Who did Jesus say will attain heaven?

[PJM]

Friend,

Who did Jesus himself say would get to heaven? Can we actually know?

 

[bmonk]

As I recall, Jesus didn’t even answer whether many or few would attain heaven.

The answer doesn’t help us.

If many will make it, why bother to work at it? It’s easy to get in.

If few will make it, why bother to work at it? It’s probably too hard anyway.

The question he does answer is in Luke 13: 23-24: 'Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. . . ." ’

But, as far as your question: Who will attain heaven? Those who are born from above, as Jesus tells Nicodemus. (John 3:7). As we understand it, those who accept Jesus and his Gospel will (generally) embrace the Church he left us as an aid, and so will be baptized, hence, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." (Jn 3:5)

We do not say that this is the only possible way to reach heaven, since we do not limit God’s mercy. But we do believe that the way to go is to use the means God gave us.

 

[PJM]

=bmonk;8463317]As I recall, Jesus didn’t even answer whether many or few would attain heaven.

The answer doesn’t help us.

If many will make it, why bother to work at it? It’s easy to get in.

If few will make it, why bother to work at it? It’s probably too hard anyway.

The question he does answer is in Luke 13: 23-24: 'Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. . . ." ’

But, as far as your question: Who will attain heaven? Those who are born from above, as Jesus tells Nicodemus. (John 3:7). As we understand it, those who accept Jesus and his Gospel will (generally) embrace the Church he left us as an aid, and so will be baptized, hence, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." (Jn 3:5)

We do not say that this is the only possible way to reach heaven, since we do not limit God’s mercy. But we do believe that the way to go is to use the means God gave us.

***OK

So how about Mt. 7:21; or Mt. 19:17 or, or, or?*** and what does “our understanding” have to do with singular truths?

God Bless you!
Pat

 

[Monte_RCMS]

There is an element of uncertainty.

I heard on the radio a quote from Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: “When I get to Heaven, there will be three surprises: The first surprise is that there are some people there, who I NEVER expected to see there. The second surprise is that there are some people missing, not there, who I felt absolutely certain WOULD be there. And the third surprise is that I am there.”

My personal hope is that … following the Miracle at the Marriage Feast at Cana … when Jesus did what His Mother told him to do … in fact, she did not even TELL Him … she “insinuated” or inveigled, Him … to “do something”. So, “maybe” if I am nice to His Mother, then maybe she will intervene in my behalf at some point.

I talk to Jesus a LOT … “what do you want me to do” … that sort of thing.

And I do that thing, … kneeling at the back of the church, saying over and over, “Lord, Have mercy on me, a sinner”.

And, improbably, the first Saint of the Christian Church was a sociopathic killer … we know him as St. Dismas.

So, there is hope for me. Maybe.

But unlike Dismas, I have to work at it every day.

 

[bmonk]

***OK

So how about Mt. 7:21; or Mt. 19:17 or, or, or?*** and what does “our understanding” have to do with singular truths?

God Bless you!
Pat

Yeah, keep the commandments. However, how successful are you at that?

I mean, even with just two: Love God with your whole heart and strength and soul and mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself. Impossible, without grace!

And the best way to open yourself to grace is, as I said, to use the tools God gave us. To set out on a journey across country without a map, or money, or transportation would be foolish. Similarly, I call it foolish to try to get to God without using the means he gave us: the Scriptures, and the Church.

 

[stevekehl]

No one can attain heaven. It is only through the grace extended by God through His sacrificed Son that we are allowed to enter.

 

[Sherry_G]

No one can attain heaven. It is only through the grace extended by God through His sacrificed Son that we are allowed to enter.

ONe definition of the word ‘attain’ is: To arrive at. Are you saying no one will arrive there?

 

[TimothyH]

No one can attain heaven. It is only through the grace extended by God through His sacrificed Son that we are allowed to enter.

There are many reasons however, why we may be denied entry.

God places clear demands on us as prerequisties for our entry. Perfect cleanliness and freedom from any stain of sin is one. Thanks be to God for Purgatory! That those who do not do the will of the Father will not be permitted to enter heaven is a clear teaching of Christ himself as is the strict requirement for baptism. Paul lays out a clear list of behaviors which will prohibit our entry into heaven - idolitry, adultery, etc.

Assuming that entry into heaven is conditioned only on Jesus’ death is a dangerous place to be. There is a difference between redemption and salvation. Jesus redeemed us - purchased the right to save us. We have a part to play in order to be saved and that part is clearly stated in scripture.

-Tim-

 

[PJM]

=Monte RCMS;8463473]There is an element of uncertainty.

I heard on the radio a quote from Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: “When I get to Heaven, there will be three surprises: The first surprise is that there are some people there, who I NEVER expected to see there. The second surprise is that there are some people missing, not there, who I felt absolutely certain WOULD be there. And the third surprise is that I am there.”

My personal hope is that … following the Miracle at the Marriage Feast at Cana … when Jesus did what His Mother told him to do … in fact, she did not even TELL Him … she “insinuated” or inveigled, Him … to “do something”. So, “maybe” if I am nice to His Mother, then maybe she will intervene in my behalf at some point.

I talk to Jesus a LOT … “what do you want me to do” … that sort of thing.

And I do that thing, … kneeling at the back of the church, saying over and over, “Lord, Have mercy on me, a sinner”.

And, improbably, the first Saint of the Christian Church was a sociopathic killer … we know him as St. Dismas.

So, there is hope for me. Maybe.

But unlike Dismas, I have to work at it every day.

**Very SAGE advice my friend. THANKS, **

May God Blessings continue in abundance for you and yours.

Mother PLEASE lead us to your son; Jesus,

Pat

 

[PJM]

=bmonk;8463510]Yeah, keep the commandments. However, how successful are you at that?

I mean, even with just two: Love God with your whole heart and strength and soul and mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself. Impossible, without grace!

And the best way to open yourself to grace is, as I said, to use the tools God gave us. To set out on a journey across country without a map, or money, or transportation would be foolish. Similarly, I call it foolish to try to get to God without using the means he gave us: the Scriptures, and the Church.

True indeed! And you certainly have chosen wisely. BUT is that ALL that the bible teaches? Are the ten commandments the totality [ONLY 10] of sins?

God Bless,
Pat

 

[bmonk]

True indeed! And you certainly have chosen wisely. BUT is that ALL that the bible teaches? Are the ten commandments the totality [ONLY 10] of sins?

God Bless,
Pat

Nope–which is why we need help to unpack the commandments we have, and even more to learn to forgive.

It’s odd. Christian morality is not so very different from other moral systems–even the Greek philosophers got to love of others as the greatest and most human expression. (The details do differ.) But where I see our moral system differs is in forgiveness, such as in the Lord’s prayer: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive others who have sinned against us.

In the end, it’s not so much about keeping the commandments perfectly–the Pharisees already tried that route, with 613–but about doing the will of God, and learning to forgive when we do err. (Which is not to say that we should break the commandments with impunity. . . .)

 

[PJM]

=bmonk;8469013]Nope–which is why we need help to unpack the commandments we have, and even more to learn to forgive.

It’s odd. Christian morality is not so very different from other moral systems–even the Greek philosophers got to love of others as the greatest and most human expression. (The details do differ.) But where I see our moral system differs is in forgiveness, such as in the Lord’s prayer: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive others who have sinned against us.

In the end, it’s not so much about keeping the commandments perfectly–the Pharisees already tried that route, with 613–but about doing the will of God, and learning to forgive when we do err. (Which is not to say that we should break the commandments with impunity. . . .)

Right again:thumbsup:

So are there more than a single truth to any precise issue? And what is God’s position on “truth”?

God Bless you,
Pat

 

[thistle]

Friend,

Who did Jesus himself say would get to heaven? **Can we actually know?/**QUOTE]

We cannot know which specific individuals get to Heaven. Only God knows that.
However, objectively we know that anyone who is baptised, Catholic and dies in a state of grace will get to Heaven.

 

[centurionguard]

Friend,

Who did Jesus himself say would get to heaven? Can we actually know?

Jesus did give hints all throughout His ministry.

Naturally following God’s Ten Commandments to the absolute best of ones abilities is a sure start.

When I think of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her mission in life of serving the poor with the genuineness of her heart; this brings to mind Jesus’s Sermon On The Mount and The Beatitudes. Emulating this kind of life seems very worthy to me.
And it starts at the very center of our own families and friends.

True Love Means To Be Willing To Give Until It Hurts.
theworkofgod.org/Saints/Lives/MTeresa.htm

**Love always hurts

It is not enough for us to say, “I love God.” But I also have to love my neighbour. St. John says that you are a liar if you say you love God and you don’t love your neighbour. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your neighbour whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live? And so it is very important for us to realise that love, to be true, has to hurt. I must be willing to give whatever it takes not to harm other people and, in fact, to do good to them. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.

It hurt Jesus to love us. We have been created in his image for greater things, to love and to be loved. We must “put on Christ,” as Scripture tells us. And so we have been created to love as he loves us. Jesus makes himself the hungry one, the naked one, the homeless one, the unwanted one, and he says, “You did it to me.” On the last day he will say to those on his right, “whatever you did to the least of these, you did to me,” and he will also say to those on his left, “whatever you neglected to do for the least of these, you neglected to do it for me.”

When he was dying on the Cross, Jesus said, “I thirst.” Jesus is thirsting for our love, and this is the thirst for everyone, poor and rich alike. We all thirst for the love of others, that they go out of their way to avoid harming us and to do good to us. This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts.
**

newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm

newadvent.org/fathers/16012.htm

 

[fhansen]

The righteous shall enter heaven. Fulfilling the greatest commandments is the way God has created man to be just-with the result of eternal life. Put in other ways, Jesus described human justice in the Sermon on the Mount and also in Matt 25:21-46:

**"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
32 and all the nations 15 will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’
37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
41 Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
**