What does it really take to get to Heaven?

[jmh137]

I don't know if this is the proper place to start this tread, but here goes.

What does it really take to get to Heaven? I ask this question, because of another thread that I was reading earlier today. I want ask some other questions too.

I know that you are all saying to yourselves, "What's up with this? Doesn't this person know what it takes?" Yet, it seems that we are always trying to make it more difficult; even as the Pharisees did in Jesus' day. Jesus told them that they were constantly heaping more on the shoulders of the people to carry, but were never willing to help them carry that load.

Here are some more questions that you can ponder with me:

Ladies, do we really need to cover our heads to go to Heaven?
Did the thief on the cross next to Jesus, have time to do good works before he went to Heaven?
Did God look at the outward appearance of David's brothers, before making David king?
Did Jesus deny the woman who ask for the crumbs under His table?
Who is faithful to finish the work that has been started in us?

God's Ways are not our ways, even as His thoughts are not our thoughts. And that is why only He could have provided the Way to Heaven. Only the Blood of the Lamb will do. To the one who does not believe in the this, it seems like nonsense, but to the one who does believe, it is the only hope.

Even as I sit here contemplating all the questions that I always do, I call into my mind, the biggest question of all, for me. Does His Blood cover me? Do I belong to Him? It is my hope that I do. If not, I will surely be doomed to destruction. Yet, even as some of you might do, I still question it. I question it not because of Him, but only because of what I know about myself. Keep me in your prayers. .......jmh137

 

[ladylovesJesus]

john 3.16 says God sent His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. We are saved through faith and not of works lest anyone should boast. We are however, called to do good work as it also says that faith without works is dead. Jesus died to give us this eternal life and we can have a personal relationship with Jesus and try to live and become more like Him each day.

Ephesians 2.9-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

James 2.v 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

 

[jmh137]

Thanks for the response.

I asked the questions not because I don't know the answers, but because I believe that we hold on to the chains that have always bound us. Others also try to put the chains that Jesus broke off of us, back on us. I don't know why? I have done the same thing to others, during my life.

I wanted to ask the questions to point out the everlasting mercy of our God. He does not require good works, lest any man should boast, that he was able to somehow fine a way to Heaven other than the only Way. And the most beautiful thing is this. It only took one drop of our precious Lord's Blood. That's how powerful His sacrifice was and always will be.

In reference to my own salvation, when my Dad was sick and I knew he would be dying soon; I asked him if he knew that he would be with Jesus. He answered me with confidence and I believe that he is with Jesus, today. I wish I could have that same confidence, yet there are chains that cling to me. I made this thread, because I thought that the Lord would have me to. Maybe there will be someone who will reply to it and it will be something that I have been needing to hear. It's all in His hands. .......jmh137

 

[ladylovesJesus]

Maybe this will help you jmh.

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation
My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”

In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).

“ . . . God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, “God . . . commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray: “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.

God’s power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God’s promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth:


Pray -- you talk to God.
Read your Bible -- God talks to you.
Witness -- you talk for God.
You should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord . . . .” (2 Timothy 1:8)

“Whosoever therefore shall confess [testify of] Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).


Copyright: Robert Ford Porter, 1991

 

[pixie]

Loving Jesus

Jesus sure stuck up for His friends and the disciples. What a friend to have, loving, kind, wise and compassionate and devoted to loving mankind. I too believe that man made traditions sometimes get us on the wrong path. He explained it clearly in this passage.

5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
" 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.' 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

I would love to have long hair, but mine only reaches past shoulder length, but I know Jesus loves me and I know that He stands up for me, when I am unable (which is fairly often). Our God is a God of love, more than a Universal God, but our God of all Creation. He gave His Son to us and us to His Son. The Shepherd. Christ. The Son of the Almighty.

I love Jesus so much. I love to hear Him and the Holy Spirit talk, so often I hear Their voice jmh, like the voice that you spoke when you posted this thread.

God bless all the brothers and sisters of Christ.

Amen: Pixie

p.s. the passage was Mark 7 :rose:

 

[Spreadtheword]

But how will I know I'm saved?
I mean,just because you THINK you are saved could mean that you are wrong.

 

[Tonyb]

God of grace...

Hi jmh137

A verse you have already quoted in part sums up the way of salvation for me. Ephesians 2:8 for by grace are you saved through faith and this is not of your self it is a gift of God...

I think this song kind of puts it all in context:

God of Grace, I turn my face to You, I cannot hide;
My nakedness, my shame my guilt, are all before
Your eyes.

Strivings and all anguished dream in rags lay at
my feet,
And only grace provides the way For me to
stand complete.

And Your grace clothes me in righteousness,
And Your mercy covers me in love,
Your life adorns and beautifies,
I stand complete in You.

Blessings,
Tonyb

 

[jmh137]

I thank you all.

It has really uplifted me to get all of these responses from each of you.

I have had a good life because of the grace of God. It always amazes me that His mercy runs so deep that it has no end. I have done so many things that I should have split Hell wide open 100 times over. I have rebelled and went my own selfish way so many times, bringing heartache and sorrow upon myself. Since He made Himself known to me, I have failed Him miserably. In fact, I have done more sinful things when I said that I belonged to Him, then when I was proud to be a sinner, and living only for myself. I know that there is no way that I deserve His mercy. I realize all the wonderful things that each of you have shared, and I guess you must wonder why I do question my salvation. So I will try to explain the best way I can.

It wasn't always like this, even after all the wrong that I have done. There was a time not so many years ago, that I, like my Dad, would have said that I will be with Jesus for sure when I die. Then something changed. I think that maybe it stems from the fact that the Word says that He chooses us and we don't choose Him. It says that we were chosen from before the foundation of the world. My trouble is a night-time (nightmares and other things that I can't speak about), and most mornings I wake up feeling as if I don't belong to Him. It's very frightful.

I always went to church as a child. I first gave my heart to Jesus at the age of 9. But, I went so astray. He came to bring me back to Him at the age of 30. Now, I am 47, so He has been with me on this journey for sometime. I can't tell all the wonderful things that we have shared together, because they cannot be numbered. Yet, now there is something that has been happening to me for quite sometime now. All I can tell you is that I know Who the Lord of all is, and that I know that He is the Good Shepherd. I know that He is the Vine. Still this fear is with me and I don't like it one bit. Maybe it is just something that the Lord is trying to teach me. I really don't have a clue. I take comfort in the fact that He says that His sheep listen to His voice and they cannot hear anyone else's voice. Although, I must tell you that the enemy does a lot of talking. Maybe it's just an enemy attack. I cry out to the Lord, and pray that in the end, I will be with Him forever. I pray now, that I haven't said too much.

I didn't know exactly where this thread would go. I didn't really expect it to take this turn, but it has and I know it's for a reason.

I thank each one of you for caring enough to reply. All you prayer warriors, keep me in your prayers, I beg, and maybe I will get the answer I need. God Bless All. .......jmh137