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Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
Jesus said that nobody can come to The Father but by Him. He said that many would expect Him to save them on the day of judgement, because they had done all sorts of good things in His name. But He says they are workers of iniquity, because He never knew them and they didn't do the will of The Father. (Matthew 7:21-23).Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
.Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
But why are we focusing on what Paul said and ignoring what Jesus Himself said about the topic?Where does it say, in the Bible, that we are saved by works as well as faith?
(Ephesians 2:8-9)--For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast..
Now we are told to build up reward in Heaven based on good works. But good works do not get you in there.
The Bible says that those who persevere to the end will be saved and that it is by our testimony in Messiah, and by His Blood that we are saved.
Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
When did Jesus say that you have to have faith in His sacrifice in order to get to Heaven?
Prior to conversion, we are acceptable to Christ for conversion, ... not acceptable/fit for heaven.
Which is why Christ issues this invitation ....
"Come to Me, ALL who labor and are heavy laden ... and I will give you rest."
No requirements there except willingness to COME ...
Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
Pastor Rick Joyner, The Final Quest:
"The Judgment Seat of Christ
I gazed one final time around the huge room inside of the mountain. The treasures of the truth of Salvation were kept here. It seemed that there was no end to their expanse or beauty. I could not imagine that the rooms which contained the other great truths of the faith could be any more glorious. This helped me to understand why so many Christian never wanted to leave this place. The large gems which represented the different aspects of Salvation all exuded a glory far beyond any earthly beauty. It was wonderful beyond description, and I knew that I could stay here for eternity and never get bored."
Pastor Rick Joyner:
"I then noticed someone I had known on earth. He had been a faithful believer, but I did not think he had done anything of significance. He was so physically unattractive on earth that it had made him shy. Here he had the same features, but was somehow more handsome than any person I had known on earth. He stepped up to me with an assurance and dignity that I had never seen in him, or anyone, before.
"Heaven is much greater than we could have dreamed while on earth," he began. "This room is but the threshold of realms of glory that are far beyond the ability we had to comprehend. It is also true that the second death is much more terrible than we understood. Neither heaven or hell are like we thought they were. If I had known on earth what I know here I would not have lived the way that I did. You are blessed with a great grace to have come here before you have died." he said while looking at my garments.
I then looked at myself. I still had the old mantle of humility on, with the armor under it. I felt both foul and crude standing before those who were so regal and beautiful. I began to think that I was in serious trouble if I was going to appear before the Lord like this. Like the eagles, my old acquaintance could understand my thoughts, and he replied to them:
"Those who come here wearing that mantle have nothing to fear. That mantle is the highest rank of honor, and it is why they all bowed to you while you passed."
"I did not notice anyone bowing to me," I replied, a bit disconcerted.
"It is not improper," he continued. "Here we show each other the respect that is due. Even the angles serve us here, but only our God and His Christ are worshiped."
I was still ashamed. I had to retrain myself to keep from bowing to these glorious ones, while at the same time wanting to hide myself because I looked so bad. Then I began lamenting the fact that my thoughts here were just as foolish here as they were one earth, and here everyone knew them! I felt both stained and stupid standing before these who were so awesome and pure. Again my old acquaintance responded to these thoughts.
"We have our incorruptible bodies now, and you do not. Our minds are no longer hindered by sin. We are therefore able to comprehend many times what even the greatest earthly mind can fathom, and we will spend eternity growing in our ability to understand. This is so that we can know the Father, and understand the glory of His creation. On earth you cannot even begin to understand what the least of these here know, and we are the least of those here."
"How could you be the least?" I asked with disbelief.
"There is an aristocracy here. The rewards for our earthly lives are the eternal positions that we have here. This great multitude here are those whom the Lord called 'foolish virgins.' We knew the Lord, and trusted in His cross for deliverance from damnation, but we did not really live for Him, but for ourselves. We did not keep our vessels filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit. We have eternal life, but we wasted our lives on earth."
I was really surprised by this, but I also knew that no one could lie in that place.
"The foolish virgins gnashed their teeth in the outer darkness," I protested.
"And that we did. The grief that we experienced when we understood how we had so wasted our lives was beyond any grief possible on earth. The darkness of that grief can only be understood by those who have experienced it. Such darkness is magnified when it is revealed next to the glory of the One we failed. You are standing now among the lowest rank in heaven. There is no greater fools than the ones who know the great salvation of God, but then go on living for themselves. To come here and learn the reality of that folly is a grief beyond what an earthly soul can experience. We are those who suffered this outer darkness because of this greatest of follies."
I was still incredulous. "But you are more glorious and full of more joy and peace than I even imagined, even for those in heaven. I do not feel any remorse in you, and yet I know that here you cannot lie. This does not make sense to me."
Looking me straight in the eyes, he continued, "The Lord also loves us with a love greater than you can yet understand. Before His judgment seat I tasted the greatest darkness of soul and remorse that can be experienced. Though here we do not measure time as you do, it seemed to last for as long as my life on earth had lasted. All of my sins and follies which I had not repented of passed before me, and before all who are here. The grief of this you cannot understand until you have experienced it. I felt that I was in the deepest dungeon of hell, even as I stood before the Lord. He was resolute until my life had been completely reviewed. When I said I was sorry and asked for the mercy of His cross, He wiped away my tears and took away the great darkness. He looked at me with a love that was beyond anything that you can now understand. He gave me this robe. I no longer feel the darkness or bitterness that I knew as I stood before Him, but I remember it. Only here can you remember such things without continuing to feel the pain. A moment in the lowest part of heaven is much greater than a thousand years of the highest life on earth. Now my mourning at my folly has been turned into joy, and I know that I will know joy forever, even if I am in the lowest place in heaven."
I began to think again of the treasures of salvation. Somehow I knew that all that this man had told me was revealed by those treasures. Every step I had taken up the mountain, or into it, had revealed that His ways are both more fearful and more wonderful than I had known before.
Looking at me intently, my former acquaintance continued. "You are not here to understand, but to experience. The next level of rank here is many times greater than what we have. Each level after is that much greater than the previous one. It is not just that each level has an even more glorious spiritual body, but that each level is closer to the throne where all of the glory comes from. Even so, I no longer feel the grief of my failure. I really deserve nothing. I am here by grace alone, and I am so thankful for what I have. He is so worthy to be loved. I could be doing many wondrous things now in the different realms of heaven, but I would rather stay here and just behold the glory, even if I am on the outer fringes."
Then, with a distant look in his eyes, he added, "Everyone in heaven is now in this room to watch His great mystery unfold, and to watch those of you who will fight the last battle."
"Can you see Him from here?" I asked. "I see His glory far away, but I cannot see Him."
"I can see many times better than you can," he answered. "And yes, I can see Him, and all that He is doing, even from here. I can also hear Him. I can also behold the earth. He gave us all that power. We are the great cloud of witnesses who are beholding you."
He departed back into the ranks and I began walking again, trying to understand all that he had said to me. As I looked over the great host that he had said were the foolish virgins, the ones who had spiritually slept away their life on earth, I knew that if any one of them appeared on earth now that they would be worshiped as gods, and yet they were the very least of those who were here!
I then began to think of all of the time that I had wasted in my life. It was such an overwhelming thought that I stopped. Then parts of my life began to pass before me. I began to experience a terrible grief over this one sin. I too had been one of the greatest of fools! I may have kept more oil in my lamp than others, but now I knew how foolish I had been to measure what was required of me by how others were doing. I, too, was one of the foolish virgins!" (Pastor Rick Joyner, The Final Quest).
Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
I think this is the only way, since no one ever obey the law except Christ.Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
It is clear that confessing Christ does not make people good ,and that there are those who are good who know little if anything about God .This means that goodness can be a voluntary thing in a person to be helpful and useful .Where does this come from if not from God? which means that without confessing or knowing Christ He is acting inside of you already ,because your heart is good .You cannot work your way to salvation- In other words, you cannot earn salvation. Works come after salvation as a product (fruit) of your relationship with Christ. (See the words of Christ in John 6:28-29).
My view of God as a Christian is in disagreement with this idea that all are equally wicked .They are not ,but those with unkindly dispositions see all like themselves .Using the term "acceptable" is misleading. It implies being in a condition of which God approves. No unregenerate sinner is in such a condition. God extends salvation to us when what we deserve is eternal hell. No lost person, then, stands before God accepted by, or acceptable to, Him. It is only through Christ that we are made acceptable to God. (Eph. 1:6) His offer of salvation to the wicked is a testament to God's grace and loving character, not to anything acceptable or worthy in the lost sinner.
Well, I really want to get to heaven. I never found out how; scriptures are pretty vague about this.
Anyone can explain?
My view of God as a Christian is in disagreement with this idea that all are equally wicked .They are not ,but those with unkindly dispositions see all like themselves .
All Protestant Churches by pass John 6: 53-56 as a symbol, they say: "Jesus did not really mean to eat and drink His Body and Blood". Pools, here is a clue, when Jesus utters the words: "AMEN AMEN I SAY UNTO YOU" Before getting to His Point, you better believe He is not referring John 6:53-56 as a SYMBOL, as protestants believe, but LITERALLY as Catholic believe, as Jesus Taught. Amen Amen
My view of God as a Christian is in disagreement with this idea that all are equally wicked .They are not ,but those with unkindly dispositions see all like themselves .
Well, I really want to get to heaven.
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