If you were to die today, are you sure, very sure, that you will get to Heaven? Without any doubt whatsoever, you will definitely, today, on your death, you will go to Heaven. Straight-away, Heaven is your destination, the very moment you die and your soul leaves your body.
What makes you so sure that you'll get to Heaven?
How come you do not harbour any doubts whatsoever?
Or, if perchance you are a little hesitant; why is this so?
What concerns you about not actually making it to Heaven the moment you die?
When you get to meet God face to face; which is a certainty; and He asks you "why do you want to enter my Heaven?" - what will you respond?
Saying that Jesus died for you, and you are saved, will not count. God is asking "why do you personally want to enter Heaven?" - not why did Jesus die for you.
Why do you, and me, want to get to Heaven?
Is it because we are afraid of Hell?
Is it because we want to be in "a nice place" happy ever after; like in a fairy tale?
You see ... we have been programmed to view these things through a human perspective.
We want to go to Heaven because that's what we've been taught to expect and to aspire to. We've been taught that we have to be good to go to Heaven or else ... ... ...
Some see God as a judging Deity and we stoically accept His existence and ruling in order to avoid punishment. They believe they'll get to Heaven because they are "good people" really, and that should suffice.
Others choose not to accept God's existence altogether thus freeing their minds of doubts or the emotional worries of what might happen when they die.
Either way, we reach our conclusions through a human perspective.
But God is not human. His perspective is not our perspective. He will expect a good answer, albeit a human one, should He ask you, "why do you want to come in?"
Better be ready!
Let not our complacency lead us sleep-walking our way to Hell.
"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.
NOTE: If you have time; read this article about "Seeing things God's way". CLICK HERE
I'm Agnostic. So I have no idea if there is a heaven and I'm not going to worry about it. If there is, cool, if not, oh well.
ReplyDeleteThanx Mary. I'm not sure I understand you when you say "if there is a Heaven , cool". Do you expect to be there? And if so, why?
DeleteGod bless.
I'm not expecting anything. I don't think we can know what is after death and I'm not worried about it. if there is 'something' cool, if not, oh well. I'm not going to worry about it until I die and we'll see what happens.
DeleteThank you Mary for your thoughts.
DeleteGod bless you.
I sincerely hope to wake up some glorious morning in Heaven ... that Jesus' face is the first I'll see. But am I POSITIVE? Unfortunately, no. That's why I keep trying and praying.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good attitude, Mevely. Hopeful expectations. There are those who say "they are sure they'll get to Heaven because Jesus loves them and died for them!" Whilst this is true, it is not a one-way passport; He died for us so we're OK.
DeleteMy quote of Matthew 7:21 above makes my point.
Like you, I hope to get to Heaven and prepare for it here by loving God and obeying Christ's commandments. See you there!
God bless you.
This one genuinely made me stop and think, especially the question of what I would actually say if I stood before God and He asked me why I wanted to enter Heaven. It is easy to give the familiar Christian answers because we have heard them all our lives, but the question here goes deeper into what is really in our hearts when nobody is watching. I also think the part about being “good” can be uncomfortable because sometimes we can become so focused on doing the right things that we forget about actually knowing God and wanting Him, rather than simply wanting the reward of Heaven. It is the kind of question that makes you examine your life rather than somebody else’s. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your full comment Melody.
DeleteI think that a lot of people believe they'll enter Heaven because they are "good". Being "good" is not enough. There are plenty of good people who do not believe in the existence of God. They do not believe in Jesus as His Son or anything written in the Bible. Will they enter Heaven? Why?
Put another way. Would an atheist enter Heaven? How can he enter somewhere he does not believe it exists?
The question is personal - as you say. Why do you want to enter Heaven?
Heaven is not just a nice place to be treated as a luxury hotel open for the "good". It is a place we go to in order to meet Someone - God, and His Son Jesus and the Saints.
If we don't believe in God and have never loved or obeyed Him; how would we answer the question: Why do you want to enter my Heaven?
God bless you always.
I know for sure I'm going to heaven not because I've earned it but because I've accepted God's Gift. I believe I am a sinner and Jesus died on the cross for my sins and arose and is my living Savior and I have complete faith and trust in him alone to get me to heaven. :)
ReplyDeleteBut what would you say if God asked you "WHY do you want to enter Heaven?"
DeleteGod bless, K.
I want to go to heaven to be with my Savior, to praise, worship, and thank Him for saving me from hell. Will be wonderful to have my glorified body and have no more sin. To be with others who have gone to heaven before. To meet the people of the Bible.
DeleteAmen K. I agree.
DeleteGod bless you and yours.
there are all sorts of pat answers that one could give as an answer to that question. some are off the cuff, others are predictable, and others just a shrug of the shoulders. My answer is that Jesus died for my sins and my life has been in His Hands ever since. I want to sing praises to Our God and worship at His feet. Good post. thinking post.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Susan. There are too many pat answers. I am trying to filter them out and get people to think "WHY?"
DeleteIs Heaven a refuge from the other bad place? Or a reward for a life well lived? Too often it is taken for granted as if our entry there is guaranteed.
God bless you.
I hope to make it to heaven. I would say to God that because I love him, I want to be near Him, just as I want to be near to my loved ones who have gone before me. I think i might also say that I am sorry for any pain or hurt I caused anyone in life but I truly tried my best. Poor God, I bet He hears that all the time!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a brilliant answer. It is probably what I would have said if God asked me "Why do you want to come in?"
DeleteIndeed, none of us are worthy. We have been invited and our entry has been paid for by Christ's death and resurrection. We need to respond to that invitation - RSVP! We do so by living the kind of life that Christ would be proud of. Many Christians give Christianity a bad name.
God bless you Kay. Thank you for visiting here. Please call again and invite your friends.
I am not Catholic but I attended many masses with a friend as a teenager. I remember these words from the Mass, "I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed". God bless you,!
DeleteThese are the words spoken by the centurion when he asked Jesus to heal his servant. Matthew 8:5-13
DeleteWe say them at Mass before Communion.
God bless, Kay.
As the parable of the ten bridesmaids teaches us (Matthew 25:1-13), it is import to always be prepared. No one is perfect and the world is filled with daily temptations. So love God above all the idols of this world, and love your neighbors as yourself. God is good, and he loves us unconditionally. Shalom, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Reverend. We need to follow Christ's commandment about loving God and each other more earnestly.
DeleteGod bless always.
Why do I want to go? Because I love Him and I want to spend eternity face down before His throne worshiping, anything else would grow old in eternity, but loving and worshiping God will never grow old to us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful sentiment, Mimi.
DeleteGod bless.
I want to dwell in the house of the Lord forever! That's why I want to be in Heaven, Victor. Blessings for this beautiful and thoughtful post, my friend!
ReplyDeleteAmen Martha. Our wish should be to be with Our Lord for ever.
DeleteGod bless you and your family.