How To Get To Heaven When You Die

[WestViking]

Our Salvation is NOT based upon Our merits, but the merits of Jesus Christ alone. That's because we are already sinners. Just believe God's word. The words added in parenthesis are mine.

Eph 2:8 For by grace (unearned favor) you have been saved through faith (placing your trust in Jesus Christ), and that not of yourselves; it is the gift (you don't earn gits, you just accept them) of God, not of works, lest (so that) anyone should boast.(no one is going to stand before God and say that they got into heaven because they were good enough).

Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created (upon placing our faith in Christ, we obtain a new spirit) in Christ Jesus for (to do, not because of) good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

It's not by our righteousness. To try and obtain salvation though your own righteousness is to add to God's plan.

Tit 3:5 not by works of righteousness which We have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Interesting. I was taught that boasting was both unseemly and a sin.

Righteousness is a synonym for morality and I dispute that trying to live a moral life in accordance with the Word of God is wrong.

My King James reads a bit differently from your version:

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I reject your interpretation. We are exhorted to follow (walk in) the good works of Jesus Christ as expressed in the Bible. Ignore the ethical framework set out in the Word at your peril if you wish. That is your choice in accordance with the free will God blessed us with.

Just remember that free will does not come to us packed with a parachute.

[Edward Kennedy]

Actually Kate, I am nauseated by so called Christians that have $$$ for satellie dishes and big screen TV's, but none to defend the unborn child or to oppose other evils. I am tired of nutless wonders whose excuse to not oppose evil is that "it is prophesied and we can do nothing about it"

Then there are those who vote lieberal even though lieberals oppose all that is good and support all that is wrong.

The word cowards comes to mind.

I asked a born again Christian man and his wife from Plevna, Ontario why they always vote Liberal in their provincial elections. He is a provincial park worker... ranger whatever ya call them.

"Well, we would rather not, but I always feel threatened that if the Conservatives win I could lose my job because they have cut before. It's the only reason I vote lib, don't agree with many of the other things they stand for...."

Shallow folk if you ask me.

Typical response from individuals who are insecure over finances and rightly so. I can empathize with them but in essence I think they have sold out for the love of the damned dollar. That is my opinion, wrong or right. Faith in God should include faith that if one does the right things, there will be provision made for you. Perhaps it is not easy for them or others to trust in God for temporal things, but one wonders if that is the case, how can one trust in God for salvation which is a much bigger thing. Yet many have sold out for many other things.

Lots of people choose to opt for the here and now instead of the hereafter as the present is wherein we dwell but time passes so quickly and then the end.

I often wonder at profligate lefturds who come to the end of the way and consider their accomplishments in life...lying, defamation, maliciousness, perversion, blasphemy,etc and whether they have enough sense to consider that their whole existence was worse than a waste, but more so, an existence in harming innocent people whose only sin was in opposing evil.

Standing before the Judge with the blood of innocent babies on one's hands would not be a pleasant thing. Consider the fools of academia who taught the lies of evolution, the filth of perversion, and blasphemed God and all that was good.

Consider the hirelings in pulpits who opposed the very essence of what is good, pure and true by their false doctrines and lies and their attacks on the scriptures that they should have defended and upheld.

Surely hell hath enlarged it's mouth...

[Angleland]

I was mildly disappointed when informed that the Orthodox Church does not have Purgatory as part of its doctrine. It's thumbs up or thumbs down. Engaging in false modesty would be wrong in itself but I find this issue somewhat disconcerting. A punishment Purgatory would IMO cast doubt on the Sacrenemt of Confession as would any of the non doctrinal tales I have head such as having to get past 'toll gates' such as happened in one episode of The Twilight Zone that remains one of my favourites.

I am not trying to start any arguments here. My views are my own. I hope everyone else gets in upstairs.

[mindyrbusiness]

As Charles Spurgeon said: “If thou receive not His perfect, unrivalled blood-washing, thou art no Christian. Whatever be thy profession, whatever thy supposed experience, whatever thy reformation, whatever thou mayst have attempted or accomplished, if thou hast never come as a guilty one, and seen thy sin laid upon the bleeding Son of God, thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. ... Without faith in the atonement thou canst have no part in Christ” (C.H.S., Sermons, 16, 220 & 223).

The question one needs to answer is what does it mean to believe? Does it mean that if you say “I believe in God” that you go to heaven?

AV-believe 239, commit unto 4, commit to (one’s) trust 1, be committed unto 1, be put in trust with 1, be commit to one’s trust 1, believer 1; 248
(1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
a) of the thing believed,(1) to credit, have confidence
b) in a moral or religious reference ,(1) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul,(2) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith(c) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith

2) to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity(a) to be intrusted with a thing
The very passage you quote says that if you don’t believe you are condemned. So it seems important to understand what that really means.

Does believing mean to live your life however you want and disregard God’s commandments?
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What is repentance and is it necessary for salvation?(Got Questions?.org)

What, then, is the connection between repentance and salvation? The Book of Acts seems to especially focus on repentance in regards to salvation (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20). To repent, in relation to salvation, is to change your mind in regard to Jesus Christ. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), he concludes with a call for the people to repent (Acts 2:38). Repent from what?

Repentance and faith can be understood as “two sides of the same coin.” It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing your mind about who He is and what He has done. Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest, it is a change of mind. Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.

It is crucially important that we understand repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation. No one can repent and come to God unless God pulls that person to Himself (John 6:44). Acts 5:31 and 11:18 indicate that repentance is something God gives—it is only possible because of His grace. No one can repent unless God grants repentance. All of salvation, including repentance and faith, is a result of God drawing us, opening our eyes, and changing our hearts. God's longsuffering leads us to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), as does His kindness (Romans 2:4).

While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly and fully change your mind without that causing a change in action. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). A person who has truly repented from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19-23; James 2:14-26). Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about Jesus Christ and turning to God in faith for salvation (Acts 3:19). Turning from sin is not the definition of repentance, but it is one of the results of genuine, faith-based repentance towards the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Edward Kennedy]

I doubt I will ever have occasion to disagree with you Mindy.

[free_life2]

Self righteousness does not save anyone. I would agree that someone who has no change to become more Christlike is not saved / born again in the first place, but those who belong to Christ are 100% assured they will spend eternity with God, salvation is only through faith in Christ, anything less fails. To only hope Christ's payment on our behalf is enough, that is hope one is saved, is not faith and will result in a terrible end.

You can't get more righteous than the righteousness of God and we don't earn that at all.
2 Cor 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus became sin so we would have God's righteousness, there was no other way.

I will shout from the rooftops I am 100% assured salvation through Christ's finished work not my work, my boasting is in Him.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

[sturmgeshutz]

IMOH the biggest indication that you are truly saved is the guilt you feel when you commit sins that you have commited before with no remorse.

[Paddington]

Actually Kate, I am nauseated by so called Christians that have $$$ for satellie dishes and big screen TV's, but none to defend the unborn child or to oppose other evils. I am tired of nutless wonders whose excuse to not oppose evil is that "it is prophesied and we can do nothing about it"

Then there are those who vote lieberal even though lieberals oppose all that is good and support all that is wrong.

The word cowards comes to mind.

I asked a born again Christian man and his wife from Plevna, Ontario why they always vote Liberal in their provincial elections. He is a provincial park worker... ranger whatever ya call them.

"Well, we would rather not, but I always feel threatened that if the Conservatives win I could lose my job because they have cut before. It's the only reason I vote lib, don't agree with many of the other things they stand for...."

Shallow folk if you ask me.

That's pretty pathetic. Sad excuse for a Christian. Selfish man.

[Paddington]

I was mildly disappointed when informed that the Orthodox Church does not have Purgatory as part of its doctrine. It's thumbs up or thumbs down. Engaging in false modesty would be wrong in itself but I find this issue somewhat disconcerting. A punishment Purgatory would IMO cast doubt on the Sacrenemt of Confession as would any of the non doctrinal tales I have head such as having to get past 'toll gates' such as happened in one episode of The Twilight Zone that remains one of my favourites.

I am not trying to start any arguments here. My views are my own. I hope everyone else gets in upstairs.

Why would you believe in Purgatory? It's not Biblical. The only way that you can know the truth about what happens after you die is from the Bible. It's God's word, NOT the teachings of the church. Follow God, not the Church.

Ps 119:105 ¶ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[Edward Kennedy]

The more one becomes educated in things spiritual the more one becomes aware of one's own wretchedness and unworthiness. Gratitude and humility are two things God loves because both grow the other. The first recognizes and speaks thanksgiving to God and the second is acceptance of our rightful place before a thrice holy God.

God HATES pride more than anything and pride is pandemic in know it all lieberals and their twisted evil humanistic anti God existence that they try to impose on others.

[Paddington]

...while accusing the Christians and Conservatives of they themselves are most guilty of....

[Ben Kenobi]

I do not believe that a person can wallow in sin throughout his life and still enjoy salvation through occasional prayer.

Is there anyone who hasn't wallowed in sin?

[Edward Kennedy]

I do not believe that a person can wallow in sin throughout his life and still enjoy salvation through occasional prayer.

Is there anyone who hasn't wallowed in sin?

No.

[free_life2]

I do not believe that a person can wallow in sin throughout his life and still enjoy salvation through occasional prayer.

Is there anyone who hasn't wallowed in sin?

And is there any sin that Jesus hasn't paid the price for? Did God not punish Jesus enough? Did He hold back some of His wrath?

This self righteous religious crap that some who claim to be Christians pull is an insult to the what Jesus did. It is finished, He finished and works do not earn salvation, they deny Christian and His gift of salvation.

[Edward Kennedy]

I do not believe that a person can wallow in sin throughout his life and still enjoy salvation through occasional prayer.

Is there anyone who hasn't wallowed in sin?

And is there any sin that Jesus hasn't paid the price for? Did God not punish Jesus enough? Did He hold back some of His wrath?

This self righteous religious crap that some who claim to be Christians pull is an insult to the what Jesus did. It is finished, He finished and works do not earn salvation, they deny Christian and His gift of salvation.

You refer of course to the imposition of WORKS that some maintian are necessary to attain unto salvation.

The apostte Paul in addressing such tripe infers that these people have made the sacrifice and plan of salvation of non effect, thereby in essence damning themselves in process. It is clearly writtten that such conduct is unacceptable, because who would dare try to in their pride usurp and one up Jesus Christ by their futile and insane attempts to say that Jesus was deficient? Blasphemy. Fools.