Advertisement
Categories: Q&A

Why Christians Can Go to Hell despite Christ's atoning for our sins

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Full Question

If Jesus atoned for our sins, why then do people go to hell, even if they believe in Jesus?

Answer

As St. James makes clear, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19; emphasis added). So it’s not simply enough to believe in God’s existence. We have to respond and accept his free gift of salvation. We do this by our free-will choices, our “good works.” As the word gift implies, we don’t or can’t earn our salvation, but we must freely cooperate with God in being saved, and we do so through our everyday choices.
That’s why James added, “Some one will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. . . . [So] you see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:18, 24).
James concurs with Jesus, who said:

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).

Related Post

For more on the issue of salvation and our cooperation, see CCC 846-48.


By Tom Nash

This post was published on May 4, 2017 1:33 pm

Advertisement
Share
Raphael Benedict

Raphael Benedict is a Catholic who wants nothing but to spread the catholic faith to reach the ends of the world. Make this possible by always sharing any article or prayers posted on your social media platforms. Remain blessed

View Comments

  • Perhaps a bit of research on your part would help you understand what this article is conveying. I must say, you sound more like Lucifer trying to discredit Jesus rather than someone seeking truth. Your ignorance of the Faith is appalling.
    God help you in your quest.

    • He's right in a way, but could have not used sarcasm against the church. What he said about Sheol is right but left out that it's the purification place to enter heaven. There is belief that if you can't be purified you are deleted only if totally evil. There is speculations of reincarnation if you're not totally evil and can not be purified. This is where Catholics get purgatory from. Jesus did mention hell. Hell was never mentioned prior and yet many understood what he was talking about. Why? Jews never once believed in a hell. So how did they understand what he was talking about? I have heard of the local dump theory as well. However, both Christian and Jew believe in Satan and demons but not in the same sense either. So where do these polar opposites come from if it's from the same God? Why are christians contradicting the original testament when Jesus states in Mathew he is not here to change even one mark of the word but only to fulfill the prophecy? Why would Jesus teach us how to worship God yet we worship Jesus heavily more? If father, son, Holy Spirit are one God, why are we not worshiping the Holy Spirit way more even with the other 2? Anyway I'm sure I know what the responses would be to all those questions. Most say the same things. However, answers never match the word if read the verses in entirety and the context it was actually said in. I'm not attacking God or his word, but man has let culture and their own personal theology rule over what God actually says and both God and Jesus called man out for doing that, yet continues to this day in both Judaism and Christianity sects. Why must man think God has hid clues in the word when he is so precise when talking? Why is man so proud of their culture that they have to think there is interpretation to what God is saying? Probably because God states many times that we are a hard headed people that will always try to put what they want over what God wants us to do. It's hard to believe how many times the iserialites went against God and God would forgive or give them what they wanted. Yet if we as christians fall short, this same God would through his child in eternal damnation when he was so forgiving and to show how forgiving he sent his only son as proof? If you state we don't understand God's will, then you can't state in this article that we will go to hell. That is judging and Jesus stated he who is without sin cast the first stone. Means you can't judge, therefore don't be saying someone is going to hell if they don't do this or that. Just follow God and eat drink and be merry! Come to God as a child and stop all this nit picking of the word and over analyzing! Both of those are in the Bible, go search and actually read it without theology biases and read within context of situations.

  • Perhaps a bit of research on your part would help you understand what this article is conveying. I must say, you sound more like Lucifer trying to discredit Jesus rather than someone seeking truth. Your ignorance of the Faith is appalling.
    God help you in your quest.

    • He's right in a way, but could have not used sarcasm against the church. What he said about Sheol is right but left out that it's the purification place to enter heaven. There is belief that if you can't be purified you are deleted only if totally evil. There is speculations of reincarnation if you're not totally evil and can not be purified. This is where Catholics get purgatory from. Jesus did mention hell. Hell was never mentioned prior and yet many understood what he was talking about. Why? Jews never once believed in a hell. So how did they understand what he was talking about? I have heard of the local dump theory as well. However, both Christian and Jew believe in Satan and demons but not in the same sense either. So where do these polar opposites come from if it's from the same God? Why are christians contradicting the original testament when Jesus states in Mathew he is not here to change even one mark of the word but only to fulfill the prophecy? Why would Jesus teach us how to worship God yet we worship Jesus heavily more? If father, son, Holy Spirit are one God, why are we not worshiping the Holy Spirit way more even with the other 2? Anyway I'm sure I know what the responses would be to all those questions. Most say the same things. However, answers never match the word if read the verses in entirety and the context it was actually said in. I'm not attacking God or his word, but man has let culture and their own personal theology rule over what God actually says and both God and Jesus called man out for doing that, yet continues to this day in both Judaism and Christianity sects. Why must man think God has hid clues in the word when he is so precise when talking? Why is man so proud of their culture that they have to think there is interpretation to what God is saying? Probably because God states many times that we are a hard headed people that will always try to put what they want over what God wants us to do. It's hard to believe how many times the iserialites went against God and God would forgive or give them what they wanted. Yet if we as christians fall short, this same God would through his child in eternal damnation when he was so forgiving and to show how forgiving he sent his only son as proof? If you state we don't understand God's will, then you can't state in this article that we will go to hell. That is judging and Jesus stated he who is without sin cast the first stone. Means you can't judge, therefore don't be saying someone is going to hell if they don't do this or that. Just follow God and eat drink and be merry! Come to God as a child and stop all this nit picking of the word and over analyzing! Both of those are in the Bible, go search and actually read it without theology biases and read within context of situations.

Advertisement

Recent Posts

Prayer for the Morning (March 24, 2023)

Prayer for the Morning We are saved by the Lord, saved for ever!Let us give thanks and praise. Glory to the…

7 hours ago

I attended Mass celebrated by a woman, is this valid?

Question: I attended Mass celebrated by a woman, is this valid? Answer: If you are referring to an actual Mass,…

2 days ago

Can Catholics hunt for sport?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, God entrusted man with the responsibility of stewardship over animals, which includes…

2 days ago

May I buy a rosary purely for artistic display?

Answer: I am assuming you are not a Catholic. As a collector of religious artifacts, you may find yourself drawn…

2 days ago

Martyred Ulm family will be beatified in September

In their hometown of Markowa, Poland, the Ulm family of nine, including parents Jozef and Wiktoria and their seven children,…

2 days ago

Why is M*sturbation Wrong?

The Catholic Church's teachings on sexuality are rooted in the fact that God designed sexual expression to be a sacred,…

2 months ago
Advertisement