How to Go to Heaven

CatholicAnswers ^ | May 12, 2015 | Jimmy Akin

[Salvation]

How to Go to Heaven

Jimmy Akin

May 12, 2015 |

---

Sometimes people make it sound like the Catholic understanding of how to get to heaven is really complex.

It’s not.

While you can go into any of Christ’s teachings in a lot of very rich detail, he made sure that this one can be understood even by a child.

I can summarize it in two sentences.

The two sentences are these: To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. And we can show each of these things from the Bible.

The need to repent is shown by the fact that, right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus began preaching the gospel, saying “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The need for faith is shown when the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes that “Without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

And the need for baptism is shown when St. Peter flatly tells us: “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

So that’s what you need to do if you want to come to God and be saved: Repent, have faith, and be baptized.

If you do these things, you’ll be in a state of grace, and as long as you remain in a state of grace, you’ll go to heaven.

But we still have free will, and we can still turn our backs on God and fall from grace, to use St. Paul’s phrase (Galatians 5:4).

St. Paul is very clear about the possibility of us committing mortal sin. He tells us: “Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

To turn away from God and commit mortal sin is the opposite of repenting. So when we fall into mortal sin, we need to turn back to God—to repent again.

We also need to have faith.

And then we need to go to confession. This is something Jesus indicated just after he rose from the dead. He came to his disciples, breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23)

So Jesus empowered his ministers to forgive or retain sins. In order for a priest to know whether he is to forgive or retain a sin, he needs to know about the sin and whether we have repented of it. That means we need to go and tell him these things, and so we have the sacrament of confession.

So that’s what you need to do. To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

It’s all thoroughly biblical.

[Mad Dawg]

Well, we'd say (loosely speaking) meditation is a kind of prayer.

They SAY that the development of the Rosary was at least partially influenced by wanting to give illiterate people a way to share in the devotions of the literate monks for whom the psalms were (and are) a major feature of daily prayer. So the structure formed up around 15 mysteries getting 10 Aves apiece == 150 — as many Hail Marys as psalms. St. J2P2 the Great broke that connection when he proposed 5 new mysteries.

My next free lecture will be on Lectio Divina, or how (some) Catholics read the Bible.

The prayer of a righteous D00d or Doodette availeth much.

[Mad Dawg]

LOL!

Long ago in the New Yorker there was a cartoon of a very drunk man in a toga with a jar of wine by him and a cup in his hand.

He was saying,

“Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I’ll move the world.”

[roamer_1]

How DARE you tempt our 'worthy' Mormons this time of the year!!!

Enough with the Mormons! Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to be kosher when there's baby-backs around? Or pulled-pork sammiches? If I can take it, they can take it.

[roamer_1]

a very drunk man in a toga with a jar of wine by him and a cup in his hand.

Yeah... I think I saw that guy in 'Animal House'... (Besides, Archimedes never put a spare tire on a Chevy in his whole life. City-boy poser.)

[usconservative]

You're going to need to shorten that up a bit. I don't have all night.......

Cite the chapter and verse ONLY. I'm more than capable of comprehending what I read on my own that I don't need someone else to tell me what something says.

I'm sure you meant well. :-)

TYVM

[Mad Dawg]

To me, daniel1212’s learned posts demonstrate the limitations of this medium.

I've hinted in this and other threads that the differences between Catholics and some Protestants are VERY deep and extensive. To me this means, functionally, that I cannot give daniel1212’s expositions the respect they deserve. What they require, IMHO, is for us to schedule TWO (at least) three day conferences, a year apart. Papers by the presenters would be sent out a month in advance, so that the presentations would be about clarifications and questions.

THEN, The Protestants and the Catholics would caucus — maybe the evening of the second day, and try to identify that disagreement — you know the kind — which leads members of each side to say to one another, “Did you catch that? There they go again!” The last day would be winnowing these “objections” down to maybe two or three per side.

Then the next years conference would be about those questions.

The fiercest Anti-Catholics to the contrary notwithstanding (and not a few fierce Anti-Protestants too), I seriously believe that most of us were indeed made to drink of the same spirit. So I think I would benefit from listening to and praying with Xtians who disagreed with me so much that many thought I wasn't fit to be called Xtian.

It is said that those who seek will find. It would be awesome to seek together.

[Iscool]

Ecclesiastes 12:7
...and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

To my knowledge Catholics do not accept the bible truth that we have a body, soul, and spirit...They believe the soul and the spirit are the same thing...This of course is a stumbling block to understanding scripture...

[Iscool]

HOW would that be accomplished if they are already with Christ?

Empty bodies will rise out of the graves...

[stonehouse01]

“..To simplify your quest...”

To simplify everyone’s quest - all that matters in the end is what happens to you (anyone - not you personally) on the day of judgment:

Revelation 2:23

Revelation 20:11-13

Revelation 22:12

[MHGinTN]

The Bible indicates that not all go through that ‘Day of Judgment’. There is coming a Rapture event, then the Tribulation will begin. ‘Tis better to go in Rapture than to stick for the testing.’

[Zuriel]

**Do notice that the text nowhere says they received the Holy Spirit then.**

That is correct, for Jesus Christ was clearly prophesying to them. The testimony in Luke 24 and Acts chapters 1 & 2 prove it beyond a doubt. Go to the head of the class!

The proof is that they were told to tarry in Jerusalem, where they would receive power after that the Holy Ghost is given to them. That was fulfilled in Acts 2.

The Lord even told Peter before the crucifixion: “..When thou art converted, strengthen the brethren”. Luke 22:32

It’s only hard to see if one has been given ‘other ideas’, to put it nicely.

[terycarl]

So your are ASSUMEING that Jesus was guilty of that "deviation"?

I assumed nothing, I asked a question...answer it.

[af_vet_1981]

Maybe you missed the second part of the question, so I'll repost it so you don't have to go looking for it: When did the believers at Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius receive eternal life? The answer to that question will answer the first part of the question. If it's too hard for you to answer directly, just let it go. Most will understand.

I already answered you with scripture and it was not difficult.

There is no need to post an oblique non-answer to such a simple, istraightforward question whose answer is illustrated by the Holy Spirit suddenly in those listening to Peter's sermon, even before he finished preaching in the house of Cornelius.

If I may be so bold, the answer to your question is in this passage.

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Mark, Catholic chapter ten, Protestant verses seventeen to thirty,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[terycarl]

You might want to check with these Jewish Scribes on that note...and still going at it today

Zip down to your local synagogue and get filled in on the new testament....that's the part where Jesus was....remember.....No one denies the existence of the old testament Jewish scholars. If you want a copy of what we now recognize as the Bible....the Catholics happily provide it for you....BOTH OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

[terycarl]

There are over 300 verses referring to Jesus Christ in the Old Testament....handed to us through the writings of the Jewish Scribes...and Moses.....

Prophecies....O.K.....but the life and times of Jesus the man are in the new testament.

[MHGinTN]

It's okay, I understand why you're avoiding answering the question regarding the Holy Spirit coming into the believers in the house of Cornelius. You don't have to keep posting oblique passages which do not address the question. But it is nice that you can find some passages vaguely connected to the issues. The catholic answer is apparently so esoteric as to be 'diverting'. The Holy Spirit came into those I've pointed to now several times and you have continue to evade BECAUSE ETERNAL LIFE COMES AS SOON AS REPENTANT BELIEF MEETS THE CHRIST. AND ETERNAL LIFE DOES NOT YOYO IN AND OUT. (I capitalized for folks like myself with eye problems. I'm not shouting at you since it would be ... superfluous.)

BTW, thanks much for putting the blue in bold. That helps in reading it when one has macular degeneration.

[terycarl]

Should we start keeping score over who feels more wronged and offended and try to one up each other in offense taken?

If I were figuring odds, I think that I would have to go with the 2,000 year old church which Christ founded rather than the "Johnny come lately" versions of Christianity...

[servantboy777]

>>Why would you say that?<<

I base my view from scripture.

Matthew
...blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin, where sinning against Jesus is forgivable.

John19:11
Jesus said to Pilate,”...he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin.”

The Old Testament recognized different sacrifices for different sins. If all sins are equal, then different sacrifices would not be necessary.

Hebrews10:29
How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

Jesus said it would be more bearable on the day of judgment for Sodom than for Capernaum because of Capernaum’s unbelief and refusal to repent after witnessing His miracles (Matthew 11:23-24).

When Jesus spoke of his second coming and judgment, he warned that among those deserving punishment some would “be beaten with many blows” and others “with few blows” (Luke 12:47-48).

Jesus reserved His most fierce denunciations for the pride and unbelief of the religious leaders, not the sexually immoral (Matthew 23:13-36).

•”For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (2 Pet. 2:20-21).

When the Israelites bowed before the golden calf at Mount Sinai, Moses charged them with committing a “great” sin (Exodus 32:30-31). A “great sin” appears to be more serious, in some sense, than just “sin.”

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he denounced any Christian man who neglected his family. “But if anyone does not provide for his people, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

In passages that speak of greater degrees of punishment, it becomes obvious that there are varying levels of sinfulness. It is possible for evil people to become worse, and still worse yet (2 Timothy 3:13).

“Keep your servant from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be upright, and I shall be innocent from great transgression” (Psalm 19:13).

1Cor.6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

[terycarl]

Rome teaches: You can't get Jesus to pay attention to your prayers unless you go thru His mother.

No they don't

[MHGinTN]

Jesus did not sin, at all, as the scriptures testify clearly:

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.