Originally posted by Rank outsider
What happens to those that live a righteous life but don't believe in God?
Heaven or hell?
What happens to those that live a righteous life but don't believe in God?
Heaven or hell?
All human beings are in need of God's salvation. The need to be saved is universal.
What happens in every conceivable case among billions, I am not able to tell you.
I am able to show you that the need for salvation is universal since the fall of Adam.
Have you ever read the first say three chapter of the book of
Romans ? This is a foundational epistle to major tenets of the Christian faith.
This book is of 16 chapters. In a long section in chapters one through three Paul writes about condemnation of men before God. And outline in the Recovery Version NT heads the relevant sections to your question like this:
Chatpers 1 verse 18 through chapter 3:20 is all about
Condemnation. And it can be divided up into these subsections -
Condemnation on Mankind in General
1:18-32
Condemnation on the Self Righteous
2:1-16
Condemnation on the Religious Specifically
2:17 - 3:8
Condemnation on All the World Totally -
3:9 - 20.
The last sentence in this long section before Paul embarks on a teaching of
Justification starting in
3:21 is this -
" Because out of works of the law shall no flesh be justified before Him; for through the law is the clear knowledge of sin." (Rom. 3:20)
And this is after he emphasizes that there are no righteous people in this regard.
" Even as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one;
There is none who understands, there is none who seeks out God. (v.11)
All have turned aside; together they have become useless, there is none who does good; there is not so much as one. (v.12)
Their throat is an opened grave; with their tongues they practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips. (v.13)
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. (v.14)
Swift are their feet to shed blood; (v.15)
Destruction and misery are in their ways.(v.16)
And the way of peace they have not known.(v.17)
There is no fear of God before their eyes.(v.18)
Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may fall under the judgment of God; (v.19)
Because our of the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before Him; for through the law is the clear knowledge of sin. " (v.20)
Then in the next long section on
Justification from Condemnation through God's salvation, another time it indicates that
ALL have sinned and none express the glory of God as they were created to do originally.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (3:23)
God's eternal purpose is not to take forgiven people to Heaven forever.
You should think of the destination of all the saved is to become a corporate living dwelling place as a living temple of God and man united together -
New Jerusalem.
All saved are to be conformed to the image of Christ -
"Because those whom he foreknew he also predestination to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers." (Rom. 8:29)