On Tuesday (April 22), evangelist Shane Pruitt shared that following the death of Pope Francis, multiple people asked Pruitt if he believes the pope is in heaven.
Pruitt, who is the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) director of next gen evangelism for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), answered the question in a video on social media.
“So I’ve been asked multiple times over the last 24 hours if I believe the pope is in heaven,” Pruitt said. “As most of you know, Pope Francis passed away yesterday, April 21.”
“And I’ve been giving the same answer about him that ultimately I would give about anyone,” Pruitt continued, “that we really don’t know the condition of their heart or their soul or what their real faith in the real Jesus looked like.”
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Pruitt then asked, “Did they have a personal relationship with Jesus?” He emphasized that while “we don’t know that—only the Lord knows—Scripture does tell us we can judge fruits.” For example, he explained, “Do we see the fruits of the Holy Spirit of God in their life…and what [did] they proclaim about Jesus?”
“But one thing I do know is this,” Pruitt added, “that no amount of works, taking the Eucharist, confession, being a religious leader, being a good Catholic, last rites proclaimed over of you—none of that is what gets you into heaven.”
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Pruitt then argued:
What gets you into heaven is realizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, that you repent of your sin—to have it change your heart, change your mind, where you realize you’re a sinner and in need of a Savior. And then you place your trust in Jesus to do for you what you cannot do for yourself—to save you. And the moment you surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside of you. The ultimate mark of being saved, being a Christian, being born again, is being filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
Pruitt concluded, “Being a good person does not get you into heaven. Being saved by the good savior named Jesus does.”
