When We All Get To Heaven

            Myth: All good people go to heaven – and I’m a good person

How many of you have heard this argument?

Grandma: If they don’t let you in heaven, there’s no hope for any of us!

Have you seen this idea portrayed in the media?

What about at church?

Works based religions

Will the dedicated Jew who rejects the Gospel go to heaven?

What about the dedicated Buddhist or Muslim?

What about the Muslim terrorists who crashed planes into the WTC and Pentagon?

Many in other faiths fervently believe they’re doing the right thing by rejecting the Gospel. Would it be fair for God to send them to hell?

            Reality: God’s plan for salvation is not based on how good you are.

Let’s argue this one from the secular side:

Line between good and bad – different for each person. How can this be?

The Bible has an entirely different message.

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It doesn’t matter how good a person you think you are. All have sinned and none deserve heaven. But the Bible also has some good news.

John 3:16

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

But what about those who fervently and reverently followed their faith – believing they did the right thing by rejecting the Gospel?

Our standards are not God’s standards.

The Buddhist’s perception of life is completely at odds with death and heaven as we know it.

What are the four stages of the Buddhist life?

·      1. The “Stream-Entrant” (novice) only catches a glimpse of Nirvana in the teaching of the Buddha.

·      2. The “Once-Returner” is destined to be reborn into this physical world once more before experiencing full Nirvana.

·      3. The “Never-Returner” has an even deeper knowledge of Nirvana and is assured that they will not be reborn.

·      4. The “Worthy-One” (Arhat) is completely pure and free from desire. That person has experienced Nirvana and will know it fully at death, when all matter, sensations, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness will disappear forever.

How do you get to heaven if you’re a Muslim?

In Islam, the way to heaven is paved with good works – again completely at odds with what the Bible teaches about heaven. If you believe that a devout Muslim will get to heaven, you must also believe that your good works will do the same. Devoutness will get you nowhere. Devout followers of particularly violent forms of Islam crashed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and have been guilty of murder and torture not only of Christians and Jews but of those Muslims who don’t believe the so called right way.

And to base salvation on good works – all I can say it’s too hard and frankly a little scary – wondering how I measure up.

John 3:16 offers us Good News:

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:18 offers the other side of the coin:

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.^[a]

There is only one path to heaven – through faith in Jesus Christ.

Will people who never hear the Gospel go to heaven?

Some say, yes. And they’ll site Romans 2:12-16 as the proof text.

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

I’m not sure this  passage absolves the one who hasn’t heard the Gospel. In fact, the phrase, “their thoughts now accusing” drives home the point that they indeed are sinners as well.

What can you tell the unbeliever who says he’ll get into heaven because he’s a good person

How do you actually know you’re good enough?

Actually you’re not. Your requirement is too hard because none of us are good enough.