Salvation of Atheists based on Works.

[MollyMac]

When we realise this, we come to understand that an atheist who has lived a life filled with good works is in fact much more in tune with God than we would have previously thought, as all goodness comes from God.

Ultimately, we can only be saved through Christ, but a life of good works would merit salvific graces, I believe, and I would expect such an atheist to come to know Christ at some point. If, when the end comes, the atheist still rejects Christ, then I’m afraid there’s little hope. But I highly doubt an atheist who has truly worked goodness in his life would do such a thing.

IF there is a God and IF the Bible is correct or I suppose, IF Christ and the Apostles are correct, no one comes to the Father but through Christ and Christ IS the only Way, Truth and Life(John14:6). Whether an atheist, Mormon, Hindu, etc. does “good” works or not has nothing to do with the verses above or any of the others that are directly linked to one’s salvation or where they will be spending their eternity. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom6:23)

Men like King Saul and Judas were used for good by God the Father, but from what the Bible suggests, they ended up with eternal life apart from God, specifically Judas who was known as the son of perdition (John17).

The passages I gather from the Bible, specifically the ones directed towards eternal life all suggest believing in Christ as the only way to eternal life with Him. To propose that one can be saved through any other way would be to contradict Christ and His apostles. There would be no point to His death on the cross and there would be no hell. In addition, I guess the questions of “Who are non-Christians or Atheists doing the “good” works for and why do they do the “good” works? Is it for the esteem of others? Is it because they want to feel good? Is it because they strive to live a moral life? If so, what defines a moral life? The Pharisees attempted to live a good life by their self-righteous works, but Christ Jesus called them a brood of vipers and hypocrites…

Just a side note, I do believe the Bible says no man can condemn another man to hell. So for the atheist participating in this thread, no one on this forum can say you are destined for hell or heaven. That is for God. His Word however can be read and His words spoken from His mouth can condemn however. You can choose to suppress the truth. God gives specific warnings out of love for those who at a point in their life do not believe or are hesitant to believe. Only through His Son’s work can you be saved, not by your works because then Christ’s final work was all done in vain. There are plenty of “good” people in this world, but if they do not believe Christ is their Saviour, according to Christ, according to God, they are on the wrong path. Right? For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. Read Luke 18:9-14 and look at who Christ is speaking to- “To some who were confident of their own righteousness” It is a scary thought: those who believe they are “good”, but do not believe they need to be saved from anything.

 

[openmind77]

IF there is a God and IF the Bible is correct or I suppose, IF Christ and the Apostles are correct, no one comes to the Father but through Christ and Christ IS the only Way, Truth and Life(John14:6). Whether an atheist, Mormon, Hindu, etc. does “good” works or not has nothing to do with the verses above or any of the others that are directly linked to one’s salvation or where they will be spending their eternity. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom6:23)

Men like King Saul and Judas were used for good by God the Father, but from what the Bible suggests, they ended up with eternal life apart from God, specifically Judas who was known as the son of perdition (John17).

The passages I gather from the Bible, specifically the ones directed towards eternal life all suggest believing in Christ as the only way to eternal life with Him. To propose that one can be saved through any other way would be to contradict Christ and His apostles. There would be no point to His death on the cross and there would be no hell. In addition, I guess the questions of “Who are non-Christians or Atheists doing the “good” works for and why do they do the “good” works? Is it for the esteem of others? Is it because they want to feel good? Is it because they strive to live a moral life? If so, what defines a moral life? The Pharisees attempted to live a good life by their self-righteous works, but Christ Jesus called them a brood of vipers and hypocrites…

Just a side note, I do believe the Bible says no man can condemn another man to hell. So for the atheist participating in this thread, no one on this forum can say you are destined for hell or heaven. That is for God. His Word however can be read and His words spoken from His mouth can condemn however. You can choose to suppress the truth. God gives specific warnings out of love for those who at a point in their life do not believe or are hesitant to believe. Only through His Son’s work can you be saved, not by your works because then Christ’s final work was all done in vain. There are plenty of “good” people in this world, but if they do not believe Christ is their Saviour, according to Christ, according to God, they are on the wrong path. Right? For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. Read Luke 18:9-14 and look at who Christ is speaking to- “To some who were confident of their own righteousness” It is a scary thought: those who believe they are “good”, but do not believe they need to be saved from anything.

Just because Hindu was mentioned somewhere in this post, I will add my two cents worth: Frankly I don’t think God discriminates amongst human beings based on their beliefs. He treats all of them alike, this includes communists, atheists, wiccans, Hindus, Muslims etc. The beliefs we have about religion and God just help us to lead a better life here on earth The appropriate religion often depends on the particular person, so for some people it may be best to be a Catholic and for others Islam may be better (obviously religious partisans as well as the Church will disagree). Most often the religion of birth is the most appropriate.

To get back to the question of salvation, if the only way to the Father is through the Son, I am sure the Son will take the atheist to the Father too (especially one as altruistic as OP indicated). Although I personally do not expect to go to heaven for eternity after my death since I don’t think I am pure enough or developed enough. I need to be reborn to improve further in my next life (but lets not discuss reincarnation in this thread).

 

[Aloysium]

. . . Just a side note, I do believe the Bible says no man can condemn another man to hell. So for the atheist participating in this thread, no one on this forum can say you are destined for hell or heaven. That is for God. His Word however can be read and His words spoken from His mouth can condemn however. You can choose to suppress the truth. God gives specific warnings out of love for those who at a point in their life do not believe or are hesitant to believe. Only through His Son’s work can you be saved, not by your works because then Christ’s final work was all done in vain. There are plenty of “good” people in this world, but if they do not believe Christ is their Saviour, according to Christ, according to God, they are on the wrong path. Right? For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. Read Luke 18:9-14 and look at who Christ is speaking to- “To some who were confident of their own righteousness” It is a scary thought: those who believe they are “good”, but do not believe they need to be saved from anything.

The thing about atheists is that they don’t believe in God, nor heaven and hell, nor even sin. Their concern would be about what occurs in this life.

 

[fhansen]

In Lumen Gentium, we read in paragraph 16:

Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.*

If atheists who strive to live a good life can go to heaven, what about atheists who do not strive to live a good life, or who do not strive as much as they can?

I think John of the Cross, a 16th century believer, summed Christianity up best, "At the evening of life we shall be judged on our love."

Love of God and neighbor is what man’s justice actually consists of, which is why the greatest commandments are what they are. While an informed and explicit faith, which leads to love of God and neighbor, is ideal, we can also demonstrate an implicit faith with our deeds, and love is truly expressed in doing good to others, especially to “the least of these,”