Since we have a plethera of denominations posting these days, I would like to know (or understand) what you believe it takes to get to heaven, and if you think you're going...

...Any takers?

Good acts.

But if you cry hard enough, I'm sure they'll let you in. That's what happens at clubs, anyway.

doesnt it say something about being judged on how much you have loved and how much you have loved. do i think i am "getting in"? dunno, too worried about getting my kids in.

Well I'm not going to heaven however, It seems that good works and being a general nice person might work.

Faith, confession, repentance.

It's interesting that no one has mentioned the Atonement of Jesus Christ so far.

I will try to explain the Mormon doctrine on this question, but must start by stating that our concept of heaven is somewhat different.

I think that entrance into heaven is a combination of faith and works. I don't think any of you will disagree with that. Without faith in Jesus Christ, our works are worth nothing. Without good works, our faith in Jesus Christ is likely shallow and hollow.

There is an interesting scripture in the Book of Mormons which is often used against Mormons, it states, "we are saved by grace, after all that we can do." Many people seem to think that any focus at all on our responsibility to work out our own salvation somehow dimishes the Savior's role. I disagree, I think that what that verse teaches is that even if we are perfect in every way - like Job, that is still not enough to get us to heaven. Without faith in Christ and the merits of his atonement, we cannot make it.

As for what it will be like when we get there, that's another topic...

beleive Jesus is son of God, died and rose again for your sin. Confess your a sinner and ask Him to come into your heart...As a subscriber to the Arminian point of view, i dont beleive in once saved always saved... we must endure to the end, so to speak. Biblically speaking we are not saved by works, but by faith.
good person who doesnt accept Christ...going to Hell...good works but dont accept Christ ...going to hell. Hell is for the devil and his boys, but those who refuse the gospel as stated in the BIble,," one way to heaven through the Son Jesus..." will join the devil and his boys in hell for eternity.
What i believe and biblical as well.

What about a bad person that does no good works and accepts Christ? Just seeking a little more clarity.

Or a good person, who does good works all thier life and accepts Buddah ?

bad person(we all are in God's eyes) accepts christ even at last minute before death...if in heart accepts...i believe heaven. rewards will be minimal but still name in Lamb's Book of Life.
Buddah = hell.
Jesus is only to Heaven. If you believe in Bible you should believe in same thing.

SEM, change your ways man...Heaven is real and God wants you in it. He accepts you for who are, he will fix you over time...just like all of us...

I refuse to go to a heaven that none of my friends are in. They are excellent men who do some awesome things for humanity. They donate money and they work at soup kitchens and help out the poor. Yet, for the sole fact that they don't believe they are damned to hell? Then I will gladly sit by them there, as it always has been my choice. I stand by my friends from life to death. Even if it means that we have to stand together forever.

Even if we can not see each other, I know that my friends and I are suffering the same way then. No paradise would work for me without my friends.

No loving God would deny my friends a right to heaven. And if he does, then I want nothing to do with him.

Jesus=Heaven; No Jesus=No Heaven. Period.

Nothing we can or cannot do will change what He has already done. It's finished. That's why I started this thread because of the purgatory thing.

I don't want to come across "holier than thou" because I am far from that. I just don't believe there is a "half-way" to Heaven. You're there or you're not. When Jesus died on the cross, He said..."It is Finished". He wasn't just talking about His earthly life. He was talking about sin and death having any more control over our lives. If we believe we have to do something else to get to heaven, why did Jesus have to die then?

If you're not a believer, good works will get you an "atta boy" from the world, but you will live eternity separated from God. If you are a believer, Good works will get you a crown in Heaven.

You can be that person at the soup kitchen serving up meals, or that doctor in the remote areas of the world giving medical aid, but if you don't know Jesus, it still won't get you to Heaven.

I believe like Nab. If you are a murderer your entire life and have a heart change (a real repentive heart change) on your death bed, you will inherit the Kingdom. Jesus spoke it to the murderer on the cross next to Him. Was He just kidding him? Of course not. That man recognized in his last moments that this wastruly God, and confessed it. God doesn't change. The same God of the Bible is working the same wonders today. If you believe the bible is true, then you have to believe all of it.

Mouse, I am sad for you. Our loving God denies no one, you just have to ask.

You will stand alone in front of Him, accounting for your life. You won't have your buddies there during that judgement. You may not even see those buddies again. It will be an eternal existence of pain and anguish where there are no friendships. Only suffering. It's not some big old frat party where you're all living it up in sin. The sin is past. It's now the punishment.

Perhaps, I should clarify something from the other thread that spawned this thread.

Those who don't have the opportunity to know Jesus, will have to accept him as their Savior in order to progress from the Spirit Prison into whatever awaits thereafter.

Spirit Prison is not a place for those who simply need to do a little better, it is a place for those have not accepted Christ for whatever reason to be given that chance.

Am i supposed to applaud your heroism MOuse?
You are a faithful friend and it sounds like you would take a bullet for friends...it is commendable and even to be jealous to have a faithful friend as such....however, those things and your friends and your relationships have nothing to do with the world after.(joel will disagree ...imagine a friend commits a crime, he is punished.he did it and deserves it. good person or not, soup kitchen or not. punishment is comin.you gonna be punished with him even if you did nothing? in this world we have all committed the crimes, so to speak, and i mean sin... Jesus came and took the punishment...HE IS YOU(IN YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO OTHERS), mouse...he is hanging with you to get you with Him , cuz He loves YOU like a brother. hE WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU. Just as will never forsake your boys . The difference is He has the ability to change where you end up. you do not have the ability for your friends.
I can tell a true change in you for Christ would affect multitudes for the Kigdom of God. Your friends would see the change your family, your coworkers. once you believe something you seem unshakeable...this is good...but be sure you beleive in what is real and not just part of your philosphy. Hell was not made for you or your friends, but you have a choice and so do your friends.
Between this little website and the other you frequented, for awhile you have heard enough to know what it means for salvation and heaven. You are accountable my friend and there is no promise of tomorrow. be wise in your stance for or against Christ. You are loved.
Nabster

M, it seems to me that you aren't sticking to your creed...do you love your friends? It sounds like it.

Embie: Why are you sad? It is by my choice that I choose to stand by the people close to me instead of having them go a different path. I know how they are, they will never change. This does not make them bad people. It merely puts them against a God, supposing that he is real.

Nabster: You do not even have to smile towards me. I'm not doing this for me or for anyone else. I'm doing this because it was my decision. I choose to form earthly bonds between people. I choose to forge a connection with others. Yes, I could right now go moff and say that Jesus is Lord and I believe in him 100%. But that would be lying. And who would I be lying to? Myself. That's all.

Foreverchanged: I do not love them. They have saved my life in the past and I repay people for their works. If they would have not been there, I would have been killed more than a few times. i'm merely a debtor repaying his debt. That is all.

To me this all seems like an exclusive club. If you do not conform to the views of this club, then you are not allowed in. Who among you would enter a club while leaving your friends outside? Would a truely just and loving club owner allow that? In my eyes, no. However, if that is how God is, then so be it.

So you owe them, and that is why they are your friends?

1. How did they save your life and why?
2. Would you trust them with your life and why/why not?
3. What is your defenition of "love"?
4. What is your defenition of "friend"?

I made the mistake of attacking a gang leaders brother. My friend was the only thing between that gun and me.

I got sick one time and my friend had the sense enough to drive me home. Turns out i was sicker than I thought and had to be taken to the hospital.

We were walking down the street and two black guys held up us with guns. My friend's quick talking was the only thing that saved our lives.

I was suffering from severe depression and my friend came out of his way over to my house from 20 miles away to make sure that I was ok.

To answer your second question: There are only three people I trust; myself, my brother, and andrew. Everyone else I watch for constantly to make sure that they cannot hurt me.

Love is the human emotion that is needed to keep our species going. It is the drive in our brains that tells us that its time to have sex. Nothing more, nothing less.

Love as you say it to me is not needed. We do not need bonds between others. That doesn't mean that they don't exist.

A friend is someone I am currently in debt to and I will hang around them untill my debt is paid. Then I am done with them.

So if you repay these debts tomorrow, and you are "done with them" would you still use that [not wanting to go where your friends aren't welcome] as an excuse not to want to go to Heaven?

And as far as trust, I trust few people as well...but I thought you trusted no one...

I think you have misinterpreted the word love for the word lust, as well. You don't have to love someone to want to procreate with them...

Preach it Sista!

Love does not equal lust. There are several types of love and you are barely scratching the surface of one of'm. I love my sister Michelle here, but not like I love my wife, and not like God loves me. If you are truly seeking the truth, then you got to dig a LOT further - you aren't even scratching the paint on truth yet

You are putting a good dent in pessimism tho, but that ain't truth neither

And I'm not stretching the truth a bit when I say you are loved, whether you like it or not