How to Go to Heaven

CatholicAnswers ^ | May 12, 2015 | Jimmy Akin

[Salvation]

How to Go to Heaven

Jimmy Akin

May 12, 2015 |

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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.

[MHGinTN]

2 Cor 5: 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

[avenir]

“Think carefully. He’s not writing to unbelievers, he’s writing to the church. “

Correct.

I may be wrong here (working theory), but in the context of the letter I believe John is talking about the false teachers who are the backdrop of his contrasts. The “sin that is mortal” is what they have done: denying that Jesus Christ has come in the FLESH, and teaching that because of this it didn’t matter what one did in the body.

No need to “pray about that” as they have yet to believe. They are “antichrists”.

Some have linked “sin that is mortal” to the demise of Ananias and Sapphira, and also those who were not judging the Lord’s Supper properly. Not sure if 1 John can apply to those.

[Crim]

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Are you saying this isnt true?

Do you think ‘2 Cor 5: 16’ is a get out of judgement card?

[MHGinTN]

Not only is 2 Cor 5:10 true, it is the proof that those born from above will be snatched away to stand at the Heavenly Bema Seat of Judgment for believers. Those born from above are not judged under the laws of sin and death. They are a new creation in whom God has put His Holy Spirit spark. It is the spark which identifies whom He will be Rapturing out from this world before the wrath is poured out upon the Earth. The Judgment Seat of Christ takes place in Heaven, and is for the Bride, before the wedding. It is a purifying Judgment, not a condemnation judgment.

[MHGinTN]

The passage is more than just verse 16. It runs right the way through. I just underlined and bolded some to emphasize focus there.

[MHGinTN]

1 Cor 3:10 - 15 Paul is explaining about the works believers do, and the judgment seat of Christ when the works will be revealed by source, IN HEAVEN prior to the wedding. If wood hay and stubble the fire of refinement will burn them up. If Gold, silver, and precious stones the fire of refinement will bring up the glory. It is these glorified gold, silver, and precious stones (metaphorical of course) which adorn the New Jerusalem which the Birde occupies and returns to Earth with the Lord for the New World to come after the Tribulation.

[Crim]

Sorry I dont see the word "snatched" there anywhere:

"For we must all appear"

[MHGinTN]

The word used when the Greek was rtranslated to Latin was rapio, in 1Thess 4:13-18 you’ll find the scene of the Rapture. I used the word snatched. The Greek word ‘harpazo’ can be translated snatched, also. If you just want to argue with someone and really have no desire to discuss, then I’m afraid it is a bit to late for this old man to remain at it. Read the passages in their entirety for best meaning. The Lord’s Spirit will either teach you or not. God authored the Bible, so He can teach it best. God chose a man of high letters, a Pharisee among Pharisees, then showed him the mysteries of the New Covenant. Some don’t want to see those mysteries even as they are openly revealed int he Bible letters to the gatherings of ekklesia.

[Bigg Red]

When I was a child and complained that other kids were teasing me, my dear late mother would quote the adage, “Don’t let them get your goat!”

It seems to me that we Catholics need to heed my wise mother’s words. Time and again, I see arguments occur here that could have been avoided by simply ignoring the poster who is questioning to provoke rather than to exchange ideas.

Nobody wins those arguments but the Evil One. It is better for us to pray for those who attack our Faith and not to take the bait.

Just my two cents. God bless you.

[metmom]

He tossed them out because they made the Temple a market place and were cheating people.

Read the account. He said they had made it a den of robbers.

Not only were they conducting business IN the Temple, they were cheating people in the process.

That’s not simply making a living. Not in my book anyway. Maybe yours is different.

[metmom]

And I was told by red faced with anger Catholics that I was going to hell for becoming a Christian.

Matter of fact, certain FReepers have told me I’m going to hell for not being Catholic, too.

It goes both ways.

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

[Prince of Space]

Don’t you mean speak the truth as you believe it to be? Honestly, these discussions between Protestants and Catholic could be so much more respectful if each of us would only use the words “in my opinion.” In reality, none of us really knows the truth, and to claim we do is pure hubris.

[metmom]

What is it that you expect?..to avoid judgement?

As a born again believer, I have already been judged.

I am in Christ and have been judged righteous because of that.

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

[kinsman redeemer]

That was very kind of you. Praise God!

[kinsman redeemer]

I like what you did there.

[Prince of Space]

So how can anyone expect to make it to Heaven if your interpretation is correct? Do you honestly think merely accepting Jesus Christ into your heart will suffice and that you will never again sin after that?

[metmom]

Also, when one is born again, born from above, and they receive the new nature, the old nature is crucified with Christ.

Both natures cohabit our body while we are alive and when the body dies, the old nature goes with it. That means that when this body of flesh dies, all that’s left is the new righteous nature. There is no sin in that nature. (Romans 7 and 8)

Verse 17 says.... “So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

THAT’S why we have no sin to account for when we stand before God IN CHRIST. The new nature is sinless and the sinless new nature is all that’s left after death.

[kinsman redeemer]

How do you interpret Rom 6:23?

Now THERE’s a death penalty fo ya!

[metmom]

But Jesus told us that we COULD know the truth.

Two things in Scripture are said to be the truth.

One is Jesus, and the other is His word.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

[metmom]

Yes, and no.

Yes, believing is all that is required to be credited with righteousness, just like Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, before he even did ONE action.

Nobody ever made the claim that accepting Christ equated to living a sinless life.

Of course we’ll sin again. Everyone does. If we claim we don’t then we’re liars. (1 John 1:8)

But we’re forgiven.