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According to the Bible, all people will eventually be saved. Consider this verse from the Apostle Paul: "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance -- and for this we labor and strive -- that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things." (1 Tim. 4:9-11). There are various other verses that teach the same thing. The important thing to note is that God is especially the savior of believers, not only believers. What this means is that all will eventually be saved, but those who accept and follow Jesus Christ in this lifetime will be saved first, in a greater and more special way. The Bible makes it clear that there is punishment for refusing to walk in the path of God, but that punishment is temporary and redemptive. People like Hitler or Manson who committed many terrible sins and never asked for forgiveness in the name of Jesus, would certainly experience the just punishment for their crimes. No mortal can know how severe the punishment is for each person or how long it lasts, but we can know for certain that it is not forever, because it is unjust to punish someone infinitely for finite sins, and the Bible makes it clear that all will be saved in the end. So, the short answer to your question is no, Hitler is probably not yet in heaven praising God -- I would be very surprised if he has gotten out of hell already -- but both he and Manson are headed for heaven in God's time, and so is everyone who dies without accepting Jesus. If this were not true, God could not be the savior of all men as Paul stated He is, nor could the following prophecy come true: "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." (Rom. 5:18-19). "All men" and "the many" includes people like Hitler and Manson. The only alternative is to believe the sin of Adam is more powerful than the redeeming power of Jesus -- that the sin of one man made all men sinners, but the righteousness of Christ is not enough to make all men righteous. But to believe this is to disbelieve in the Bible, because the teaching of the Bible are clear: that ALL people are saved through the power of Jesus Christ to forgive all sins and transform everyone from the fallen condition of Adam to the righteousness of the Son of God. Some people will have to go through hell as punishment for their sins, if they did not repent and accept Jesus when they had a chance in this life. There are verses that teach this. Other people will be saved more quickly because of their belief and willing cooperation in the salvation process during their life on earth. There are verses which teach this too, the importance of our choice to believe and try our best to follow the Lord. And the verses which teach universal redemption at the end of time are also in the Bible and must not be ignored. There are more than 70 such verses. Rest assured, evil, unrepentant people will get the harsh punishment they deserve -- but nobody deserves to be tortured for all eternity. God is interested in saving us through the fire, not making us suffer forever for the sins committed during one mortal life. You might want to read these three articles:
You may also want to read through some of the Bible commentaries about other passages teaching universal reconciliation, listed in this section of my website: Christian Universalist Index > ultimate-reconciliation section. I hope these explanations will be helpful to you in your spiritual journey. Peace in Christ,
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Christian Universalist FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions
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Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |