According to your religion or church, what is required to go to heaven?

  • Thread starter Thread starter souldiver
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
chifen87 said:
Well, I can tell you what I was taught when I was a JW.
I was taught that no one other then the 144,000 would go to Heaven. Everyone else (well, namely Jehovah’s Witnesses with maybe a few exceptions) would have a chance at living on a Paradise Earth.

To obtain this and have at least a chance, you had to become an unbaptized publisher, then eventually get baptized as a JW after answering about 100+ questions and then remain in good standing as a JW and continuing to go out in service and you also have to believe the governing body is the Faithful and Discreet Slave and that the Watchtower Organization is God’s only earthly Organization.

Many JW’s I knew would always say that they hoped they would make it but weren’t very sure at all. Many become depressed because of not having much hope.
But as for Heaven, most Jehovah’s Witnesses do not expect to go to Heaven at all.

I don’t believe that anymore. I believe you must do the best you can and of course love God, Except and love Jesus. I also believe that if you Love God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit you will be moved to do good works (such as helping others as best as you can)
I’m sure I’m forgetting to mention something but I’ll leave the rest since I’ve already typed a bit 🙂
Click to expand...
Welcome chifen,

Amazing you got "out’ of JW’s. May you be filled with the knowledge of the Lord Jesus and may He make you a new creature, even born again, where you see all things anew.

Blessings
 
It is very difficult, indeed nearly impossible, to speak for all Jews concerning this question. Even Jews who belong to the same movement of Judaism may differ widely with regard to the issue of salvation, the World to Come, and the afterlife. The Torah does not spell out the specifics. However, in general, Judaism does NOT focus or speculate much on the issue. Although awaiting the coming of the Messiah is one of the thirteen tenets of faith according to Maimonides, even this expectation does not fully capture the heart and soul of Judaism. Instead, the religion focuses on the here and now and, in the process, doing G-d’s Will on earth in the present. In essence, what that means, according to Hillel the Elder, can be summarized as loving G-d and loving one’s fellow human (also including animals and the earth itself). This is what Jesus later proclaimed in keeping with the Hillel school of Judaism.

While Judaism is often thought of as a religion of the Law (Torah) and obedience to the Law, it is really more complex than that. For practicing the law without love, compassion, and sincerity is of little value according to Judaism although better than doing nothing. Thus, Judaism believes that the Law contains within it the values of both justice and mercy. But it is up to us to find those values in the Law. Since humanity was made in the image and likeness of G-d, it does have the capability and potential to use reason and express love, but only if it chooses to do so, that is, by means of its free will. The latter is G-d’s gift to us. We make choices in all our behaviors toward others as well as those actions directed toward G-d Himself. Only if we use this precious gift wisely, may we achieve our salvation here on earth by approximating G-d’s Will to the best of our human potential.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top