John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Persons across the earth are quite often perplexed with this question of “Who is going to heaven” and, in their search for answers, doctrines, teachings and smooth sayings of men, not based in scripture are adopted. But the study today will outline from the Bible what God says about the matter, and should forever quell any misunderstandings about eternal life.
The false doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, seeks to fill a void in the human experience, by offering the bliss of heaven to mortals, under terms and conditions God does not recognize nor endorse.
In our study we will seek to set forth in distinct lines what the Bible says about “Who’s going to heaven” and the word of God will address some of the more urgent concerns, and popular misconceptions about eternal life, that have been adopted over the years.
First though, we should let the Bible speak for itself, on the good purposes of Christ towards the human family and the points that are made must be etched indelibly into our consciences, so as to guide us into a good understanding of “Who’s Going To Heaven”
[1] If it were up to God alone, every human being would be taken to heaven. This was God’s original purpose, and over the entire history of our planet, He has worked diligently and systematically to make heaven accessible to all. Let’s read:
1st Timothy 2: 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Revelation 22: 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
[God’s Amazing Grace pp 344] It was God's purpose to repopulate heaven with the human family, if they would show themselves obedient to His every word. Adam was to be tested, to see whether he would be obedient, as the loyal angels, or disobedient. If he stood the test, his instruction to his children would have been only of loyalty. His mind and thoughts would have been as the mind and thoughts of God.
[2] God takes no delight in the death of those who will not make it to heaven, for He sent His Son to save to the uttermost, any, and everyone who will accept of His grace. Let’s read:
Ezekiel 33: 11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
2nd Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
[3] The determining factor in who is going to heaven is a matter of choice, because no one is ever locked against their will in an iron destiny from which there is no escape. The question of who’s going to heaven is generally settled at the gateway of choice. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest
cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days.
John 5: 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
John 6: 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
[4] It’s not what a person has done that would keep him, or her out of heaven; it is what one does with the remedy God has provided in Christ which is the determining factor in whether a person is taken to heaven or not.
Transgenders, gays, lesbians, and queers are not to be considered as being beyond the reach of God’s grace, for even though God does not endorse ways that are contrary to His word, He still loves persons whom He died for, and as such, God is willing and able to save to the uttermost all who will come to Him.
Hence the reason why in a previous Bible study, we strongly urged those who are struggling with gender issues, not to turn your backs on God, for at the end of the day, it is only Jesus who can help you. God is not in the business of destroying, instead He’s in the business of restoring, and as such, all the resources and efforts of heaven are geared towards that end.
In other words, while His servants should be careful not to water down Bible truth, they should also be careful not to water down God’s grace, because the same God who reproves, is the same God who will restore, if the human agent seeks Him for help. Let’s read:
Just because a man might be married to a woman in a monogamous relationship, does not render him or her more of a candidate for heaven than one who is struggling with gender issues.
Ahab and Jezebel were married for many years in a marriage that was not marred by infidelity to each other yet both of them will be lost eternally because of the choices they made.
In fact, a lot of apparently good people will not be going to heaven, and a lot of folks who were once bad people will be present on resurrection morning, when God comes to claim His own. Let’s read:
Luke 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
1st John 1: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The next passage of scripture is very interesting, for it specifies those who will not be going to heaven in great detail. Yet, the cast of characters given are not to be understood as being without hope while there is opportunity for change and pardon, for it is only if persons persist in a wrong course of action, that the inevitable will occur. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 6:9 “Don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?..”
The unrighteous mentioned above included all of humanity, before God’s grace was manifested to us and received. There is absolutely no such thing as inherent goodness in persons, and therefore if God’s grace were to be removed from the equation, none would be found righteous. Let’s read:
Psalms 14: 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Jeremiah 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
So, let’s read again with the understanding and the explanations:
1st Corinthians 6:9 “Don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and Elkanah, without God’s grace) nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, (Jacob, without God’s grace) nor covetous, nor drunkards, (Noah, David, Solomon, Lot without God’s grace) nor revilers, nor extortioners, (Zacchaeus without God’s grace) shall inherit the kingdom of God.
The passage also pinpoints persons who might be “effeminate” as on the list that are doomed. That is, like all those who we mentioned earlier, without the grace of God, if they never sought out Jesus for redemption and salvation. If they do, there is hope for them too, and they can and will be taken to heaven. Let’s read:
[Prophets and Kings pp 58] From being one of the greatest kings that ever wielded a scepter, Solomon became a profligate, the tool and slave of others. His character, once noble and manly, became enervated and effeminate. His faith in the living God was supplanted by atheistic doubts.
Then, after the grace of God which has appeared to all men had accomplished its work upon the heart of Solomon, he was transformed entirely, and wrote the following words, for all, who like him have been ensnared in a host of issues. And by the way, if you and I are faithful, we will see him in heaven with a crown on his head. It all has to do with the topic: “Who’s Going To heaven.” Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
[5] Heaven will be a place of surprises. Some folks who are expected to be there might be missing, and others who were written off by mortals, as ineligible will be present with a crown on their heads.
Matthew 21:28 But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him.
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Our opening passage was taken from a conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, who had come by night to find out the truth about the new Teacher, whom he believed, had been sent from God.
The fact that he came by night shows that he had some reservations about his convictions, added to which, he preferred not to be seen by his peers, as speaking with One who was thus disdained by the religious elite.
But with Jesus, persons can come by day or by night for it matters not what one’s reservations might be, if only persons will come. The conversation between Christ and Nicodemus demonstrates that Jesus can take care, one’s reservations, partial convictions and pressure or ridicule from one’s peers, for the plan of salvation is all-inclusive and it’s designed to save any and everyone who will believe.
In the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus, God clearly identifies those persons who will be taken to heaven, and Jesus outlines the ways and the means by which this is to be accomplished. Persons are not to believe that they are beyond the pale of Christ’s grace, if a firm concrete decision has not been made by them to reject Him.
Thus, in His explanations to Nicodemus Christ shows that many of the prerequisites that persons place on themselves, are not only unnecessary, but they are never to be considered as qualifiers, or disqualifiers in accessing God’s salvation. God’s grace manifested through Christ is designed to reach persons, both in high and low places, and those in between.
Persons who might be sitting on the fence are not excluded, and even those who are lukewarm in their relationship with Christ are not to give up hope, for all of these conditions have been addressed by God already, and Jesus has provided ways and means so that everyone can have a fair shot at eternal life.
For instance, after His rebuke of Laodicea, God then encourages the church to repent showing that there was still room for improvements and change, if and when the stipulated steps are taken to address the person’s lukewarm condition.
In other words, God’s diagnosis of lukewarmness is not a death sentence, but is meant to awake us to the urgency of the moment, and then, if we were to respond in the positive to His recommendations, all who were once lukewarm will have their conditions remedied, and reversed, and they also will be taken to heaven. Let’s read:
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing and you know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
That’s the diagnosis, but it does not stop there, for no doctor ever stops with a diagnosis, but instead, uses it to make the necessary recommendations for fixing what needs to be fixed. If surgery is needed to address the problem, then surgery is recommended, but never does any doctor in their right mind, make a diagnosis just for the sake of diagnosing.
In fact, most of the times when we read of God in the Bible, issuing stern admonitions, warnings, and predictions of coming judgments, they should most often be understood as a call to repentance because God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, and if He were to have His way in our lives through choices that we make, He would take everyone to heaven.
For instance, the threat that was issued against the city of Nineveh was intended as a wakeup call, for it was God’s purpose to save the city, not to destroy it in any way. This purpose Jonah didn’t yet fully grasp, and because of his misunderstanding, he stumbled when grace was manifested. Let’s read:
Jonah 3:10> Jonah 4:1 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Similarly with Laodicea. The threat to spit folks out of His mouth was meant to arouse us to repentance, not to scare persons away from the throne of grace. When we read the Bible, we must be very careful to incorporate God’s grace, mercy and loving-kindness as bedrock, foundational principles of His character in our interpretations.
When this is done, threats, warnings, and even the possibility of coming judgments, are all to be seen and understood as calls to repentance. Never are they to be interpreted as God hating us or thirsting for revenge. Let’s read:
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that you might be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Therefore, with the understanding that God prefers to have all persons saved and taken to heaven, let’s unpack our first opening passage, so as to grasp the importance of the following three questions, with the correct answers, in the context of who is going to heaven.
Question [1] What does it mean to “Believe” in The Son of God?
Question [2] Why use the symbol of the uplifted serpent?
Question [3] Why is the phrase “Should not perish”
used instead of “Will not perish”? Let’s read:
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
15 That whosoever “believes in him” “should not” perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Question [1] What does it mean to “Believe” in The Son of God? Answer: Believing in Jesus isn’t something that is to held in a merely theoretical format. “Believe” is a verb, a word that involves and includes action. Thus, a person who truly believes will be spurred to action in order to confirm or manifest their belief.
Hence the reason why faith without works is dead, because when one believes, the very next thing to occur is action. In 1992 when hurricane Andrew was forecast to come ashore with wind speeds in excess of 160 mph, Floridians believed, but they didn’t just sit there and do nothing.
Bags of sand were placed around many businesses and homes, loose patio furniture was brought on the inside, windows were all boarded up, and your local Home Depot was abuzz with activity, until we hunkered down, for what turned out to be one of the costliest storms in U.S history.
Similarly, with believing in Jesus, the one who truly believes would be led to walk in harmony with what Jesus says, including, submitting themselves to be molded and led by His Spirit. This would inevitably include keeping the commandments of God as folks are empowered by The Spirit to do so.
The motive power comes from God but the choice is ours and then, as persons choose good over evil and right over wrong, the Holy Spirit etches God’s law in the conscience, so that the principles of the law are entrenched in the forehead, where one’s decisions are made.
Therefore, those who are going to heaven ultimately will have submitted themselves to have this critically important work done in their lives. The productions of The Holy Spirit in a person’s life, always lead to obedience. It cannot be otherwise, for this is how God’s image is renewed in the heart. Let’s read:
Hebrews 8: 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Psalms 40: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Revelation 22: 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Satan’s version of the same passages leads persons to believe that faith without obedience is a winning ticket to heaven. But God will not take a deliberately disobedient person to heaven for such will try to stir up the old spirit of rebellion that caused Jesus to die on the cross in the first place. And in a nutshell “Not happening.”
Question [2] Why use the symbol of the uplifted serpent? The symbol of the uplifted serpent is used because God often uses symbols of the very same medium that caused problems in the first place, to bring about remedies for those who are thus adversely affected.
When Moses was about to go into Egypt to deliver the Hebrews, he was instructed to cast down his rod and it became a serpent. Those magicians in Egypt were using serpents, and thus, God would use what the Egyptians used, to bring victory and defeat, to the Hebrews and magicians respectively.
Antivenin is a refined, and concentrated preparation obtained by fractionating blood from healthy horses which have been injected with venom from snakes such as the diamondback and the rattle snake.
Thus, the very venom that the serpents use, is then employed in the healing processes. Again, when the recent Covid virus struck the world, one of the ways in which scientists worked to disarm the sting of the virus was to make monoclonal antibodies.
These are made by exposing a specific type of cell from the immune system to a particular viral protein of the covid virus. Small pox vaccine is made from a pox virus, and the vaccines for Measles, Mumps and Chickenpox are all derivatives from the very same respective viruses.
Thus, the uplifted serpent which was to represent Christ, signified that He also would be exposed to the effects of the virus of sin, but by doing so Jesus would develop resistant, spiritual antibodies of victory that He would share by faith with the rest of the human family, to all who will believe.
Thus, there is nothing in and of ourselves that could make us whole. It’s Christ and Christ alone who can deliver us from the sting of the serpent and because we have all been bitten, some more, some less, it is of critical importance that we follow the guidelines given, if we desire to go to heaven. Let’s read:
2nd Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Even though Jesus never sinned, yet he was exposed to the malice and temptations of the serpent and by resisting unto blood the incursions made against His own soul, He has gained the victory even over death and because of this, He is now able, and authorized to give to as many as believe, the merits of His own sacrifice and victories. Let’s read:
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Hence the reason why the Hebrews who had been bitten by the serpents were instructed to look and live. They were not to try to fix anything before they looked. And we are not to try to fix anything before coming to Christ, for no one in their right mind will try to do the Doctor’s work.
The rich young ruler tried to fix certain things before coming to Christ, and the results are before us, for he ended up never coming to Christ, and because of this very reason, he won’t be going to heaven. Let’s observe the nature, and implication of his question. Let’s read:
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
21 Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
This leads us to third question we asked earlier: Question [3]: Why is the phrase “Should not perish” used, instead of “Will not perish”? Should not perish refers to the conditions set forth, which when adopted, would produce the desired results. But, as was stated before, it is left up to the choices that a person makes.
If anyone were to follow the script as is laid out by Christ in His word, the term “Should not perish” will move to “Absolutely will not perish” for when folks give their life to Christ, those persons can, and will be sustained throughout their entire life by the God of heaven.
And if they choose to remain faithful, if they choose to stay the course with God, they will go to heaven when Christ comes, without any ifs, ands, buts, or maybes. This is what Christ says unequivocally, and we must let the scripture be its own interpreter.
Therefore, the question “Who’s going to heaven” is summed up in the following brief statements. If one believes in Christ, if one chooses to stay in Christ, and if one continually looks to Christ, they will be going to heaven, period.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which condenses these answers into the positive and we’ll hope and pray that all who so desire would use their freedom of choice to access eternal life, which God has given to all as a free gift in Christ. Let’s read:
John 10: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
God Bless!