What's It Take To Stay In Heaven?

[Webers_Home]

-
Getting to heaven is hard enough. Here's what I mean.

†. Matt 19:16-19 . . Now a man came up to Jesus and asked: Teacher, what
good thing must I do to get eternal life? Jesus replied: If you want to enter
life, obey the commandments. Which ones? the man inquired. Jesus replied:
Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false
testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as
yourself.

†. Luke 10:25-28 . . On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test
Jesus. Teacher; he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is
written in the Law? he replied. How do you read it? He answered: Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself. You
have answered correctly; Jesus replied. Do this and you will live.

I gave the commandments some serious thought when I was a young man
back in 1968 and came to the realization that even if I managed to tough it
out and consistently and faithfully comply them for the remainder of my life;
I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep it up for eternity; and as if the
commandments aren't enough to worry about; there's the Sermon On The
Mount too.

†. Matt 7:26-27 . . But everyone who hears these words of mine and does
not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house, and it fell with a great crash.

So: I came to the conclusion that as hard as it is to get in heaven; staying
there would be even harder.

Q: O Lord, who may abide in Thy tent? Who may dwell on Thy holy hill? (Ps
15:1)

A: He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks
the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his
neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a
loathsome man but honors those who fear The Lord, who keeps his oath
even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept
a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
(Ps 15:2-5)


Buen Camino
/

 

[RANDOR]

Getting to heaven...actually is very easy.

many people here i've notice get hooked on single scriptures.....and stay there.

satan is in the details

Jesus said...with men this is impossible...........so it's impossible.........

But with God all things.......are possible.

 

[Webers_Home]

Getting to heaven...actually is very easy.

The question isn't how to get to heaven; the question is how to stay in
heaven because according to Ps 15:1-5 nobody can stay there as a sinful
being. No; only those may stay whose walk is blameless; those who do what
is righteous, those who speak truth from their heart, those who do their
neighbor no wrong, those who cast no slur on their fellow man, those who
despise loathsome people, those who fear God, those who keep an oath
even when it hurts, those who practice no usury, and those who take no
bribes against the innocent.

And we're not talking about being on your best behavior for a week, or a
month or a year, or a decade, or a century, or a millennia; no we're talking
about being on your best behavior for an eternity.

I dare say that most people would get kicked out of heaven almost right
away for dishonesty because speaking truth from the heart isn't as easy as it
sounds. Most of us practice deceit and dissembling, and tell little white lies
without even thinking about it. Those behaviors are as automatic, and as
natural as digestion and respiration. So then, even though Christ gave his
life to appease the wrath of God, people still can't go to heaven until
something is done to rid them of human nature so they can behave as divine
beings instead of sinful beings not some of the time, nor even most of the
time; but all of the time-- no excuses, and no exceptions.

Buen Camino
/

 

[StanJ]

Heaven is where God resides, it is not our destination as Christians. Our destination is Eternal Life on a NEW earth. Rev 21:1

 

[nothead]

-
Getting to heaven is hard enough. Here's what I mean.

†. Matt 19:16-19 . . Now a man came up to Jesus and asked: Teacher, what
good thing must I do to get eternal life? Jesus replied: If you want to enter
life, obey the commandments. Which ones? the man inquired. Jesus replied:
Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false
testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as
yourself.

†. Luke 10:25-28 . . On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test
Jesus. Teacher; he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is
written in the Law? he replied. How do you read it? He answered: Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself. You
have answered correctly; Jesus replied. Do this and you will live.

I gave the commandments some serious thought when I was a young man
back in 1968 and came to the realization that even if I managed to tough it
out and consistently and faithfully comply them for the remainder of my life;
I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep it up for eternity; and as if the
commandments aren't enough to worry about; there's the Sermon On The
Mount too.

†. Matt 7:26-27 . . But everyone who hears these words of mine and does
not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house, and it fell with a great crash.

So: I came to the conclusion that as hard as it is to get in heaven; staying
there would be even harder.

Q: O Lord, who may abide in Thy tent? Who may dwell on Thy holy hill? (Ps
15:1)

A: He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks
the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his
neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a
loathsome man but honors those who fear The Lord, who keeps his oath
even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept
a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
(Ps 15:2-5)


Buen Camino
/

The Ten are doable, even for life. Even in heaven, which neither you or I have attained.

The Shema has only been done by one man.

Key.

 

[StanJ]

Matthew 6:9-10 shows that God is IN heaven and that His Kingdom will come to earth. Matthew 3:2 shows that Jesus was the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10 shows that God is IN heaven and that His Kingdom will come to earth. Matthew 3:2 shows that Jesus was the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[Webers_Home]

-
Along about the same time back in 1968 when I was considering the
difficulty of staying in heaven, it occurred to me that it would be a lot easier
to please God if complying with His wishes came as naturally to me as it
does to Him; in other words: if God and I were cut from the same cloth; so
to speak. This was before I was aware of Eph 2:1-3 where it says that
humans are by their very nature in conflict with God. What I wished for
myself was to be by very nature in harmony with God instead of in conflict.
That to me would be the ultimate cat's meow. Well; you can just imagine the
feelings of relief, surprise, and delight that washed over me upon
discovering that God was way ahead of me in a promise He made with His
people that goes like this:

"For I will take you from among the nations and gather you from all the
countries, and I will bring you to your land. And I will sprinkle clean water
upon you, and you will be clean; from all your impurities and from all your
abominations will I cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new
spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the heart of stone out of your
flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you
and bring it about that you will walk in My statutes and you will keep My
ordinances and do them." (Ezek 36:24-27)

That "new spirit" God promised his people caught my attention because my
natural-born spirit really doesn't care all that much to walk in His statutes
and keep His ordinances and do them. The icing on the cake is "My spirit"
that God promised to put within His people. I realized right off the bat that
combining the "new spirit" with "My spirit" would really give a body
something to work with; and I decided right then and there that I wanted
in on that promise God made to His people.

Buen Camino
/

 

[StanJ]

We are born AGAIN, not born anew.

 

[Webers_Home]

We are born AGAIN, not born anew

Were people merely to start all over again from scratch; they'd be no better
off than before because they'd still be flesh; which is unacceptable.

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born
of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit." (John 3:5-6)

"I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God" (1Cor 15:50)

In other words: the Lord's use of the term "born again" means not only born
all over again; but born differently because the result of the birth about
which He spoke isn't flesh: it's spirit.

According to 1Cor 15:45-49 and 2Cor 5:17; we're actually talking about an
advanced human race; viz: a race of humans patterned after Christ; rather
than patterned after Adam. Now maybe that doesn't mean "anew" to you;
but it certainly means anew to me.

Buen Camino
/

 

[StanJ]

Were people merely to start all over again from scratch; they'd be no better
off than before because they'd still be flesh; which is unacceptable.

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born
of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit." (John 3:5-6)

"I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God" (1Cor 15:50)

In other words: the Lord's use of the term "born again" means not only born
all over again; but born differently because the result of the birth about
which He spoke isn't flesh: it's spirit.

According to 1Cor 15:45-49 and 2Cor 5:17; we're actually talking about
an advanced human race; viz: a race of humans patterned after Christ;
rather than patterned after Adam. Now maybe that doesn't mean "anew"
to you; but it certainly means anew to me.

Buen Camino
/

Jesus wasn't speaking of a physical rebirth, which He made clear to Nicodemus.

What Jesus is saying to Nicodemus in John 3:5-6 is in response to what Nicodemus asked in v4. What Jesus is telling him is that only humans can enter the kingdom of God. Not animals, not spirits.

being born again of the Spirit is to now know who Jesus is, to become spiritually aware and accept Him as Paul teaches in Romans 10:9-11.
There is nothing to suggest different in Jesus' words, ONLY again, otherwise He would have used the proper words.

1 Cor 15:45-49 is about our resurrection body, not our current body, and 2 Cor 5:17 is about the new creation of the kingdom of God, not our bodies or spirits.

It is very important to see what the Word of God IS saying and not what we think it is saying.

 

[williemac]

Jesus wasn't speaking of a physical rebirth, which He made clear to Nicodemus.

What Jesus is saying to Nicodemus in John 3:5-6 is in response to what Nicodemus asked in v4. What Jesus is telling him is that only humans can enter the kingdom of God. Not animals, not spirits.

being born again of the Spirit is to now know who Jesus is, to become spiritually aware and accept Him as Paul teaches in Romans 10:9-11.
There is nothing to suggest different in Jesus' words, ONLY again, otherwise He would have used the proper words.

1 Cor 15:45-49 is about our resurrection body, not our current body, and 2 Cor 5:17 is about the new creation of the kingdom of God, not our bodies or spirits.

It is very important to see what the Word of God IS saying and not what we think it is saying.

Nice reply. Only I would clarify what being born again is, in more exact terms. My understanding is that it is all about reproduction. Therefore the new birth is about receiving a new spirit within; one that is born from above. God is creating a new species. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. As you have stated, our earthly bodies are not part of this new creation. We have this treasure in earthen vessels (2Cor.4:7). But this is a temporary condition. The resurrection will be the completion of our new creation. In the meantime, our new spirit is a real part of us that contains the life and nature of God through Jesus.

Many are under the impression that the new birth is the Holy Spirit in us. This is false. The Holy Spirit does not birth Himself in us. That which is born 'of' the Spirit 'is' spirit. His intention is to then indwell our new spirit in a separate event from the new birth. The first is the new wineskin (the new man). The indwelling is the new wine.

As for the op, the wording is unfortunate. I think it simply means to ask what it takes to keep hold of what we have been given. I have replied to this on other threads, sometimes with harsh opposition. But here goes again:

The life in us was a free gift. It was given by grace (freely), through faith. It is kept the same way. I marvel at how many times I see the same kind of error that befell the Galatia church, who after having received the new birth and the Holy Spirit by faith, were beguiled into going on to perfection by the flesh...that is by the law. Should we add works to our faith? Most assuredly. But not for the purpose of earning life. The church is constantly under the temptation to do the right things for the wrong reasons. As per Rom.5, life is either a free gift or it is not. That chapter says it is. How then does this change and become something that is no longer free but requires earning once having received it?

Rom.4:4,5: " Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work (for salvation) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness" . What does it take to stay in "heaven"? Staying in the truth!

 

[StanJ]

Nice reply. Only I would clarify what being born again is, in more exact terms. My understanding is that it is all about reproduction. Therefore the new birth is about receiving a new spirit within; one that is born from above. God is creating a new species. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. As you have stated, our earthly bodies are not part of this new creation. We have this treasure in earthen vessels (2Cor.4:7). But this is a temporary condition. The resurrection will be the completion of our new creation. In the meantime, our new spirit is a real part of us that contains the life and nature of God through Jesus.

Many are under the impression that the new birth is the Holy Spirit in us. This is false. The Holy Spirit does not birth Himself in us. That which is born 'of' the Spirit 'is' spirit. His intention is to then indwell our new spirit in a separate event from the new birth. The first is the new wineskin (the new man). The indwelling is the new wine.

As for the op, the wording is unfortunate. I think it simply means to ask what it takes to keep hold of what we have been given. I have replied to this on other threads, sometimes with harsh opposition. But here goes again:

The life in us was a free gift. It was given by grace (freely), through faith. It is kept the same way. I marvel at how many times I see the same kind of error that befell the Galatia church, who after having received the new birth and the Holy Spirit by faith, were beguiled into going on to perfection by the flesh...that is by the law. Should we add works to our faith? Most assuredly. But not for the purpose of earning life. The church is constantly under the temptation to do the right things for the wrong reasons. As per Rom.5, life is either a free gift or it is not. That chapter says it is. How then does this change and become something that is no longer free but requires earning once having received it?

Rom.4:4,5: " Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work (for salvation) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness" . What does it take to stay in "heaven"? Staying in the truth!

Thanks.

A couple of points.

Born again is not the same has born anew. Jesus said we must be born again.

The proper rendering for 2 Cor 5:17 is;
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; what is old has passed away; behold, what is new has come!

The change is us in ongoing, as Paul teaches in Romans 12:2 and 2 Cor 3:18

The new creation is the Kingdom of God in us, not us.

The Kingdom of Heaven in NOT heaven. God and His angels and Jesus are in heaven, nobody else.