Posted by
Jesse "The Mind" Norman on Sunday, April 20, 2008 4:40:00 AM
Because of the traditional teaching of men, most people assume that when the Bible speaks of going to heaven, then that equates it with everlasting life. They also assume since in the New Testament when it says one must go through Christ to have everlasting life, that they can’t get to heaven without going through Christ as well. Don’t be so quick as to make these assumptions. Why would God send a soul to a bad place after their death when they were unaware of Christ or didn’t have much of a chance to make that choice? Answer is He wouldn’t. God wouldn’t punish a soul for that. God does speak of innocence and how He does not punish those who are not held accountable for what they don’t know.
After this age ends, which is when Jesus returns, there is a new age to begin. Proof of that is in Matthew 24:3 when the disciples privily ask Jesus what the signs of his coming are and the end of the world are. That word “world” really isn’t world at all. In the original Greek, the word there is “αιων” (ahee-OWN) which really means age. The disciples were not only asking for the signs of the end of the age, but were saying when Jesus returns that this is the end of the age too. There is a whole thousand year period written of in Revelation where Jesus and his saints reign on Earth while Satan is imprisoned in the bottomless pit, right? It’s been there the whole time. Why do men forsake this writing? No idea. Once that millennium is over, Satan is loosened from his prison to deceive the world once again. Once that period of temptation is over, then that age ends as well. THEN the books are opened. THEN judgment is given. Not beforehand. Read without the influence of men and see that I’m right on this.
So what is the next age for? A last chance? For those who were not given the opportunity to make the right choice? To reward those who made the right choice? All of the above are correct. So, a good-hearted person who’s not a Christian can possibly get to heaven after this life. That is not my assumption to make however. I’m just saying it’s possible, maybe even probable. That isn’t everlasting life though. That’s not eternal. Someone who has led an evil life will have punishment after their death unless they repent. This is beyond a doubt. But that too is temporary.
Everyone either in this age or the next must choose Christ in order to have everlasting life. At the end of this age, everyone will know Jesus is the Messiah and that the Bible is genuine. The prophets of this age will be kings and queens in the next one. They will be charged with preparing those who still need to make a choice to make the right one at the end of the next age. For those who make the right choice in this age or the next one, they will have everlasting life. For those who make the wrong choice in the next age, they will cease to exist.
So when someone comes to you and says “what if a person led a good life but wasn’t a Christian, can they still get to heaven?”, now you have an answer. My gut tells me not only is it possible, but it’s most likely true. I’m as close to 100% sure of this as I can be without knowing for sure. Everyone though, will at some point have to choose Jesus whether it’s this age or the next one, but everyone will know what the right choice is. It will be up to them to show some strength and make the right choice instead of choosing the one that plays on their temptations masterfully.