Who Gets To Go To Heaven?

I remember having a debate in high school about Heaven. It was a small class, one of those classes for gifted students that the school district made up because they didn't really know what to do with us. Regardless, the result was a "class" that was unstructured and free-form. We had a lot of debates, and a lot of laughs. But this one debate really stuck with me. Primarily it was between me and one other guy, and it was on the nature of heaven.

He held the belief that if he does more good than bad in his life then he should get into heaven. Whereas I believed that the only path to heaven was through Christ. It wasn't heated or anything like that. We never had those kind of arguments. Everyone in the class always listened to what the others had to say, and contributed. And when we couldn't agree, like this time, it didn't matter. It was more about the discussion and learning than winning. Neither of us convinced anyone to change their opinion that day, because neither of us articulated a reason why we believed what we believed. In the end, it was just because we chose to believe it. To be honest, I didn't really know why my belief was right. That's probably one of the reasons I fell away from my belief in God later. I had no real roots. It was all superficial. (But that's a discussion for another time.)

Regardless, over the years I've found that the majority of people who believe in heaven have an almost identical belief, that if you do more good than bad you go to heaven. Sadly, many people who claim to be Christians hold this belief as well. I've continued to have this debate with other people. Now I tend to ask a few questions.

My first question is for them is to ask them to describe what heaven is like. Sometimes it takes some prompting to get them going. But usually it goes something like; we don't age, get sick, experience pain or want. It's pleasant and enjoyable. At this point I ask, "So you'll be yourself in heaven, as will others, except you'll all live forever?" Everyone has always answered yes. My reply is something like: "Eternity with you as you are doesn't sound like heaven, it sounds like hell. Because you're a jerk." The reaction is usually shock and/or anger. I quickly add, "Don't get me wrong. I'm a jerk too. And eternity with someone like me would be hell too." At this point there is usually confusion. I suppose it's because they have never heard someone say that they, themselves shouldn't get into heaven before. But to me it's pure logic. Unless we are transformed from our narcissistic, self-centered, sinful nature we can't be in anyplace that could be called heaven or we would corrupt it and turn it into hell. So how can such a transformation happen? And who's going to do it? We can't do it ourselves. Our imperfect nature would fail us.

It's like taking a branch from a tree as a guide to draw a straight line. No matter how straight it appears, there are curves, imperfections and bumps that would show up in the line. It's only when someone takes a metal tool to it, and measures it against a straightedge that the branch can be carved into a wooden ruler that can then be used to draw really straight lines. And if they want it to stay straight they install a metal edge to resist damage and wear. The crude branch has been transformed into something suitable for the office, classroom or studio. But who can do this for us?

On that note, who is to judge what was good or bad? Surely we can't judge ourselves. There must be some impartial judge deciding who gets into heaven, or it would surely become corrupted and cease to be heaven. While most people see their life as a scale with bad deeds going on one side and good deeds going on the other, they get a little fuzzy when you inquire as to who decides what deeds go on which side.

How do you know what is really good and what is really bad? What if you thought you were doing good, but in reality you were doing lasting harm? Suppose you tell a girl she looks pretty when she is having doubts about her own intelligence and whether she has what it takes to become a medical doctor. Your seemingly good deed turns out to be the thing that pushes her over the edge. Instead of becoming a doctor who discovers a cure to a dreaded disease, she only looks for work that values her appearance. And she ends up in a dead-end job that means nothing to her, with her life's ambition never fulfilled. You meant well, but deprived this girl of happiness and fulfillment, and the world of a much needed cure. Should you be judged based on your intentions or the terrible harm you caused?

Hitler didn't think he was a monster. He thought he was doing what was best for Germany and mankind as a whole. He wasn't acting. It wasn't a sham. He was able to speak forcefully and convincingly off the cuff, without notes or prompting because it came from his heart, not a political calculation. He fervently believed that non-aryans were sub-human and were dragging down the human race. He believed he was the salvation of the world. No matter how horrifically evil his actions were to others, his intentions were good in his own eyes. Even knowing that, can you honestly say that Hitler was a good person? So I ask, what does it matter what someone's intentions are? I would say intentions are meaningless. It is results that matter. No matter what Hitler's intentions were, he was a monster that is responsible for more brutal and horrific murders than all but a handful of human beings in history.

Scripture teaches that actions, not intentions, are what matters. Matthew 21:28-31a "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, 'I will, sir'; but he did not go. "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first."

The inescapable conclusion is that we can't get to heaven by our own efforts. The tree branch needed to be carved into shape, and have metal added to it's form in order to be a part of the classroom. If it remained a branch it would only be a stick, and would be discarded as rubbish. Just like the branch, we need to be changed and have the Holy Spirit added to us in order for us to belong in heaven. As to when this change is complete is a subject for theological debate. But it is necessary, nonetheless.

Of course, we can't really know what heaven is like as we have only been given glimpses. Despite this, it's amazing how many people have strong opinions about heaven with nothing to back it up. But I can't understand how someone can believe that there is a heaven, without understanding that this means there must be someone who decides who gets in, and that person is not a human.

I believe there is a heaven, and the way in is through Jesus. Explaining why I believe that will take many more pages than this one.