Would God Let Hitler in Heaven?

Post Author: Bill Pratt

adolf hitler portrait Would God Let Hitler in Heaven? I find that many non-believers are hopelessly confused about salvation by God’s grace. This confusion was amply illustrated the other day on an Unbelievable? podcast when the atheist debater challenged the Christian debater with the following: “Isn’t it true that the Christian God would have allowed Hitler into heaven if he had repented and trusted in Christ on his deathbed?”

The atheist questioner clearly believed that Hitler, based on his numerous evil deeds (I still don’t understand how atheists can say that Hitler did anything objectively evil, but that’s another issue altogether), did not deserve to be accepted by God, and the fact that the Christian God would accept Hitler under any circumstances was simply unacceptable. He (the atheist) could never believe in a God that would let Hitler into heaven because justice would be denied if this were to occur.

One can sympathize with this point of view if we are dealing with the God of Islam, who weighs everyone’s good deeds and bad deeds on a scale to determine where they will spend the afterlife. It is hard to imagine that Hitler could ever get into heaven under that system, but that is not how the God of Christianity works.

The Christian debater correctly pointed out that nobody deserves to be accepted by God, but that through Christ’s work on the cross, God will accept those who have placed their trust in what Christ did for them. God will apply Christ’s atoning sacrifice to every person who desires it by dedicating themselves to their Savior. Christ paid the penalty for all of mankind’s sins, including Hitler’s. If Hitler had truly repented and trusted in Christ before he died, like the thief on the cross, he would have been welcomed into paradise by God. There is no reason to believe that he ever did this, so this is a purely hypothetical exercise meant to illustrate a point.

That is why Christians are always talking about the grace of God. God offers us eternity with him, but only because of Christ. God knows that if a scale of justice were applied, every single one of us would be condemned for our thoughts and our deeds. According to the Bible and to anyone who has really looked within their soul, we are a million miles away from the goodness that God expects of us. The scale, after all, is calibrated to weigh our deeds against the standard of the righteousness of God. Does anyone really believe they can stand before God on their own merit?

I thank God that I will never have to, and if you’ve trusted Christ, neither will you.

Tags: Adolph Hitler

This entry was posted by Bill Pratt on Friday, July 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am and is filed under Grace, Heaven, Hell, Salvation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Bill Pratt

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Andrew Ryan

“…the atheist debater challenged the Christian debater with the following: “Isn’t it true that the Christian God would have allowed Hitler into heaven if he had repented and trusted in Christ on his deathbed?””

And your answer is:

“If Hitler had truly repented and trusted in Christ before he died, like the thief on the cross, he would have been welcomed into paradise by God”

So the answer to the atheist’s question was ‘Yes, he would’. In what way was he ‘hopelessly confused?
Anonymous

Yeah, this is not a “gotcha” question. As far as the fundamentalist is concerned, Hitler *is* in Heaven, gleefully giggling while Jews burn for all eternity.
Just Sayin’

This is an extreme example of God’s mercy. The correct — truthful — response is not to deny the charge but to offer it as a catechetical moment in the form of an ad hominem.

“We are charged to ‘Repent, and believe,’ and only final impenitence is unforgivable. Not even Hitler is beyond God’s mercy unless Hitler willed it. Are your sins so bad that you are beyond God’s grace?”

These are not perplexing questions if you douse them with truth. They are only perplexing questions if you fight that fire with fire, posing and posturing and twisting the meaning of words to win a debate like a sophist.
Pingback: Do not put limits on the mercy of God « Prodigal No More
Todd

(I still don’t understand how atheists can say that Hitler did anything objectively evil, but that’s another issue altogether)
Todd

Sorry, new format. Let’s try again: (I still don’t understand how atheists can say that Hitler did anything objectively evil, but that’s another issue altogether) – you should put up a post looking at this question. I will make an assumption that you think there is no objective good or evil (based on other posts as well). This seems contrary to my assertion that science can objectively decide what is best for the well being of humanity (or possibly define it as morality).
Boz

Would God Let Hitler in Heaven?

Yes.

(A saving of 440 words)
Anonymous

Todd, I do believe there is objective good and evil. I think I addressed your idea that science can decide morality on another comment thread. (can’t remember right now)
Jeremy

I think many people assume that the evil person (insert Hitler or Pol Pot or whomever) is just paying lip service and that God just gives him a free pass. When a person truly repents, there is a regeneration through the Spirit and the person is new in Christ. This isn’t the same person. A magical incantation of “I believe” with no intent of the heart means nothing and this is what I think a lot of people miss and that a person can do whatever atrocious things they want, predict the future and know when they die, and simply plan for that lip service to take place a minute before then. For those who still cry “Unfair”! I ask what basis do they have to make that claim if they don’t believe in objective morality.
Andrew Ryan

Jeremy, if you’re happy to state that a repentant Hitler would end up in paradise while the millions he murdered may well be burning in hell, just come out and say it.

More importantly though, the ‘you don’t believe in Objective Morality’ get out of an argument free card just doesn’t work. It has no credibility philosophically. I’ve never seen a Christian playing that card manage to explain what makes their morality any more ‘objective’ than anyone else’s. You’ve got to start with an assumption that the ‘law giver’ has the authority to give the laws, and the source of that authority seems to be Himself. Anyone can grant themselves authority!
Jeremy

“It has no credibility philosophically.”– I think Alvin Plantinga (Notre Dame) has successfully granted it credibility but perhaps his credentials don’t agree with your sense of a credible philosopher’s, I really can’t say. Many other Christian philosophers have solid arguments for it as well such as Richard Swinburne (Oxford) as well as Alistair McGrath (Oxford…but I’m willing to scratch him out…he is a theologian). And before you possibly toss them out for being some sort of stripe of biased Christians, don’t fall into the Genetic Fallacy trap. You still haven’t answered how you would base your morality. Utilitarianism? Hopefully, you know that this is a slippery slope. Continuing to smuggle objective moral beliefs in an atheistic system is a bit sneaky since no one in this system likes to own up to it. They seem to get upset until it is my turn to treat @ Starbucks. (At least one made the usual claim “You thinks atheists are less moral than Christians…well that is %^&*!!” which is the usual case in missing the point entirely. I will give you the last word. Thanks for listening and your reply and have a good rest of the week.
Andrew Ryan

Yes, I don’t think Alvin Plantinga has much credibility, not since his woeful argument against naturalistic evolution. The philosopher who got there first was Plato. Euthryphro’s dilemma is what they all smack their heads on. You tell me what you base your morality on, without doing the smuggling you accuse the atheists of, and then we can talk.
Waltbowles

I think a man answered this subject. He said, many things. Few listen only some here. Of course Hitler went to heaven, if..

He believed in John 5 24

Tough Questions Answered

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