Christians, why wouldn't good deeds alone get you into heaven?

Question

Okay rules: Don't quote the bible, and say 'cause the bible says so. What was Jesus' reasoning for this. I understand I do "sin." But the good in my life, far outways the bad. How can your loving saviour send me to hell and be okay with it. On what grounds should I spend eternity in hell. And for those who are going to say why should I be accept into the Kingdom of someone I don't accept, let me tell you why. If I were God/Jesus and a man came to me and said, "I'm sorry I didn't believe in you, but your followers are confused, the book they follow is full of contradictions, they have done many horrible things in your name, and there is so many different religions it was tough to believe in you. But, I have lived a good life, done well, and tried my hardest to help others, be humble, and love everyone. Please don't sent me to eternal damnation."

Me (playing God): "Good point, welcome to heaven"
Real god: "Too bad, wear sunscreen in hell"

Are you getting why we don't get it yet?

You keep saying this life is a gift from God, and we should spend our whole lives paying him back. How about the kid who was raped by his father, and used drugs to calm the pain. Now he's on the street freezing to death, hugging a thin blanket and a crack pipe. How should we repay God for the gift God gave him, there's too many holes in what you are saying. Why can't this life be lived for the people living here and now, why is that so crazy, I still don't get it, oh and I said don't quote the bible because I have read it, I get what it says, i just don't understand why that has to be the way.

Answer 1

I agree, being compassionate and helping others is probably more helpful than sitting in church every week. I think it is funny that people who have helped others so much would be damned, when others think that it is so easy - they just have to repent before they die and they're in!

Answer 2

But doing good deeds is simply doing your duty; you are not paying God back for anything. If doing bad is simply a lack of doing good, then how can a good deed make up for a bad one? If a cop pulls you over for speeding, can you get out of a ticket by saying, "well, at least I didn't rob anyone". It is good that you didn't rob anyone (if you had, then that would make two bad things that you did, instead of one), but doing a good thing (being honest) doesn't pay the fine for the other bad thing (speeding) because you were supposed to do both -- not either or. You cannot pay God back for sin. That is the ultimate in human arrogance -- that we can actually give God anything to make up for all of the grief that we have caused him.

Besides, the Bible says (yes I know that you asked for no quotes, but without one, I have no basis for what I say about God), that none of our deeds are good anyway, because our motives are mixed at best. Even our good deeds are partially evil. Even when we are doing something good, we are still committing a sin of some sort that has to be made up for somehow, so we are simply digging our hole deeper.

Answer 3

You can work all you want, do all the good deeds you want, but if you do not believe in GOD, it is for naught. There are many different Religions for a reason, using that as one of your excuses is lame. I wouldent expect someone in Cairo to believe in the same things I do, and worship as I do. God himself spread man across the face of the earth, so it is natural there is many different languages and just as natural there would be even more different Religions as man thinks differently. And the contradictions you refer to in the Bible, aren't really contradictions. Just different books of the Bible written by different men with a different point of view. And in the days of the Bible, things were done differently, very differently. We no longer live in those times and are NOT expected to live like they did back then. On judgement day, if someone were to say what you wrote , God might say you did good works, but, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven you must have turned your life over to Jesus, you must have BELIEVED.

Answer 4

I have trouble with the Good Deeds/works doctrine because how would you know when you are "good enough". Where is the plumb line. I think it is safe to say that when considering how "good" we are, most of us compare ourselves to people "worse" then we are. For instance: "well, I never murdered anyone" or "at least I didn't hurt them like so and so".
What is the standard for goodness to enter Heaven was someone like Mother Theresa or Ghandi? The where would our souls be?

The advantage Chrisitanity has is that it says no one is good enough. The standard is perfection and Jesus is the only perfect one. Jesus came to bridge the gap and we have entry into Heaven under His mantel.

The only thing God cannot forgive is unbelief in Him. And here's the great thing. GOD is PERFECT in His judgements, His mercey, His love, and his justice. Therefore, He cannot make a wrong decision.

I think, the issue humans have trouble with is that in order for God to be perfect He must hold us accountable and sins must be punished...otherwise He is not perfect. Jesus took our punishment and our debt is paid.

Think of a judge who lets the gulity go free without fine or penalty simply becuase they threw themselves on the mercy of the court and said they were sorry. Would that judge be fair? just? No.

Answer 5

Does it really matter if a higher being is watching you? Do people have to be monitored 24/7 to be a human being. No matter what your religion, even if you have none you must see that ultimately we are responsible for our own actions and our own choices we make. Yeppers, this last year and a half could have set me back 20 years or so and started drinking and doing drugs but I CHOOSE not too, there's that free will again. Funny, he gave it to us but took it from his angels...no wonder Beelzebub and the rest are mad. For me, since my Mother died, a devote believer, I've started to drift back toward the church...I may not really care about heaven or hell but if there is a heaven that's where she is and I can't imagine eternity without her...so I'll roll the dice...what's to lose? I either go to heaven and sing with my Mom, or I get reincarnated because I screwed up yet another life, I'll be a grim reaper, since my family's dropping like flies, I figure I'll be last and then I get to reap for a couple centuries (I love that show Dead Like Me) or I'll screw up at the last minute and go to hell and see many old stoners and drunks and my still living in-laws. Or I'll just drift upon Lake Michigan with my Hubby's ashes waiting for the next Ice Age. Or I'll be "Left Behind" like that movie. Time will tell I suppose, time and myself, because in the end, it's my actions and my choices that will put me wherever the "Grand Design" has knitted up for me. The burden you put upon yourself should not be hoisted on any one else's shoulders. May your good deeds "outweigh" not outway the bad, if not say hi to my sister in law. She'll be the one with her thieving son who stole all my husbands tools, money though out the last 2 years of his life and his medication which hastened his death. However, I still forgive them. It hurts and I probably be a long time forgetting but, I do forgive them. Otherwise I'll spend eternity thinking of ways to screw them up with Satan...just to make hell that much worse. That might be fun for the first 500 years but then what? Rather be with Mom. I don't come to you and push my religion and beliefs on you. So please don't bring your "morale fortitude" or lack thereof to my side, don't believe, do believe, if you do pick a religion or two, I really don't care as I'm not responsible for your actions, only for mine. Me, I sleep quite well at night, thank you. If I throw the dice and lose, well lets just say in this lifetime it wouldn't be the first time.

Answer 6

Well first of all, it's grace that saves us, not works. We are NEVER good enough because of our sin, however, God washes away our sins if we accept him, and allows us into heaven if we except his gift. Our good works are as dirty rags to Him.

The Bible is NOT full of contradictions, and many things spoken of in the Bible have been found in archaeological operations. When the Bible was translated to English, some of the words mean slightly different things. (Such as Birds meaning flying things, since there wasn't classifications the common man knew like, "mammal.")

Answer 7

You can't get into Heaven by being good cause you aren't that good. Do you honestly think we completely get it? The problem is, if you take the Bible and Jesus out of the equation then the reason is not available.

The bottom line is Jesus is the reason. He died a pure and sinless man on our behalf. Accepting this is the only thing that can get you into Heaven.

If you ever question if Jesus is God, can you think of why else the people of that time would separate the time periods by His existence? (i.e. BC/AD)

Answer 8

I believe that modern fundamentalist Christians believe the answer to this question is because you haven't accepted Jesus as the savior. Therefore you have denied that he was the savior and died for the sins of all (giving sin outweighing other deeds).

I do not believe the fundamentalists. I believe Christianity when it started had a little more Eastern view on their religion. I'm not going to go too far into it, it can be fairly easy to research.

Answer 9

Well there are many reasons why you won't get in to heaven, the least of which not believing in God. But for all purpose sake let's just say that you get up there and see the big guy. What do you think he will say about your life? You say that you do more good than bad, will that give you a free ticket into heaven, probably not. But hey what the hell do I know........ I'm just a horny squirrel.

Answer 10

Its because good deeds just aren't good enough! in the old testament thats how it worked. the more good deeds you did, the better you were with God. But you were under law, and if you commited a major sin that displeased God, you fell over dead right then. you weren't given a chance to say "I'm sorry". That was it. Now we are given mercy! we are given chances right here on earth to ask forgiveness and allow His grace to cleanse us from all unrioghteousness! its amazing what He has done for us! no longer are we strapped down by the law! we can go freely knowing that our Lord is watching over us! but don't take advantage of this grace! the Bible says: "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid!" Romans 6:15

Answer 11

Yes, good deeds are a must, but not the key to get into heaven. I know you don't want me to quote the bible, so i won't quote it, but it says that all sins are equal. There isn't really bad sins and little sins, their all the same in God's eyes. Yes, you may be a sinner, but we all are. That's why Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. He did it for US. Not himself. He's not okay with us going to hell, or he wouldn't have gave his OWN life to save ours. But he can't just let anyone go to heaven, he would like for everyone to, but you've got to believe in him and accept him as your Lord and Savior. Believe me, you won't be dissapointed. He's awesome. And then you'll start to understand everything, and it'll all start to make sense.