Who will enter the kingdom of Heaven?

[gnostic]

It is not a question of who will get to heaven, but how does one get to heaven?

I sort of figure the how.

One would need a map to heaven. But map is no good, if one don't have Heaven Finder 2000 compass. Then one must follow the yellow-brick road, going up and down the hill and...up and down...up and down...and one will naturally have to cross over some red bridges...and under the blue bridges.

If one is lucky that person will find the pearly gates. Of course, the gates may be guarded, but if one comes prepared, he maybe able to bribe St Peter :angel2:with some donuts and six-pack. But if there has been a change-of-guard, then I afraid you are out of luck.

But don't despair. There is another way in. Yes, indeed, there is a pearly backdoor. Not many people know about this door. Not even St Peter.

All one need to do is to go under some yellow bridges, go over some green bridges. Then one need to follow the pink freeway, and then go down the hill, and up the hill... down and up...down and up....and then before you know you come to a rock garden, where the pearly backdoor is.

Of course, to get in, you will need a key....

You didn't bring you lock-pick? Don't worry, the key is under one of these rocks....Oh, yeah, it is under one of these rocks... Yes, I am quite sure that St Andrew left the key somewhere...under acres of rocks...though I don't remember which rock, precisely. This is a rock garden, after all.

You don't want to look for the key? Too much work? Well, I do know another way. It is a pearly trapdoor. To get to the trap door, you need to fol....

SLAP :slap:

Ow!:thud:

 

[Bishka]

No one, because it does not exist. But if it makes you feel good to believe that it does, and that you will eventually enter it, go for it! You won't live to know you were wrong.

No need to be snide or sarcastic about it. Just because you haven't experienced it or felt or believed doesn't make it any less true.

 

[Bishka]

There is no Hell?

Exactly.

 

[doppelganger]

Just because you haven't experienced it or felt or believed doesn't make it any less true.

Actually, it doesn't make it any less "true" for you, but it has no effect one way or the other on whether it is objectively true (i.e. whether it is true whether or not we were here to experience it).

By the same token, that you have "experienced it or felt or believed it" does not make it any more objectively true. But it does make it more "true" for you.

 

[lunamoth]

It is not a question of who will get to heaven, but how does one get to heaven?

I agree. The question is: what is the Way to heaven?

Not by work:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Faith in What?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

What does faith in Jesus look like?

"If you love me, you will obey what I command.

And what is His command?

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

and again:

17This is my command: Love each other.

Trust this: God is Love, Jesus is God, Jesus is the Way. The Way is Love.

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4)

2 c,
luna

 

[retrorich]

But you will live to know you were.

No. I don't believe in life after death. With death, ends awareness,

 

[may]

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. John 3;16 to exercise something we would have to use it, and faith without works is dead

 

[Bishka]

By the same token, that you have "experienced it or felt or believed it" does not make it any more objectively true. But it does make it more "true" for you.

Never said it did.

 

[doppelganger]

Never said it did.

Never said you said it did.

 

[retrorich]

No need to be snide or sarcastic about it. Just because you haven't experienced it or felt or believed doesn't make it any less true.

I wasn't being snide or sarcastic. It was a sincere statement. You need to thicken up your skin a little.

 

[nutshell]

No. I don't believe in life after death. With death, ends awareness,

I know that's what you believe, but just because you don't believe something doesn't mean it's not real.

 

[retrorich]

I know that's what you believe, but just because you don't believe something doesn't mean it's not real.

Of course. I am stating my opinions. Others have different opinions.

 

[Bishka]

I wasn't being snide or sarcastic. It was a sincere statement. You need to thicken up your skin a little.

It is thick darling, I was just saying you needen't be snide or sarcastic in your 'sincere' statements. That's all.

If you really thick I'm thin-skinned, you have got a lot to learn.

 

[Katzpur]

In the true church there is only one teacher and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. All Christians must DO what the teacher had taught to the Apostles.

And after He died, what about the Apostles? Weren't they teachers? Would you have listened to what they said?

Everything is written in the bible.

Really? Where is that written in the Bible (i.e. that everything is written in the Bible)? Would it surprise you to know that John said that if everything Jesus did had been written down, all of the books in the world could not contain it? Proportionately, that's a lot of stuff. Or don't you just think that relatively little of what Jesus said and did was significant enough for it to have been included in the written account of His life and teachings? (BTW, I would appreciate it if, just once, you would respond by explaining in your own words what you believe instead of just posting a couple of dozen scriptures. You know, I believe the Bible is God's Word, too. But we obviously don't interpret it in the same way, so a whole bunch of verses really doesn't help me understand your perspective.)

 

[Katzpur]

No. I don't believe in life after death. With death, ends awareness,

Neither the fact that you don't believe or the fact that I do believe changes anything, retrorich. One of us is right and the other one is wrong. Either we will both live to find out who was right, or neither of us will live to find out who was wrong.

 

[Katzpur]

Eventually? Everyone. Why? Because God loves each one of us, no matter what, God desires each of us to be with God, and searches for us until God finds us. That is God's will.

I beg to differ! I'll go with 99.9999999999%. But your 100% is closer to the truth the the conserative Christian's .0000000001%.

 

[verita]

And after He died, what about the Apostles? Weren't they teachers? Would you have listened to what they said?

Mat 23:8 But you must not be called Rabbi, for One is your teacher, Christ, and you are all brothers.
Jud 1:4 For certain men crept in secretly, those having been of old previously written into this condemnation, ungodly ones perverting the grace of our God for unbridled lust, and denying the only Master, God, even our Lord Jesus

Really? Where is that written in the Bible (i.e. that everything is written in the Bible)? Would it surprise you to know that John said that if everything Jesus did had been written down, all of the books in the world could not contain it? Proportionately, that's a lot of stuff. Or don't you just think that relatively little of what Jesus said and did was significant enough for it to have been included in the written account of His life and teachings? (BTW, I would appreciate it if, just once, you would respond by explaining in your own words what you believe instead of just posting a couple of dozen scriptures. You know, I believe the Bible is God's Word, too. But we obviously don't interpret it in the same way, so a whole bunch of verses really doesn't help me understand your perspective.)

Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
1Co 14:37 If anyone thinks to be a prophet, or a spiritual one, let him recognize the things I write to you, that they are a commandment of the Lord.

1Co 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

Pro 30:6 Do not add to His Words, lest He reprove you and you be found a liar.

What I mean of “everything” is everything needed for salvation is already written.


God bless you.

 

[Bishka]

Pro 30:6 Do not add to His Words, lest He reprove you and you be found a liar.

What I mean of “everything” is everything needed for salvation is already written.

Which words/

That proverb is found in the Jewish scriptures and could mean a heck of a lot.

The are many interpretations to it, how do you know that yours is right? it could be wrong.

 

[retrorich]

It is thick darling, I was just saying you needen't be snide or sarcastic in your 'sincere' statements. That's all.

Where do you get off calling a person of my age "darling"?

If you really thick I'm thin-skinned, you have got a lot to learn.

You think I'm thick? That is really thickening! If you think I have a lot to learn, wait till you've lived for 65 years, as I have. By that time, you just might have learned what learning is all about.

 

[Katzpur]

Verita,

Just never mind. If all you can do is list a bunch of scriptures, don't even waste your time.