Do Nice People Go to Heaven?

Is it really possible for nice people go to Hell?

To answer that question, we have to define the word “nice.”

Picture a spectrum of holiness. Abject evil to one extreme and pure holiness to the other. The Hitlers of the world would be closer to the pure evil side, while people like Mother Teresa would be to the other extreme. The rest of us probably fall somewhere in between and could rightly say, “I’m no saint, but I’m no mass murderer, either.”

With that worldview, our standard of “goodness” is reduced to shades of gray. We’re merely comparing and contrasting our goodness against each other. The disciples tried that (Mark 10:37).

According to the Bible, the absolute holiness of God is the true standard we’re measured against (Habakkuk 1:13). That’s why being a “nice” person isn’t enough for us to be welcomed into heaven. We all fall short of glory of God and need a Savior (Romans 3:23).

It’s our desire here at Focus on the Family to introduce people to Him.

While offering marriage and parenting advice is one of our key objectives, our ultimate hope is to lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That’s what we’ve been about for 40 years!

In fact, our mission statement reads: “To cooperate with the Holy Spirit in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible by nurturing and defending the God-ordained institution of the family and promoting biblical truths worldwide.”

With that in mind, we’re airing a very unique presentation of the Gospel message on today’s Focus on the Family Broadcast. It was recorded at a gathering of our staff in 1999.

The speaker is the late Jay Carty, former Los Angeles Laker basketball player, who explains what the Bible really says about Heaven and Hell, yet in a humorous and entertaining way you won’t soon forget.

You can hear the broadcast “Do Nice People Go to Heaven” on your local radio station, on our website, via Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, and on our free phone app.

The question of where you’ll spend eternity is too big to leave unanswered. If Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, answer it. Open the door. Invite Jesus in. You won’t regret it.

I encourage you to contact us at Focus on the Family if you’d like someone to talk to. We’re here to listen to your story and offer hope. Call 1-800-AFAMILY (232-6459). We’d love to share with you how you can find peace through God.

You may also be interested in a free online booklet we’ve written called, “Coming Home: An Invitation to Join God’s Family.”