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Question from a friend of WordTruth Press:
>> A close friend of mine passed away recently. He did not attend
church regularly and did some unholy things in life. But he did seem
to believe in God -- I am just not sure if this included Jesus Christ. He
was a good person who never wanted to hurt anyone. So I am wondering
if because he did not specifically accept Jesus Christ as his Savior, will
he be going to Heaven?
WordTruth Press Response:
Thank you for sharing this situation. I am very sorry for the loss
and the grief you are experiencing right now. And I share your concern
for your friend that he be in Heaven now.
First of all, let us realize that no one can pronounce your friend as saved
or condemned. The Bible makes it clear that no one knows the heart
of a man except God alone (Jeremiah 17:9-10). In the difficult ending
of life, who knows what thoughts a person has toward God. So we must
be careful not to judge the eternal destiny of a person based on our own
limited view of that person's life. Only God has all the facts and
only God will make such a judgment. And we know that God's judgment
-- even if it is to allow a person who has rejected His Son, Jesus Christ,
to go to Hell -- will be perfect, righteous, and just.
Your question is one that has come up in so many different ways but the bottom
line is the same: what does God expect from us that we can go to Heaven?
The Bible is crystal clear on this point. Examine the following verses
prayerfully to see that only through faith in the LORD Jesus Christ will
anyone be saved:
1. You must believe in the LORD Jesus Christ
Jesus said to him, "I am the way,
the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John
14:6, NKJV)
Therefore I [Jesus] said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you
do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24, NKJV)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31, NKJV)
2. Good works are not good enough to get to Heaven -- you must
have the righteousness of Christ:
Therefore you shall be perfect, just
as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48, NKJV)
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. (Ephesians
2:8-9, NKJV)
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. (Romans 11:6, NKJV)
For He made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV)
3. We are justified before God, not men, by faith in the LORD Jesus
Christ.
But now the righteousness of God apart
from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even
the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[8]
who believe. For there is no difference; 23for all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God, 24being justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24, NKJV)
Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from
the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11This is the "stone
which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
12Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12, NKJV)
May the LORD Jesus Christ bless you with His wisdom and the courage to follow
Him!
Randy Lariscy :-)
President - WordTruth Press℠
Copyright 5/26/2003, Randy Lariscy.
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