After speaking to many people about how the Bible tells us we can go to heaven, I have heard many beliefs that are not found in the Bible; and therefore are not what God has revealed to man. Some of them include:
“There is more than one way to get to Heaven,” and “There are many different roads to heaven.” Those philosophies are never mentioned in the Word of God. The point of the Bible is to state and preserve God’s plans and commands to all mankind. Even suggesting that man can believe and do what he wants to get to Heaven is contrary to the Bible’s teachings. It is man’s way that got him in the sinful state he is in. Only God’s Way is the way to salvation. It is God’s heaven, and there is only one way to get there — His!
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 Also: John 10:9, John 11:25
“We are all children of God!” If that philosophy were true, and we were all children of God; why is there a Hell, and why were we warned about it so we would not go there? Also, why did Christ die for us, if all are going to Heaven? The truth is, no one is a child of God unless he is born into God’s family by a spiritual birth.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 Also: John 3:5
“We’ll see so-an-so in Heaven.” In many situations, when discussing the whereabouts of a deceased person, many assume that the person is in heaven without knowing anything about his spiritual decisions and condition when on this earth. Quite frequently at funerals it is mentioned, possibly so people’s feelings will not be hurt, that the person that the service is for is in heaven; when the person never made any profession or ever indicated that he was trusting Christ as Saviour. They very well may have been saved and therefore in Heaven, but the way so many talk is all are going to Heaven, and only the “really bad people” are going to Hell.
That sounds humane and nice, but it is God’s Heaven and not man’s; and God says only those that do what He commands will go to His Heaven. It is only His way that matters. That way is trusting in Christ’s shed blood to cover one’s sins and admitting (confessing) Christ as Saviour (Rom. 10:9). One will only go to Heaven if he is saved!
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Mat. 7:23 Also: Mat. 25:12, Mat. 25:41, Luke 13:25, II Tim. 2:19
“I’m a good person, so I’ll go to Heaven.” The Bible does not teach that either. It teaches the opposite. The Bible says we are all sinners because of our having been born into sin and also our commission of sin. Because of our sin, we cannot go to Heaven unless we do what God says we must do to get there; and that is to be saved. No one is a “good” person. All are sinners!
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Rom. 3:10
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom. 3:23 Also: Rom. 5:12
“If God is going to put people in Hell, then I don’t want to have any part of Him or Heaven.” That statement immediately reveals the person as one who does not see the seriousness of where he is heading eternally. He is rejecting God’s plan of salvation.
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21 Also: John 3:18, I Cor. 1:18
God does not want anyone to perish in Hell (II Peter 3:9). He has clearly shown in His preserved Word the only way anyone can go to Heaven. It is only His way that will get anyone there; not man’s way. That way is by trusting that Jesus’ death on the cross as the only payment God will accept for anyone’s sin. That belief is the only one that will get anyone to Heaven!
Bro Bill,
Excellent, this goes right along with what we were discussing in Sunday School yesterday.
A side note all of you will appreciate. I have been using a Bible recently that came to me from the collection of cousin. It was given to the organist of a presbyterian church as a gift on Jan 1, 1900, so it was printed in the late 1800’s. While it is clearly a KJV Bible, it is never in any way marked as such, despite being a very nice volume with leather covers, lots of additional information, etc… Nowhere does it make that claim…. …. Then it occurred to me! They didnt have to say so then… all Bibles at that time were just like this one in terms of the text.. no need to identify.
You’re right Bro. Bill! Everybody that is deceased is in heaven according to their loved ones! Or the deceased has wings now and their watching over their loved ones that are still alive! Or their in a better place looking down smiling on us!
I’ve seen people on TV that died doing dope deals, or died on the streets shooting it out with other gang members, and the family say, “He was a good boy! He’s in heaven looking down on us!”
You’re right, and at a time like that I would hate to bust their bubble, but they have nothing biblical saying they are right! What gets me is that at many funerals it is preachers saying that stuff! No wonder most “religion” has a bad name and isn’t often biblical.