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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Matt 7:21 criteria for heaven | 1 John 3:9 | karenc | 144338 | ||
Matt. 7:21 clearly states that it is necessary to do the will of the father to enter heaven. Wouldn't that mean that a life of sin after salvation will close those pearly gates? | ||||||
2 | Matt 7:21 criteria for heaven | 1 John 3:9 | MJH | 144345 | ||
In understanding Matt 7:21 one must understand what Jesus means by "Kingdom of Heaven." First, the term Heaven in Jesus time often was used to refer to God since to even mention God's Name outside the Temple was too close to blaspheming It. Therefore “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Kingdom of God” are the same thing. Second, the Kingdom of Heaven is (among other things) a condition of the heart. Also to say, "The Kingdom of Heaven is near," would not mean "near" in the sense of time, but rather in the sense of being near by. Third, the Kingdom of Heaven is often revered to in the New Testament in two seemingly contradictory ways. 1) that the Kingdom of God is present right now (meaning in Jesus time), and 2) that it would be established in the future. Often when Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven and entering it (or not) and who is in it and who is not, refers to the condition of people's heart and how such condition places them within the Kingship of God (and the Messiah). For example: the prostitutes by virtue of their turning away from their sin and towards a renewed relationship with God and His Word, were in reality experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven (God) in their lives. They had God as their King and Ruler, whereas the Pharisees (not all, but many) were not repentant of sin and not turning toward the correct way to live out the Word of God (ie. mercy, love, compassion) and as a result their lives were not experiencing the reality of being in the Kingdom of God and having God as their true King. (They were Kings of themselves by their high view of themselves for following the minute "traditions of the elders" while missing the main thrust of God's Word to show mercy, compassion and love to all His people.) Therefore the answer to your questions is this: By doing the will of the father, you will experience the reality of being in the Kingdom of God, and He will be King of your life. It is NOT saying that those who fail to follow the law perfectly will not enter heaven. However, to say you believe, but to live an INTENTIONALLY sinful life is not possible. Belief and action are one and the same, at least they were in the mind of a Jew like Jesus and James (Jam 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.") For James, a Jew from birth, to even say this shows that he was quite failure with Greek thinking by this time. For a Jew could not say this otherwise. For a Jew to "hear" the Word, meant to "do" the word. There wasn't a dichotomy of thought and action. The same is true in Matt 7:20-27 and 1 John 3:9. You can not be the one without being the other. You can not believe without action. Matt 25:31-46 also reveal this. Did I help or just serve to confuse? MJH |
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