Re: Do people who have never heard the gospel go to hell?

I've never understood why it's so controversial to believe that believers do not go directly to heaven when they die when the scriptures are plain about this to me. Everyone always goes to Luke 23:43 as the best proof of this:

Luke 23:43
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

But there is a big problem with this if you interpret it as Jesus telling the thief that very day he would be with him in paradise. The big problem is that Jesus wasn't going to be in heaven that day:

Matthew 12:40
For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

In the original bible texts, there was no comma in Luke 23:43. It was added later in the translations. So it could have just as easily read:

“Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

Notice how the comma moved changes the meaning.

Many theologians do not disagree with that interpretation, but regardless it makes the most sense as to not contradict Matthew 12:40 as well as so many other scriptures.


The following passages are talking about the resurrection of those in Christ. In reading them more carefully, it became even more clear to me how it will all be.

1 Cor. 15:
20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

This passage plainly tells us when the resurrection of those in Christ will be. It will be when Christ returns. (verse 23)

We do not go to heaven without a body. We do not go to heaven until we get our glorified bodies, which will be at the resurrection. So many things would not make sense if it was not this way. The bible says we are being prepared to be the bride of Christ. How would it make sense if we all went up to dwell with Christ at different times when we died, some spending years and years with him before the rest got there. No, instead I believe we will all be presented together, at the resurrection, when we all receive our glorified bodies. The bride of Christ will then be complete.

I know it's a comforting thought to think our loved ones that have died are dwelling up in heaven with Christ now. But the biblical truth I see makes it all the more beautiful to me, that we will all meet Christ face to face together.

I think it says it all so plainly here:

1 Thess. 4:
13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. Tweet