Not Everyone Goes to Heaven

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Not everyone gets into God’s kingdom, what we call heaven. This is a true and powerful statement and may make people question God’s love. But He is clear in His word about both His love and heaven. He clearly loves us, and He clearly made a way for us to enter heaven after our time here is done. He also gave us free will so that we could choose the way He offers us.

We have a benevolent and fair Father in heaven who loves us and is merciful, but He is also the King of all, and there is only one way to spend eternity with Him. In His fairness, only those who come to Him through Christ will be welcomed into Heaven where His kingdom is now.

He will not welcome or give His promise of eternal life to those who continually sin without repentance. Those who do not accept His gift and follow Him will not be allowed to enter God’s kingdom even if they are good people. This is a hard truth.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We, Christians, know God as our loving Father. He walks with us daily, helps us avoid temptation, forgives our sins when we ask Him, and guides our paths. We don’t like to think of Him as a King who would allow some to spend eternity without Him. It might seem to contradict His nature, but it does not. God is perfectly fair. What He says, He will do. If He did not keep His word, following Him would be chaos and no one would have the certainty of salvation.

We must stop sugar-coating Christianity and heaven just because it is difficult for us to understand hell. Although God loves everyone and wants everyone to come to Him, accept Him, love Him and ask Him to forgive them of their sins, some will choose another path.

God, our King has given, and continues to give all people every opportunity to believe in Him and to accept His son, who died for us. Since God in His perfection cannot look at sin, He must see us through the blood of Jesus who was sacrificed for us.  

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

God is so merciful that He has delayed His return so that everyone has an opportunity to hear the good news and follow Him. He will give eternal life to everyone who accepts this gift. He will accept the very young and those who do not have the ability to make this choice for themselves. But to those who choose not to believe, and those who make no choice at all, eternal life without God awaits.

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

God has given us one requirement to enter heaven and told us of the consequences of not meeting that requirement. Since it is a free gift, many may think it doesn’t take a conscious choice. It does. We must choose to follow God and His teachings through Jesus Christ. No choice is a choice not to follow God’s one requirement.

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

This is painful to us because we all know someone who passed from this life and may not have given their heart to God. Do not fret or be sad. Though each must decide to follow Christ, we do not understand God’s mercy and we cannot see into a person’s heart as they are dying. We can pray that God was able to reach them at the end. All things are possible with God and we know that He does not want any to perish so we hold fast to hope for these people.

We also have a responsibility as followers of the King, understanding His requirement. We must reach out while we are here, to make sure that others accept the truth of God and His son before the end of their time on earth. That is the only way to be certain we will see them again.

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10)

We have gotten soft. Though we know the truth of salvation, it is easier to believe that everyone we know will be in heaven. We need to tell the truth about salvation to the people we know and love. We must somehow make them understand and give their hearts and lives to God.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13)

Prayer: Lord, this is so hard for us to accept. It pains us to think of those we love so dearly spending eternity away from you and from us. Let us leave this all to you, not worrying, but only doing your will. Help us show and share the truth with those around us so that no one will miss out. Please show mercy to those we love and draw them to You moment by moment, so they know Your love in their hearts and accept You. Amen