Will Believers Go To Heaven?
Will Believers Go To Heaven?What follows is something that has been weighing upon my heart for quite some time.
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 7:13-14
For many are invited, but few are chosen
Matthew 22:14
These verses present a challenge to many of us who call ourselves Christian. And rightly they should. I want to say up front that I believe many who call themselves Christian may not be on a path to heaven—not if we take the Bible seriously. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commands us to go into all the world and make Disciples. In Romans 10:9-10 Paul talks about confessing with our mouth and believing in our heart that “Jesus is Lord” is necessary for our salvation. There are dozens of verses that unpack the criteria for our entrance into glory.
Sadly, according to many surveys, we find a deeply shallow understanding of what being a true disciple of Jesus looks like. We call it cultural Christianity. According to a recent survey by George Barna, only 9% of those who claim to be Christian have a Biblical worldview. In my experience, even among those who do have the right worldview, I wonder if they are truly saved. We must remember that just believing Jesus is Lord is not enough—the devil himself believes that. So, what does that mean for those of us who want to make sure we are headed in the right direction?
These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:8-9
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me,
you workers of lawlessness.
Matthew 7:21-23
It is not my intention here to scare those who profess their Christian faith and are settled with their salvation—I do want to challenge you, however. I encounter people every day who would say they have Jesus, but the real question is, does Jesus have them? It has been said that superficiality is the great curse of our age. I believe this is true. We may be one of the most intellectually lazy generations in history. No one wants to go deep anymore—I just want to do enough to get by.
While this may be ok for most of what we encounter in life, it is not ok when compared to what I must understand about my eternal security. I am deeply concerned about the large number of young people I encounter who do not understand what is at stake. They believe things like, surely God knows I am a good person, or you can have your truth… I have my truth. This often gives them cover, or so they think, for entering behavior that is not in accordance with the truth of His word. They are pursuing a god they want and not, the God who is.
Dear friends, this kind of thinking and subsequent behavior is the direct result of our desperately flawed educational system. The last 2-3 generations were never taught the importance of critical thought or how to investigate deeply to discover facts and truth. Everything is about me, what I believe, what I want. It stems from a deep sense of insecurity which is impossible to overcome without the proper relationship with our Lord.
Before I go any further let me lay out a disclaimer. We have all heard things like once saved always saved, or all you need to do is raise your hand and say these words. There are various theological positions on what the formula is for entry into heaven. All of them have one thing in common—they are subjective. In other words, only God truly knows the requirements and though He reveals it to us in His word, many “Christians” never read the Bible and many that do come up with interpretations that they think give them a pass.
So, I want to say here that I am not suggesting that I have the secret or perfect answer for what I need to be or do to guarantee my entrance into glory. What I am saying is, the question is far too important for us to be treating it in a cavalier fashion. As a believer, you and I should want to know beyond any doubt. I want to leave you with some questions to ponder and pray about before God, and some things to do.
- In Titus 1:16 it says, They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Knowing what you know about Jesus, would you say that your actions suggest you truly know Him?
- In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Is there evidence in your life that you are transformed and the old you is gone?
- Ephesians 1:13 says, You also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth. Can you sense the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life?
- Romans 8:15-16 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Are you certain that you are a child of God?
Remember that the Spirit transforms us over time—it’s a process, so we must be patient but also honest with our progress.
Is God so big and so real in your life that He is in your thoughts all the time, and your heart’s desire is to live in a way that pleases Him? Let me suggest that you test yourself to see if you are a genuine disciple. Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and then take these questions to God in prayer. Ask Him to help you discover how He sees you. If there is any doubt at all, then consider this final encouragement:
- Tell Him that you know you are a sinner in need of a savior.
- Repent (repentance is a 180—not a 360)
- Ask Him to help you let go of the past
- Believe that Jesus Christ died to set you free and that salvation is a gift from God.
- Finally, ask Jesus to come into your heart and life.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3:16