- Mar 13, 2006
- 1,081
- 244
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
How many people will make it into the Heaven. Obviously, we know it is few, as the Bible talks about the narrow way as the path for salvation and the wide path which leads to destruction.
That said, by looking at the Bible, it appears that the number of people who will make it to Heaven is even less than most think.
For one, the Bible tells us that it is sin which separates us from God.
Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The Bible says that those who practice sin are of the devil.
1 John 3:8
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Now obviously, someone who is of the devil is not going to make it to Heaven. This is because it is the sin separating you from God.
What is sin?
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
What is the law being spoken of here. It is God's Law, not Moses' law, for we are not held accountable for the latter.
http://www.preparingforeternity.com/mosevs10.htm
God's Law is outlined in the 10 Commandments and it lasts forever.
Psalm 119:160
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
So, as you can see, God's law is eternal, and sin is the transgression of the law. Sin also separates us from God. Therefore, what prevents us from having eternal life is the transgression of the law. Let's take a look at the Ten Commandments.
As found in Deuteronomy 5: 7-21
Jesus told us that the Greatest Commandment, and the second Greatest Commandments are:
Matthew 22: 36-40
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
God's Law, as outlined in the 10 Commandments, hangs upon the two great commandments. This is because the first commandments deal with loving the Lord with all they heart, and the latter commandments deal with loving others.
Let's look at some things that the Bible says will prevent someone from sharing in eternal life.
1 Corinthians 6: 9-10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
As with all of these, the reason that they prevent eternal life is because to engage in these acts is to not love the Lord with all your heart or your neighbor as yourself. The Bible is God's Word. To deliberately commit acts that are condemning indicates that you are not loving the Lord with all your heart. Therefore, this will keep someone from having eternal life. You can see that some of the 10 commandments are related to with "adulterers", "thieves", and "covetous".
As with redemption, God offers us the ability to get right with Him when we sin.
Consider:
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Herein lies why eternal security before physical death, encapsulated in the phrase "Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) is not a guarantee. If OSAS is true, then there is no reason to confess our sins to forgive us our sin. There would be no cleansing for unrighteousness because under the OSAS you're already going to Heaven, so there's no sin to be seen. Biblically, you can see that this is in error.
Now that I have shown how the Bible indicates what sin is and how it matches up with the disobedience to God's Law, it is important for all people to see that if they're not living according to God's Law, they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Based on a reading of the Word, those who divorce and remarry, except for marital unfaithfulness, are committing adultery. Adultery is something that prevents you from entering the kingdom of God.
According to the reading of the word of God, it can be ascertained that if you commit a sin and are suddenly killed before confessing your sin, then this uncleanness will separate you from God and prevent you from having eternal life.
With this being so, I feel that this makes it dire for people who divorced on non-biblical grounds and then remarried. It seems to indicate that being of a OSAS mindset is dangerous, for it causes people to rest on their laurels, which could cause people to not confess their sins to God. With all of this, this is why I believe that the way is super narrow. I think that many people truly believe that they are going to Heaven, but due to violating the law they are condemned. After all, the Bible says that they will call Him Lord but He will say that He never knew them.
Do you agree?
That said, by looking at the Bible, it appears that the number of people who will make it to Heaven is even less than most think.
For one, the Bible tells us that it is sin which separates us from God.
Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The Bible says that those who practice sin are of the devil.
1 John 3:8
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Now obviously, someone who is of the devil is not going to make it to Heaven. This is because it is the sin separating you from God.
What is sin?
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
What is the law being spoken of here. It is God's Law, not Moses' law, for we are not held accountable for the latter.
http://www.preparingforeternity.com/mosevs10.htm
God's Law is outlined in the 10 Commandments and it lasts forever.
Psalm 119:160
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
So, as you can see, God's law is eternal, and sin is the transgression of the law. Sin also separates us from God. Therefore, what prevents us from having eternal life is the transgression of the law. Let's take a look at the Ten Commandments.
As found in Deuteronomy 5: 7-21
Jesus told us that the Greatest Commandment, and the second Greatest Commandments are:
Matthew 22: 36-40
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
God's Law, as outlined in the 10 Commandments, hangs upon the two great commandments. This is because the first commandments deal with loving the Lord with all they heart, and the latter commandments deal with loving others.
Let's look at some things that the Bible says will prevent someone from sharing in eternal life.
1 Corinthians 6: 9-10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
As with all of these, the reason that they prevent eternal life is because to engage in these acts is to not love the Lord with all your heart or your neighbor as yourself. The Bible is God's Word. To deliberately commit acts that are condemning indicates that you are not loving the Lord with all your heart. Therefore, this will keep someone from having eternal life. You can see that some of the 10 commandments are related to with "adulterers", "thieves", and "covetous".
As with redemption, God offers us the ability to get right with Him when we sin.
Consider:
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Herein lies why eternal security before physical death, encapsulated in the phrase "Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) is not a guarantee. If OSAS is true, then there is no reason to confess our sins to forgive us our sin. There would be no cleansing for unrighteousness because under the OSAS you're already going to Heaven, so there's no sin to be seen. Biblically, you can see that this is in error.
Now that I have shown how the Bible indicates what sin is and how it matches up with the disobedience to God's Law, it is important for all people to see that if they're not living according to God's Law, they will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Based on a reading of the Word, those who divorce and remarry, except for marital unfaithfulness, are committing adultery. Adultery is something that prevents you from entering the kingdom of God.
According to the reading of the word of God, it can be ascertained that if you commit a sin and are suddenly killed before confessing your sin, then this uncleanness will separate you from God and prevent you from having eternal life.
With this being so, I feel that this makes it dire for people who divorced on non-biblical grounds and then remarried. It seems to indicate that being of a OSAS mindset is dangerous, for it causes people to rest on their laurels, which could cause people to not confess their sins to God. With all of this, this is why I believe that the way is super narrow. I think that many people truly believe that they are going to Heaven, but due to violating the law they are condemned. After all, the Bible says that they will call Him Lord but He will say that He never knew them.
Do you agree?