GOING TO HEAVEN
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life (Mt.19:16)?
Without question heaven is a beautiful place. Most people express a desire to go there rather then the alternative. Some even express the thought that everyone is going to go there if they believe in God. The one who came to Jesus (in the above scripture) seemed to be aware of the necessity of doing something before he could inherit eternal life. Notice the question, "good master, what good thing shall I DO, that I may have eternal life?"
The gift of eternal life (heaven) is not free. Yes, we are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus", but that refers to our not being entitled to salvation. We were all sinners before Christ died to make salvation available to all men (Rom. 5:8). Salvation is available, but not free. Paul said it this way: "let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal.6:9).
Those who listened to Peter's sermon on Pentecost realized there was something they must do. They "said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do"? (Acts 2:37) After being rebuked by Jesus for following him for the wrong reason the people asked, "what shall we do, that we might work the works of God"? (Jno. 6:28) The jailor in Philippi asked Paul " Sirs, what must I do to be saved"? Paul, in explaining his conversion, said that he had told the Gentiles to "do works meet for repentance." Paul urged the Philippines "those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil 4:9). Early in his teaching Jesus told his audience "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Mt.7:21).
We could go on, but by now I think you see the point. Many say that only belief (faith) is required to go to heaven, but it is evident that is a false doctrine. Yes, faith is necessary because it is the basis of everything else we do, but it is not the only thing required. Read your bible and make a list of the many things required of us if we want to go to heaven.
Jack