Do most people make it to heaven?

Michie · May 18, 2025

Q: I recently took a six-week theology class, and the priest teaching it was pretty emphatic that most don’t make it to heaven. First, we must be without mortal sin. So all those who forsake Mass or the Holy Sabbath would not be eligible. I have also heard other well-known priests state the same thing. One used the parable of the sower (the one with rocks, weeds, path and rich soil) to illustrate that per Jesus only 25% make it to Heaven. Yet often I hear priests say the opposite. What is your take on the parable?

A: To me, it seems that looking at this parable in terms of celestial statistics is a fairly unusual interpretation.

Hearing the ‘Good News’

Continued below.

Do most people make it to heaven?

Explore the parable of the sower and its message about salvation and heaven, faith and God's desire for all to be saved.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

chevyontheriver · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
Q: I recently took a six-week theology class, and the priest teaching it was pretty emphatic that most don’t make it to heaven. First, we must be without mortal sin. So all those who forsake Mass or the Holy Sabbath would not be eligible. I have also heard other well-known priests state the same thing. One used the parable of the sower (the one with rocks, weeds, path and rich soil) to illustrate that per Jesus only 25% make it to Heaven. Yet often I hear priests say the opposite. What is your take on the parable?

A: To me, it seems that looking at this parable in terms of celestial statistics is a fairly unusual interpretation.

Hearing the ‘Good News’

Continued below.

Do most people make it to heaven?

Explore the parable of the sower and its message about salvation and heaven, faith and God's desire for all to be saved.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

My 'gut level opinion' is that most of us won't make it. Most of us will freely choose otherwise. God WILL be merciful but people will choose as they wish, and most will choose to live without God.

There is no complacency. We should be pulling people on board the ark of Peter instead of watching them drown in the storm. We should watch so that that next wave doesn't wash us overboard.

Michie · May 18, 2025

chevyontheriver said:
My 'gut level opinion' is that most of us won't make it. Most of us will freely choose otherwise. God WILL be merciful but people will choose as they wish, and most will choose to live without God.

There is no complacency. We should be pulling people on board the ark of Peter instead of watching them drown in the storm. We should watch so that that next wave doesn't wash us overboard.

Isn’t this one of the reasons we are taught that purgatory is merciful? Of course that is not for those that outright reject the Lord but I hear most practicing believers will land there before going to heaven.

RileyG · May 18, 2025

chevyontheriver said:
My 'gut level opinion' is that most of us won't make it. Most of us will freely choose otherwise. God WILL be merciful but people will choose as they wish, and most will choose to live without God.

There is no complacency. We should be pulling people on board the ark of Peter instead of watching them drown in the storm. We should watch so that that next wave doesn't wash us overboard.

I agree. I think most people will end up damned.

Michie · May 18, 2025

Are we talking believers or people in general?

RileyG · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
Are we talking believers or people in general?

People in general.

chevyontheriver · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
Are we talking believers or people in general?

I thought it was people in general. But then I do suspect that some of the 'once saved, always saved' folks will get a surprise. And nobody but nobody pretends that all Catholics will automatically be saved.

chevyontheriver · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
Are we talking believers or people in general?

I presumed people in general.

But then again I'm not presuming that everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will be saved either.

RileyG · May 18, 2025

chevyontheriver said:
I thought it was people in general. But then I do suspect that some of the 'once saved, always saved' folks will get a surprise. And nobody but nobody pretends that all Catholics will automatically be saved.

Or OSAS state those who fell away were never truly saved to begin with.

Lady Bug · May 18, 2025

It can be hard relying on your faith when you don't even know if you're one of the rare ones who are true believers.

However, it doesn't mean that I'm not relying on it, but why does it feel like it's so hard to do it because I feel discouraged that I'm not one of the true believers, sometimes?

Michie · May 18, 2025

Lady Bug said:
It can be hard relying on your faith when you don't even know if you're one of the rare ones who are true believers.

However, it doesn't mean that I'm not relying on it, but why does it feel like it's so hard to do it because I feel discouraged that I'm not one of the true believers, sometimes?

We all go through valleys and experience dark nights of the soul. Mother Teresa did for years.

chevyontheriver · May 18, 2025

Lady Bug said:
It can be hard relying on your faith when you don't even know if you're one of the rare ones who are true believers.

However, it doesn't mean that I'm not relying on it, but why does it feel like it's so hard to do it because I feel discouraged that I'm not one of the true believers, sometimes?

A little self questioning from time to time might be a good thing. The 'once saved, always saved' concept is the dangerous thing.

For the most part a faithful Catholic should be able to say at any given moment that they are in friendship with, and obedience to God. What we can't say is whether we will persevere to the end. One 'hopes'. One can't 'know for sure'.

I don't think 'feeling it' is all that important. Neither do I think being all happy-clappy is all that important. I am neither happy-clappy nor 'feeling it' except on rare occasions. Knowing who our savior and Lord is matters.

RileyG · May 18, 2025

Michie said:
We all go through valleys and experience dark nights of the soul. Mother Teresa did for years.

Also Mother Angelica, St. Therese

All Becomes New · May 19, 2025

My .02.

Matthew 7:13-14
"“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”"

RileyG · May 19, 2025

All Becomes New said:
My .02.

Matthew 7:13-14
"“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”"

Yup. I think of this verse often.

All Becomes New · May 19, 2025

RileyG said:
Yup. I think of this verse often.

I'm honestly shocked the verse I brought up was not in the article. Not my business why though.

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