How To Get To Heaven When You Die

[Vanderhoven7]

We are not saved of our own works. It is by FAITH in the work of God. It is a free gift from God that cannot be earned. All you need to do is accept it. Once accepted, the work belongs to God. The reason is so that no one will boast before God and brag, saying that they got into heaven because they were good enough.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Right on Frodo. God has blessed you. You are rich beyond measure.

Salvation is a gift or it is earned
It is undeserved or it is merited
It is by grace or it is by works
There is no middle ground.

Salvation, justification is entirely the work of Christ on our behalf.
By grace, through faith
in Christ's redeeming blood.

Otherwise, there is no assurance
Did I repent enough?
Did I believe enough?
Did I work enough?

Salvation is the revelation of Jesus Christ to our spirit. He is the Revealer
He who has the Son, has life
He who has not the Son has death and the wrath of God remains on him.

Blessed, saved, forgiven, heaven bound are the spiritual paupers, the mourners, in their helpless estate.

We cannot repent until we see our sin for what it is
We cannot see what it is until we see the cross for what it is.
We cannot see either until the Spirit of God reveals.

[BibleBeliever777]

This "sinner's prayer" doctrine is deception from Satan. This is Biblical way to get saved: 1. Believe 2. Repent 3. Confess that Jesus is the Son of God 4. Get immersed in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for remission of sins 5. Live a holy and obedient life

[mailmandan]

This "sinner's prayer" doctrine is deception from Satan. This is Biblical way to get saved: 1. Believe 2. Repent 3. Confess that Jesus is the Son of God 4. Get immersed in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for remission of sins 5. Live a holy and obedient life

The Bible clearly states - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already.. (John 3:18) and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things.. (Acts 13:39) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Yet you say that we are not yet saved when we believe in Christ for salvation and will not become saved until after we accomplish a list of "additional requirements" after we believe. Those who hold to the fivefold formula of "Faith + Repentance + Confession + Baptism + "Live a holy and obedient life" suppose that each passage which states what is needed for salvation leaves out certain necessary elements, and that we must pool all such statements together, if we wish to find out what God truly requires for salvation. However, this approach does not really accept any of the statements which God has made about salvation through believing. These verses that I cited say that everyone who believes will be saved. It does not say merely that believing is one of many things required in order to become saved. It does not leave open such an interpretation of the passage. It says that whoever believes is not condemned, is justified from all things, and will be saved. Those who claim that they "believe just what the passages say" need to acknowledge that none of the passages listed above leaves room for "additional requirements" after believing. You have added works to the gospel.

The Bible mentions repentance as a condition for salvation. One example of this would be Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” See also Luke 15:7,10 and Acts 17:30. A few times both repentance and faith are mentioned in the same verse (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). Repentance actually precedes believing in receiving salvation. There are many, many verses which only mention believing/faith as the condition for salvation (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; Acts 10:43; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 3:22-28; Ephesians 2:8,9 etc...). In salvation, repentance is a "change of mind" about our sinful position and need for Christ to save us and the new direction of this change of mind is believing in Christ for salvation. Two sides to the same experience. Where salvation is in view, when only repentance is mentioned, believing is implied or assumed. When only believing is mentioned, repentance is implied or assumed and already took place in the process of choosing to believe in Christ for salvation. Where you have one you must have the other. Repentance and faith are inseparable in salvation. *Not so with baptism. You can repent and believe the gospel and not yet be water baptized.

The word "confess" means to acknowledge or agree. It often involves what is expressed with the mouth or at least with the mind (not everyone can speak). A belief that is genuine is marked by confession. A confession that is true reflects saving faith. This confession is not just a simple acknowledgment that Jesus is the Son of God, but is a deep personal conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is that person's Lord and Savior. Romans 10:8-13 reads: But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart" —that is, the word of faith which we are preaching... For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME." Confession with the mouth and belief in the heart refer to the believer's outward and inward responses. Inward conviction finds outward expression, not as a work for salvation but as an expression of faith. *Notice in 1 Corinthians 12:3, "...no one can say that JESUS IS LORD except BY the Holy Spirit (not as an additional requirement to receive the Holy Spirit and become saved after we believe). We are not still lost at the point of believing until some time later, after we publicly confess that Jesus is Lord. The reason that we will be saved "IF" we confess is because we have faith and we have the Holy Spirit. That is the whole point. What about someone who is unable to speak? How can they "confess with their mouth?" Such a person would remain lost according to your interpretation of Romans 10:9,10. It's not the confession "in of itself" that saves you as an additional requirement after we believe, it's our believing behind the confession. Faith and confession are not two separate steps to salvation. They are chronologically together.

Water baptism is a symbol of salvation in that it depicts Christ's death, burial and resurrection and our identification with Him in these experiences, but is not absolutely necessary for salvation. If water baptism were also required for salvation, then God would not make so many statements in which He promises salvation to those who simply BELIEVE. (Luke 8:12; John 1:12; 3:15,16,18,36; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 4:5; 10:4; 1 John 5:13 etc..). NOWHERE does the Bible state that whoever is NOT baptized will NOT be saved. The New Testament makes it clear that men become saved prior to receiving water baptism. Cornelius’s family received the Holy Spirit and were manifesting the gifts of the Spirit after believing the gospel but before being baptized (Acts 10:44-48). Baptism was a command (10:48) that they were expected to obey. However, it was not obedience to this command that saved them, but their believing in Christ (10:43). There are a handful of verses which are often cited to prove that the Bible makes baptism mandatory for salvation. A careful examination of each of these texts in context will show that none of them prove that baptism is necessarily prerequisite for salvation, though they do prove that baptism was an assumed initiatory response to the gospel of salvation. In other words, these texts prove only that baptism is regularly associated with conversion and salvation, rather than absolutely required for salvation.

If we must live a holy and obedient life after we believe in order to be saved, then just how holy and obedient must we be? Where do you draw the line in the sand and say, "I was holy and obedient ENOUGH so now the Lord will be able to save me?" Is that salvation through faith in Christ or salvation by works? I've heard your 5 step plan of salvation by faith "plus works" taught in the church of Christ.

[XFRODOBAGGINSX]

This "sinner's prayer" doctrine is deception from Satan. This is Biblical way to get saved: 1. Believe 2. Repent 3. Confess that Jesus is the Son of God 4. Get immersed in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for remission of sins 5. Live a holy and obedient life

I never said that praying the prayer is a requirement for salvation, however, it does confirm your faith in Christ and IS Biblical.

You don't have to say "The prayer" in order to be saved. It's about Admitting you are a sinner, believing that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and Confessing Him as your Savior and Lord. The prayer merely sums this up. Luke8:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.


Here is the prayer let's compare it with the scriptures:

"1)Dear LORD JESUS, I believe that YOU died on the Cross and Rose from the dead for my sins. 2)I ask you to come into my heart and forgive me for my sins, take me to heaven when I die. 3) I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus holy name, Amen."

Let's do check the scriptures.


1) Ro 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus...

The prayer does this

2) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,

The prayer does this if from the heart

3) you shall be saved.

The prayer does this

2) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness

If you say the prayer from your heart this will happen

and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

The prayer does this. You pray with your mouth.

Ro 10:13 For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

The prayer does this


Do you believe these verses or not?


By the way, belief ON the Lord Jesus Christ IS repentence. It IS turning away from your sins. You cannot believe on the Lord Jesus Christ WITHOUT turning away from your sins. That's where the struggle comes in for folks to get saved in the first place.

Ac 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

I will agree with you that many folks pray that prayer and don't mean it. Those folks won't be saved. You MUST mean it. Praying that prayer from a sincere heart IS one way of repenting and believing the gospel. Who are you to judge people's hearts wheather they trust in the Lord or not? That's His job, not yours. Just because you were led to the Lord with a specific method, doesn't mean that YOUR method is the only way. The fact is that I am preaching the true gospel. I was saved by praying to God and have no doubt that I am saved by His grace.

These folks confessed with their mouths unto salvation as well:

Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Ac 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Lu 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.


Let's look at the thief on the cross:

Confessed that he was a sinner:

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

Believed on the Lord and asked Him to save him:

Lu 23:42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

What did Jesus say to Him? Did He say, "no you can't call upon me that way"? NO, He said:

Lu 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Baptism is not part of your salvation. It is something that you do AFTER salvation. The lie of satan is that you need to do good deeds to be saved or adding something to faith such as water baptism to be saved. The bapstism referred to is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. There isn't a drop of water there.

Luke 2:23 is written to the Jews who are Still under the law. It's the Gospel of the Kingdom, NOT Paul's Gospel, the Gospel of Grace, therefore, we don't follow it.

Paul's writings are what we are to follow for salvation under grace in this age. Paul alone was given the gospel of grace, for the gentiles in this age.

Ro 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Ro 16:25 ¶ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,


Peter preached the Gospel of the Kingdom (circumcision) to the Jews who were still under the law, Paul preached the Gospel of Grace (uncircumcision). Even Peter admitted that he had a hard time understanding Paul's gospel (because it was written to the gentiles. Peter was Jewish)

Ga 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

We are to follow PAUL'S writings, because they were written to the gentiles. All is the word of God, but not all is applicable to us in this age. Just as we are no longer under the law, we are also not under the gospel of the Kingdom (circumcision )

[BrianW]

That was a great post up until the last line. Are you suggesting that former gentiles follow Paul's writings only? That the rest of the Gospel does not apply to them? What of Peter, John, Luke etc?

When we have faith and believe Jesus as our savior and repent we become heirs and children of God. After that the question of "Jew or Gentile" becomes a moot point because we become full heirs of the blessings and promises given to Israel. Christians are all of one body. There is no separation of Jewish Christian and Gentile Christian. There is only Christian. One God. One faith. One body of heirs.

Do you Remember Ephesians?

3:6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

2:14-21 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

[XFRODOBAGGINSX]

Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[XFRODOBAGGINSX]

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