This is the first in a series of articles I'm writing about what Americans believe. LifeWay Research recently conducted a survey that yielded some eye-opening results. Respondents were presented with a number of statements and asked if they agreed, disagreed, or were unsure. Without further ado, let's consider what Americans believe about the afterlife.
Statement #1 - "Heaven is a place where all people will ultimately be reunited with their loved ones." 60% agree, 26% disagree, and 14% are unsure. This means 6 in 10 Americans are convinced that everyone will go to heaven. Notice that the statement did not discriminate against anyone - "all people." So then, the majority of Americans believe that all humans will end up in heaven.
Statement #2 - "Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's gift of eternal salvation." 54% agree and 46% disagree, so basically Americans are split on this issue. Isn't it ironic that 60% of Americans believe that everyone will go to heaven, but 54% think that a person must have faith in Jesus to be saved? This survey reveals that Americans have no problem contradicting themselves.
Statement #3 - "By the good deeds I do, I partly contribute to earning my place in heaven." 52% agree, 35% disagree, and 13% are unsure. Over half of Americans are convinced that a person has to earn his/her salvation through good works. Interesting - I wonder how many good works it takes?
Statement #4 - "Hell is an eternal place of judgment where God sends all people who do not personally trust in Jesus Christ." Only 40% of Americans believe that those who do not trust Christ in this life will spend their eternity in hell. In fact, many Americans wonder if hell even exists.
How do Americans compare to Scripture on the afterlife? Contrary to what Americans believe, heaven is not a place where everyone will go to reunite with loved ones. Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many that go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." If Jesus is right (and He is) then the majority of human beings will not go to heaven.
That leads to the second statement Americans weighed in on. Even though almost half of the public believes that faith in Jesus is not a requirement for salvation, Jesus could not have been clearer: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). According to Christ, only those who surrender their lives to Him in faith will gain entrance into heaven.
Over half of Americans believe that a person has to earn his/her salvation. The Apostle Paul disagrees: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). If we could earn our salvation through good works, we'd have something to brag about when we stand before God on judgment day. There will be no bragging in His presence - only eternal thanksgiving for His grace that comes through faith.
Nearly all Americans would tell you they believe in heaven, but far fewer believe in hell, let alone that God would send someone there to suffer forever. Did Jesus believe in hell? Jesus said, "Then He will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matt. 25:41). It's not God's desire that anyone would end up in hell (1 Tim. 2:4), but the sad truth is that many will because they refuse to place their faith in Jesus.
So, Americans are slightly misinformed about the afterlife. It's up to us as God's people to share the truth about these things, in the prayerful expectation that someone would give his/her heart to Christ. Tune in next time as we'll discover what Americans believe about the Bible.
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