Heaven, and He has done, and is doing, the most He can do to bring us to Heaven... God, even being God, can do no more!... for the Christians, for the Jews, for the Muslims, for the Taoists, for the Hindus, for the Buddhists... for all of us!... God can't do any more!. ... and it is so simple to have Eternal Life!: Just believe in Jesus Christ, right now, and you have eternal life, right now, you and your family!... - "believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Act.16:31) - "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (Jn.3:31).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life...

He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (Jn.3:16,18)