Article - Not All Who Are Good, Moral, Religious Are Going To Heaven
It is a common thought that as long as you are good, moral and religious, you will enjoy eternal life in heaven. Jesus, however, tells us that not everyone who says to Him, “Lord, Lord” shall enter the kingdom of heaven. So, who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus’ answer: “he who DOES the will of My Father in heaven” (in other words, those who obey Him, Matthew 7:21-23). The rich young ruler was a good, moral and religious man who wanted to inherit eternal life. Yet, when Jesus commanded this young man to sell all (because he trusted in his riches), give to the poor and follow Him, he was not willing to OBEY Jesus (Mark 10:17-25). Another example of a good, moral, religious lost soul is Cornelius. He is described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:1-2). The only problem was that Cornelius had not yet heard the saving message of the gospel so that he might be “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7; Romans 6:17). An angel commanded Cornelius to send for Peter “who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (Acts 11:14). When Cornelius and his household heard these saving words, they believed in Jesus, repented of their sins and were water baptized in the name of the Lord, thus, receiving the remission/forgiveness of their sins (Acts 10:43, 47-48; 11:14, 18). Simply put, Jesus is not the author of eternal salvation to all who are good, moral and religious, but only “to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).
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