CONDITIONS OF ENTRY INTO HEAVEN
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY INTO HEAVEN
'CP' denotes 'compare passage'
Christians must never take their faith or their salvation for granted thinking they qualify for heaven simply because they believe in God and have faith in Jesus and His atoning blood to save them. Faith alone will not get anyone to heaven. There are many conditions of entry into heaven laid down in scripture which must be complied with before anyone can enter in. While the benefits of the gospel are solely on the basis of personal choice, complying with the conditions for appropriating those benefits are part of the cost of that choice. Salvation is a paradox - it is both free and costly. Free, because Jesus has already paid for it with His life's blood, yet there is a cost in terms of its impact upon those who would follow Jesus. Jesus' followers are called disciples, and if anyone does not conform to the standards Jesus has laid down for discipleship, they will forfeit their place in heaven and have no part in God's eternal kingdom (CP Lu 14:34-35).
This is called the parable of savourless salt. It is the last of three parables Jesus told in Lu 14 to impress upon His followers the qualifications of discipleship. This is a stern warning to Christians to not only be hearers of God's word, but to be doers also. Jesus likens Christians to salt, which seasons and preserves. Christians are to be seasoning agents in society to counteract the corrupt world system. Those who no longer contain the characteristics to withstand the corrupt world system are like salt that has lost its seasoning and preserving qualities; they no longer fulfil God's purpose. And like salt that has lost its flavour no longer has any value, they too are no longer of any value. It is not enough to hear God's word; it must be put into practice (CP Mt 5:13; Mk 9:49-50).
This clearly refutes the teaching in the church that once saved means always saved. If it were not possible for once-saved Christians to fail God's grace, then these scriptures and the others which follow that teach the same thing, would not be in the bible. There must be no confusion in the minds of Christians as to what Jesus really means when He said: "follow me" (CP Lu 14:26-27). The word hate here is an idiom of preference. It does not mean that Christians are to literally hate their parents and family members, but that they are to love them less than they love Jesus (CP Mt 10:37-39). What this teaches is that there must be no consideration given to family ties that would deflect Christians from total consecration to the service of God and complete surrender to the authority of Jesus. Christians must not be centred on family or self. They must live lives of self-abnegation, renouncing all worldly pleasures and selfish ambitions, denying all self-gratifying desires, and continue willing to self-sacrificially serve God daily to end of their earthly life. Not only when it suits them or when it is convenient or popular, but also when it does not suit them, and it is inconvenient and unpopular (CP Mt 16:24; Mk 8:34; Lu 9:23). Christians have to put the interests of God's kingdom above all else and subjugate all selfish desires and pleasures that are contrary to God's word (CP Col 3:1-4).
There can be no compromise because the choice between Christians denying themselves, and living for their own selfish desires, has to be made daily. And that choice will determine their eternal destiny - heaven or hell. These seem to be harsh conditions, but Jesus has laid them down and no one can enter into heaven any other way. This is what Jesus means in Lu 9:23 when he said; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me". What Jesus is teaching here is very plain to understand, and it must be heeded (CP Mt 10:39; 16:25; Mk 8:35-37; Lu 9:24-25). He that findeth his life shall lose it; He that loses his life for my sake, shall find it means that whoever lives a life of self-gratification will lose it - they will forfeit their place in heaven. Whoever puts to death the sinful deeds of the body, will ensure their place in heaven (CP Ro 8:12-13; 1Cor 6:9-11; Eph 4:20-32; Col 3:5-10). If through fear for any reason Christians deny Jesus, He will also deny them before God, and they will be damned for eternity (CP Mk 8:38; Lu 9:26; 2Ti 2:11-12; Rev 21:8). The fearful in Rev 21:8 are professing Christians whose fear of man overrides their loyalty to Christ and the truth of His word. Their personal feelings and status among men mean more to them than proclaiming God's word and witnessing to His saving grace. Fearful means to be timid, afraid, faint-hearted. Jesus placed these first among those consigned to the lake of fire - the final destiny of all the wicked who ever lived - because they profess to be Christians, but they compromise God's word rather than proclaim it (CP Psa 119:46; Mt 10: 32-33; 13:20-21; Rev 3:5).
Now let us look at the first and second parables of the three Jesus told in Lu 14 to impress upon His followers the qualifications of discipleship. The first is in V28-30 (CP Lu 14:28-30). This is called the parable of the tower builder. Here Jesus illustrates the absurdity of following Him without first counting the cost. Only manifestly true Christians - those who start and finish their journey with Christ - will have part in His eternal kingdom (CP 1Jn 2:13-17; 4:4; 5:4-5; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 12:10-11). The second of the parables in Lu 14 is found in V31-33 (CP Lu 14:31-33). This is called the parable of a king going to war. Here Jesus illustrates the impossibility of being saved unless one forsakes all for Him. The word forsaketh in V33 means to bid farewell, to assign to a different place, to take leave of, to dismiss, renounce. It carries the notion here of putting something aside to prevent it becoming a hindrance or gaining excessive control. V33 is one of the most misunderstood verses in scripture. Most Christians believe that it means they have to be willing to forsake all for Jesus, but Jesus said they must forsake all for Him (CP Mk 10:17-27). The rich young ruler here wanted to be saved - he came running to Jesus and knelt before Him but he did not get saved because he would not forsake all for Jesus. This does not mean that Christians have to sell or dispose of their wealth and possessions as a condition of salvation, but that they must place all their wealth and possessions at the service of God once they are saved.
Unless Christians forsake all for Jesus they will have no part in His heavenly kingdom (CP Lu 9:57-62). These passages teach above all else that anything less than total consecration to the service of God, and complete surrender to the authority of Jesus eliminates one from the kingdom of heaven. The first incident teaches that emotional enthusiasm that has not considered the cost of abandoning material security to follow Jesus, is insufficient to get one into heaven by Christ's standards. The second incident teaches that loyalty to Christ must take precedence over all other loyalties. Following Christ must take priority over everything else. Jesus is not being insensitive to the propriety of funerals here, but is teaching against putting off the work of God "... but go thou and preach the kingdom of God". Christians have the urgent task of proclaiming the gospel to those who are lost (CP 2Ti 4:1-2). This is more important than arranging funerals for spiritually dead people who have died. The third incident teaches that once they commence in the service of God, Christians cannot turn away. Service to God demands their undivided attention, and if they are not prepared to single-mindedly serve God, they will forfeit their place in heaven (CP Mt 12:30).
Jesus is teaching here that there is no neutrality in Christianity. If Christians are not actively involved in doing God's work for Jesus, then they are actively involved in doing the work of the devil against Him. As stated at the beginning of this study, merely believing in God, and having faith in Christ and His atoning blood will not get anyone to heaven. Only faith acted upon to produce works will ensure a place in heaven once Christians have committed their way to Christ (CP Mt 5:16; Jn 15:8; Eph 2:10). The only faith that can save is that demonstrated by works. Works are the outworking of God's word in Christians (CP Jas 1:22-25). This is directed to those in the church who profess faith in Christ and His atoning blood, believing that is all that is necessary for salvation. V22 clearly refutes that thinking "... but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." This means that whoever thinks that faith alone will get them to heaven are deluding themselves thinking they are saved (CP Jas 2:14-26). Just believing in God will get no one to heaven - demons also believe in God. But they are not going to heaven.
Christians are not justified by works, but because they are justified by faith, they do the works. This proves their consecration to the service of God and yieldedness to the authority of Jesus. Christian works are acts of faith, which means they flow from faith or are combined with faith. Faith and works cannot be separated (CP Tit 3:8; He 11:17-19; Jas 2:21-25). Every act of obedience to God's word is an act of faith and works combined to maintain the Christian's justification before God. Abraham demonstrated his faith by his works. He believed God and acted on that belief and proved his faith. Had he not obeyed, it would have demonstrated that he had no faith in God or His word (CP Gen 22:1-18). Abraham's faith was made perfect in God's sight by his works - being prepared to sacrifice Isaac as an act of obedience to God. God expects the same of everyone who says they believe in Him and His word. If Christians do not act out what they say they believe, then they are in fact repudiating God's word, and in effect calling Him a liar (CP 1 Jn 5:10). Those who say they believe in God and His word, and do not act out that faith, will forfeit their place in God's eternal kingdom. Faith without works is dead faith, and it will produce neither salvation nor anything else that is good (CP Ro 14:23; He 3:12, 19; 4:1-2; 11:6). It is futile for Christians to think they are saved and going to heaven who profess faith in God's word, but their actions mirror unbelief. They are only deluding themselves thinking they please God yet are not walking in faith and trusting implicitly in His word. God has obligated Himself only to save those with faith "… but without faith it is impossible to please Him …" (CP Mt 7:21-27; Ro 2:13).
No one will be saved who is not doing the work of God's word. Many bible commentators teach that hearers who are not doers of God's word have never been truly converted to Christ, and that the miracles they claim to have done are of the devil - not God. But that is not correct for only spirit-filled Christians can cast out demons, prophesy, and do wonderful works "in Jesus' name" (CP Mk 16:17-20; Jn 14:10-14; Ac 2:16-18 (Joel 2:28-29); 1Cor 12:1-11). Those to whom Christ referred in Mt 7:21-27 are Christians who will forfeit their place in heaven for failing to persevere in faith (CP 2Ti 4:10; Rev 2:1, 4-5; 2:12, 14-16; 2:18, 20-23; 3:1, 2-3; 3:14-19).
Christians have not been given the light of divine truth to keep it to themselves. It must be outworked in their lives for all to see and hear (CP Mt 5:14-16; Mk 4:21-25; Lu 8:16-18; 11:33-36). These scriptures all teach the parable of the lighted candle. While they may vary slightly to some extent, the core teaching is the same: Jesus is admonishing Christians to put into practice what they hear. It is not to be hidden, but used in the service of God. What Christians do with the truth they receive will determine whether or not they will be given more or lose that which they already have, and forfeit their place in heaven as well (CP Mt 25:14-30). This is called the parable of the talents. What it teaches has a double application also, like the parable of the lighted candle: what Christians receive in the future kingdom of heaven will be determined by what they possess of the kingdom now. The basic teaching is that God has given every Christian spiritual gifts and graces according to their respective abilities and that these gifts and graces must be put to use in God's service (CP Ro 12:3-8; 1Cor 12:1-31; 2Cor 5:18-20; Eph 4:7-16; 1Pe 4:7-11). God means Christians to use these gifts for the extension of His kingdom - they are not for Christians' profit but for God's. Christians who do not use their gift or grace for God's glory are symbolized by the slothful servant in the parable who hid his master's talent in the ground.
There is a tendency among some bible scholars to downplay the punishment the slothful servant received. They teach that symbolically it compares only to loss of rewards in heaven or that outer darkness simply refers to the outer limits of heaven. But that is not correct. Hell is alluded to many times in the New Testament in association with darkness (CP Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 2Pe 2:4, 17; Jude 6,13). The plain teaching in these scriptures is that all the places of punishment associated with darkness refer to hell, not the outer limits of heaven, nor merely loss of rewards in heaven. There will be no darkness, and no weeping or wailing and gnashing of teeth in heaven (CP Ro 14:17; Rev 21:4, 23). The slothful servant was not punished because he failed to return a profit to his master, but because underlying his failure to return a profit, was his prior intention not to even invest his master's money (CP Mt 25:24-25). The servant's intention not to invest his master's money is reminiscent of the guest in the parable of the marriage feast in Mt 22 who predetermined not to put on a wedding garment (CP Mt 22:2-14). The king, having to turn to other guests, both bad and good, to take part in the marriage feast, illustrates God turning to all men, and not to Jews only, to be a part of His kingdom. Notwithstanding though that anyone at all could take part in the marriage feast, those who did were under the King's authority and had to comply with the conditions of entry he had laid down. They had to wear a wedding garment, and the other guests all complied with that condition except this man (CP Mt 22:11-12). In the Greek construction of this passage it shows that not only was the man not wearing a wedding garment, but that he had no intention of even putting one on. He wanted to partake of the king's provision, but on his terms, not the king's. This was a gross insult to the king, accounting his authority for nothing. The man's punishment was the same as the slothful servant's in the parable of the talents.
Jesus is teaching us here that in the present earthly aspect of the kingdom of heaven there are many professing Christians like the wedding guest. They want to partake of the kingdom benefits, but on their terms also, not God's. Wearing the wedding garment in the parable and being yielded to the authority of the king, is symbolic of Christians being completely yielded to Christ in continued obedience to God's word. Thus, if Christians are not doing the work of God's word, they cannot partake of His kingdom benefits, and just as the man without a wedding garment in the parable could not partake of the feast and was cast into outer darkness, so Christians who are not totally consecrated to the service of God and completely yielded to the authority of Jesus will be cast into hell. The punishment the wedding guest here and the slothful servant in the parable of the talents received is synonymous with unfaithful Christians being cast into hell.
It cannot be stressed enough that Christians merely believing in God and professing faith in Christ and His atoning blood to save them, will not make it to heaven (CP Lu 19:11-26). This is called the parable of the pounds. It sets out what Christians are to do in the time preceding Christ's return. The word occupy (KJV), means be busy, do business, trade with. This is a specific command which has to be obeyed. The pound which all the nobleman's servants alike were given, symbolizes the word of God which all Christians alike have been given (CP 2Cor 5:17-19). As the servants had to trade with the pound for the nobleman's profit, so too Christians have to do the work of God's word for the advancement of His kingdom. The servant who hid his pound had the same reason for not investing it as the slothful servant in the parable of the talents, who hid his talent. They both lost what they had and suffered the same punishment. The simple teaching in these parables is that worthy Christians will be rewarded: unworthy Christians will be punished - doers of the word will go to heaven while merely hearers will be cast into hell (CP Jn 15:1-6).
Here Jesus likens Christians to the branches of a fruit-bearing vine. There can be no mistaking what Jesus is teaching here: fruitless Christians - like branches that bear no fruit are cut off from the vine and burned - will be cut off, severed from God and cast into hell. Christians' fruitfulness is a result of Christ's life being reproduced in them, but they must abide in Him to be fruitful. To abide in Christ means to be totally consecrated to the service of God and completely surrendered to the authority of Jesus (CP Jn 8:31-32; 14:15, 21; 15:10, 14; 1Cor 7:19; 1Jn 2:3-6, 24; 5:2-3). As the vine is the source of life for the branches, so Christ is the source of life for Christians. Christ demands that Christians' fruit be commensurate with what He has invested in them (CP Jn 15:16; Eph 2:10; 2Ti 3:16-17; Tit 2:14). God has ordained Christians to serve Him and He expects every one of them to bear fruit for Him (CP Php 2:12). This is not teaching salvation by works, but that Christians are individually responsible for obedience to God's word in the process of sanctification - being set apart for God (CP Mt 6:19-20; Jn 6:27; 2Cor 13:5; 1Ti 6:17-19; 2Pe 1:10; Jude 1-3). Fear and trembling in Php 2:12 refers to the attitude with which Christians are to pursue their sanctification. It involves a healthy fear of offending God, and a dread of sinning against Him and the consequences that may follow (CP Psa 2:11-12; 13:1-5; 85:9; 119:119-120; Pr 3:7-8; 9:10; 14:27; 16:6; Ecc 12:13; Isa 66:1-2; Lu 12:4-5; 1Cor 9:26-27; 10:12-14; Eph 6:5-8; He 6:4-6; 10:26-31). While Christians are responsible for working out their own salvation, it is God who actually produces the good works and the fruit in their lives (CP Hos 14:8; Jn 15:4-5; 1Cor 12:6; 2Cor 3:5; Php 2:13; 1Ti 1:12). Of course God can only produce good works and fruit in those who are abiding in Christ.