Menu
Menu
Recognizing Christ as Lord is important. But, it is not enough for one to enter the kingdom of heaven.
MANY BELIEVE THAT after a “good” person dies, he will immediately go to a better place, an afterlife, a paradise, or heaven. They consider heaven to be a place for “good people to go to when they die” (macmillandictionary.com). Hence, while alive, they strive to do what they consider to be good, hoping that it gives them assurance of entering heaven. For such people, not hurting anyone or being helpful to others is what it means to be a good person. However, is it enough for a person to be “good” by his own standards in order for him to go to heaven? According to the Bible, what must a person do to be assured of salvation, and thus, enter the kingdom of heaven?
The Lord Jesus Christ, Whom the Father appointed as the Savior, teaches about who will and will not enter the kingdom of heaven:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21–23 New King James Version)
Recognizing Christ as Lord is important. But, it is not enough for one to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Lord Jesus assures that the person “who does the will of My Father in heaven” will enter His kingdom.
The will of the Father, according to Apostle Paul, is “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head” (Eph. 1:10 New International Version). The one head referred to is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, for He was placed by God “to be head over everything for the church, which is his body” (Eph. 1:22–23 niv). The name of this Church, which is Christ’s body, is the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation).
Thus, a person who becomes a member of the Church Of Christ, fulfills the will of the Father in heaven.
By biblical definition, what is “good” are the laws and commandments of God (Rom. 7:12) and what is “evil” are the things that are against God’s laws and defile a man (Mark 7:21–23).
Hence, the definition of what is good should not be based on people’s opinion but on the will of the Father, as what His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, teaches:
“And come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (John 5:29–30 nkjv)
Therefore, a person will be assured of entering the kingdom of heaven if he fulfills the will of God. First and foremost, he should become a member of Christ’s body, the Church Of Christ, and remain so until the end. For even when he dies, he will be resurrected on the appointed day to receive life everlasting and dwell in the new heaven and new earth, the Holy City that God has prepared for those who will be saved (Rev. 21:1–4).
Since life in this world is fleeting and will quickly come to pass (Job 14:1–2), man must therefore muster all his strength and effort to make sure that what he will have on the Day of Judgment will be a life in heaven, or the Holy City, and not eternal condemnation. And he must do this now, while he still has this present life, as the Bible admonishes:
“In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God’s grace not to let it be wasted. Hear what God says: ‘When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.’ Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!” (II Cor. 6:1–2 gnb)
There is nothing wrong with striving to gain wealth in this life, as long as it is according to God’s laws. What is wrong is to focus entirely on the material things without giving importance to what truly matters most—life everlasting.
The Bible teaches that the great day of the Lord is near and hastening quickly and “neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath” (Zeph. 1:14, 18 nkjv). The same principle was taught by Apostle James in his letter to the Christians, thus:
“Now listen to me, you that say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to a certain city, where we will stay a year and go into business and make a lot of money.’ You don’t even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears.” (James 4:13–14 gnb)
Thus, people must prioritize fulfilling God’s will above everything else to be assured of salvation.
The way to heaven, according to the Lord Jesus Christ, is not an easy path (Matt. 7:13–14 gnb). He identified the only way for man to be assured of entering heaven. He taught man to enter the fold through Him to be saved (John 10:9 Revised English Bible). The fold or flock is the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa). Thus, Church Of Christ members who actively fulfill God’s commandments and remain in their membership by enduring until the end will be saved (Matt. 24:13). ❑
