Why do I have to believe in God to go to heaven?

Question

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."

To me, this scripture says that it is not a man's faith that saves him. It is faith from God that saves a man. "... through faith, and this is not from yourselves..."

John 1:1 I am not reading this wrong. The scripture has a hyphen after faith, not grace. This means they're talking about faith.

Answer 1

Yeah - a lot of amazing theologians have agreed with you - I've just written a paper on Karl Barth (probably the most influential christian thinker of the twentieth century) and his take was basically that it has to be about the greatness of Christ - not the action of the human. His critics said if you took this to it's logical conclusion then what's the difference between being a christian and being a musolim or an atheist - all human activity cannot get us to God. God must stoop to raise us up.

However of all the Big Christian thinkers who majored on Grace - Barth, Luther etc hardly any of them actually went as far as universalism (saying God will save all) themselves. They seemed to live with a contradiction in the logic of their argument - something that we have to be open to if we are to hold that God's understanding is far greater than ours so there may well be some things that don't seem to make sense here and now but will when we get to eternity.

Perhaps the best compromise is that of Luther who held that it was merely the faintest wisper of the name of Christ on the mouth of a sinner makes God move heaven and earth to pull them to himself.

Answer 2

To answer your main question: Why would you want to spend eternity with someone you didn't try to get to know; and what would make you think He'd even want you there?

To answer your second proposed question: Jesus died for our sins. It is through faith in His perfect, once and for all time, sacrifice that we do not have to shed our own blood for our sins. The truth is, our blood isn't even valuable enough to pay for our sins. Jesus' sinless blood was, is, and always will be. Hallelujah! That's why we need grace. Our best efforts only get us to the cross. Our holiness is but filthy rags to Him. We can't save ourselves. It is not something man is capable of doing. We do not have grace to give.

The source of that grace is the Lord (the One who created us in the first place). Only He can grant it as only He is in possession of it. In other words, He can print the money because He owns the gold. Are you with me? He is the One who chooses who may or may not enter His Heavenly abode. Hey, it's His house!

Faith in Him and His perfect plan for our lives is what we, as humans, can do in our free will, to have a relationship with Him, and that's all He really wants. That's why He created us in the first place.

Jesus broke down the barriers between God and man. Now the question is, will man break down the barriers between man and God?

Answer 3

The reason we have to believe on God/ Jesus is when Adam & Eve sinned originally it caused all man kind to be under the penalty of sin , which is death- seperation from God. Our Spirit was no longer under our control but Satan's .The one that tricked Eve and then Adam into disobeying God. Now what God has done through his Son, Jesus Christ is make a way for us to come back into a relationship with him ( by a re-birth of our spirit unto the likeness of Jesus / the Holy Spirit) and we do this by God's grace through faith. Let me take just a minute and clarify the verse you used if I may, " For it is by grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved( delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's Salvation) through [ YOUR] faith. And this {salvation} is not of yourselves-- of your own doing, it came not through your own doing , it came not of your own striving--- but is the gift of God. So it is only by God's grace that we are saved it is our faith that allows us to accept it.

Answer 4

A little reading comprehension might help here. It is Grace that is the Gift from God. Faith is how man accepts it. Hope that clears it up for you.

Answer 5

i for my section am an atheist and don't have self assurance in Heaven or souls. The afterlife isn't a effective part of Jewish faith. the main favourite theory seems to be that the lifeless are lifeless for now, yet would be resurrected in yet another worldwide after this one ends. The extra sturdy you're, the extra helpful your place there will be. Being Jewish isn't a call for, yet simply by fact the Torah is all approximately the thank you to be "sturdy" in this existence, being Jewish certainly supplies you an benefit. Christians do have self assurance that in the process basic terms Christians visit heaven. maximum have self assurance something visit Hell, although the Bible itself in simple terms means that we proceed to be lifeless invariably. it is not truly approximately sturdy deeds, it is approximately God/Jesus doing a want for his pals. Telling human beings they are extra helpful than every person else is a brilliant thank you to make your faith universal. it is not rational and it is definitely no longer straightforward, yet human beings do no longer decide for their ideals on those standards. i comprehend little or no approximately Buddhism, yet i'm notably beneficial it does no longer have an afterlife. it began as a opt to interrupt the Hindu cycle of reincarnation. some Buddhists have self assurance in transferring directly to a heaven or hell. Others have self assurance that once dying the human soul can decide for to stop to exist as a individual.

Answer 6

your not reading this after verse 9



For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10
King James Version

you work out your salvation. unto good works

if only faith it will not save you. think again. ADD to your faith



5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

this you must add to your faith

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

II Peter 1:5-8
King James Version

see not FAITH alone can save you. You work for your salvation

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12


i hope you understand.

Answer 7

well, what this verse says (in the way paul had written it) means that there is nothing we can do to be saved, it is only by Gods love (him choosing to die for us) for if we could do it alone, we wouldn't need God. But he says that we can't make it by ourselves. In Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." meaning we are sinners and God is perfect and when we sin we can't make it- we fall short. and 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." meaning that only God gives us the life in his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus himself says, in John 14:6-7 (NIV)
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

I hope this helps, let me know if there are more personal questions and I d be glad to help.

Answer 8

Well if you believe this scripture then you have to believe in God. God gives us Faith once we release ourselves and give ourselves to Him.

Answer 9

Because based on the whole "I love you very much, but if you don't believe in me, I'll let you rot in Hell forever regardless of your good actions" concept, God sounds like a complete jerk.

Answer 10

the bible teaches tha twere not going to heavn. we're going to live on the earth if we are lucky. only 144,00 those ones go to heaven . whomever god has chosen. the rest of us will hopefully be around in the new earth.