Most people, including Christians, often ask, “How does God decide who goes to heaven?” Proponents of the idea that all good people go to heaven argue that a loving God would not reject anyone who is sincere and good. They counter that it is clear that he would let them into heaven.
The death of our Lord Jesus Christ[1], who alone is able to bring redemption and eternal life to every sinner who comes to God in repentance, is how God desires everyone to be saved and be with him in heaven. This is something you must comprehend right now. Jesus stated in John 6:38, “For I have not ascended into heaven to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”
Key Takeaways
- Accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior, and turning away from sins, is essential for entering heaven. This belief is rooted in the notion that genuine faith and repentance are the basis for salvation, not mere religious affiliation or good deeds.
- Living a holy life, as a result of one’s relationship with God and enabled by His grace, is portrayed as necessary for seeing God. This aligns with the belief that salvation manifests in one’s lifestyle and choices, reflecting a transformation towards holiness.
- Everyone has the free will to accept or reject God’s offer of salvation. It underscores that God’s judgment on who enters heaven is based on one’s acceptance of Jesus Christ and the transformation this acceptance brings to their life.
How Do You Go To Heaven?
You must first turn from your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior in order to enter paradise. Keep in mind that religion does not guarantee that a person will go to heaven. But whether you spend forever with our God in heaven or eternally in hell, which was prepared for the devil and his angels, depends on your connection with him.
Since Hebrews 12:14 states that no one will see God without holiness, letting God into your life after genuine repentance is what will enable you to live a holy life in this current sinful world, which is a must for you to be with him in paradise.
It is false to hold that certain people are predestined for salvation and others for damnation. Every single person ever born has been given the opportunity to receive salvation.
You should love God and give up on spending eternity with God in heaven, which is itself holy just like its residents are, if you do not possess the imputed holiness and righteousness of Christ. To enter heaven, one must be saved and lead a virtuous life while on earth. If one is ready to do so, one will be able to do so by God’s word and grace, as indicated in Titus 2:11.
If you have been saved and have received forgiveness and pardon for your sins, you will know that you are going to heaven even when you close your eyes in death today. Second, you will be able to tell that you will go to heaven by the holy life you are leading because Matthew 5:8 states that only those with a sacred and pure heart will see God in heaven.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit or inner man, that we are God’s children on the way to paradise and that we are genuinely saved (Romans 8:16).
However, if you have not yet experienced a genuine and definitive salvation that transforms you from within, you will most likely not have this assurance from the Holy Spirit to prove you are God’s child. We, as God’s creations on earth, must ensure our place in the New Jerusalem by believing, worshipping, and glorifying Him.
How Does God Decide Who Goes To Heaven?
The Lord Jesus Christ followed his Father’s commands and lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). Like us, he has been tempted in all respects during his time here on earth. But unlike us, he lived a life without sin.
God knows the conditions under which a person he could create would freely choose to accept his grace and be saved, as well as the situations under which they would freely choose to reject his favor and perish.
Accepting Jesus As Our Savior
According to John 1:12, Acts 16:31, and Romans 10:9, all those who enter heaven are sinners who have free will and choose to put their faith in God’s one and only Son, Christ Jesus. They have sincerely embraced God’s offer of forgiveness and admitted their need for a Savior. They have turned from their previous ways of life and chosen to follow Christ (Mark 8:34; John 15:14).
The Bible makes it quite clear that having eternal life is God’s undeserved gift to us. Being good people does not get us into heaven. According to the Bible, even our best efforts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). This indicates that none of us will enter heaven based on how good we are or the good deeds we perform, as only Jesus Christ can grant us salvation and eternal life.
Therefore, God also has the free will to judge whether someone is worthy of heaven based on whether they professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and received him as their personal Lord and Savior while they were still on earth. This is so because our Lord Jesus Christ declared in John 14:6 that he alone is the only way to the Father and is the key to heaven.
No matter how terrible a sinner someone is, God has provided a pathway for them to find forgiveness. Jesus died on the cross to take away the sins of the whole world. He accepted the death sentence that each of us deserved. According to the Bible, he is delaying his second arrival so he can give everyone an opportunity to repent and trust in Jesus, so we can all spend eternity with him.
Do All Good People Go To Heaven?
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
— Romans 10:13
Many people in the entire world today will go to any extent to enter paradise. They think that even if they continue to live in ways contrary to God’s will, God will still accept them into heaven when they pass away because they have embraced Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Regardless of their previous transgressions or potential future transgressions, God promises that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be rescued and enter heaven.
The death of our Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is able to bring redemption and eternal life to every sinner who comes to him in repentance, is how God decides how one can be saved and be with him in heaven. This is something we must comprehend right now. Jesus stated in John 6:38, “For I have not ascended into heaven to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”
Human Goodness
A person must be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit to pass through heaven’s gates. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit, according to Jesus (John 3:6). You must undergo a shift from your former sinful self to a brand-new you who possesses the imputed righteousness of God (Colossians 3:10–20).
The following presumption holds that while some “evil” people could require punishment, the majority are generally “good” and deserving of heaven. Those who believe that individuals are inherently good and thus worthy of heaven mistakenly view human history as good.
Biblical truths provide evidence that refutes this theory. “The heart is hopelessly wicked and deceitful above all things, according to the Bible; therefore, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
According to the Bible, the majority of people are not “good,” and by God’s standards of purity, no one is “good.” To some extent, we all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This does not imply that we constantly commit terrible deeds or engage in reprehensible behavior. However, it means that we are “fallen,” disobeying God, and powerless to save ourselves.
Only when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord can we experience this change, and only then will God send us his Holy Spirit to serve as our helper.
People who are born again and have the new nature of Christ in them are those who will go to heaven. They are also individuals who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior by putting their faith in him for their salvation.
Summary
Different people have different views on Judgment Day. They like to imagine heaven as a better dwelling place. On the other hand, hell exists as well. However, the majority of individuals do not give much attention to heaven until they attend a funeral or a loved one passes away.
When we stand before God, we cannot beg entry into heaven solely on our merit. It is common to talk about heaven as the place where “the good people go.” Of course, not everyone they know and love is included in the category of “good people.” Not one of us measures up to God’s ideal of holiness. However, Jesus is our hope, and only through him do we have access to heaven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Decides If You Get Into Heaven?
God decides if you get into, according to Christian belief. It is believed that acceptance into heaven is based on faith in Jesus Christ and living a life in accordance with God’s teachings.
What Does The Bible Say About Who Enters Heaven?
The Bible says about those who enter heaven is that they are those who have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, and live lives that reflect their faith, emphasizing the importance of a personal relationship with God through Jesus.
Who Cannot Enter Heaven?
Those who cannot enter heaven are individuals who reject faith in Jesus Christ, live in willful sin without repentance, and deny the salvation offered through Jesus.
What Are The Three Worst Sins?
The Bible does not explicitly list “three worst sins,” but it does emphasize that certain behaviors, such as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, are unforgivable. Other serious sins mentioned include murder, adultery, and idolatry, though all sins are seen as needing repentance for forgiveness.
