Question: Hitler was raised as a Catholic by his mother…could he possibly have gone to heaven?
Answer: God’s Word does not say anything about people going to heaven based on what denomination they belonged to or even in what great things they have done or not done. It seems that the real question is: “What does God require from all of us, even Hitler, to enter into His Heaven?”
In Acts 16:31 Paul states, …” Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved….”
In Romans 10:9-10, Paul stated, “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
It is clearly taught in Scripture that we are saved as a result of what Jesus has done for us. If we place our trust in who He is and what He has done for us, the benefits from His life and death are transferred into our account and God accepts us based upon our faith or trust in Jesus. Specifically, Jesus took all of the sins of believers, past, present and future upon Himself on the cross. Since our sins were transferred to Him, we are now declared to be sinless. Likewise, all of His righteousness from His holy life has been transferred into our account and God declares that we are now righteous. That makes us acceptable to our Holy God and He will grant us entry into His Heaven because of our trust in Jesus. That is Good News!
Just before His death on the cross with two criminals the following conversation took place. “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43.)
Jesus saved the one who believed in Him during the last minutes of his life, but let the other one alone.
Since we are saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus alone, it is a gift from God.
Therefore, if Hitler in the last minute of his life would have turned from his self-sufficiency (repented) and placed his trust in Jesus (believed in who He was and what He had done) he would have been saved.
Incidentally, it is reported that Hitler rejected his Catholicism belief later in his life and turned to Protestantism, specifically Lutheranism, but God’s standard for going to heaven does not include what denomination one believes in.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).