Getting into heaven

[Online.Gamer.79]

You want to go to heaven follow two rules

1: Love the lord your god
2: Love your neighbor

How do you love god...by loving your neighbor...read the parable of the good Samaritan if you do not know who your neighbor is. Every one is your neighbor.

When you see someone in the middle of winter holding up a sign holding up a sign asking for food. Go to store get them a sandwich. If you can afford it go to a thrift store and get them a coat. You have to take care of yourself and your family. But we all spend money on things we do not need that we could spend on those who do need.

It is not complicated. I volunteer at a homeless shelter I find jackets and sweaters for people. I am poor myself but even I can afford to buy a few jackets and sweatshirts at a thrift store and give them out. Or go to McDonalds buy 20 1 dollar chicken sandwich's and pass them out. I used to spend about 80 a month on coffee that was the one thing I was picky about, I bought the expensive coffee. I switched to Folgers and I have and extra 50 a month and I use it to help with what I can. It is not hard people.

You can not break any of gods laws if you follow those laws. God is not difficult...man is

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

You want to go to heaven follow two rules

1: Love the lord your god
2: Love your neighbor

How do you love god...by loving your neighbor...read the parable of the good Samaritan if you do not know who your neighbor is. Every one is your neighbor.

When you see someone in the middle of winter holding up a sign holding up a sign asking for food. Go to store get them a sandwich. If you can afford it go to a thrift store and get them a coat. You have to take care of yourself and your family. But we all spend money on things we do not need that we could spend on those who do need.

It is not complicated. I volunteer at a homeless shelter I find jackets and sweaters for people. I am poor myself but even I can afford to buy a few jackets and sweatshirts at a thrift store and give them out. Or go to McDonalds buy 20 1 dollar chicken sandwich's and pass them out. I used to spend about 80 a month on coffee that was the one thing I was picky about, I bought the expensive coffee. I switched to Folgers and I have and extra 50 a month and I use it to help witch what I can. It is not hard people.

You can not break any of gods laws if you follow those laws. God is not difficult...man is

no

Galatians 2:21
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Romans 11:6
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”


80$ a month wont give you ticket to heaven im sorry it cost way more

 

[Online.Gamer.79]

80$ a month wont give you ticket to heaven im sorry it cost way more

If all you saw was 80 dollars you were not reading and your just looking for an excuse to argue...I was using and example of something most could pull off. I have to pay my bills, I have to take of my family...I will not sacrifice them for someone else but I can sacrifice something of mine to help someone. It is not about 80 dollars it is about doing what you can...I believe Jesus did a few parable about that. I can by the the cheap coffee and used the left over to help some people...I also help point people at the shelter towards jobs. Like I said god is not complicated...man is complicated

 

[ViaCrucis]

You want to go to heaven follow two rules

1: Love the lord your god
2: Love your neighbor

How do you love god...by loving your neighbor...read the parable of the good Samaritan if you do not know who your neighbor is. Every one is your neighbor.

When you see someone in the middle of winter holding up a sign holding up a sign asking for food. Go to store get them a sandwich. If you can afford it go to a thrift store and get them a coat. You have to take care of yourself and your family. But we all spend money on things we do not need that we could spend on those who do need.

It is not complicated. I volunteer at a homeless shelter I find jackets and sweaters for people. I am poor myself but even I can afford to buy a few jackets and sweatshirts at a thrift store and give them out. Or go to McDonalds buy 20 1 dollar chicken sandwich's and pass them out. I used to spend about 80 a month on coffee that was the one thing I was picky about, I bought the expensive coffee. I switched to Folgers and I have and extra 50 a month and I use it to help with what I can. It is not hard people.

You can not break any of gods laws if you follow those laws. God is not difficult...man is

1) I always find it somewhat peculiar when people treat "going to heaven" as the point of Christianity, when it's not. The point of Christianity is Jesus Christ.

2) Since you, being a sinner, do not love the Lord your God, nor your neighbor as yourself, then you are betting on something pretty weak if you think your ability to obey God's command can in anyway justify you.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Online.Gamer.79]

1) I always find it somewhat peculiar when people treat "going to heaven" as the point of Christianity, when it's not. The point of Christianity is Jesus Christ.

2) Since you, being a sinner, do not love the Lord your God, nor your neighbor as yourself, then you are betting on something pretty weak if you think your ability to obey God's command can in anyway justify you.

-CryptoLutheran

Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 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.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Achieving eternal life is simple, what is not simple is living by those two laws...they are ignored by mainstream Christians. There is a huge church near the homeless shelter I volunteer at. I even went there for a few months. Not once did I see anyone from that church at the shelter offering assistance. I stopped going to that church when some of the men from the shelter showed up to church and they were basically shown the door. What was it the elder said...we do not allow vagrants to be in our church. I looked at the elder and told him he might want to read the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not the one Jesus raised from the dead). I left and never went back. If you wonder why Christianity is losing more and more people every year that is one the reasons.

A large number of conservatives Christians are judgmental, condescending, flat out rude, they do not want to see the poor or see there suffering. Funny thing about the parable of the rich man who ignored the poor man Lazarus...when they died the poor man went to heaven...the rich man who could be bothered with the poor...like many Christians today...ended up in hell.

And one more thing I do not always do it...I screw up and I ask for forgivness...the rules are easy...following them is not

 

[ViaCrucis]

Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 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.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Achieving eternal life is simple, what is not simple is living by those two laws...they are ignored by mainstream Christians. There is a huge church near the homeless shelter I volunteer at. I even went there for a few months. Not once did I see anyone from that church at the shelter offering assistance. I stopped going to that church when some of the men from the shelter showed up to church and they were basically shown the door. What was it the elder said...we do not allow vagrants to be in our church. I looked at the elder and told him he might want to read the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not the one Jesus raised from the dead). I left and never went back. If you wonder why Christianity is losing more and more people every year that is one the reasons.

A large number of conservatives Christians are judgmental, condescending, flat out rude, they do not want to see the poor or see there suffering. Funny thing about the parable of the rich man who ignored the poor man Lazarus...when they died the poor man went to heaven...the rich man who could be bothered with the poor...like many Christians today...ended up in hell

I'm aware of what the Law says.

What I'm saying is that neither you nor I do it.

That's the problem.

We can certainly talk about the various moral and ethical problems of contemporary Christendom, especially here in America or other western countries, etc. But that's really a very different conversation to be had.

The question here is a theological one.

You'll find that if you really begin to take Jesus seriously in His command to love others, that the harder you try to obey it, the wider the chasm is between you and the just command.

You don't love your neighbor as yourself. You don't have to take my word on this. Simply examine yourself, and be honest with yourself. Examine your own attitudes, your own feelings, your own thoughts.

You volunteer for the homeless? Great.

Do you also love your enemy? Turn the other cheek? If someone asks for your cloak do you offer your tunic as well? Do you always walk the extra mile when asked to walk one? Do you ever grumble? Do you ever get impatient? Or act unkind? Do you ever feel jealous? Envious of others? Do you always, 100% of the time give all to being compassionate and kind? Do you ever harbor ill-feelings toward others? Even if you feel it is justified in your heart or mind?

Every idle word, every careless thought, every hidden thing will be exposed on the Day of Judgment, and you will have to stand there, naked, and give an answer for it.

Maybe you believe that you will stand righteous on that day.

I can honestly say for myself that I won't. I am a naked wretch and sinner.

The good that I want to do, I fail to do. All the time.
The evil that I don't want to do, I do. All the time.

If all that were there were the Law, "Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor", I know where I'd stand on the day of judgment. And it's not well. And it's not from a lack of trying.

Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of those who would be justified by the law in this way:

"You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. And he said to Him, 'Rabbi, I have kept all these things since I was a child.' Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, 'One thing you lack, go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.' But he was deeply dismayed by these words, and he went away sad, for he was one who had much wealth." - Mark 10:19-22

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Online.Gamer.79]

I'm aware of what the Law says.

What I'm saying is that neither you nor I do it.

You know I am editing this...if I was a begining Christian you would scare me off...your basically saying we will always fail...the only way you fail is by not trying...and do I always follow the law...No I screw up...I ask god to forgive me and I try again...no one is perfect but we can do it. I do it all the time...I fail at it all the time as well...and I will fail I try again.

 

[ViaCrucis]

You know I am editing this...if I was a begining Christian you would scare me off...your basically saying we will always fail...the only way you fail is by not trying...and do I always follow the law...No I screw up...I ask god to forgive me and I try again...no one is perfect but we can do it. I do it all the time...I fail at it all the time as well...and I will fail I try again.

As just a point of curiosity. How do you reconcile your theology with St. Paul's teachings in Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, et al?

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Online.Gamer.79]

As just a point of curiosity. How do you reconcile your theology with St. Paul's teachings in Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, et al?

-CryptoLutheran

I am not a bible expert I have read it strait through and there is no question on what Luke 10: 25-37 says, The way to eternal life in heave is in those two laws love god and love your neighbor and you can not break any of gods laws if you follow them. Can anyone follow them without mistakes of course not. You succeeded sometimes and you fail sometimes and when you fail you ask god to forgive you and try again. What pushes people from Christianity is the nitpicking. People picking the parts of the bible they like and ignoring the parts they don't. There is one guy who believes in revelations but does not believe in the rapture others say the anti-christ is not real. I have had problems with Christianity for years but Luke 10: 25-37 simplifies it. It is not so much as succeeding as it is making the attempt. I have a friend who is in a very dark place right now. Honestly it scares me to death, but I would not be a good friend or neighbor if I did not try to help help...and maybe I will fail but I think the true failure in life is not trying at all.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I am not a bible expert I have read it strait through and there is no question on what Luke 10: 25-37 says, The way to eternal life in heave is in those two laws love god and love your neighbor and you can not break any of gods laws if you follow them. Can anyone follow them without mistakes of course not. You succeeded sometimes and you fail sometimes and when you fail you ask god to forgive you and try again. What pushes people from Christianity is the nitpicking. People picking the parts of the bible they like and ignoring the parts they don't. There is one guy who believes in revelations but does not believe in the rapture others say the anti-christ is not real. I have had problems with Christianity for years but Luke 10: 25-37 simplifies it. It is not so much as succeeding as it is making the attempt. I have a friend who is in a very dark place right now. Honestly it scares me to death, but I would not be a good friend or neighbor if I did not try to help help...and maybe I will fail but I think the true failure in life is not trying at all.

So when all is said and done, "going to heaven" is about making sure our successes outweigh our failures? So if I am obedient 6 out of 10 times, and disobedient 4 out of 10, then I'm in. But if I fail more than I succeed, I'm screwed?

And how can we know if our successes have outweighed our failures?

I realize you think I'm "nit-picking" and trying to make things complicated. But I'm not. I'm trying to encourage you to really think through what you've said, and to get you to really think of the implications.

To be perfectly frank, I think the God you describe is terrifying, a cold and harsh judge who we must appease by being good enough.

That's why the Gospel matters. That God's love matters. That God isn't cold, remote, harsh, but a loving and compassionate Father who shows Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ, who gives Himself away freely in love, not to the worthy, not to the righteous, not to the rich and the powerful and the well-to-do, but to sinners. That we have a kind, loving God who actually comes down to us, to love us, and to rescue us.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Online.Gamer.79]

So when all is said and done, "going to heaven" is about making sure our successes outweigh our failures? So if I am obedient 6 out of 10 times, and disobedient 4 out of 10, then I'm in. But if I fail more than I succeed, I'm screwed?

And how can we know if our successes have outweighed our failures?

I realize you think I'm "nit-picking" and trying to make things complicated. But I'm not. I'm trying to encourage you to really think through what you've said, and to get you to really think of the implications.

To be perfectly frank, I think the God you describe is terrifying, a cold and harsh judge who we must appease by being good enough.

That's why the Gospel matters. That God's love matters. That God isn't cold, remote, harsh, but a loving and compassionate Father who shows Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ, who gives Himself away freely in love, not to the worthy, not to the righteous, not to the rich and the powerful and the well-to-do, but to sinners. That we have a kind, loving God who actually comes down to us, to love us, and to rescue us.

-CryptoLutheran

Okay I said try...know one can succeed completely cause know one is perfect. I believe that god looks at how we live out lives...did we try our best...when we screwed up did we ask for forgiveness, and try to atone for our mistakes. I think when we die god looks at how you lived your life not how you worshiped cause going to church is not going to get you into heaven...its about trying. There were two men on cross with him...one of them asked Jesus to remember him...not to forgive or save...but just to remember. Jesus looked into his heart and saw that he was repentant. So heaven can be for anyone its why I think alot of church goers are going to be very surprised when they die. And alot of people who you would think would go to hell are gonna go to heaven.

Here is an example, Pope John Paul II he was canonized and made a saint. I think he is in hell right now. Him and every pope before him knew about the molestation going on in the church. The normal move for the church was to move the pervert priest to another parish. God is very clear on the fates of those who lead children away from him. I know a few people who were molested by there priest and they despise the church. The popes were more interested in protecting there reputation than they were about the well being of children.

I know a guy at the homeless shelter he spent 20 in years in prison for murder, he did drugs and hurt people. He does not apologize or make excuses but he helps there. He talks with younger people who still have a chance at life. I see him sometimes on the back patio of the shelter reading his bible. I believe he will get to heaven.

Do you make the attempt to better yourself and those around you. It is not about saving everyone cause that is not possible. Its about doing the best you can do and knowing your gonna come up short sometimes. God does hold your failures against you...if he did that second guy on the cross with Jesus would not have made it to heaven. It is about intent in my opinion

 

[mlepfitjw]

Getting in to heaven ...

Faith it the Lord Yeshua/Jesus Christ. The savior of all mankind, being born from above down unto earth, lived a life sinless perfect, healed many disabled, demon-possed, mental, psysically.

Had 12 disciples he told to preach the Good news of the return, after his death on the cross, and how much worse things would get before the end of the Old Convenate of ways which were slaughtering animals as sacrifices to God, to cover the sin of man.

Now the Lord Yeshua, died on the cross a man who took on the sin of the world, who cryed out MY God My God why have you forsaken me, giving a loud yelp, and the relased the spirit dying in th flesh, ascending onward to where, Abraham was, and even down the disobeident ones in Noahs age preaching a message.

Then God raised the Lord Yeshua up from the dead, and the return him became know as God showed his disciples miracles signs and wonders and it was a gift from God, and the holy spirit was with them all and they went out and preached to the nations the Good news about how there is life after death, and how God is good and loving and kind and hold on to your faith because of being a believer and lover your neighbour as yourself.

 

[d taylor]

Good luck pushing that camel through the needles eye.

 

[SolaChristian]

Okay I said try...know one can succeed completely cause know one is perfect. I believe that god looks at how we live out lives...did we try our best...when we screwed up did we ask for forgiveness, and try to atone for our mistakes. I think when we die god looks at how you lived your life not how you worshiped cause going to church is not going to get you into heaven...its about trying. There were two men on cross with him...one of them asked Jesus to remember him...not to forgive or save...but just to remember. Jesus looked into his heart and saw that he was repentant. So heaven can be for anyone its why I think alot of church goers are going to be very surprised when they die. And alot of people who you would think would go to hell are gonna go to heaven.

Here is an example, Pope John Paul II he was canonized and made a saint. I think he is in hell right now. Him and every pope before him knew about the molestation going on in the church. The normal move for the church was to move the pervert priest to another parish. God is very clear on the fates of those who lead children away from him. I know a few people who were molested by there priest and they despise the church. The popes were more interested in protecting there reputation than they were about the well being of children.

I know a guy at the homeless shelter he spent 20 in years in prison for murder, he did drugs and hurt people. He does not apologize or make excuses but he helps there. He talks with younger people who still have a chance at life. I see him sometimes on the back patio of the shelter reading his bible. I believe he will get to heaven.

Do you make the attempt to better yourself and those around you. It is not about saving everyone cause that is not possible. Its about doing the best you can do and knowing your gonna come up short sometimes. God does hold your failures against you...if he did that second guy on the cross with Jesus would not have made it to heaven. It is about intent in my opinion

What you are expressing is essentially "works-based" salvation. This view cannot be harmonized with the full canon of the New Testament Scriptures, neither with the teachings of Jesus nor with the teachings of Paul and others.

The fundamental question is: Are we justified (made right with God) by faith, or by works? If you have read any of the books of the New Testament, it should be abundantly clear to you that we cannot be justified by works. This is literally the heart of the Gospel.

Romans 3:21-25: (I'm writing from memory so there might be a wrong word here or there, quoting from ESV) "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of God through *faith* in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are *justified* by his *grace* as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by *faith*."

This is congruent with Jesus' most important teachings about repentance and faith, such as: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:9-14). Here we clearly see how a self-righteous person is not justified, but a repentant sinner is justified by faith.


If you believe that works can justify you, that means that you have a low view of God's righteousness and a high view of man's righteousness. If you really want to talk about standards of righteousness, then it's best to let Jesus inform you of what God's standard of righteousness is: "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48). Of course, we cannot be perfect, nor can we obey any of the commandments perfectly, which is precisely the reason why Jesus had to live a perfect life and be sacrificed on our behalf.

Which part of this do you reject? The Gospel is not the Gospel without sola fide...

 

[Norbert L]

Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Sometimes the hardest part of loving your neighbor as yourself is figuring out whether I need a comforting helping hand or the proverbial swift boot to the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]!

 

[SolaChristian]

Sometimes the hardest part of loving your neighbor as yourself is figuring out whether I need a comforting helping hand or the proverbial swift boot to the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]!

I recently read "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, and he had an interesting thought surrounding loving your neighbour as yourself.
It was something along the lines of our tendency to continue caring for ourselves, giving ourselves food, doing what we think is best for ourselves, even treating ourselves, despite the fact that we are also aware of all of our innermost failures and shortcomings. You are the only person who knows every wrong thing that you have ever done or thought, and yet you still care for yourself. And this is what we ought to extend to others. So even when we know their failures and their sinfulness, we still ought to care for them in the same way that we care for ourselves despite our knowledge of our own brokenness.

 

[Norbert L]

we still ought to care for them in the same way that we care for ourselves despite our knowledge of our own brokenness.

That would mean I can boot them in ___ too!? Now what I find interesting is this: Why would I enjoy doing that to my neighbor far more than disciplining myself ?