Is it you? Are you sure?

 

There are over 8 billion people on earth. Obviously, they will not all go to Heaven.

If you were to die today, are you sure, very sure, that you will go to Heaven? Why do you think so? Let's consider this:

"Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants them to do." Matthew 7:21.

What does God want us to do?

^"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40

And how about this?

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." Matthew 6:12

You see, those two conditions alone, that of love and of forgiveness, will be a yardstick by which we will be judged for entry to Heaven. And there's yet another:

"Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me." Matthew 25:31 onwards.

It is not enough for people to say they'll get to Heaven because they believe in God and Jesus. Satan believes in God and tried to tempt Jesus; so that's hardly a measure for us to compare with.

It is also not correct to say you'll get to Heaven because Jesus died for us. He redeemed us, and once saved always saved. True, He did this for us; but He also expects a response from us. His sacrifice is not just a passive entry to Paradise for us.

There's a story I heard about a news reporter in the First World War. The reporter was in a field hospital watching the wounded and how they were cared for. He saw a nun tending a badly injured soldier. She was carefully cleaning a gangrenous wound. The reporter said, "I would not do that for a million pounds!" The nun replied, "Neither would I." 

Have we as much love as that nun showed the soldier? 

Do we truly forgive with all our heart those who wronged us?

Do we care for those worse off than us in deeds and not just words?

Are you and I sure that we will go to Heaven? Why?