Asking people if they'll enter heaven

Are you entering the gates of heaven? No. You don't think so? Simple question. Do you believe that there is a heaven?

Heaven?

Yeah.

Yes.

Okay, what do you think?

Definitely yes.

Okay. And what do you think about how do you get into heaven?

I was brought up in Christendom, so most definitely through Christ.

Okay, cool, man, cool. Any thoughts you have to add?

Definitely more than just the faith. Gotta do also. Okay, now you have, you have to believe and you have to, you have to say that he is the guy.

Okay?

Yeah. Who? It depends what type of faith we're talking about there. Right. What do you think?

What do you think?

Yeah, we went with heaven, so we gotta go with God.

Okay, Right.

So you gotta believe that God is God. So but for that you also have to do the things that God requires.

Okay, so there's many gods apparently out there. Many people have different gods, right? They say, this is my God. That person is this, is that God? Who are you talking about and why do you think you're right?

I believe. Didn't say that. I don't say I'm right, don't say I'm wrong. I believe that's it.

And you're. And who are you talking about specifically?

I'm talking about mine. I'm not talking about yours.

I mean, I mean, as you got to have a name. Like, how do I identify him? You know what I mean?

God.

Okay.

Yes.

Okay, interesting. You said believe.

You.

You said believe and do. Right. You need to do good things. All right, all right. So how, if I may like prick a bit more on that. So how do you know that you're gonna be going in? Do you know where you at with that?

Yeah, I'm going out. I'm going out. Do you ask me if I'm going in?

I mean, are you entering the gates of heaven? What I mean, no. You don't think so? Okay, why do you think that?

Because still doing the sin, still not repented. Can't go.

Okay. And like, where are you at with that? Do you feel, do you feel alright with that? If I may ask? Like, you know, do you feel, how do you feel about that?

I'll ask you something.

Yeah.

You believe in God?

Yes, I believe in Jesus. I believe Jesus is the son of God. He was sent to die for the sins of the world. I believe that he opens the door to heaven. Can I share a little bit about what I think? All right, cool, man. Thank you. You guys are gracious. I appreciate you, man. Thank you for sharing and being vulnerable. So I believe that you know I connect with what you're saying and that you're like, there are certain things that I am doing perhaps that makes me feel unworthy, like God is holy, God is perfect. Heaven is probably going to be a great perfect place. And I don't feel like a great, perfect guy.

Right.

Like maybe that's how. I mean, I've definitely felt that way. And, and you know, that's kind of, I guess, the big problem that all of humanity faces. Just today I spoke with a lady who's Muslim and she said the same thing. She says I need to wear a head covering, but I'm not. And I don't know if I'm going to make it into the kingdom of God. So no matter what religion, people are facing this same question, even Christians. Now here's what I think that's different about Jesus versus all the other so called gods and religions. And it is that. So God from Adam and Eve fall right in the garden when they edit the tree. And you know, that's the separation right there. That's what we're talking about. You go out of the garden, God is in the garden. You can't come into God's presence. That's the problem. And so God sees that and God loves us as his people, as his children. And he says, I want to be with you, I want to be united with you, despite the fact that there's sin that separates us. And so God realized that we being in this fallen world, as you know, this world is evil. People do evil things to one another. He knew that on our own merits, on our own works alone, like we're not going to be able to make it into the kingdom of God because there's no one on this earth. You've met a lot of people. We've all met a lot of people. And there's no one who's been perfect. That's good.

I think you're phrasing it better than I am.

Cool, cool, man. Can I go a little on Cool? Thanks, man. And so I think now since we have this problem, God comes in the flesh. He comes as who we know as Jesus. And he lives the perfect life none of us ever lived. He's like, I am going to be born and I'm going to do this and I'm never gonna sin. And he never sins, he walks his life. But he gets accused. People come to him, they point the finger at him. Religious people, especially the religious leaders, you know, and they say, you are a friend of sinners and tax collectors because he's hanging out with the lowly people who are rejected. The drug addicts, if you will, of his day, the sinners, the tax collectors, right? And that's the very thing that he's known by. And why is he among them? Because he says, I've come into this world for the broken, for those who are pushed aside the least, right? Maybe someone like me and you, who feels like we see who we are. And so he lives our perfect lives. We know what happens in the end. The humanity crucifies him. They say he's the sinner, even though he never did anything. And as they lift him up high and he dies, this is the big deal. He does not stay dead, right? Because sin leads to death. But he never sins, so he cannot remain dead. So he's resurrected from the dead. And he says this thing. Anyone who believes in me will also be resurrected in the kingdom to come. He says it to the thief on the cross next to him. He says, you on the cross with me now, because you believe in me, you put your faith in me. You will be resurrected. I will see you in the kingdom of heaven. Now you say, what is the thief on the cross? He didn't do all the good.

He.

You know, how is that possible, right? Because that's the question you brought. So now here's the thing. When you think about what we can do, we talked about that our works are not good enough. But when we say, Jesus, I want to follow you, I want to pick up. Because he said, if you want to follow me, pick up your cross, follow me. You're serious? Then you're going to walk. You're going to put yourself, you're going to trust in God. You're going to say, God, empower me to walk as Jesus. I love Jesus. I want to be more like Jesus. He was a loving guy. He loved people. He was kind. He poured his heart out for people. But those are not the things that saves us. Being a good person is not because we cannot. So now we come before God, we die, like you said, we die, we get before God. We believed in him. God sees us and he sees the righteousness of Jesus upon us because we. That's what Jesus did. He laid his life down that so whoever may believe in him will live forever. So this is what I want to say with you, my brother, is that I appreciate you so much. Man is when you put your faith in him and not in yourself, not in what I can do, I surrender. His holy spirit comes, fills you, empowers you. You're not going to be perfect, but you're going to become changed. And then when you become changed and you believe in him, you're going to become changed more and more and more every day into his nature. But it costs you something. It costs you your life. Just like Jesus picked up his cross and died, you need to pick up your cross and go to die to yourself. So how do you know you're gonna go to heaven?

No, but we asked this. You asked us already.

I know, but what do you think now?

Okay, okay, okay. I think. I think the percentage went up, like, 25%. Maybe.

It went up. Cool. Cool, guys. Well, you know, this is what I'll just say, ending thoughts, is that I love you. You guys are so patient. I love you. It's amazing that you guys are listening to me, letting me speak to you. And I think that I would ask you if I was. If Jesus was here, and I know he is. He's literally right here. He would say the same thing he said to his disciple, Peter, Peter, follow me. And that's what he's telling both of you right now. Follow me. Pick up your cross. Follow me. Whatever is in the way, whatever you feel like, man, it's not worth it. Follow me. There's life. Life, abundantly I promise you, like, powerful life, satisfaction, fulfillment like this world could never give you.

Right?

I had somebody ask me a few years ago, do you believe in God? I said, yes. They're like, okay, like, are you going at him? I said, no, absolutely not. My problem was like, I was trying to earn my way every like. And I was like, I'm too messed up. These are all the bad things I built.

No matter what you've done or where you've been, Jesus calls your name, calling you into a relationship that will leave you changed forever. You cannot save yourself and you cannot work hard enough to make it into heaven. Faith in Jesus means believing that he can purify even your darkest sin by his blood. His forgiveness is real. It heals us and it restores us to God. But the question is, can you accept his forgiveness and will you now give him your life? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. That is an invitation that is extended to you this day. Whoever calls on his name will be saved by Him.

Sam.