Do Jews go to heaven?

This is something I was thinking about while trying to figure out the connection between Judaism and Christianity.

Are Jews, despite not being Christians, allowed into heaven?

Yes, they are, but their salvation doesn't come from Christ. It comes from their own works. Romans 10:3 talks about where the Jews place their salvation:

Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.

The Jews still try to live by God's law. Ironically, they fail miserably at this because there are no longer sacrifices taking place. Therefore, there is no sin offering, so anything a Jew has done against God's will any time in their lives removes their righteousness.

So, yes, Jews are allowed into heaven. The criteria they have to meet, though, is extreme compared to simple faith. On top of that, the Jews stopped doing sacrifices shortly after the ultimate sacrifice (Jesus Christ), and have continued not to since. So, by their own faith and beliefs, they cannot be saved because they do not sacrifice to God.

Are Jews, despite not being Christians, allowed into heaven?

So, yes, Jews are allowed into heaven. The criteria they have to meet, though, is extreme compared to simple faith. On top of that, the Jews stopped doing sacrifices shortly after the ultimate sacrifice (Jesus Christ), and have continued not to since. So, by their own faith and beliefs, they cannot be saved because they do not sacrifice to God.

Hi Jungle Jake!
I've agreed with everything that you have said on other posts up until now.
You appear to be contradicting yourself here.
First you say "Yes, they are." then your last statement says no.
Where in the Bible does it say that a Jew can get to Heaven without Christ?

Yeah, Jake, I somewhat agree with just me 2.

You did say they can go to heaven, then contradict yourself. Which is it?

Furthermore, I thought the bible said that you can't get into heaven on good works alone. That was supposed to be the reason a non-Christian who lives a good life goes to hell anyway.

So, if Jews can get to heaven without accepting Jesus, how come Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, whatever can't do the same? Couldn't they get in through the tougher path, like the Jews?

On the surface, it does appear I'm contradicting myself. However, I'm not and I'll explain why.

Yes, the Jews are allowed into heaven; everyone is. Biblically, there are two methods of gaining entrance. Either be righteous in God's eyes (Jesus, Elijah), or place your faith in Jesus Christ. Christians place their faith in Christ. Jews try to follow Elijah’s example and try to live a righteous life. While technically possible to do, there are only eleven individuals in the Bible that were able to do this that I'm aware of, and 8 of them came from the same immediate family.

Therefore, Jews can make it into heaven by works alone, but today it is not possible, nor has it been possible for the past 1936 years. If the Jews reinstitute sacrifices, as Revelation indicates will happen, the path will become available to them again, but it's going to be uber-hard to walk that path.

Allowed? Yes. Achievable? Technically. Likely? No.

Many times I agree with what you say JJ but I just don't understand how you think we can find salvation without Christ.


John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Many times I agree with what you say JJ but I just don't understand how you think we can find salvation without Christ.


John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I think this is something like the response I was waiting for.

Christians will tell you you can only reach heaven through Jesus. So, by default, Jews, who don't accept Jesus, can't go to heaven.

HOWEVER, Christians will also tell you that Jews are the chosen people of God. Seems to me that God would allow his chosen people into heaven, no?

So, which is it? If Jews are the chosen ones, they get to heaven, OR only those who accept Jesus get to heaven?

I don't know but we have a new covenant with God that came with the birth, life, death and eventual resurrection of Christ. The way I understand it is that ancient Jewish law no longer applies as written in the Old Testament. Jesus was the sacrificial lamb of God sent to earth to pay for all sins for all time allowing us the opportunity to find salvation through him and through him alone. Again "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Originally posted by truthseeka
This is something I was thinking about while trying to figure out the connection between Judaism and Christianity.

Are Jews, despite not being Christians, allowed into heaven?

Depends on whether God is Jewish, or Christian. But, since Jesus was a Jew, and he was God, and He got to Heaven (I've been told), the answer is yes, Jews get into Heaven, unless of course Christianity is incorrect and Christ was not God, then .. .. . . . well, I guess in that scenario they still get to go to Heaven . .. . .. Hmm, imagine that.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Many times I agree with what you say JJ but I just don't understand how you think we can find salvation without Christ.


John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Everyone who reached the source of all souls sees all souls there. Salvation without Christ is possible, but Christ will be there when you reach enlightenment, as will all those who were enlightened.

Christianity debunks reincarnation. (NO SECOND CHANCES, Except for Christ's second coming)

Christianity says there is no other way to heaven but through Jesus.

Then Christianity is in conflict with its own hypocracy.

Glad Christ wasn't.

You can believe what you like.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Many times I agree with what you say JJ but I just don't understand how you think we can find salvation without Christ.

Salvation, no. Entrance into heaven, yes. The basis for this primarily comes from 2 Kings 2:

1When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

Elijah was around before Christ's sacrifice, yet was taken up to heaven.

Christ never abolishes the old covenant; he simply extends another promise to the entire world. If God is perfect, just, and unchanging, which the Bible seems to indicate He is, He would not take back a promise he made to a people. Therefore, both covenants still exist.

It would be like me saying, I promise you will have one million dollars if you work really hard, then later saying, I promise you will have one million dollars if you take this check from my hand. Is the first still true? Yeah, if you were to work really hard you could make that million, but there is now a far simpler and easier way by which attain that money.

That passage in Kings shows that Elijah was taken into heaven before the New Covenant was made. This means it was possible to get to heaven before Christ. Therefore, the Jews who follow the Old Covenant perfectly should be able to gain entrance into heaven, unless God changes His mind about promises He makes.

How does this reconcile with John 14:6? That's gonna take some digging. I have faith, however, that it does because every "contradiction" in the Bible I've looked into has turned out to not be a contradiction, after all. Therefore, I have no reason to believe this seeming contradiction would be any different. I cannot, however, explain it.

As to the question of other faiths being able to gain entrance into heaven, by the logic I just presented, yes, technically they could do it if they are perfectly in sync with God's will. However, one of God's biggest commands is to worship no other God but Himself. So they'd have to convert, first

I disagree JJ. There is no wiggle room in the following statement by Jesus.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Originally posted by kinglizard
I disagree JJ. There is no wiggle room in the following statement by Jesus.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

But how do you explain Elijah being taken up to heaven before Christ?

Originally posted by kinglizard
I disagree JJ. There is no wiggle room in the following statement by Jesus.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

King Lizard
I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. You are saying there is no path to salvation other than the path of Christ. I'm saying there are many paths to Christ. Someone can be born and raised in Budism, or some other labelled religion, and through their teachings (which parrallel the teachings of Christ in many aspects) come to know Christ. Perhaps God's intentions of teaching mankind the practices of tolerance and reverence for truth is why the truth was sprinkled throughout God's creation. I choose not to support any religion that claims their way is the only way, when we all come from one singular truth, and simply backtracking over where we've been to get to that first singular truth is where our universal truth lies. For, it is that original truth and original perspective from which all truths and all perspectives come from. Are we talking about a time long before Jesus was born? Yes. Are we talking about a time before Jesus existed? Not necessarily. But, to say Christianity is the Only way is to be a force in existance that seperates and divides existance, and all those in it .. .. . . .or a force that wishes to convert all consciousnesses throughout all of existance and make their intentions to worship Christ and the few thousand words we have that were his. Because there is nothing outside of his words, . .. .. .. nothing of any valuable substance. So, everything outside of Christianity that was created by Christ is non-existant because it is seperate from Christ. And what can exist in creation that is seperated from creation itself?

JJ, That's from the Old Testament Bud...we have a new agreement with God.

Originally posted by Esoteric Teacher
You are saying there is no path to salvation other than the path of Christ. I'm saying there are many paths to Christ.

If the person ultimately came to accept Christ as their lord and savior and attempted to live their life as Jesus taught then I would agree they have found their salvation.

Originally posted by kinglizard
JJ, That's from the Old Testament Bud...we have a new agreement with God.

I agree, but was the Old Covenant negated by the new? I don't think so due to the unchanging nature of God, but that doesn't make me right necessarily. We are, after all, called to be deciples, or learners, and I've had my interpretation of scripture turned on its head a couple of times here at ATS. If you can, help me do so again. To quote Rich Mullins, "I did not make it, no, it is making me." I don't follow my interpretation of God, I follow God. As such, if I'm wrong in my interpretation, my interpretation needs to change. I just need a little explainin' to help it along...If I am, in fact, wrong.

some reading for you

www.near-death.com...
www.jewfaq.org...
judaism.about.com...

"For anyone who believes in a just and caring God, the existence of an afterlife makes logical sense"
www.aish.com...

If I chose to believe in heaven, when I die, that's where I'm going. Jesus won't be stopping me as he is not master of the domain I would call heaven.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

How about those that have not heard of Jesus, had no contact with Chirstianity, etc? I guess they go to hell and for what? Because no one preached the word of God to them and in doing so, were not given the opportunity or priviledge of coming "to the Father except through" Jesus?

What about those Muslims that practice Islam that worship the same God we do, just given a diffferent name: Allah? You know like the Jews do not call God "God," but Yahweh, etc.? More examples can be provided.

That particular scripture is exclusive, not inclusive, and definately does not account for a number of factors and conditions. There are provisions granted for those factors and conditions, even within the Christian Bible.






seekerof