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Articles
The Only Ones Going to Heaven
“I’ve heard that you ‘Church of Christ’ people think that you are the only ones going to Heaven. Is that true?” We are often asked this question, and we appreciate the opportunity to explain what we believe. Would you please give careful consideration to these simple points from the Bible?
1) It is important to remember that God is the judge of eternal things. Our personal opinions do not matter. What you think, what we think, what some religious denomination teaches – none of this matters. In fact, Jesus said that many who think they are saved will be lost in the last day (Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23). The Scriptures will be the standard of judgment (John 12:48).
2) The New Testament clearly teaches who will be saved. It describes a simple plan of salvation that any accountable person can understand and obey. We must hear the truth (Rom. 10:17), believe the truth (Heb. 11:6), repent of our sins (Luke 13:3), confess our faith in Jesus (Rom. 10:10), and be baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38). If we remain faithful, we are promised a reward in heaven (Rev. 2:10). This is not a human dogma or creed. It is the plain and simple teaching of God’s Word. If a person obeys these commands they will be saved. If they do not, they will be lost. It is just that simple. The only ones going to heaven are the ones who submit to God’s will and obey His commands.
3) Now, where does the church of Christ figure into all of this? Acts 2:47 tells us that those who are saved are added to the church by the Lord. When you do what you must do to be saved (see point #2), then you are automatically added to that church which you read about in the Bible. This is not some man-made denomination. It is the church that belongs to Jesus – it is the “church of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). Therefore, the answer is yes – you must be a member of that church to go to heaven. Do you see it?
Unfortunately, we know that everyone does not “see it.” Most continue to assemble with man-made denominations, if at all. It is our responsibility to take the gospel to a spiritually dying world and help them understand who are the only ones going to Heaven.
