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souldiver
Guest
Is works needed? Faith only? What are they?
According to your religion or church, what is required to go to heaven?
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petra22
Guest
Didn’t Jesus say be baptized and believe in Jesus, the son of the Father…?
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PonderingJak
Guest
Faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. That’s what Catholic dedicate the first three Hail Marys to in a rosary. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 25:40: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Faith is one of the three points and is therefore important, since you must know God to get to Heaven, but according to 1 John 4:8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Does this answer your question?
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souldiver
Guest
I’m not sure, when I was a kid, people say something like “become sinless” in order to go to heaven, so I’m not sure what’s the official teaching. I think that’s one of the reasons why Catholics pray for the salvation of the dead, I’m not sure.
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PonderingJak
Guest
Everyone sins. The sins are forgiven, if the person who committed them was truly remorseful about them, but they are not forgotten. If the only way to get into Heaven was to be sinless, Mary and Jesus would be the only ones to avoid Hell. But there is Salvation and Hope for all who love God and their neighbors
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Reuben_J
Guest
Get baptized. If you live longer after that, then do not sin, and if you sin, then go for Confession. If you should live a long life, then keep on doing that. There are many tools in the Church that would help you to live that life but I guess in the nutshell, that’s about it, which would be answering the question of the thread.
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DCNBILL
Guest
I think that one has to die.
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arthra
Guest
Heaven is nearness to God… and that can include faith and works…in whatever world or condition we are.
*"The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is
the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of
His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who
representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His
Cause and the world of creation.
Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived
thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of
every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who
reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of
transcendent glory, **to observe every ordinance of Him
Who is the Desire of the world. **
These twin duties are inseparable.
Neither is acceptable without the other.
Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of
Divine inspiration." *
~ Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 16
On nearness to God:
I ask God to enable thee to attain to His Nearness and His Union;-to rejoice thee by His Presence;-to increase thy brightness and thy beauty;-to grant thee honour and glory.
~ Abdul-Baha
(SOW - Star of the West, Star of the West - 2)
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IgnatianPhilo
Guest
To reduce salvation to a set of propositions we must fulfill I think is wrong. There are elements of course but the lack of a particular element might not effect one’s ultimate destination.
Faith is essential but so is living according to Christ’s words and commandments. Yet we know or at least believe that there are individuals who repented at the last moment and were forgiven and are in heaven despite them not having done anything good or living according to Christ.
Baptism is also essential yet there have been those who were not baptised and are regarded as having inherited eternal life. In Bede’s history of the English church he mentions a soldier who was not baptised yet died according to his confession and Bede regarded this man as a Saint (if I recall it correctly).
Knowledge too is essential, yet we know that some have been saved with only a general knowledge of who God is, who Christ is, how they relate to one another, who the spirit is and etc.
God I do not think looks at a list when he sees people, he examines them in a way above human examination of whether or not we fit into certain categories or have certain ticks in the column of Faith, Baptism, Good works, Love and etc.
Faith is essential but so is living according to Christ’s words and commandments. Yet we know or at least believe that there are individuals who repented at the last moment and were forgiven and are in heaven despite them not having done anything good or living according to Christ.
Baptism is also essential yet there have been those who were not baptised and are regarded as having inherited eternal life. In Bede’s history of the English church he mentions a soldier who was not baptised yet died according to his confession and Bede regarded this man as a Saint (if I recall it correctly).
Knowledge too is essential, yet we know that some have been saved with only a general knowledge of who God is, who Christ is, how they relate to one another, who the spirit is and etc.
God I do not think looks at a list when he sees people, he examines them in a way above human examination of whether or not we fit into certain categories or have certain ticks in the column of Faith, Baptism, Good works, Love and etc.
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gazelam
Guest
The LDS answer to this question is best summed up (IMHO) by Ecclesiates 12:13 (KJV):
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
From there one can delve into the details of how to do this.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
From there one can delve into the details of how to do this.
Well, not all of us. Elijah for sure, and some say the Blessed Virgin, as examples.I think that one has to die.
As a kid, I was always told that John 3:16 was the Gospel in a nutshell. Sure, there’s more to it in the details, but essentially this.
Jon
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DCNBILL
Guest
Good point but I personally do not think I will end up on par with them.
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SalusaSecondus
Guest
Faith only.
I
IgnatianPhilo
Guest
Is love necessary?
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SalusaSecondus
Guest
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benhur
Guest
Let’s see. You must be spotless, even perfect, fulfilling all laws to the last jot and tittle. You must be more righteous than say Bill Graham, or Mother Theresa, or the pope.
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Trishie
Guest
The authority on who goes to heaven belongs to Jesus, as Son of God and judge of souls.
He is the basis of Christian/Catholic faith, the ‘cornerstone’ of the Church:
This is what He said about who goes to heaven.
The criteria He uses is practical love, therefore, faith alone is insufficient.
Matthew 25 verses 31-46
The Judgement of the Nations
JESUS said:
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.”
Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?”
Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’
I’ve paragraphed it to make is easier to read
He is the basis of Christian/Catholic faith, the ‘cornerstone’ of the Church:
This is what He said about who goes to heaven.
The criteria He uses is practical love, therefore, faith alone is insufficient.
Matthew 25 verses 31-46
The Judgement of the Nations
JESUS said:
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.”
Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?”
Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’
I’ve paragraphed it to make is easier to read
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benhur
Guest
Hi T
Well,your scriptures need a precursor also, just as you say faith does. So a Buddhist or Mormon, even a philanthropic atheist (and there are many of those) can feed the poor and clothe the naked and they shall inherit the kingdom ?
Of course the righteous will do these things, but to be righteous, or because they are righteous ?
Blessings
R
Reuben_J
Guest
A revised post.
You are right here. Sin causes the separation of man and God. From the beginning when the first man sinned, the continued presence of God with him was broken. Thus to attain heaven, that brokenness must be repaired according to God’s plan of salvation.
In my religion, in order to do that, one must be baptized, which was commanded by Jesus and carried out by the apostles. Any other things are secondaries and may come to naught without receiving the salvation given by Jesus. Baptism is the reception of God’s grace of salvation, where all our sins are washed away, and we would be as white as snow. Should we die right after Baptism, though not asking for it, we can go to heaven straight away, as the obstacle to it which is caused by sins has been annulled and made void.
As long as we are sinless, heaven is for us. In reality, our lives are intertwined with opposing cultures and philosophies which opened us to sins. In other word, we are tempted to sin, and sometimes we may fall. Should we sin again, we must return to the previous state of being sinlessness, by repenting of the sin committed. In my religion, this is done through the Sacrament of Confession, a grace where our sins are forgiven.
We believe God equips us with grace to be strong against sinning and to do his will for us. This grace is to be found in the many Sacraments instituted by God, guarded by the Church and administered by her ordained ministers, so that we are given strength to live a life which is pleasing to God and to fight against sin.
I think for us it is quite clear. Do not sin as it is the obstacle to heaven.
God bless.
Reuben
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Trishie
Guest
Whether or not we are aware, and whether or not we know God, our good acts come from God’s grace in us.
Regarding whether or not our kind and compassionate deeds are done with perfect altruism, the grace comes from God and the benefits go to those whom we help, if they accept the good we offer in compassion for their needs.
Regarding the righteous…Jesus made no comment in His description of His judgement of souls, other that that we give practical kindness and help to others, which He, which God, also regards as kindness/love to God.
Who of us is perfectly unselfish in the good we try to do? However we do try. God knows our humanity, and we trust the judgement to Him.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church…official teachinh of the Church:
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm
The Church and non-Christians
839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."325
The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ”,328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."329
840 And when one considers the future, God’s People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.
841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day."330
842 The Church’s bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:
All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331- Status