On Christian doctrine:
Christ taught his disciples all men, atheist or not are saved by grace....
1 Cor. 15: 20-22
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.
The catch is that God rewards everyone according to their works....so salvation has different meanings in different contexts.
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" James 2:14
To overcome SPIRITUAL death, one has to be obedient to the law of Christ. Spiritual death is separation from God.