There's a difference between the sexes: Eighty percent of women think they're going to heaven, compared with 69 percent of men. That's both because men are slightly less apt to believe in heaven in the first place, and among those who do believe, slightly less apt to think they're headed there.
Just over half of global citizens (51%) say they believe in some form of afterlife: one quarter (23%) believe in an afterlife "but not specifically in a heaven or hell", two in ten (19%) believe "you go to heaven or hell", another 7% believe "you are ultimately reincarnated" and 2% believe in "heaven but not hell".
The Bible does not say in any part that it is only the 144,000 that will go to heaven. The revelation to John supports Matthew 8:11, which says that many will come from every corner of the earth to sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The number 144,000 that were sealed or chosen are not pre-chosen.
Among all Christians, a majority (58%) say that many religions can lead to eternal life in heaven, and within this group, the prevailing view is that members of some non-Christian religions are able to attain eternal life in heaven (43% of all Christians express this view).
While 74 percent of Americans believe in heaven, just 59 percent believe hell, Smith said. "We also shouldn't overlook the fact that there is some diversity in the nature and certainty with which people hold those beliefs," he said.
It is not something that exists eternally but rather part of creation. The first line of the Bible states that heaven is created along with the creation of the earth (Genesis 1). It is primarily God's dwelling place in the biblical tradition: a parallel realm where everything operates according to God's will.
Scripture references are from the NIV :
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man ;Jesus Christ (John3:13).
"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
Mercier and colleagues divide the proximate causes of religious belief into three types: cognitive, motivational, and societal. One cognitive factor is an analytical thinking style. People who tend to act according to reason rather than intuition are also less likely to believe in God.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last…” (Romans 1:16-17, NIV). In some way, all religions and philosophies lead to God. But only Christ leads us to right-standing with God and a relationship with him.
Sacred Scripture teaches that Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven while still alive and not experiencing physical death.
Heaven will be an infinite world of new discoveries, and Jesus Christ will unfold them to you. Thomas Boston says: The divine perfections will be an unbounded field, in which the glorified shall walk eternally, seeing more and more of God; since they can never come to the end of the infinite.
Christians don't believe that "going to heaven" happens automatically; it's the result of conscious decisions made during one's life. While the Bible is very specific about the requirements for human salvation, it says nothing about salvation for animals.
Existential death anxiety is the belief that everything ceases after death; nothing continues on in any sense. Seeing how people deeply fear such an absolute elimination of the self, they begin to gravitate toward religion which offers an escape from such a fate.
Many religions claim there is a downside to the afterlife, notably Hell in the Christian religion. Atheists do not accept that there is an afterlife so do not have a future in it to fear. An atheist sees death as a full-stop, so it is the process of dying that matters".
Almost half – 49 per cent – of those surveyed earlier this year by the Institute of Education, University of London believe that there is 'definitely' or 'probably' life after death. Only 31 per cent have said that they believe in God, either without doubts (13 per cent) or with some doubts (18 per cent).
As mentioned earlier, evidence for God's existence is widely available through creation, conscience, rationality and human experience. What is more, the biblical faith—unlike other traditional religions—is checkable; it opens itself up to public scrutiny.
He was born of a Jewish mother, in Galilee, a Jewish part of the world. All of his friends, associates, colleagues, disciples, all of them were Jews. He regularly worshipped in Jewish communal worship, what we call synagogues. He preached from Jewish text, from the Bible.
Most people who stop attending church services still believe in God, according to new research commissioned by the Church of Scotland. Many who no longer attend church choose to express their faith in new ways, said Scotland's national Church.
Any hope of heaven is based on the exact same thing our forgiveness is based on and that is Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus. Paul then clearly states who and what determines who gets into heaven — “we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” God determines who gets into heaven.
The only answer that will satisfy the question, “Why should I let you into heaven?” is this, “God, there is no reason at all that you should let me into heaven. I am a sinner. But I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I am accepting His sacrifice on my behalf.”
God is the One who decides who does or does not enter heaven. There's no place in the Bible that says they were saved. But there is no place in the Bible that indicates the couple was lost, either.
In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to seven levels or divisions of the Heavens. The concept, also found in the ancient Mesopotamian religions, can be found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; a similar concept is also found in some other religions such as Hinduism.
However, the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament actually gives us the names of three individuals that are traditionally thought of as never having died.