Few Are Saved - So How Does One Get to Heaven?

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St. Leonard of Port Maurice and many other saints say that few Christians, even priests, enter Heaven. So what do we have to do to be saved?

We have to “be perfect”, as Scripture says… I have found only one way to be “perfect”… Stay very close to Jesus by visiting Him, spending time with Him at the Church where His Presence abides 24/7… (along with all the other things Catholics do, of course).

It is there that i see myself and my life as Christ does…

Its like being married. If your spouse leaves you, never spends time with you, how can he say he knows you?:confused:
 
That’s an interesting thought, but although these great teachers believed that doesn’t necessarily make it so…I guess if one says few, though, it could be right considering the amount of people who have lived and died without following God. It still comes down to God to judge, though. That’s the key!👍

Prayers and petitions,
Alexius:cool:
 
Also, when they say few, i dont think they mean only 20 people out of the 6 billion on earth today will make it.
I think if we look at the statistics of the people that actually follow the word of God and live by his rules, it is only a ‘few’ who do it.
Basically its up to us individuals on how we worship and follow God.
But it is he, in the end, who will judges who gets into heaven or not.
Pray for us all!
 
Also, when they say few, i dont think they mean only 20 people out of the 6 billion on earth today will make it.
I think if we look at the statistics of the people that actually follow the word of God and live by his rules, it is only a ‘few’ who do it.
Basically its up to us individuals on how we worship and follow God.
But it is he, in the end, who will judges who gets into heaven or not.
Pray for us all!
"The Narrow Way (Matt 7:13-14)

13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Proverbs 14:15

15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps."
 
What does the bible say? You have to read the whole bible, not just the nice verses like John 3:16. You have to read about the narrow gate, the eye of the needle, about not everyone that says Lord Lord will be saved. You have to read the chapters on the prodigal son, the Good Samaritan, forgiving your brother 70 times 7 times, being a good steward, those that have no sin can cast the first stone, love God above all and love your neighbor as yourself, take the log out of your own eye before you worry about the sliver in your brother’s eye. You have to read and practice the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus never said it would be easy.
 
Jesus never said it would be easy.
No, but He did say He came for many.

He also said all sin will be forgiven except for blaspheme of the Holy Spirit.

I do not think Christ died on the cross for a few. He will be more successful than that. Many to God is like forgivng seventy times seven times.

The few that walk the narrow road or enter through the gate does not suggest they are the only ones who make it in. It only suggests they walk in on their own like I think JPII and Mother Teresa have. The rest of us need more help.

He came for the sinfull, not the rightous. When those who were invited to the feast but refused the summons He went to the streets and invited all. There are many houses He has gone to prepare for us.

When you read the parables do you read them as final and forever? When the last penny is paid will you begrudge what he does with his own?

This is the Good News as I understand it.
 
We are saved by Jesus’ saving grace by His dying on the cross true enough but is it a oneway street Jesus does all the work and we just sit back and enjoy the fruits of He labor?

Jesus was asked, how many times must I forgive, seven times? Jesus answered, we must forgive 70 times 7. In this case it is we are the ones that must be willing to doing the forgiving. I read your response as saying God is doing the forgiving. It is in Gods nature to forgive an infanit number, not just 70 times 7 but an infanit times infanit times. Parphrasing The Lord’s Prayer as I read it, Jesus says we will be forgiven as we forgive. So what are the consequence of us not doing our part by not forgiving? Does Jesus say, well you didn’t forgive the way I comanded but what the heck, I died for you so all is right? I don’t think so.
 
Does Jesus say, well you didn’t forgive the way I comanded but what the heck, I died for you so all is right? I don’t think so.
I don’t think so either. Even after Christ and those that follow Him more closely than most, has anybody lived perfectly? The more we live by His example the better our lives are for ourself and those around us. It is that knowledge and inate image we were created in that was set in motion.

Purgatory is something I believe in though it remains a mystery. I do not think it a cake walk, but I;m not sure it is as Dante described either. That last penny may take a while to repay.
 
So what are the consequence of us not doing our part by not forgiving? Does Jesus say, well you didn’t forgive the way I comanded but what the heck, I died for you so all is right? I don’t think so.
Good point. Protestants are on the wrong track when they say that Jesus did it all on Calvary. He did all He could to give Himself to us. If we reject Him, don’t “apply” Him enough in our lives… we can end up in Hell… Jesus says over and over that it is difficult to get into Heaven (etc). I don’t know why people argue about this. Then they say they believe Scripture :rolleyes: .

What people seem to forget is that sin kills - regardless of whether Jesus died for us or not… It is only accepting Jesus back into our souls after sinning that we can be healed of the ill effects of our sins… If we get attached to sin and refuse to let go of it in ANY way… we can and probably will end up in Hell…
 
Purgatory is something I believe in though it remains a mystery. I do not think it a cake walk, but I;m not sure it is as Dante described either. That last penny may take a while to repay.
Some saints I’ve read say that Purgatory is excrutiating (in the lower levels)… I don’t plan on going there. It is enough Purgatory for me to have to live in this world… and also to spend time with Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament, where the true, not so pretty image of my soul is fully revealed… :eek: 🙂
(those icons pretty much say what happens to me there - first i am dismayed- 2 say the least -😦 at my sins, then Jesus heals me of them… if i stay there long enough, open myself up to Him, etc…).
 
although these great teachers believed that doesn’t necessarily make it so…
I believe it for reasons other than the saints. I am no spring chicken. I have lived through a lot of things and seen/experienced much evil… (i wasn’t always such a great Christian and got involved w/ some real… well… disturbed individuals). My belief is this: a person is “innocent” as a child. He grows up. He is tempted by something. He knows it’s wrong but gives in because there is some worldly reward. Another temptation comes his way… He is weak after having made the 1st choice against his conscience… so he caves in… The next time, he hardly thinks twice. The next time, well, you get my point… until he has lost his soul. Jesus Christ is the only one who can give it back to him… but he then stays away from Jesus because… well, many reasons… maybe he thinks he is too bad for Jesus… but anyway, we need to pray for those kinds of people because they need help finding JEsus, the only one who can help them…
The point is, sin given into makes us weak and more likely to sin again. That’s why it is better to die young, when you still have innocence… I am not so sure i want to live a long life… There is more chance of getting entrenched in my sins (weaknesses…)… to the point that i don’t even see them much anymore. I see them at the Blessed Sacrament and that is why we should go there often. Why don’t priests tell us this kind of thing?
Frankly, and coincidentally… I wonder why priests are so… well shall we say un-Catholic these days??? :eek: :mad: 😦 :hypno:
I guess my original point was that sin is what leads/drags a person into Hell… Jesus knew sin was too much for us and that is why He did what He did… Thank you again, Precious Jesus. 🙂
 
Good point. Protestants are on the wrong track when they say that Jesus did it all on Calvary. He did all He could to give Himself to us. If we reject Him, don’t “apply” Him enough in our lives… we can end up in Hell… Jesus says over and over that it is difficult to get into Heaven (etc). I don’t know why people argue about this. Then they say they believe Scripture :rolleyes: .
Don’t you understand that the only sacrafice God can accept is one that is Holy, sinless, righteous and Followed the Law perfectly. He can’t even look on sin, he is Holy. That is why Jesus sacrafice is the only one that he accepts, you either accept that fact or you take on the second death yourself.

Eternal life is given as a GIFT of God’s grace and mercy to sinners who deserve condemnation. Without possession of this wonderful gift, man is eternally separated from God and will suffer everlasting punishment 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our almighty and sovereign God is holy and righteous and must punish sin. Everyone who is born in this world is conceived in sin, and is born a sinner and comes under the judgment of God
Eternal life is FREE because the Lord Jesus Christ paid the ransom for our redemption with His shed blood. Jesus, the sinless Savior, suffered the wrath of God, paying the death penalty that God demands of sinners 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life by obeying and fulfilling the law of God Colossians 2:14 “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Since perfect righteousness is necessary to enter heaven Revelation 21:27 “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” and since it is impossible for sinners to become righteous on their own, God offers us the righteousness of His Son as a GIFT to those who come to Him with empty hands of faith **Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” ** God justifies the wicked when they put their faith in the only righteous one – Jesus Christ Romans 4:5 “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,” Everyone God justifies, He ultimately glorifies Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” The GIFT of eternal life can only be received by repentance **Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” ** and faith John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." This gift is eternally secure because God’s gifts are irrevocable Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Salvation can only be received by grace, God’s unmerited favor 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 of works, lest anyone should boast.” It cannot be merited by righteous deeds because anyone who works to earn acceptance before God nullifies the grace of God Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” When we die we will be in the presence of God 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Those who receive Jesus Christ by grace through faith are adopted into God’s eternal family and nothing can ever separate them from God’s love Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Thank you for doing it all Lord Jesus!!
 
While I believe that we are saved when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, but it doesn’t end there.
OSAS is not a free pass to sin, it is a way of life. To follow Jesus and to do as He would in your daily life is how we are saved. When one truly accepts Jesus as his/her Saviour then one, begins to live Christ-like. When I stumble and fall as we all do, I always ask God for His forgivness.
If this is not the case, and that person continues to lead a sinful life, then that person did not truly accept Jesus as his Saviour:hmmm:
 
While I believe that we are saved when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, but it doesn’t end there.
OSAS is not a free pass to sin, it is a way of life. To follow Jesus and to do as He would in your daily life is how we are saved. When one truly accepts Jesus as his/her Saviour then one, begins to live Christ-like. When I stumble and fall as we all do, I always ask God for His forgivness.
If this is not the case, and that person continues to lead a sinful life, then that person did not truly accept Jesus as his Saviour:hmmm:
I agree. **1 JOHN **is the acid test to find out if you really are saved. If you do stray for a time your Father in Heaven will chasten you to get back on the narrow road. REVELATION 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” That’s how we know we are His and He is ours. It’s awsome, it’s just like a Father, son relationship. If a father truley loves his son he will correct him and help lead him back on the right path.

Jonathan
 
People who claim that only a few will be saved are going to have a hard time reconciling their view with this verse:
Rev 7:9–After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands…(NKJV)
(See also Rev. 19:1 and 19:6)
 
Don’t you understand that the only sacrafice God can accept is one that is Holy, sinless, righteous and Followed the Law perfectly. He can’t even look on sin, he is Holy. That is why Jesus sacrafice is the only one that he accepts, you either accept that fact or you take on the second death yourself.

Eternal life is given as a GIFT of God’s grace and mercy to sinners who deserve condemnation. Without possession of this wonderful gift, man is eternally separated from God and will suffer everlasting punishment 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our almighty and sovereign God is holy and righteous and must punish sin. Everyone who is born in this world is conceived in sin, and is born a sinner and comes under the judgment of God
Eternal life is FREE because the Lord Jesus Christ paid the ransom for our redemption with His shed blood. Jesus, the sinless Savior, suffered the wrath of God, paying the death penalty that God demands of sinners 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life by obeying and fulfilling the law of God Colossians 2:14 “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Since perfect righteousness is necessary to enter heaven Revelation 21:27 “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” and since it is impossible for sinners to become righteous on their own, God offers us the righteousness of His Son as a GIFT to those who come to Him with empty hands of faith **Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” ** God justifies the wicked when they put their faith in the only righteous one – Jesus Christ Romans 4:5 “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,” Everyone God justifies, He ultimately glorifies Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” The GIFT of eternal life can only be received by repentance **Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” ** and faith John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." This gift is eternally secure because God’s gifts are irrevocable Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Salvation can only be received by grace, God’s unmerited favor 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 of works, lest anyone should boast.” It cannot be merited by righteous deeds because anyone who works to earn acceptance before God nullifies the grace of God Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” When we die we will be in the presence of God 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Those who receive Jesus Christ by grace through faith are adopted into God’s eternal family and nothing can ever separate them from God’s love Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Thank you for doing it all Lord Jesus!!
AMEN!!!
 
While I believe that we are saved when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, but it doesn’t end there.
OSAS is not a free pass to sin, it is a way of life. To follow Jesus and to do as He would in your daily life is how we are saved. When one truly accepts Jesus as his/her Saviour then one, begins to live Christ-like. When I stumble and fall as we all do, I always ask God for His forgivness.
If this is not the case, and that person continues to lead a sinful life, then that person did not truly accept Jesus as his Saviour:hmmm:
AMEN!!!
 
People who claim that only a few will be saved are going to have a hard time reconciling their view with this verse:

(See also Rev. 19:1 and 19:6)
Well, I think there will apparently be few in God’s eyes. There rae 6 billion people on the earth now but how many have there been in total? No one knows. And how many more people will be born before Christ comes back–who knows:shrug:

So the number probably is few compared to the total amount of people God will have created before it is all said and done:shrug:
 
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