“You are the ones who think you are the only ones going to Heaven.” All members of the Lord’s church have probably been accused of that at one time or another. Faithful Christians do have the expectation of entering that heavenly home. Let’s look at some of God’s teachings on the subject of heaven and that eternal peaceful rest.
We read in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It is an elemental fact that to have eternal life one must believe in the Savior. God loved His creation enough that He sent His Son to be sacrificed and to shed the blood that could take away “the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
Jesus Himself came to earth, teaching about the fate that would come to all men. To the faithful He said, “Come, you blessed of My Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” To the unfaithful He said, “These shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:34ff). From the beginning, God has taught that the faithful will be rewarded and the unfaithful will be punished. That’s what most parents teach their children as they begin to learn and to understand what is expected of them. It’s really a simple teaching. The offspring must decide whether they want to be rewarded or punished and act accordingly.
Jesus taught this same lesson by saying, “He that reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to life eternal” (John 4:36). Farming was familiar with all to whom He spoke, and they all understood that in order to receive their wages they had to reap the harvest. He was speaking of the hard work they had to do to be paid and telling them that His faithful also must do some hard work to receive the fruit of eternal life. Those who want to go to heaven must pay the price while here on this earth. There will be no second chance. The faithful must “gather fruit to life eternal.”
Jesus also taught, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). He taught a lesson here that was so easy for His listeners to relate to themselves because they knew about shepherds and their sheep. Those who know the Master’s voice and heed it will be rewarded with eternal life with Him.
One… asked Him ‘Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, “…You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill; do not steal, do not bear false witness, defraud not, honor your father and mother” and he answered and said, “Master I have observed all these from my youth.” Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said, “One thing you lack: go your way and sell what you have and give to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up your cross and follow Me.” (Mark 10:17-21)
From this, we understand without a doubt that there is more required of the faithful than just refraining from sinful activity. The faithful must not be so attached to their earthly belongings that they become an obstacle to reaching the heavenly home. Jesus was not attached to earthly things, and the faithful must “follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
Can anyone have assurance of a heavenly home when this physical life is over? Who is going to heaven? Just being a member of any “church” will not grant entry into heaven. Only those who honor Jesus as Lord of their lives, hear, believe and obey the Word of God will enter heaven. This includes to repent of sins, to confess Jesus as Lord, to be baptized for the remission of sins and then to live a faithful, active Christian life. Those who do so will enter heaven. May God bless you in your efforts to reach that heavenly home!
