by Deborah Lees

Created on: August 15, 2008

Could Hitler be in heaven...? We as humans have very little understanding of sin and evil. Yet we as Christians are very eager to judge others. First there needs to be a clear understanding of sin. Humans categorise sin in accordance to the consequences that come from them i.e. stealing a rubber isn't as bad as stealing 1000. However, this understanding of sin is very limited. Sin in God's eyes is sin and all sin is equal. God cannot live among any sin. With this understanding is Hitler any worse than anyone else? Everybody lies or makes mistakes; it's simply a part of being human. So does anyone have the right to go to heaven? If they are planning on using their own merit than no they don't, but this leads to the most amazing part of the story. God has unlimited unconditional love. He sent Jesus his son to take away our sins. Stated in John 3:16: "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life." He made the ultimate sacrifice that our sins are forgiven.

Jesus came as prophesised in Isaiah as the son of God who is truly God and truly human. He has the power given from God to forgive sins. Many times through his healings he says your sins are forgiven and then they are healed or go your faith has healed you. His only task was to redeem the entirety of humanity from evil. Some Christians struggle with the idea that God can forgive all but even as Jesus was hanging in excruciating pain he called out to his father. His words were not of hate and revenge but simply "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". He even forgave his abuses while they abused him.
If we truly believe in this amazing forgiveness that has the power to wipe away our sins then surely it has the power to wipe away Hitler's or Ian Brady's or anyone's. The bible says - Acts 13: 38-39 "But through Jesus all who believe is free from all sins. Also God is a great believer in giving opportunities to be forgiven. One possible example is Judas. Jesus regularly talked openly that he was going to be betrayed by one of his followers. By doing this he gave Judas an opportunity to reconsider his decision. Also in the final moments before his arrest he mentioned it to Judas, do what you've come to do reemphasising that Jesus knew but that he could still change his mind. But finally you can read about Judas after Jesus is crucified that Judas was so remorseful of what he had done that he took his own life. This at the time was a great sin and in Jewish law pretty much banned you from heaven. But this remorse could be exactly what lead him to be saved. I cannot say for definite whether Judas is in heaven but the promise to us is that if you believe and want to be forgiven then all you have to do is ask. And surely this still applies to Hitler.
"Could Hitler be in heaven...? He may well be. Luckily we will never have to make that decision.

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