Have you ever wondered what it takes to go to heaven?
I don’t know about you, but I have.
There are a lot of points of view on this particular topic, and I have heard a lot of heated discussions amongst Christians and non-Christians, so I will try to stay away from being contentious and not start an argument by simply saying one thing:
When it comes to knowing what it takes to go to heaven, most people are completely wrong.
Ha!
But seriously, after talking to a number of Christians it seems that most people think that in order to go to heaven, all one has to do is say they believe in God and “accept Jesus into their heart.”
Um, really?
That’s it?
Someone just has to say some words and welcome Jesus into their heart and they automatically get to enter heaven regardless of the life they lead?
Are you telling me that the same God who killed thousands of Israelites in the desert just for complaining, who struck people dead that did not perform ceremonies according to His instruction, who barred Moses from entering the promise land because he hit a rock a few times more than he was supposed to, the one who struck a couple dead because they lied about the value of their offering, and the one who destroyed the city of Sodom for its sin, is the very same God to grant total, and impartial entrance to heaven just for saying we believe in Him and accept that Jesus was God in the flesh?
Are we talking about the same God?
One thing that I have learned is that without living in God’s presence, people don’t respect God like they should, nor do they respect his prophets and teachers when they are out of sight as well.
Exodus 32:1
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
By contrast, even demons, who have seen God’s face, shudder in fear. Most people, who live outside of God’s presence and haven’t seen him, tend to do whatever they feel like without fear of consequences.
James 2:19
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
God was very clear that we have a very simple purpose in life (Rick, it isn’t that complicated!):
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Despite all the things he did, out of healthy respect for God, Paul said he wanted to make sure that he lived a good life because he didn’t want to personally be disqualified for the prize, and he also encouraged people to run the race as though there would only be one winner.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
That is a sobering way to look at salvation: seek it as if only one person could attain it.
Look at how hard people train for the Olympics or any other sport, they push themselves very hard so that when the time comes, they can beat the competition.
But no matter how hard anyone trains or how ambitious they are, their success is limited by:
- Genetics – which determines their overall abilities
- Time – as eventually everyone’s body wears down and is not able to perform at its peak forever
- Dedication – no matter how good someone is, they are limited by how consistent they are in their pursuit of a goal
As Christians chasing after salvation, the good news is that we are only affected by our own dedication, genetics and time have no effect on us.
However without dedication, no matter what God has done for us, or how many opportunities to succeed we are given, we won’t even get a participant’s ribbon if we don’t push ourselves consistently, and thoroughly–second place does not equal silver, it equals hell!
And as Paul said above, the prize that people fight for will not last, but the prize that we chase is a crown that will last forever!
In summary, people generally don’t uphold the simplest of God’s instructions in their life, and choose what they want, or what the world wants, rather than honoring God with every decision and thought–thus becoming an enemy of God by their own choice–and, I just can’t imagine God welcoming an enemy into heaven.
James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
So the next time someone tries to tell you that going to heaven is easy, just refer them to Jesus’ words, and remember that even miracle working, prophesying Christians who are looking for the path to salvation are not immune to God’s standards of righteousness when they are judged:
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:20-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
I agree
well i know one thing for sure that anyone who is born of God is God’s seed…Gal 4:26 says that Jreusalem above…is the mother of us all, so in reality our parents now are God the father and Jerusalem above and both are in heaven so u cudn’t b born any where else apart from heaven. so the day u got born again u were born in heaven. but u wonder why Paul wud write to the phillipians who were already believers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling…consider this scenerio; when ur mum gave birth to you u were already a human being but we know that a human being should be able to talk, walk, run and have fun…but at the time u were a baby u cudn do any of that, well dat doesn’t disqualify u from being a human being. the same way when God gave birth to u, u were God or a God-breed but cos u were a baby u cudn juz do all dat is known of God to do so wat is left is for u to mature into a grown up God…the bible also says that we may all come to the unity of the faith… to aperfect man, to the measure of the fullness of Christ.. which means that after being born again one must grow up into that measure of the fullness of Christ(eph 4:13, this is where u exercise and grow and use ur senses as a believer(heb 5:14 so its a process. study more of the word and u’ll know wat to do
I do believe, by the grace of God, I will make it to Heaven, where I will see my Lord face to face. My assurance is solely based on His work on the cross on my behalf, as well as His Spirit that continues to breathe life into me, even on my darkest/most sinful of days – “His grace is sufficient”. For “when I am unfaithful (as I often find myself) He continues to be faithful (towards me)for He cannot deny himself.”
I believe the word says faith w/o works is dead. And you cannot claim to know God and by your actions deny him (Titus 1:16). Therefore the question of making it to heaven is based purely on your relationship w/ God. If you acknowledge his Son as the Christ, and live for him daily, taking up your cross, you’ve pretty much got your ticket and are just waiting to board and be seated on the Heaven-bound flight to paradise.
I understand your point of making sure that we comprehend that Heaven is not for everyone under the umbrella of Christianity. If you don’t take your walk with Christ seriously, there are consequences. Going to church, paying your tithes, feeding the poor, and speaking in tongues, does not replace one’s commitment to Christ or fellowship with Him. What guarantees my seat at the bountiful table is my relationship.
God loves me perfectly and I return His love with reverent fear, adoration, and surrender. Since He is my everything, I know a seat will be reserved for me beside the King.
If you love the Lord you shouldn’t be afraid of meeting Him, and if you are, something’s wrong. Take inventory of your walk with God and build upon your faith. God doesn’t want to scare us into Heaven. He wants to lavish His love upons upon us; and what better way than to prepare a place just for us – where we get to spend an eternity with Him.
Don’t allow the enemy to poison your faith with condemning thoughts for past sins or current struggles with sin. The blood of Christ cleanses past, present, and future sins. So if you fall down, confess your sins, brush yourself off and keep on walking in newness of life. “He is able to keep you from falling”, but you must first desire to be kept.
Again, I stress, don’t be afraid of Heaven. Be afraid of being eternally separated from the love of God. Heaven, here I come!
Hello, it is nice to see you again!
You make some great points, and even though we are to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling” out of respect for God, we must also focus on the amazing gifts of life, love, and joy that God has made available to those who have had their debt of sin washed away.
Becoming mature in Christ is a critical part of obtaining salvation, and not exploring this freedom to the fullest is the equivalent of winning the lottery but not cashing the ticket in: the excitement of winning is intense, but no life impacting changes ever happen!
Hi my name is Jen personally my beleif is what a verse in the bible says “all that call upon the name of the lord CHRIST will be saved” period end of story I humbly belive that what we do not give to the lord we will not be blessed in that area,that dosent mean were not saved or damed. just a humble thought
Hi Jen. Let’s look at:
Matthew 7:20-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
Jesus’ words are very specific, that even those who perform miracles in the name of Jesus are not automatically entitled to eternity in heaven! And there are numerous references to things like working out our salvation with “fear and trembling”, so it is clear God isn’t just handing out free tickets to heaven without care for how people act.
What scriptures can you reference that lead you to believe that people can just say that they believe in Jesus and then automatically be given access to heaven?
Not to be funny, but the only one reference in the bible I can think of is the thief, on Christ’s left on the cross, who was granted direct access into the kingdom, upon his declaration of faith. Talk about favor! Right time, right place, right faith, then poof – paradise in a microwave minute!
Definitely, that is a good example of a fringe case, although this person showed a tremendous amount of faith in Jesus, and I never understood that they were a Jew or believer in the first place. Also, we don’t know why they were condemned, or where their heart was at, but if they could look at Jesus, naked, bleeding, and dying on a cross and still profess faith in him, that is a bold statement. Most importantly, we should not look for “loopholes” in God’s grace so that we can live as we please and assume we will enter heaven no matter what, we should live according to the guidance Jesus gave throughout his life–love God with all of our heart, soul, and strength!
Hi nathan I have read that scipture mathew 7:20-23..you know I also have thought of that& am confused I cant think of any scripture off hand but the one i said “äll who call upon the name of the lord will be saved”I always thought that math.77:20-23 and sciptures like that meant kinda like people who called on the lord w/false intentions.like I said I am confused do you have any other scriptures,and do you mean if we get baptized except jesus as our savior and mean it! and try but still dont give everything to GOD for example if I think things that are not lined up w/GOD, and know it but still dont give it all to him,do you think I wouldnt go to heaven?I know it isnt for you to judge but I am not sure so I am asking because I do want to go to heaven..thank you for your time and responses,sometimes at least other sites people dont really respond to you and its hard because I am the ONLY christian in my family I pray for them but i long for christian fellowship most of my freinds are not christian also.Anyhow now that I have rambled on lol,GOD bless you and your bride to be always!!!
Hi Jen. I am always happy to talk with people, it is why I write in the first place!
In Philippians 2:12 it says “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling”
This is important because Paul is saying that we need to attain salvation through a process, ie: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” This means that salvation isn’t instant, and it has to be sought with a healthy amount of respect for God, otherwise we won’t lay down everything in our lives to love and serve God with all of our hearts.
Also, Paul talks about how it is very possible, even for someone as spiritual as him, to not make it into heaven, and that he had to work very hard to not be “disqualified” from entering heaven, even after doing all the sincere acts that he did.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
I will pray for you and your family, it is not easy being surrounded by non-Christians all of the time, I know what that is like, but I have my mom and girlfriend who both love God. Fellowship is so important, do you have a good church to go to, and when did you become a Christian?
Hi nathan I am so sorry to get back to you so late there had been some issues, You have no idea how much I appretiate your prayers, I just want you to know that along with you & my prayers and a couple others GOD has renuied a passion in my spirit for him that is incrediable,I just needed to give GOD the glory! & TO REMIND PEOPLE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PRAY FOR OTHERS!I will be praying for you & your lady& mother also, what a blessing it must be to find someone to share your life with that also shares your passion w/CHRIST that is one of biggest prayers that i find someone like that, & start my own family that the LORD be put first in all things, my favriot verse is Matthew 6:33, “First seek the kingdom of GOD in all things, then these things will be added to you” I belive that is one of the most basic principles of being a christan and living a sucsessfull life. I first became a christan when I was 13 I was actually scared into it lol, I was told if I didnt except CHRIST as my savior I would go to hell. None the less since then I have had some ups and downs but eventually I was baptised & was the best descion I ever made walking with the lord has brought me such peace & now I am a member of a even bigger family,the kingdom of the lord!! praise GOD!!!
Hi Jen, it is great to hear from you again!
I am honored to be able to help in any way I can, and am very happy you took the time to stay in touch
Praying for, and serving, others is a tremendously powerful tool to stay close to God. It reminds us to put others first, and really focus on being the best person we can be
You are totally right, seeking God first is the key as nothing else matters, and everything else falls into place
I am sure people mean well, but I don’t understand the point of a heavy-handed, “repent or die!” message. Yes, there is a heaven and a hell, but that shouldn’t be the reason people turn to God, that isn’t even scriptural as it says we are to love God, both in the OT and NT, not spend our lives blindly fearing him
Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength
If you have any other prayer needs, post away!
Hi nathan thank you once again for writing back to me I know your prayers have made a diffrence in my life like I said the passion that lord has put in my spirit to know him and to seek him & to make him a part of my everyday life is just amazing, I alsways looked to the lord kinda like far away knowing that he’s there but now its diffrent I read a scripture that said draw near to me & I will draw near to you! its very true now when I pray it feels as if he would be sitting right next to me I am so thankfull for that, & yes I also agree that truth about heaven and hell needs to be told but I think we as christans need to focus on GOD’S love then it makes it a joy to serve him not a job I actually do have another prayer I feel kind of silly but I am going to say it anyway: I am a pretty attractive women & get plenty of guys try to talk to me but thats not what I want I want a a man who will share the same passion in CHRIST with me and a man who will be good to me to marry and i know its in GOD’S timming but I just pray that it comes to pass & that I stay encouraged until then! If you have any prayer request it would be an honor to pray for you like you have for me! GOD bles you! : )
Hi Jen! Praise God, I am glad to hear you are drawing near as it is amazing to see the changes that rapidly take place in our lives when we seek God with sincerity and diligence
James 4:8
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded
Learning to love God is a much different experience than to just “obey” because you are supposed to, that attitude totally defeats the work God is trying to do within us!
I would be grateful for your prayer, I definitely need help in raising my self-esteem, I sometimes have issues with this and affects my judgment in some situations
And yes, being with someone who shares your love for God will elevate the relationship to a place it never could have gotten without God being the cornerstone
I am so glad you are happier Jen!
Whats up Nathan, You know first I wan to comend you for your honesty because I think if we are aware of our weakness we have a leg up and know where we need to work & pray about,when i say weakness I didnt meen your physical I meant the way you viewed your physical, If thats what you meant about low self esteem,& may i be so bold to say from a womens point of view I have seen your picture & your an attractive guy no disrespect intended at all, but sometimes it dosent matter what others say it only matters how you view your self,I understand your feelings because although I grew uo to be very attractive I wasent always, you can call me a late bloomer lol : ) anyhow I will defentily continue to keep you in my prayers, and like to offer mabey a suggestion, in a world that is based sadly on physical apperance it can be diffcult to always feel good sometimes comparing self to others ‘especially in a womens world’ but anyhow I think if we instead of looking at our flaws we make a mental note everyday of all our qualties from the physical to things that really matter we as people can feel better, you know focusing on the positive, even mabey writing down all our qualities, I think that can start to make more of a positive self image. If you think about it it takes work to feel bad looking at the negative,comparing to others, its kind of feeding your self negative thoughts for me doing the opposite really helps that and doing healthy things making mental notes of my accompishments,helping others starts to kind of turn around negative thinking that socitey non intentionally feeds people.well Ive gone on and on lol I hope it helps!
1 peter3-4: Your adornment must not be me merely external- braiding the hair,& wearing gold jewlery,or putting on dresses; but let the hidden person of the heart, with impershibale quality of a gental& quiet spirit, which is precious in the site of GOD!
Hi Jen.
Wow, that really spoke to me
One of my friends said that when looking for a partner we should write down our “project specifications”, so it is clear what we are looking for, rather than just stumbling upon the next thing and calling it the best
I never thought of doing an inventory of myself as a person, I will do just that as your recommendation put a giant smile on my face
Regarding physical appearance, I know that I have relied on my personality and appearance to get through more than I realized, as until recently I had no idea that people thought I was attractive. I just went through life in a way that felt like it was some magical wonder land of getting what I wanted both from God and mankind, it was kind of funny because I never questioned why
However, I do know why now, it is because God wants me to use what I have been given to speak his message, publicly and loudly!
I sincerely thank you for your thoughts and prayers, I know we are separated by the internet, but we are connected through God who loves us!
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all
Hey nathan, You know it really is almost commical how our lord works & so beautiful also,you wrote that I helped you and how thankful you where but in hearing that it really brightened my day knowing that I helped someone and what a prize when it is a fellow christan , it is so funny right now I’m on little break from school, I was in a bad accident and still healing but fairly quickly praise GOD but my point is people are so busy with work and other obligations than we actually help someone with something that matters what a wonderful feeling you get from it & how the lord uses us we all win he gets the glory and the two indviduals benefit from it to.
As far as using our looks and personality, your right generally people dont make a note of it but I think its agood thing as long as its in the right context like how you said your using what the good lord gave you to 1st bring him the glory and bring people to him & like I said its a revolving door because what you get out of it is so priceless very few things compare!
It is truly always my pleasure to pray for you & others and we will meet…in heaven!
Many Blessings,Nathan! w/b 🙂
Hi Jen!
It means so much to hear when we have affected people in a positive way, and it is a sign of spiritual and intellectual maturity to regard such a thing with high value
I am sorry to hear you were in an accident, I hope your healing process goes well
Yes, wow… Seeing each other in heaven, what a thought!
Hi Nathan, its Jen just wanted to see how you are & was wondering howcome you never emailed me to pray,I am doing better one of my legs healed praise GOD, they said I will need surgery in the right leg,which upsets me because it is longer time away from school but I am still praying and beliving in JESUS for a miracle,hope all is well with you!
Hi Jen!
Praise God for your leg healing, that must be tough but I am glad you are staying strong; don’t get depressed and have it rob you of your joy to be alive
I left a note saying that the email address you left bounced, I tried getting in contact with you right away!
How are things with your family?
I’ve never really been one to assume I would go to Heaven. I have always beleived in God , but I have a really hard time turning my life over to God and just trusting him with my life. I know he`s amazing and that he is my savior, but ive always found relinquishing control to be hard and i’ve been through a lot lately , so it made me even more hesitant.
Ilost my grandpa about a month ago and for that Iwas so angry with God I just wanted to scream. But now I know that he’s okay , and that God has finally ended his suffering, and that he’s in heaven with Jesus!
Hi Cheyanne. Sometimes it isn’t the easiest thing to surrender ourselves to God, but when we do with trust and sincerity, he rewards us in ways that we often don’t expect or dream of
Dealing with loss can be difficult, but I hope that you are able to trust that God loves you no matter what is happening around you
Spend some time in prayer, ask God to reveal himself in a way that really speaks to you, but pray with an open mind to what that may be
Hey nathan,glad to hear from you yes I am so happy with my leg’s healing & stay in faith that the other one will heal by our lords great grace,love& healing.
My family is the same 🙁 but I am in still in prayer and hoping for the lord to work there hearts,a friend gave me a little insight on the matter and said to stop trying to change them because it turns them away & they think I am harrassing them,lol, thats kinda hard but I realized its kind of a lack of faith and also pridefull, that I wasent trusting GOD and I think thats true to a degree,so I am trying to take a diff. approach.
Sorry I didnt get your message my email is jen12301787@aol.com feel free to write me for prayer or if you need to talk or whatever lol, please know I have kept you & your fiance in my prayers! 🙂
Jen,
I wanted to say hello! Thank you so much for keeping Nathan and me in your prayers. I am sorry to hear about your leg injury and I am thankful you seem to be healing very well and doing so much better overall!
I was reading the comments you wrote about dealing with your family, healing from your injury, and trying to find a man who shares your passion in Christ… I am praying for you as well. It is wonderful that your passion for Christ has been ignited again! It is a wonderful thing to be able to have an active and thriving relationship with Him; there is nothing like it in life, is there!
Hugs,
Amy
Many truths have been touched on from all concerned with whether they shall go to heaven upon death in the flesh. Many scriptures from the Bible have been quoted that fits adequately enough to surfice many who search for an answer that leaves them comforted and at one with our Father above. The same Father Jesus praised.
The words Jesus spoke that stated all those who praise him and may do wonderful works in his name shall not all be acknowledged by him for they do not do the work of his Father, are those who do not know who they pray to. Just as Jesus said to the woman at the well. “You know not who you pray to” Those words still fit today, even more so than ever before.
The next scripture in line with, who are those who shall see heaven, has been touched on by those who understand the truth of why 1 John, 2; 15-16. is the dividing line that separates our Fathers people, who praise him and him alone, from those who follow and are taught by worldly men. Anyone who loves anything of this world knows not the Father and thusly the Father knows them not. The God tied to this world who many praise without knowing is Satan, not the Father who Jesus gave praise to in all he did while in the flesh.
The scripture; God only inhabits temples of flesh should be enough too close all churches of man. But as long as money can be made men will never give up their vain rituals and beliefs that are of the world and are blasphemious in the eyes of my Father. Jesus said that the Pharisees and Scribes only go so far and never enter the kingdom of heaven for they go not through the door. Have any of you ever thought of what he truly was saying when he said those words? Many today praise Jesus on the cross and have made him God. To me he is my brother and his words have led me to my Father who has revealed truths to me not taught by worldly men. I need no church no rituals for my faith is built on the rock which is the Father and not Jesus, my brother.
The cross is as far as the Pharisees and Scribes go and they go no further because they fear to open a door that goes beyond the cross which represents the teachings within the world of men. The crucifixion of Jesus represents the world killing of any who teach outside the teachings of the worldly rulers, who are the minions who do the work of Satan. The freedom and comfort one finds in the Father is a blessing above and beyond the misinterpreted words of Jesus, my brother, by worldly men who teach the worlds interpretation of spoken scripture to fit the world and become part of it. Thusly the never know the Father. Read Ezekiel 14; 7-11 and see what our Father thinks of those who ask men about him and don’t seek him to teach them. There is on flock and one shephard. Gods true church lie within the hearts and minds of his people The shephard is not Jesus but the Father. Thusly comes the covenant our Father made with his people and came into effect upon the crucifixion of the man Jesus. Hebews, 8; 10-11. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
The icing on the cake is stated in Revelations, 3; 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. That new name is new Jerusalem which resides in the hearts and minds of his people. It’s Gods only church he acknowledges that not of this world for it’s truly spiritual and not of this world. Find the Father, praise the Father and learn who you pray to and at the same time you will learn why Jesus is my brother and not my antiChrist. 1 Corinthians, 2; 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
God bless any who may read this and are not offended.
.
legit!!!
/chestbump
Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Hi Colby,
This is a great verse for encouragement, but I do not understand the exact nature of your point–would you be open to elaborate more, this verse is often interpreted in many different ways
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” – If you can interpret this in many different ways, you can interpret anything however you like.
The fact of the matter is there appears to be a genuine conflict between these Pauline ideas and the Jesus-of-the-gospel ideas. But I’ll let you guys sort that out.
I often find myself standing at a bus stop, or in a lecture wondering if I will. My initial urge is to tally up the good and the bad I have done. That never, ever ends well. Then I look at verses like what Colby posted “Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ” I do believe that, but lots of other people do too. Or at least say they do. How do we dicern for ourselves if we truly believe that. My best answer is that when we sin, we get back up, we want to regret it whether we do or not, that we ask forgiveness, and we try not to do it again because Jesus is Lord.
Hello,
One of the greatest stumbling blocks for growth wasn’t my lack of respect for God, it was my lack of love for him
Oh sure, I “loved” God, I knew him, and sang praise to him for hours every day, but I never learned what it meant to honor God’s feelings before my own
The issue was that I lacked empathy, and did not stop to listen when I knew I was hurting God’s feelings
But the saddest part, was that I wasn’t rebelling against or disobeying an authority figure’s will, I was turning aside from the direction and wisdom of love itself–a much different scenario than what we typically imagine in the moments we choose to sin
1 John 4:19-21
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For
whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister
John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
I’ll take my justification through faith, you take your fear.
I’ll take my fruit from gratitude, you take your work.
I thought I’d found a cool blog, guess I was wrong.
This stuff is the reason my friends doubt their salvation.
Go read the book of Galatians.
Hello,
Thank you for stopping by, and I would think you found a good blog if it inspires you to comment and engage in discussion–where is the growth or excitement from reading things we already believe in or think are true?
Anyways, this article was written from the understanding that salvation is a process, one that is more difficult than people have been lulled into thinking, especially within North America, but it isn’t about scaring people
There are some verses quoted and ideas that hit hard, and they don’t fall in line with the typical message of Christianity having a salvation that is overwhelmingly easy to obtain, one that cannot be taken away, and one that is completely unconditional
I think one of the most powerful deceptions of the enemy is how they play on people’s fear of rejection to the point where people sometimes go really far to the other side, and follow a belief that salvation is basically a participant ribbon, given to anyone who says they believe in Jesus
The alternative to this is that the enemy will try and portray God as having impossible standards that we cannot attain, so why bother trying if we are going to be rejected because God doesn’t love us enough to forgive
Both extreme scenarios are lies, but the truth is in the middle where God’s grace, which he freely gives, combines with God’s standards of conduct and obedience that he expects from us
For some additional scriptures on salvation, I have some verses that quote Jesus, Paul, and Peter who spoke repeatedly about the nature of salvation being a process, conditional, and not easy to obtain–I definitely want your feedback as I would love to keep the conversation going!
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
John 15:5-6
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned
2 Peter 2:10-11
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Luke 14:25-35
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace
Very convicting, all I can say is amen and amen!!!! It shook me because many people think that when living a Christian life everything gets prettier but really with this world being our enemy it gets way harder. Lord God have mercy on us.
Hello!
I think one of the most amazing things we get to do is be held accountable to the same standards that God holds himself to, and have the power to live up to those standards through God’s own spirit!
Praise God for his love and gifts to us!
So, what I gather from your article is that you believe that to go to Heaven, people should uphold the simplest of God’s instructions in their life by honoring God with every decision and thought. Is this a correct summary of your views?
Is that possible?
God’s judgment is holy, perfect, and just. Despite our best intentions, we fail at even the most basic commandments–like “Thou shall not kill”, because Jesus said “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:21-22)
Have you ever been angry at someone?
Jesus said that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of Heaven? “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”My friend, it doesn’t have to do with what you can DO in this life, because our BEST intentions are flawed and are unholy. The way to eternal life is just what Jesus said–Everyone who believes in Jesus shall be saved and will have eternal life.You mentioned James 2, but let’s read that together in context: But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”Was James speaking of salvation? No, he was speaking of lazy Christians that believe that once you are saved you can sit back and do nothing. Of course, our salvation is not based on our works, instead is is based on Jesus dying on the cross for our salvation. Therefore, when we are saved our lives should glorify God and that was the context of James. This is emphasized by Jesus when he said, “Let your light shine before men that that they may see your good works and GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.”God bless! Emily (emilymadsen@cableone.net)
Hi Emily,
Thank you for asking to clarify the points, that means a lot!
The main focus of the article is to illustrate how people generally do not respect God in a manner that would lead them to stay away from sin, and they misunderstand how strict God will judge us according to the sins that we willingly do not let go of in our lives
Three main points I want to summarize before going into a full discussion, is that the enemy would have us believe three things that would rob us of our salvation and make our battle harder:
1) Our salvation is “easy” and guaranteed
2) Then there is the polar opposite, which is to tell us that when we mess up there is no forgiveness, which is nothing more than a tactic to scare us into being too hard on ourselves and lose heart because we are not “perfect”. This is ridiculous as salvation is a process, not a one-time act, and we all stumble, but there is a difference between occasionally stumbling and living a lifestyle of willing sin–for the latter there is no forgiveness until it is truly stopped–see below for scriptures on this
3) We are weak against temptation and cannot live holy, blameless lives
Basically, satan would like to tell us the bar is super low, then way too high for us to reach, then tell us we are too weak to try anyways–what a nice guy!
All of these things are completely untrue, and the only way they could be true is if they did not completely contradict the things Jesus and the apostles taught!
Regarding leading “perfect” lives, the article is not saying people must live lifestyles that are 100% perfect or they will not go to heaven, but the reality is, we are going to have to give account for our lives, and I seriously do not want to have to stand in front of God and answer for why I did not give up _________ in my life, simply because I chose it above obeying and honoring God
Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account
Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken
Can you imagine how awful that would feel, standing before God in all his glory and having him point to something we willingly did not give up in our lives?
Yikes!
Also, one of satan’s biggest lies is that we are “weak” when it comes to resisting sin, which is total garbage!
The Bible is clear that we not only choose to sin out of our own desire, but in the process we, often inadvertently, push aside God’s promise that we can resist any temptation thrown at us because of his help, not to mention that we are commanded both in the OT and NT to be holy as God is holy–something that we must strive for with all of our strength, not take a “oh well, I will just do it and ask for forgiveness” attitude
James 1:14
…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it
Leviticus 19:2
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy'”
1 Peter 1:16
for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
As part of living holy lifestyles, we are supposed to fight fist, tooth, and nail against sin, by loving God with all that we are–living like this leaves no room for sin
Luke 10:27
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”
Matthew 5:29
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell
If we don’t live this way, people tend to fall in a “grace” ditch they never gain the maturity or discipline to climb out of, as they do not love, or revere, God in a way that inspires life-changing action in regards to battling and overcoming sin
In addition to this, people often preach that salvation can never be in jeopardy, and that our sins are forgiven no matter what we do just because we say that “Jesus is Lord” and because Jesus died on the cross
Despite how nice and “easy” the points above sound, none of the points are in line with what Jesus or the apostles taught on a consistent basis in regards to sin, and the scriptures most often used to substantiate these points are often general, abstract, taken completely out of context, and their subjective interpretations directly contradict open, clear statements made by Jesus and the apostles–something that makes zero sense as the Bible would not contradict itself on matters so important and closely related to salvation
For example, look at the verses below and let me know how the point you made about “easy” salvation stands up when put against what Jesus and the apostles taught, as grace was not given to us so we would have perpetual get out of jail free cards, it was given to wipe our slates clean and allow us to be holy as God himself as holy!
1 Peter 4:17-18
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Hebrews 10:26-29
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace
1 John 3:5-6
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him
Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels
The verses from Hebrews 6 and 10 are important as they openly reflect what will happen to those who claim to walk in God’s grace but “trample” it as they continue to sin–this is incredibly disrespectful to God!
I mean seriously, imagine if someone had died pulling us out of a fire after the flames and smoke had overcome us, then we just ignore their sacrifice and endanger our lives by walking into more burning houses after we recover “just for fun”
This is what it is like when go back to any sin after we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus
Also, I would not say it is impossible to live a life without sin, mainly because we are guided and strengthened by God’s own spirit, which is the same that empowered Jesus to live a life without sin, and because we are told that we are supposed to be holy, just as God is holy in both the OT and NT–God would not have told us to do something that was completely unattainable (how messed up would that be?)
Does this answer your questions, it is long, and 2am here
Great post! Just found your blog today and I’ve been reading as many articles as I can. I decided to comment on this one especially because it’s been a big topic of debate in our office lately.
What i think is the main contention here is the understanding of our responsibility and duty to God. It’s true that our actions can’t gain us salvation, but i believe they can disqualify us. Paul said it in his first letter to the Corinthians as was quoted in the post:
1 Corinthians 9:27
“No, I beat my body and make it
my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be
disqualified for the prize”
By saying all one has to do to gain salvation is to SAY they believe in and accept Christ, one is saying that afterward, regardless of words, thoughts or actions, God has NO CHOICE but to accept you onto His rest. One could also argue that the bible says in
Romans 4:8
“Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
That is every Christian, right? Well, let me give a few thoughts on that.
We really need to understand what exactly salvation is. Many believe it’s being saved from hell. I believe it is being saved from sin! And that sin is what leads you to hell, like a one way train.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Salvation is a gift. A free ticket on a one way train headed up (to heaven) instead of down (to hell). We take that ticket when we receive Christ. But what good does the ticket to heaven do you if you go on ahead and jump right back on the train to hell?
Salvation is the gift resulting from God’s love, and what does Christ say about God’s love?
John 15:9
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”
and how do we do that?
John 15:10
“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
And how about this?
1 Corinthians 6:15
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I
then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!”
But that’s just Paul speaking right? Just his opinion…Christ won’t mind! Or will He? Is it not the same Christ who said in
Matthew 18:9
“And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is
better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be
thrown into the fire of hell.”
Wouldn’t it then be hypocritical of him to keep a part of His body (a believer) that remains in sin?
The last thing I’d like to say is that we shouldn’t also confuse falling to a temptation as being sinful. Ideally, we would never fall. And by God’s grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit we will never fall, but should we by some anomaly in our (supposed) Christ like nature fall, we should remember that
Proverbs 24:16
“for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”
So let’s try to be righteous, people who are striving to live the way Christ asked us to in a difficult world, striving by His grace and not by our own strength. But if we sit back and act the way we like because we feel our salvation is secured, then
Galatians 6:7
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
Romans 8:27
“And God,
who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is;
because the Spirit pleads with God on behalf of his people and in
accordance with his will.”
Hi Kofi,
Definitely right, salvation is a process and requires effort on our part, and some really insightful comments, ie:
Matthew 18:9
“And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is
better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be
thrown into the fire of hell.”
“Wouldn’t it then be hypocritical of him to keep a part of His body (a believer) that remains in sin?”
Since it is very difficult for people to make it to heaven, the notion that people can just say “I believe in Jesus” and go to heaven no matter what they do is really destructive and does not inspire people to live holy lives
The ability to become saved was given to us through Jesus’ sacrifice, but our ability to stand before him in judgment and be deemed worthy because of our actions to enter heaven is up to us
James 2:21-24
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
Nathan, these verses you have provided never say you have to live a perfect life to go to heaven. You are wrong and I will pray for you to came to see the truth. But what you are saying is straight from the enemy.
HI Addison,
I am not sure where you got the idea that the article suggest we must be perfect in order to go to heaven, can you cite the part of the article you are addressing specifically?
Hello Nathan, I cybered and done phone sex with some while I had a girlfriend. And I downloaded music, movies, games online. I never physically cheated on my girlfriend and never will. I never sold anything I downloaded online, only used it for personal use. I stopped cybering and the phone sex. But sometimes might download games. Is anything I did wrong in God’s rules? I love and fear God, I want to go to heaven. Will I not go to heaven on the things I have done? On a personal note, I would never actually steal something from someone’s house, store or something. And I wouldn’t ever physically cheat on someone ever, or physically have sex with someone’s wife. I need help and advice, I hope I am still living okay life for God to accept me in heaven.
Hello,
It sounds like you feel that the things you did in terms of infidelity with your girlfriend were wrong, which I would agree are not healthy things to do if you are looking to have an emotionally intimate relationship, but if you repent and truly walk away from those behaviors God will forgive you
Regarding the downloading of games, software, etc…, that is a tough one, as it is stealing for sure, but something we do not think about in the same way as if we walked into a store and took something off of a shelf–maybe because it is so accessible and easy to access
But, in the case of both your cybering, and online theft, Jesus said that even if we already give ourselves over to something mentally it is a sin, so we should be careful not to think that the line is physically doing something sinful, as simply dwelling on it with intent is where Jesus said things were sinful!
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart
But again, just repent and walk away from those things, you can do that now, and not have to worry about it!
I really hope Im not too late posting this stuff.
Hello Nathan, I cybered and done phone sex with some while I had a girlfriend. And I downloaded music, movies, games online. I never physically cheated on my girlfriend and never will. I never sold anything I downloaded online, only used it for personal use. I stopped cybering and the phone sex. But sometimes might download games. Is anything I did wrong in God’s rules? I love and fear God, I want to go to heaven. Will I not go to heaven on the things I have done? On a personal note, I would never actually steal something from someone’s house, store or something. And I wouldn’t ever physically cheat on someone ever, or physically have sex with someone’s wife. I need help and advice, I hope I am still living okay life for God to accept me in heaven.
hey um Nathan,i am a christian but i dnt think i really know or understand GOD but i knw he is moving me into different realms in him but i shy away in fear lack of trust inconsistency etc. i dedicate myself often when i feel like it and i worry until sometimes i get confused and often seek validation wat are ur comments on tht . i knw i want to get close to GOD tho
Thank you Nathan for all of this information. It is a little much to grasp. and do you have any suggestions on how to strengthen faith. I am a new believer (well new to reading bible and believing in God like he is portrayed). I’ve always believed in a higher power just was never sure, and now I am working on getting faith and trust in God
Hi Dalton,
It is very nice to meet you, thank you for saying hello!
Spiritual maturity is a reflection of our relationship with God, who is love itself
1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love
As we continue to draw closer to God, his spirit’s guidance towards righteousness becomes stronger, manifesting itself in our lives as we grow
Learning to understand, follow, and love God’s standard’s of righteousness is a process, which we can accelerate or impede by choosing to let go or hold onto our old, sinful ways
Nothing held me back from spiritual growth more than when I chose to walk sinfully–sin hurts God’s feelings, and contradicts his very character
Beyond stopping sin in our lives, which is not instant or completely easy, reading the Bible regularly, and waiting on God are tremendous tools we sharpen over time
Also, aside from our requests, prayer time should be about waiting on God for guidance, answers or whatever is on God’s heart to speak to us–he already knows what we need before we open our mouths anyways
Matthew 6:7-8
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him
If there are any particular article topics you would like to see written about, just let me know!
Hi, Nathan or Mr. Bender,
I noticed you were having a disagreement with a poster named Chad and I suggest you read or take a look at Galatians 3 and John 15. As Galatians chapter 3 explains, salvation is given as a free gift by faith. Our works don’t determine whether we go to heaven or not. On the other hand, faith without works is dead, as said in the book of James. This seems like a contradiction to the idea of God’s grace getting us into heaven, which we accept by faith. Yet, when we look at John 15, we realize that there is no such thing as knowing God and not being fruitful (ie. not having good works) because Jesus promises that if we abide in Him we will be “fruitful.” True faith not only means believing that God exists and knowing the truth about His Son. That is an elementary kind of faith, but really, we need to trust God. To believe IN someone or something means to trust them. If we really trust God, we will surrender to Him and obey Him. When someone turns to God, it is implied that they will commit to that. But even then, its not our hard work and efforts that are earning us into heaven otherwise salvation would only be for the strong minded and the determined. When we know God and spend time in a relationship with Him, God works to change our hearts and make us into better people. It is not us earning our way to heaven, it is a miracle God works in our hearts if we spend time reading the Bible, applying it to our lives, and also make time to pray. Our relationship with God and truly knowing Him is a really important part of our faith and it strengthens it. It is also what makes us ready to live for God, to help others, and to spread the gospel. Works are the evidence that we know God and are genuine about what we believe in. They do not need to be added to faith to make us saved, they are proof that we have been saved. Jesus uses the illustration of a vine when He speaks of abiding in Him. Vines don’t work to produce grapes to PROVE they are grapevines. They produce grapes IF and ONLY if they really are grapevines. We are saved when we come to God in repentance and believe in His son. After that, we do good because we are saved, not because we are trying to be saved. Really, the salvation, the change in our hearts, all of it, is God’s doing.
Hi Bianca,
This is a tough topic, but the main issue that prevents many from understanding this fully, is the typical “faith not works!” argument that is both oversimplified, and scripturally inaccurate when one digs into it objectively
It is true that if someone does not live in a way that shows they are conforming to God’s righteousness, they do not know God intimately
1 John 3:6
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him
But your out of context point around this is self-defeating as on one hand you say:
“its not our hard work and efforts that are earning us into heaven otherwise salvation would only be for the strong minded and the determined”
But yet you also insist that actions are required to truly turn to God, which does in fact require a strong mind and no small amount of determination to achieve:
“If we really trust God, we will surrender to Him and obey Him. When someone turns to God, it is implied that they will commit to that”
These two points are irreconcilable, thus rendering your case illogical as it demonstrates a self-contradicting view on salvation itself
Furthermore, your case does not take James’ full point into account regarding actions being required for salvation, as I am not sure you caught his definitive point, ie:
James 2:24
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone
Also, no writer in the BIble told us that faith alone, without righteous actions that demonstrate God’s love, or changes in lifestyle to rid ourselves of sin, was sufficient for salvation, they only said we are above the law’s written code through faith because of the new covenant
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love
Matthew 25:34-36
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me
Matthew 25:41-46
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life
1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death
Also, it is a very important point to note that in the verse above John openly said if we have not learned to love others, we remain in death, which we know is not an overnight or easy process, and typically requires a strong mind and determination, which directly contradicts your point that salvation is for the strong minded and determined as well as the weak minded and undetermined
To this point, Paul did not consider salvation as something that was guaranteed after putting our faith in God, as he talked openly about how he considered it a possibility that he himself could be “disqualified” from receiving salvation if he did not live correctly, and taught salvation was not something we should consider ourselves to have laid hold of while in life, we should always fight to achieve greater righteousness, though he specifically said only the mature will grasp this
1 Corinthians 9:27
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize
Philippians 3:10-15
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you
The key thing to note at this point, is that we will be judged according to how we lived, and that we will have to give account for the choices we made in life, there is nowhere in the Bible that says we are forgiven unless we repent, have a change of heart, and make every effort to truly leave our sins behind us–something that, again, requires a strong mind and determination to achieve
Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy
Acts 26:20
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds
2 Corinthians 7:10
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death
Natahn I am a Christian, I Think God sent you To do his work and you are doing A fine job. God bless you and Thank you for just being there for us when you sure don’t have to be.
Hi Destry,
Thank you for the kind words, my apologies for not responding to this earlier, I have had a very rough month or so, I will start writing more soon
Thank you again for the encouragement!