THE PORTAL TO HEAVEN?

THE PORTAL TO HEAVEN?

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

John [ESV] 3:1-18 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

  Ken Ham, president of Answers In Genesis (answersingenesis.org), interviewed by a secular reporter, was asked “Do you believe Muslims are going to hell?”

  An interesting question to be sure but actually no different than the standing query; Who goes to heaven, Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Buddhists, Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventists, or Evangelicals?

  Jesus, speaking as the only begotten Son of God (Jn.3:16), made the answer quite plain as is recorded several places. Unless we are born again we cannot see the kingdom of God. (Jn.3:3-7)

  Trusting Lord Jesus Christ, one gains everlasting life immediately; doing nothing, one remains eternally condemned. (Jn.3:15-21) He alone is resurrection and life now and forever; the only way to the Father. (Jn.11:25; 14:6) With absolute clarity Jesus explained that there is no other portal than He. (Jn.10:9)

  So the answer is: No one goes to heaven or hell because of the church or denomination they belong to or are involved in. Eternal placement singularly has to do with faith relationship with Lord Jesus Christ, or the lack thereof. 

EBB4

PS. Oddly, Evangelicals, a major group crossing Christian denominational lines, made up of those professing trust in Jesus for salvation, 57% of which in a survey a few years ago indicated they believe there is more than one way to heaven -- trust Jesus but deny Jesus game that gives a whole additional meaning to the question “Who goes to heaven?”