Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Will people 'make heaven' because they have no sins?
 First, there's nothing like making heaven in scriptures. I know some use it without any 'works' mentality but for the purpose of accuracy, we'll do well to see what scriptures teach on this. You don't make heaven, you're born there!
At John 3:3 Jesus speaks of being born again as the access into the kingdom of God. At John 1:11-13, those who believe are described as those who are born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Being born of God is salvation. Now, this birth is supernatural and happens where Christ Himself is - Heaven. This is why we are called citizens of heaven.
Philippians 3:20; 'But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour.' NLT
So, we aren't candidates of heaven but citizens. It's a birthright not a reward for good living. It's our city. That's where we are in the spirit, bodily present in this world.

Hebrews 12:22; 'But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.'
We are described as seated in the heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6; ''and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ.''
You see, if you're in Christ, you're already where Christ is - heaven! For there's a union.
1 Corinthians 6:17; 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.'
You can't be joined to the Lord, one spirit, and then be anywhere else than where He is. For Christ is the Head and the church, His Body. The Body is where the Head is. Now this is a very simple way to see it. So, what's the qualification for being in heaven? Is it having no sins at all? This may be one of the toughest truths of the truth to swallow for someone who has been raised with false teaching all his life as a believer, or even before ever being saved as a religious person regularly parading the corridors of church.
Read this clear statement -
The ONLY person that will be in heaven on the last day without sins is Christ. Every other person will be there with their sins forgiven. This is what the bible teaches!
See what Peter the Apostle tells us to rest our hope on fully as we await the second coming.

1 Peter 1:13; 'Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ...'
What will be brought to us at His revelation? Grace! And if it's by grace it's not of works.

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.'
In case you didn't understand that, see the NLT version. It simplifies it. "And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is--free and undeserved."
So, if Peter says we should rest our hope fully upon the grace of Christ at His appearing, He's saying we should expect free and undeserving kindness. The only qualification is to be in Christ by faith.
Jude puts it this way -
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 21.
It's mercy we are expecting, not condemnation or damnation. Christ isn't coming back to fish for your sins if you are a believer, but to save you totally from this sin ruled world and the flesh itself by the redemption of your body (Romans 8:23).
So, heaven is for all those who don't deserve to be there by their efforts but have put their trust in Christ, the Saviour. This is salvation. David describes such man as blessed!

Romans 4:7-8; "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."
If sin is not imputed (i.e. Reckoned, charged to, for punishment), how would you punish people for it? If sins are covered, they are covered. Now, Jesus didn't just cover sin, He took it away! John 1:29; 'The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'
In Christ, sins aren't recorded. There will be no big screen in heaven playing all the wrongs of the saints. Sins aren't documented!

2 Corinthians 5:19; 'that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation.'
In Christ, sins aren't recorded but forgiven. All sins, past, present and future. Outside Christ sins remain and judgement reserved. But in Christ, the enmity is broken and we have God's love covering a multitude of sins - '...for love will cover a multitude of sins.' (1 Peter 4:8).
At
Hebrews 8:12; 'For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
The word 'remember' there means to bear in mind so as to punish or reward. It's not that God has short memory that He cannot remember sins or that He cannot see when we err but that He doesn't repay according to our sins but according to the sacrifice of Christ for our sins. God doesn't impute sins in Christ! Heaven is for those whose sins have been forgiven not for those who have no sins.
Sometimes, it's interesting that some preachers admit no one is perfect in themselves yet they preach human perfection as the qualification for heaven. Something is missing. The only perfection that qualifies is the perfection of Christ!

Hebrews 10:14; 'For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.'
Did you see 'perfected'? It's in past tense. And it's His offering, not your good works. Good works are fruits of salvation not the cause of it, neither do they sustain salvation. Christ saves and keeps safe by His salvation.
Hebrews 7:25; 'Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.'
Salvation to the uttermost based on Christ's eternal intercession! This is the ONLY hope of being in heaven with Christ . glory to Jesus GAGT



0 comments:

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Search This Blog

Business

Popular Posts