Christopher Hitchens Might Be in Heaven
— Friday, December 16th, 2011 —
Christopher Hitchens, the world’s most famously caustic atheist, is now dead.
Hitchens expected this moment, of course, but he anticipated, wrongly, a blackness, a going out of consciousness forever. Many Christians today are sadly remarking on what it is like for Christopher Hitchens to be now opening his eyes in hell.
We might be wrong.
The Christian impulse here is exactly right. After all, Jesus and his apostles assured us that there is no salvation apart from union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, a union entered into by faith. And Hitchens not only rejected that gospel, he ridiculed it, along with the very notion of anything beyond the natural order. The Christian Scriptures are clear: there is a narrow window in which we must be saved, the time of this present life, and after this there is only judgment (2 Cor. 6:1-2; Heb. 9:27).
But I’m not sure Christopher Hitchens is in hell right now. It’s not because I believe there’s a “second chance” after death for salvation (I don’t). It’s not because I don’t believe in hell or in God’s judgment (I do). It’s because of a sermon I heard years ago that haunts me to this day, reminding me of the sometimes surprising persistence of the gospel.
Fifteen or so years ago, I heard an old Welsh pastor preach on Jesus’ encounter with the thieves on the cross. The preacher paused to speculate about whether the penitent thief might have had any God-fearing friends or family members. If so, he said, they probably would never have known about the terrorist’s final act, his appeal to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk. 23:42). They never would have heard Jesus pronounce, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43).
These believing family members and friends would have assumed, all their lives, that this robber was in hell, especially dying as he did under the visible judgment of God (Deut. 21:22-23). They would have been shocked to meet this man in the kingdom of God. “We thought you were in hell,” they might have said, as they danced around him in the heavenly places.
That sermon changed everything for me about the way I preach funerals for unbelievers. Now, deathbed conversions are very rare. Typically, a conscience is so seared by then, so given over to the darkening of the mind, that the gospel rarely is heard. We shouldn’t count on last-second repentance.
But, however rarely, it does happen, and who knows? Perhaps you have relatives who, in the last seconds of breath, breathed out a silent prayer of repentance and faith. You might be as surprised as the thief’s believing cohort.
And, who knows? Christopher Hitchens heard the gospel enough, often while debating believers. Maybe the seed of the Word might have embedded in his heart somewhere and maybe, just maybe, it broke through sometime in the night, as he gasped for last breath.
Christopher Hitchens was a blasphemer, true enough, and a nasty character. Aren’t we all, in our different ways. Christ Jesus came for nasty characters like us. And the same blood of Jesus that can deliver us from wrath could do the same for Hitchens had he, if he, at any point, embraced it. It’s not likely, but it’s possible, and, if he did, then Christopher Hitchens’s past atheism would be no barrier to communion with God. It would be, like my sin, crucified with Christ, buried, and remembered no more.
I don’t know about Christopher Hitchens, about what happened in those last moments, but I do know that, if he had embraced it, the gospel would be enough for him. I know that because it’s enough for me, and I’m as deserving of hell as he is.
Hell is real and judgment is certain. The gospel comes with a warning that it will one day be too late. But, as long as there is breath, it is not yet too late. Perhaps Christopher Hitchens, like so many before him, persisted in his rebellion to the horror of the very end. But maybe not. Maybe he stopped his polemics and cried out, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
I don’t know. But I do know that the gospel offers forgiveness and mercy right to the edge of death’s door. And I know that the kingdom of God is made up of ex-thieves, and ex-murderers, and ex-atheists like us.
101 Responses to “Christopher Hitchens Might Be in Heaven”
Trackbacks
- Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) | Denny Burk
- Yup, Hitchens could be in Heaven. « Twisted Crown of Thorns ®
- Christopher Hitchen’s death and what to think about it « Nathan Millican's Blog
- Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011)
- Reflections on Christopher Hitchens and Advent | sojourns with Jesus
- Christopher Hitchens, RIP | The Well & The Shallows
- Articles on Christopher Hitchens. « Near Emmaus
- What I Read Online – 12/17/2011 (a.m.) | Emeth Aletheia
- Christopher Hitchens Dies: Is He in Heaven? - Randy Thomas
- Saturday Post 12/17/11 « In Christ Alone
- Enemy of God « The Narrow Gate
- The death of Christopher Hitchens « Strengthened by Grace
- Around the Interweb | Blogging Theologically | Jesus, Books, Culture, & Theology
- Around the Interweb | Blogging Theologically | Jesus, Books, Culture, & Theology
- Death Of An Atheist | The Famished Patriot
- Hitchens and Hell - NYTimes.com
- Truth And Common Sense − No more secrets for Christopher Hitchens. He was either right- which is sad- or he was very wrong- which is sad for him.
- lawnmower
Excellent. Thanks, Dr. Moore.
@Eric Schumacher, Here’s what I don’t understand about your logic: you’re arguing the fact that Christopher Hitchens isn’t in hell like it’s something that needs to be argued. If you suddenly won people over to this way of thinking, would it be the first time Christians suddenly start believing that the Bible might not be exactly telling the exact truth (that you absolutely have to believe in Jesus to be saved?) No. It’s not. This is exactly why American religions haven’t gone the way of good ol’ Catholicism in Europe. In case you don’t know, the frigid and unforgiving nature of Catholicism in Europe drove most of Europe (i believe above 50% in England and 70% in France) to be atheist. American religions became easier pills to swallow by changing to fit the more moderate person.
I could argue about the fact that, if God were perfect he wouldn’t change from someone in the Old Testament who said told his followers (according to the people who wrote Leviticus and Deuteronomy) to kill people of other religions, to burn cities of different religions to the ground, to murder homosexuals, and do many other things the current Christian would find appalling, to a being that promotes piece and love because his son changed his mind. Things that are perfect don’t change. That’s the definition of perfect.
I could argue that, but instead I’d say who are Christians to make the final decision on what God is. If a homeless guy that kind of looked like what the paintings say Jesus looks like and said he was Jesus and the end days are here and even did some Chris Angel type magic trick that you couldn’t possibly figure out, would you believe him? No. You wouldn’t, because God told you not to be gullible. He not only told you that, but he also put all these people in your world that want to cheat and lie and hurt you. Whether it’s a priest that molests you when your a child or a head of your church that steals your money and leaves town, there are plenty of things in the world which can genuinely hurt you. Now why would God say, “You’re going to have all these people cheating and lying to you, but those are just tests, and in order for you to get into heaven, you have to believe other people (whom are capable of lying just as much as someone else who’s hurt you before) that I exist. Even the Catholic church admits that the closest person to Jesus that wrote in the Bible was separated from him by 15 years. Most say it’s more like 60-80 years. Does god suddenly not want us to use our questioning minds that he gave us?
This is why I believe it’s insulting that you even say that Christians would be right in assuming Christopher Hitchens is in hell. God created Christopher Hitchens and he knew exactly how he was going to be. He got people to use their brains where others said “Just have faith. Shut off that part of the brain that God gave you.” I’ll tell you one thing: if there is a God it would be like slapping him in the face worshiping him with such an imperfect, man-made thing like Christianity. Like most thinking people I’m open to a dialogue on the topic. I don’t wish you any ill will. most of my family is Southern Baptist so I know Christianity doesn’t make bad people, but bad people can be Christian.
When I don’t know the status of a person’s faith as death nears, or it has already come, I often hope that at some point the deceased had uttered something in the way of pleading for God’s forgiveness before they died. It’s all I can hope for, for them.
Maybe we’ll all be surprised to see him in heaven, if he had cried out to Jesus before he died. It would be awesome if he did.
Dr. Moore, you’re absolutely right. It’s shameful some of things believers are posting via social networking. The death of an Atheist is never something to be taken lightly or joked about. It’s sad or it may possibly be a wonderful display of God’s grace in the heavens that believers left here do not know yet, but will know in time when they meet this former Atheist in heaven who possessed a child-like faith in Christ in his final moment. We serve a gracious God, and the eternal destination of humans is ultimately known by Him and left up to Him.
@Jared Moore,
It is interesting to compare what believers were saying about Bin Laden on social media and what they are saying now about Hitchens. I see two evil men who needed forgiveness and mercy through Christ. Both were God-haters and worked the works of their father the Devil. Many felt the negative things typed and spoken about Bin Laden’s death were fine and appropriate because he was a murderer of “innocent” people. How many of us were saying, “Bin Laden might be in heaven!” or hoping any such thing? I know I wasn’t, and I should have been. Hitches was no more righteous than Bin Laden. May we pray for God’s mercy and salvation for all people, especially our enemies.
@Joshua, Spoken like the heart of a genuine Believer. I have belonged to Jesus as far back as I can remember. My parents, my two sisters, myself…I can remember not a single moment before acceptance and conversion for any of us.
I struggle so much with arrogance…believing that my status is somehow due to my goodness, my faithfulness, my perserverance. Such rubbish, I know. But the deceipt of Satan is thorough if nothing else.
We need to constantly remind ourselves and other professing Believers that no one DESERVES grace. It’s a gift, and that’s what makes it such a miracle. If no one can deserve grace, then no one is too low for grace to reach down and transform.
Arrogance is an awful lot like poo-poo, I think. There’s far too much of it… and it’s never pretty. :-)
Dr. Moore — Provocative as always.
Because of my faith history, I have many examples of people in my life who are either struggling with the death of an unbelieving friend or spouse, or are themselves unbelievers who, frankly, died in their unbelief (as you point out: as far as we know). This, along with the problem of evil, is the most persistent challenge to my personal faith. That is, it is exactly what causes me to ask the somewhat-fatal question, “God: why?” when it is in fact not my business to scrutinize God, and yet my loss in these situations is both palpable and painful.
In that context, let me ask: is it helpful to preach the Gospel in these terms, which is not universalism proper, but holds out a hope in a “two minute drill” of the Gospel which, frankly, the Bible really doesn’t give us any confidence in?
I think it’s right to have a God-sized confidence in Christ, but that confidence is in his justice as well as his mercy, isn’t it?
Thanks for your consideration, and Merry Christmas. :-)
@Frank Turk,
Your comments resonated with me, Frank. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on brain science and the study of when death actually occurs. I know that in Dr. Moore’s piece he wrote that our chance for reconciliation with God is open until we take our last breath, but it is now becoming pretty evident that we don’t die until some time following our last breath. The brain shuts down slowly and who knows how God intervenes with each of his beloved when they are in those “closing moments” of life.
-rd
@Frank Turk, Check this out: it was helpful to me to preach the gospel in these terms. #1 because it was something I had never given much thought, and it was truth. #2 because it encouraged me- that by sharing the gospel by all means at all times, even people who completely reject me and hate me for it were at least informed and evangelized, and maybe even converted without my knowledge. It gives me a great appreciation that God is the one who gets all the glory, not the evangelist, and for some like me, it is probably better to take atheists to heaven in secret where I can’t find out about it and be prideful that I converted them! LOL It is more important that they make it to heaven and ultimately glorify the father than it is for them to live/think a certain way temporarily here on Earth. It reminds me that the gospel is not about us and our lives, it is about the Creator and His glory first.
Amen and amen. The correct Christian worldview. Well said.
Powerful…really powerful…the Law does indeed lay waste to us all, and the gospel provide the same life for all who repent and turn to Jesus.
“If that comes, it will be when I’m very ill, when I’m half demented, either by drugs or pain where, I wouldn’t have control over what I say.
I mention this in case you ever hear a rumor later on. Because these things happen, and the faithful love to spread these rumors. On his death bed he finally — I can’t say that the entity that by then wouldn’t be me wouldn’t do such a pathetic thing, but I can tell you that not while I’m lucid, no. I could be quite sure of that.
Don’t believe it.” -Christopher Hitchens
Sorry. You won’t get any false satisfaction from the Hitch.
I’m a Christian but I am kind of with George here. I would like to believe in a death-bed conversion for Mr Hitchens. I hope it is so. However, it is most unlikely given all CH said. More importantly, I’m not sure that it is honouring to Hitchens to speak in terms of a potential death-bed conversion. We may as Christians wish it, however, it was expressly not Hitchens last known wish for himself… and God respects our choices.
No. No no no.
It is profane and disgusting for you to say such horrible things about someone after his death when he isn’t able to defend himself from your slanderous words.
Ha! Hitch wanted no part of your “celestial North Korea.” But if your delusions make YOU feel better about your willful ignorance, then good for you.
Last night I wrote a blog post entitled “The Late Christopher Hitchens as a Strange Sort of Kindred Spirit.” It may interest some of y’all here. Click my name if ya want to read it.
Christopher Hitchens died unconstrained by infantile superstitions - relics from the infancy of species. The wish to be dominated and subservient to a sexist, racist dictator can be described as nothing more than a mental illness.
But, if you do insist on praying for Christopher tonight, do also remember to sacrifice a goat. It’s what Hitch would have wanted.
You ought to be thoroughly ashamed.
@Matthew Evans, you shame Dr. Moore on what standards? In buttoned Hitch-kins fashion, you criticize the pious dogmas of man’s religion, ignorant of the fact that Jesus did much of the same, and you display a sour misrepresentation of Christian theology. Granted, many evangelicals have a poor hermeneutic that rivals yours, but please consider that the constraining/sexist/racist dictator that you speak of might not be the scandalously liberating/servant-hearted/immanent/sovereign Life Giver that Dr. Moore speaks of—the God of the Bible.
As for your article, Dr. Moore, I found it very gracious, humble, and hopeful. Hitchens was a brilliant communicator, and I pray that he echoed the words in the thief’s prayer as his own.
I keep trying to take in the kindness toward Christopher Hitchens who was a blasphemer of the God we worship. As a layperson I am a little dismayed at our response. It would almost seem better had nothing been said about him at all. There are so many other sinners out there more deserving of our kindness, so to speak. We could say the same about Pharaoh. His debates about the God of Moses included some very well designed miracles. Could he have changed his mind before he died? I don’t mean to be disrespectful to the living or the dead here. I just cannot comprehend the courtesy toward a life of rebellion and blasphemy. I would prefer to leave that to God at this point.
@Bruce H, “There are so many other sinners out there more deserving of our kindness, so to speak.” Really? How does one decide which sinners are more deserving of our kindness than others? The thief on the cross was like the laborers hired at the last hour who still received a full day’s wage. Are you are like the other laborers who complained? Scripture tell us we are all equally deserving of God’s wrath. Do you consider yourself more deserving of grace than Hitchen’s was? If so, you have some repenting to do.
Hitch already addressed this. http://youtu.be/2q5VZzDWWj8
Good, good words.
I believe it was Max Lucado that referred to this as “the insult of the gospel” .. that we are somehow offended by the simple fact that the Grace of Christ is so wide as to enfold the most desperate of sinners, if they will bu repent and turn to him in faith. Even at the last moment, which is explicit in scripture.
It’s almost as if we secretly believe we made it easier for Jesus to cleanse us, by being such good persons. Which, of course, we didn’t and we weren’t.
Don’t forget ex-Devil worshipers . . . (Eph 2:2); I do find it interesting that almost every funeral sermon I have ever heard that there is a great deal of emphasis placed upon “what might have happened in those final moments.”
We know scripture explicitly told us that one of the dying thieves looked to Jesus and responded to Him and the assumption is that the other did not, however, our domain is not the realm of speculation, but what is clearly revealed.
Our posture towards those who have gathered to mourn the loss of a loved one, Christian or non-Christian, is love and compassion with the truth of the Gospel that demands attention right now in the present and not putting off until it’s to late, cf Luke 13:1-5
I think a biblical eschatology leads us to the same urgency, that there is coming a day in which it will be to late to respond, cf. Matthew 25:10.
As it stands for the late Mr. Hitchens . . . only God knows, but it is the Christians duty to preach and teach the Gospel to the living so that they may believe and have eternal life in Jesus, however, it’s not our role to provide a false comfort on the basis of what might have happened.
@Tobby E. Smith, I don’t think the goal was to provide a false comfort. Someone on Facebook brought that up too, and if I am understanding rightly, I do believe the point of the article was to remind us that the Judge of all who does right is not only just but gracious. I know it’s spurred me on to pray more for those who seem too far gone. I could have prayed for Hitchens more! I get the feeling some are viewing Hitchens as a Hebrews 6 kind of scenario, but I don’t think it is- correct me if I’m wrong.
@Tobby E. Smith,
I think the goal was to get to not be so rigid or certain about the fate of a life-long rebel or even someone who become an apostate, because in their final moments they could have repented and looked to Christ, on this point I agree with Dr. Moore, whom I respect, admire, and love.
However, the hope that we offer to the living should not be predicated upon whether or not their loved one is in heaven or hell (as speculative as it would be in Mr. Hitchens case), but upon the goodness of God found in the Gospel of Christ.
What a thoughly dishonest article.
I understand why you hope he secretly changed his mind whilst no-one was looking but that is the desparate thoughts of someone who knows they were intectually and logically outclassed at every turn: He out-debated every christian he met and he knew their scriptures far better them too.
He (and many others) don’t need your special invisible friend.
@Phil D, if as you claim he won every debate, may I draw your attention to his debate in Edinburgh with Prof John Lennox where he soundly lost the motion proposed? or his debate with Dr William Lane Craig, where an atheist blog desribed how ‘Lane spanked Hitchins like a naughty child’? I personally enjoyed his debates, but he wasn’t omnipotent. As to his knowledge of the scriptures, he couldn’t quote them in context, but at least he could do it with courtesy, unlike the oxford idiot Mr Dawkins.
Thanks for pointing that out phil r. William Lane Craig is a family friend and a brilliant debater.
Hitchens certainly considered himself to be a brilliant intellectual, but when he went up against the true masters, it was downright embarrassing.
@Phil D et. al.,
I’d recommend you read “The Grace Effect” by Larry Taunton. It gives a personal glimpse into Hitchens from a Christian perspective. Someone who knew him personally. He was hardly so staunch as one might expect.
@Phil D, In the film Collision, Hitch was informed of the significance of the good samaritan woman at the well; how it represented a mending of the breach between two conflicting cultures, and how radical it was for Jesus to be involved with her. Hitch had never known that about the passage. His theology was not better than Wilson’s at that moment.
I also thought the ending where Hitch and the rest of the audience are simply incapable of understanding the plainly obvious barbaric moral horror of abortion belied his supposedly superior rational objective intellect.
This is a very helpful, insightful, and well written post by Dr. Moore. As evangelicals it will serve us well to carefully read and consider the points our brother is making here. I believe those who have disagreed with this post, at least thus far, have misread the point being made. Dr. Moore has articulated a careful and precise argument. He is NOT arguing that we should believe Mr. Hitchens is in heaven, nor is he arguing that we have good reason to believe Mr. Hitchens is in heaven. He is also NOT arguing that we should normally believe everyone goes to heaven or that death bed conversions are normative. Instead he is making a precise argument that Mr. Hitchens might be in heaven since Mr. Hitchens might have made a confession on his deathbed. This is a counterfactual statement. Quoting (or linking to quotes) about what Mr. Hitchens said he would believe (planned on believing) has no bearing as to the claim being made. This misunderstands the claim. Doing so would only help if the claim being made was “Mr. Hitchens is likely to make to a confession on his deathbed” or “We have good reason to believe Mr. Hitchens made a confession on his deathbed.” But Dr. Moore’s claim is much more modest than this. He is only claiming that Mr. Hitchens might have made a confession on his deathbed and therefore, given the nature of the gospel , might be in heaven. So why even write a blog with such a modest point? For that matter, he could have written a column arguing that Dr. Mohler might be the next president of the United States. Anyone who disagreed with him by showing how unlikely that is would have been as misguided in their disagreement as those who have disagreed with the column at hand. So why is the helpful and why is this insightful?
This post is helpful and insightful because this is not a post about Mr. Hitchens, at least no primarily. This is a post primarily about the shared depravity of humanity and the great glory of the gospel. The reason the counterfactual argument is so strong is because it is true. There is nothing about Mr. Hitchens nature that can make the counterfactual false. He is just as evil as I am, just as evil as Dr. Moore, and just as evil as you. As Dr. Moore argues, if we can be saved then he can be saved. Still yet, there is nothing about the gospel that makes the counterfactual false. It can save Mr. Hitchens – who even planned to not be saved on his deathbed – on his deathbed. The blood of Christ is strong enough, the mercy of God is free enough, and the far reaches of the gospel are expansive enough to full hold the weight of the counterfactual claim: “Christopher Hitchens might be in heaven.” To that I say, Merry Christmas!
Dr. Moore,
Thank you so much for your gracious perspective on the mercy of God, even on such men as Hitchens…as we all once were. What a great and merciful God we serve!!
In Christ,
John
I saw in an obituary that Hitchens had told people that if he ever confessed faith, then the chemo or something else must have gotten to him and he, the Christopher Hitchens that we all knew, should be counted as already dead.
As I pointed out in a blog post this morning, it occurred to me as I read these words how precious the gospel is. You see, Hitchens and I agreed on this much: If he (or I, or anyone else) trusts in Christ, it is not our own doing (Ephesians 2:8, 9). And if he (or I, or anyone else) confesses faith, then indeed the person we once were should already be counted as dead (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Apart from the grace of God I am exactly like Christopher Hitchens (though nowhere near as intellectually gifted).
@Pete Scribner,
What an insightful point! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
I was saddened by the news of Hitchens dying because, as a Christian, I feel a personal failure at the thought any person might spend eternity in Hell. Yes, I know many will as told in the Scriptures, but I still feel compelled to do my very best to spread convincingly the Good News that brings salvation and hope to the world.
If Mr. Hitchens was as intelligent as he is proclaimed to have been…surely he saw Truth in Christ.
Hitchens consciously chose Hell, so why worry about him? He’s done for. Best to blot him out of your mind.
@JimBob, Hard words there, JimBob. You ought think about your statement and be deeply ashamed.
@JimBob, Done we all consciously choose Hell? Every time we sin we choose Hell. It is only by the grace of God poured out on us we are able to be saved at all.
@JimBob, It takes a Christian to come up with a statement so lacking in Christianity.
The point here is that so many of the things that defined Christopher Hitchens’ life are entirely irrelevant to this discussion. What he believed and (skillfully) asserted about his worldview has nothing to do with whether the God of the Bible exists, and whether the Gospel is true. Dr. Moore is just stating that a human’s eternal destiny is determined by their final state, whether they are a believer in Jesus or not. Our whole life’s work is not weighed in some balance, but rather one simple question: have you been born again. And, despite anyone’s firm claims of what they will and will not do, we cannot be sure what a person chooses in their final hours.
I am sorry to see Dr. Hitchens pass, and would be delighted to see him with the Lord one day.
This is an unfortunate and shortsighted view on a man you couldn’t possibly understand. How Christian-like - to debate whether a man is going to spend eternity in heaven or hell (neither of which exist) after his passing. Surely because of his words he is banished to an imaginary place of fire and torture. That makes you feel better, doesn’t it? Thinking someone is punished eternally because their beliefs are different from yours? The idea that he is in heaven is equally disturbing. You think it outlines some human condition of pleading god for mercy when a life draws to a close. I think that sort of behavior is saved for people who are ashamed of the life they lived. Christopher Hitchens was not a man ashamed of the life he lived. There will come a time when your texts and your judgement will no longer carry weight. Your judgement here - its disgusting.
@Dereck B., Respectfully, by claiming neither heaven or hell exist, by claiming it is insulting for Christians to ponder such a question you are in fact doing what you say we shouldn’t be, that is judging us. Dr. Moore is not judging Mr. Hitchens, but simply stating his wishes for the salvation of such a wonderful mind. To make a claim against ours about our worldview is judging us based on your worldview which (according to you) is just as shameful. There is no reason to believe what we believe, that is your choice but do not judge us based on your set of beliefs.
While I agree with the spirit of this article, greatly longing for the salvation of any soul before death, I just need to make one point:
The thief on the cross was saved in death, but his repentance and profession were hardly on some private death-bed. He was lifted up for all to see, and although mocking Christ at first, his conversion took place in front of a multitude. Those “family members” surely heard what took place and glorified God on his behalf.
Christ speaks often of the importance of confessing Him before men. The thief on the cross did just that. Hitchens did not. I would love to hear otherwise, but so far, there is no indication that Hitchens ever turned to Christ.
Although it is not impossible for someone to be saved on their death-bed, I do believe that teaching private, death-bed conversions is damaging; for it does not place upon us the urgency of repentance. And glossing over the seriousness of Hell at funerals by some “maybe” idea, is equally damaging…
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2
@Mary Jo,
I am greatly offended by your point, that death bed conversions are somehow “damaging” because if we say, “You can wait until the last minute,” everyone will. That is the kind of Christianity that alienates people, the kind where the whole purpose is to avoid Hell. The kinds that says that life without Christ is somehow more agreeable, and that if it weren’t for Hell we would all just go around being heathens. Equally offensive is the idea that other HUMANS have to hear our confession to be counted as confessed. When we acknowledge Jesus, it is instant, without words or show. It happens internally, not externally. We should rejoice in anyone who finds salvation, no matter when or how they do it.
Well, if nothing else this article has seemingly brought a lit if atheists to this site.
Certainly glad God had the wisdom not to make us the gate keepers. I thank God for His Mercy and Forgiveness.
It all just falls apart after the second paragraph; The third simply underlines the absurdity of what is to follow.
Hitchens dedicated his life to making people accountable for baseless comments; made people question and think critically about ideas people had simply accepted for truth without evidence.
Thomas asked Jesus for evidence of his resurrection, Hitchens simply encouraged that we apply that skepticism to every part of our lives.
A great man, but I guess these words fall on the proverbial def ears..
Thank you Dr. Moore for the reminder that we ought to suspend judgment of the dead since we do not know all that happens in their minds and hearts as their life comes to an end. We can trust our God is gracious and good and leave them in his hands.
I’ve prayed for Hitch for years, and was staggered at the news this morning, though I knew baring a miracle, his body could only take so much. I can’t articulate how much I hope (against hope) that Moore’s word are in fact the case.
How ironic that if Hitchens were to have to yielded to Christ while, “very ill [and] half demented, either by drugs or pain” it would have been nonetheless, the most lucid moment of his life - the brilliance of his pen (while riveting) not withstanding.
And man, am I going to miss his wit.
Christopher Hitchens on deathbed conversations:
“If that come it will be at a time when I am very ill. When I’m half-demented by drugs or by pain, but I won’t have control over what I say. I mention this in case you hear a rumor later on. Because these things happen and the faithful love to spread these rumors. You know “on his deathbed he finally awoke”
I can’t say that by then the entity, that wouldn’t be me, wouldn’t do such a pathetic thing, but I can tell you that…while I am lucid, no. I can be quite sure of that.
Don’t believe it. Don’t credit it.”
And don’t put words in his mouth when he cannot defend himself.
I was shocked when I read the headline this morning announcing Hitchens’ death. I don’t know why, I knew he was sick and knew his days were numbered. Most likely, I suspect, he was living on borrowed time.
With God, however, anything is possible. Its possible he was saved at the last minute but I’m doubting it; only God truly knows. Hitchens had everything he needed to be saved, he knew the Gospel. I suspect through his debating and reiteration of the Gospel, that Hitchens’ knew or could give a better account of the Gospel than most Christians. The only thing that was left for him to do was to repent and believe the good news. As you have already stated Dr. Moore, Hitchens’ crimes aren’t any more severe than ours and his disbelief in the past was not anything that the blood of Christ could not atone for, etc.
He has irritated me in the past but at the same time I hated to hear he passed away. I know that many Christians have prayed for his salvation as well as his healing of physical ailment. I’m glad to see that the love of God has been demonstrated in this way.
If he maintained his atheistic paradigm until the end, I suspect that he is really going to hate to see that God had used him to magnify His glory…all things work out to the glory of God, even atheists like Hitchens. As you have already stated Dr. Moore, he is either in Heaven or Hell; he is either a vessel of wrath or he is an eternal spirit meant for God’s good pleasure, to worship and praise Him forevermore. Amen.
May it all be for His glory,
Wade
Hitchens was not so staunch as he appeared in debates and on paper. As I commented above, he was amiable toward Christians in person, and Taunton’s “The Grace Effect” gives a very different take on him.
Having met him once, I can tell you that atheism was a shell, a callous he developed in response to his experience with religion. As Lewis reminds us, every conversion is the story of a blessed defeat. Hitchens knows the truth, he has viewed more powerful evidence than any debater, and he may have been defeated by the power of Christ in the end. Only time will tell.
Count me as confused. I thought the new vogue within the seminary world was to preach a God that “elects” some to heaven, while damning others to hell. Such teaching demands that Hitchens eternity was sealed from the start of time. If Hitchens died an unrepentant sinner, he did so because John Calvin, oops, I mean God, did not choose him. He was on the outside of that limited atonement. So many of you are now acting as if Hitchens had a choice about this eternity. Funny, that is not the message that is be spewed for the reformed seminarians of the day. Don’t back down from your theological convictions when death comes. If Hitchens is in hell, then he was not elect. That is what we are now told to believe.
Personally, I think such teaching is utter bunk. Christopher Hitchens was a candidate for God’s saving grace, but made the willful choice to reject the gospel. For that, there is a certain punishment. But at least in my theology, he had a chance. For so many others of the Piper Calvinst ilk, Hitchens has always been doomed.
@Christopher Young,
I recommend you spend more time seriously interacting with the teaching of reformed theology before comments like this one. It is obvious that you have not done so at this point and I am not sure that is how you want to be perceived.
Christopher would be so amused at the amount of Christians and other religious, today, who have taken to their blogs, twitter and Facebook, to prove everything he ever said about them 100% true. Perfectly ordinary people in every other regard, compelled to say hideously stupid things in the name of blind faith. Religion really does poison everything. You might want to consider that, when you decide not to approve this comment, for fear your readers are exposed to an alternative opinion, on the death of a man who gave voice to the voiceless and courage to the silenced majority.
Hmmm, what’s so bad about slipping into permanent unconsciousness? Sounds good to me. Dr. Moore, you assume that Hitchens had a deathbed conversion (or, at least you hope for it). While I appreciate your concern and tone, I don’t think you need worry. There is no heaven of hell. Gods or devils. When we die, we die. That’s why (and Hitch was right) we need to live every day with purpose and meaning. Because that’s all there is.
@Linda Emerson,
If when we die we die, I’m not sure there is any point of living
everyday with purpose and meaning? Rather I’d see life in
the total opposite way….eat drink and be merry because tomorrow we die….unless of course that is the purpose and meaning you speak of
The Bible says, “Today is the day of salvation”. Hitchens spent his days mocking God and salvation. The video posted by Dave tells it all in sickening detail.
To insinuate that Hitchens might be in heaven is ludicrous. For one thing, he would be miserable there with the very God he blasphemed and considered a joke.
We don’t need to go on about it and say he is in hell, but at the same time to offer the possiblity that such a hard-core atheist could have at his last breath turned the corner might make good fiction but is fruitless Christian discussion.
Sure, we are all sinners, but this man went beyond the pale. He blasphemed the Holy Spirit. He chose his path and now he is spending an eternity in torment for it. In the process he is taking his admirers with him. That is tragic and should cause every heart who loves the Lord and His precious Gospel to make an effort to reach out to the lost and to pray for them.
The world always tries to spin the death of an unbeliever in a positive light, but the Bible tells another story. Let us not take it lightly or forget it. The death of an unbeliever or a believer is an opportunity for self-examination as to our own eternal destiny.
Excellent point! I am reminded of the great truth listed in I Cor 6:9-11 that catalogs some wicked sins that the Corinthians were guilty of. I get moved personally when I read that because I feel like it describes me. The emotional part for me is in verse 11 where Paul says “SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU…” God’s grace and gospel is able to reach out even on the death bed but I don’t think any of us could say definitively that Christopher Hitchens is in Heaven. Logically it makes sense to say He’s in hell based on what scripture teaches and I would lean towards that but whatever happen in his final breathe only God knows. What we do know for sure is TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION and we must implore every man to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20)
An interesting idea, but very unlikely. Hitchins was an atheist through and through, and I find the whole idea of a death-bed conversion impossible to comprehend.
Consider the situation from his point of view:
You’re very ill, and know that you are soon to die. Do you think that you would suddenly change your mind, and decide that you’re an atheist? Perhaps you decide to accept Allah as your savior?
It’s a ridiculous idea. Even if he did convert to a religion, there are many different religious groups, what makes christianity so special? To an atheist all religions are equally absurd, the chances of a death-bed conversion range anywhere between nothing and zero.
Amazing Grace. How sweet…
I think it very unlikely that he would have converted on his death bed. He spoke against that idea every chance he had. He was very firm in his beliefs.
However, the idea that he “could have” repented at the last minute reminds us of the great mercy that God extends — even to those who curse Him.
I cannot understand how otherwise intelligent people could ever choose to believe in a god who would purport infinite love and mercy, but condemns his children to never ending and unimaginable suffering for the thought crime of not believing in him. I find it sad and confusing that Christians often see us atheists as the heartless and sadistic members of society. Many of you mean well, but you cause so much harm to people with the lies you have taught yourselves to believe. It’s disturbing to see such judgmental arrogance thinly disguised as pity in this article.
@Hart Hoppe, I do, however, want to commend the moderator (perhaps the author) of this page for not deleting comments that so strongly disagree with the point made. I greatly respect the fact that you have not censored those of us who disagree.
@Hart Hoppe,
As others have pointed out, Moore’s intent with this article was not to judge Hitchens’ life based on what he believed; to the contrary, he was illustrating the fact that when it comes to a person’s salvation, we are by far the LEAST qualified of all judges to determine such a thing. If you have issue with God being that judge or with a “judge” existing at all, that’s another issue entirely from the one in this article (which is written from the perspective of a Christian worldview and DIRECTED to those with the Christian worldview).
Dr. Moore,
I wish I could say I found your article provocative. I wish I could say I found it inspirational. I wish I could say I found it enlightening. However, what I must say, what I am compelled to say, is I found it disturbing. I am not one to contend with God as to the timing of when He applies the work of redemption to His chosen. Nevertheless, it is a most frightening thing for evangelicals (educated ones at that) to point to the thief on the cross as a exemplar of a doctrine that is entirely lacking in Scripture: death-bed repentance.
The theif on the cross demonstated a heart changed by God in his fruit that he produced while hanging there on the cross. There is nothing in Scripture that states such is impossible, and there is nothing in Scripture that would justify such presumptive pontifications either. Here is a copy of Christopher Hitchen’s response to death-bed repentance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5VZzDWWj8
We have a terrible tendency in the church to forget that it is indeed a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It seems that all the church wants to talk about these days is a single-attribute God as if He has nothing to offer but love. People who think that God is sitting in heaven, fingers crossed, cheering people on to their last breath have not got the biblical God in mind.
“and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Rom. 1:32
We should be vexed in response to Hitchens’ rejection of God to his last breath. But we should remind his followers that, today, even now, we have no reason to think that he is anywhere but confined to the eternal torment that is his just due. If per chance he should be otherwise, God knows. It is the God that Hitchens spent a life time mocking that had the final say in the matter. It is a profoundly dangerous and wicked thing to be consumed by the objective of blaspheming God as often and in as many places as you can.
Christopher Hitchens should not be remembered as a great man, a icon in the field of philosophy. No. Hitchens should be remembered for that which serves to best define him: blasphemer of God par excellence. That is what he spent his time doing and it consumed him as a human being. One would have to look far and wide to find a more vile enemy of the Christian faith than Christopher Hitchens. Yet, we loved him enough to give him the good news of the gospel, repeatedly. The tolerant, gentle, fluffy culture in which we live has caused many Christians and pastors to lose their nerve when it comes time to tell the truth.
I do not hate Hitchens. I do not hate his followers. But I refuse to say remarkably glowing things about this blasphemer, who, as far as anyone knows, blasphemed God so long as he was able. Mr. Hitchens, we leave you to God.
In summary, then, Dr. Moore, your article is far from what John the Baptist, or Peter, or Paul, or James or Jesus would have said. I see this type of fluffy speculation entirely missing from Scripture. It is anachronism of a politically correct, postmodern culture run amuck. Such speculation has only added to the presumptive disposition that numerous pseudo-Christans are all too fond to embrace.
@Ed Dingess,
Mr. Dingess, I didn’t realize that Romans 10:13 was “fluffy speculation.” Can you elaborate?
@Ed Dingess, what an excellent summary. Yes, it seems that we have forgotten about the holiness of God in our zeal to protray Him as a loving and forgiving God which is certainly true.
But this man’s calling in life was to trash His Maker at every turn and often crudely and mockingly. There was not even a glimmer of light to give a scintella of a hint that there was any possiblity that he would turn to God in his last moments. He obviously didn’t believe. That was his choice and he is now paying the consequences of his choices. That should not cause us to in any way gloat, because each of us are sinners saved by grace and we should be eternally grateful.
There really seems no value in even discussing the man after his death. So many others are passing into eternity every day, some to eternal bliss and some to eternal torment. If we know Christ we have the responsiblity of livilng for Him and sharing the Gospel to others as we have opportunity.
Perhaps if someone had reached young Hitchens in his early youth with the Gospel before his heart became hardened, the outcome might have been different.
Dr. Moore,
Even at funerals (or especially at funerals!) Christian pastors have a responsibility to speak the truth of God’s Word. This means proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Way and the Truth and the Life–apart from Whom no one comes to the Father.
While we can never fully know what was in someone’s heart, we most certainly can know what they publicly confessed. It is only on the the basis of their public confession that a Christian pastor can participate and preach at a funeral–giving testimony to the deceased’s confession of faith in Jesus Christ.
We know Christopher Hitchens’ confession. He blasphemed God, denied Jesus Christ, and resisted the Holy Spirit. He vigorously maintained this confession throughout his life and took pains to make sure that confession would continue to be heard even after his death.
As to whether or not he converted in the last moments of his life you say, “I don’t know”. Precisely! And so the only thing that the Christian pastor can truthfully say at a death like this is: “The wages of sin is death.”
@Rev. Allan C. Eckert,
This is beautifully put, pastor.
Could this essay not have been written with virtually any name inserted? Kim Jong Il has died–might he be in heaven? How about the Marquis de Sade? Perhaps Hitler, Stalin or Mao when faced with death considered the millions they had murdered and repented. We can shrug our shoulders and whisper, “I don’t know” but that seems an awful lot like vain speculation.
@Rev. Allan C. Eckert, Kim Jong Il, Osama Bin Laden, etc. were presumably not very informed of the gospel, were not born in a Chrsitian culture, and were not raised by Christian parents, or survived by numerous Christian family members. I think of Cornelius’ “household.” Or the spouse of a believer having some measure of grace. Or the thief on the cross.
One of our favorite Seminary profs once said: there will be three surprises when you get to heaven: Who’s there, Who’s not there and the fact that you’re there!
Thanks for a reminder on how truly powerfil the Gospel is.
Theologian Karl Barth somewhere wrote that he believed that God presents Godself to individuals like “Hitch” just after death and so each one of us gets an opportunity to either finally reject or accept God and Christ, but only after knowing him face to face. Hitchen’s concept of god was too small—his argument was with the harm done by religion—and in that, he had a good point. Because of Hitchen’s determination to find and live the truth, I believe he is in that place where Jesus and the communion of saints enjoy the greater life in God for eternity.
@Barbara A.T. Wilson,
Barth is dead, like ol Hitch. However, Jesus is alive, thus He speaks with absolute authority (cf, Heb 1:2-3), so this concept of “Godself” Barthian or post-mortem salvation is simply wishful thinking for people who are spiritual, but not willing to surrender to biblical authority.
Evangelicals:
Nobody likes you except other Evangelicals, and you know it.
But let me get to the juicy part. I’ve just been informed via Twitter. Christopher Hitchens is now King God. He is a He now, spread the word!
Satan is like the god of sin right? Satan doesn’t scare me anymore! Hitchens! Hitchens! Hitchens!
God has consigned us ALL to disobedience that He might show MERCY to us ALL. What Jesus did on Calvary was big enough for Athiest.
Reading this article gave some insight. I was watching this video about an entertainer’s death years ago, and the person was proclaiming that her soul went to hell. Everyone was sounding off, saying that it isn’t right. Some of it is true. We don’t know if in the final hours that Hitchens or other atheists surrendered to Christ or not. We do not know if the unbelievers gave it all to God at the last moment. But I feel that we have to be practical and not be naive here. It reminds me of The Stranger by Albert Camus. The character’s mother thinks all is well and doesn’t profess in the belief of God until her life is fading away. She embraces the faith, though. But I don’t like the idea of insta-Repentance. It’s not sincere and foolish.
Mr Moore, Thank you for this article. I have followed some of Mr Hitchens life in the past and did not appreciate his many caustic remarks about Christians and their beliefs.
However I was taken back by an article I had read in RedState, I believe was the original post on this, but also in the Daily Caller. Both of these being political websites. This was a response by Mr Hitchens to the outcry of many that condemned Governor Perry for his call to pray and fast for our nation in a gathering in Houston. Many other governors also joined in with this by being there or holding similar praying in their own states. But I believed Mr Hitchens heart was touched by the truth and passion that Governor Perry had to stand for Christ and blantantly show prayer and fasting was needed in our nation to save us from God’s wrath.
Your comments would be appreciated. Sorry for the late response as I had just read this post.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/10/christopher-hitchens-applauds-rick-perry-provides-reading-list-in-rare-public-appearance/#ixzz1hpvGD3YB
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I browsed through first few dozen comments, but couldn’t find this issue:
What about the baptism? The NT is full of scriptures regarding repentance followed by baptism as necessary for salvation.
Christ did not ascend into Heaven until 40 days later. Translation should read, “Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise.” Commas and such did no exist when the NT was written. The thief did indeed inherit eternal life on that day.
Reminded of JC Ryle’s comment on the thieves crucified next to Jesus: ‘One was saved that none might despair, but only one that none might presume’.
APPALLING article. Basically, it took you several pages to write “what if Hitchens turned to Jesus at the last minute”.
Wow, didn’t see that coming… you see, it might’ve taken you a “haunting” sermon to realize this, but the possibility of certain unbelievers repenting in the last second, maybe even just in their thoughts, is CONSTANTLY mentioned by Christians all over.
Great article. No “Hitchens was a good man and stood up for human rights, so do you believe our God can be so mean and send him for hell”, no glimpse of humanity beneath the servile, barbaric dogma, not even a trace of savviness regarding what Hitchens actually had to say about the hell doctrine and the morality of Christianity - just the good ol’ “you’ll go to hell without Jesus, but perhaps he accepted Jesus.”
The God in this belief system is a primitive, unjust dictator, and your complete endorsement of it is rather ironic after listening to Hitchens (and others) explain what exactly is wrong with these teachings.
It’s like everything he said, the “gospel-hater” part aside, completely went over your tiny head.
Like, “yea, whatever you say, pal, it says in the Gospel that you’ll burn in hell, and you’re an atheist, so yea”.
Primitive, servile, appalling. It would be great if you were at least self-aware, but you’re not.
Just a quick question:
“but he anticipated, wrongly, a blackness, a going out of consciousness forever”
How you know that?