A SEEKER HAD ASKED ME THIS QUESTION

“Can a person who has heard the claims made by Christians, investigated Christianity, and found that the evidence led to the conclusion "Christianity is false", can this person go to Heaven?”

No! I know that this seems harsh, but here is the biblical explanation, as best as I can understand.

We are without excuse for not believing in the truth:

·       Romans 1:18-20  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

This is because we are confronted with God’s truths wherever we turn:

·       Proverbs 1:20-23 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:  “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?  If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

What is God’s reproof? What we already know in our heart. That we are sinners desperately in need of the Savior:

·       Romans 3:9-13  What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

Why don’t we see this? Because we are self-deceived. We believe only what we want to believe, as Jesus charged:

·       John 3:19-21  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Normally, we hate the light – the truth. We think that we are honestly evaluating the evidence when we are not. We prefer our own self-serving self-delusions.

I too had thought that I was seeking. I wasn’t. Instead, I wanted God in my own way. Yes, I prayed, but never for the truth. It is just too painful to accept the obvious – that we are sinners who need a Savior.