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Does Everyone Go to Heaven?
How does God decide who goes to heaven? Do good people go to heaven? Ultimately, will everyone go to heaven when they die?
Going to heaven isn’t about living a relatively good life. Yes, God wants us to treat others well and take care of the things He’s given us, but spending forever with Him in heaven has nothing to do with that.
In fact, there’s nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven. Not helping others, not working hard, not serving the community. And that’s a good thing, because we’d never be able to do enough.
You might not think of yourself as a “bad person,” and maybe you aren’t compared to others. But God tells us in the Bible—His message to humanity—that no human is without sin (Romans 3:23). And it’s sin that separates us from a perfect, holy God.
The prophet Isaiah once explained that even our best efforts and intentions will never be worthy of God (Isaiah 64:6).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, said the only way to heaven is through faith in Him (John 14:6). How is that possible? Jesus, who was sinless, took our sins upon Himself so we could be cleansed of our imperfections and made holy before God. He erases our sins when we trust in Him!
Paul, a godly man who lived around the time of Jesus, once wrote a letter to a church, saying, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God cares about more than a holy performance; He wants us to know Him and be known by Him.
So does everyone go to heaven? Everyone who puts their faith in Jesus will go to heaven.
Step 1 – God’s Purpose: Peace and Life
The Bible says:
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
"I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 10:10
Step 2 – The Problem: Sin Separates Us
The Bible says:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
The Bible says:
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
Step 3 – God’s Remedy: The Cross
The Bible says:
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God."
1 Peter 3:18
"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
Step 4 – Our Response: Receive Christ
The Bible says:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me."
Revelation 3:20
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9
Here is how you can receive Christ:
- Admit your need. (I am a sinner.)
- Be willing to turn from your sins (repent) and ask for God's forgiveness.
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
- Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior)
We suggest a prayer like this one:
"Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus' Name, amen."
Did you pray this prayer?