How to Enter Heaven
The time of Jesus' second coming is now approaching.
And events that foreshadow it have been taking place recently.
For example, many earthquakes, COVID-19, the war between Russia and Ukraine, etc.
≪How should we live now?≫
As in every age, this age is a time when we should especially prepare ourselves to be caught up into the air at the time of Jesus' second coming (called the rapture: I Thess. 4:17; Matt. 24:40-41) and to enter heaven.
≪So, what must we do to be raptured at the time of Jesus' second coming and to enter heaven ?≫.
The main condition for entering heaven is this:
"To be separated from sin, to be born again, and to be holy".
Another way to put it is this:
"To be born again from a state of black robes into a state of white robes".
The biblical passages that confirms this one major condition are the followings:
"No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again".
(John 3:3)
"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord".
(Heb. 12:14)
"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God".
(I Cor. 6:9-10)
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood".
(Revelation 22:14-15)
Heaven is a 100% sinless, perfectly holy world. Therefore, you cannot enter heaven with sin (in black robes). To enter heaven, we must become 100% sinless and holy (in white robes).
However, we are sinners who sin daily by getting angry in our hearts, judging (condemning) others with our words, not showing consideration to others, etc. We are not holy. We are far from being holy. We are sinners before God. If we continue in this state, we cannot enter heaven.
Therefore, Jesus, God's only begotten Son, came into the world 2,000 years ago, bore our sins on the cross, and washed away our sins with His blood. When we sincerely repent of our past sins, including the sin of not believing in God, and accept that Jesus washed away our sins with His blood on the cross, our past sins are washed away by His blood, and we become 100% sinless, pure white, and holy (Colossians 1:22, Hebrews 10:10; 13:12), and are qualified to enter heaven.
If we die in this very state, we can enter heaven (paradise: Luke 23:43). That is, if we die immediately after sincerely repenting of our sins and believing in the forgiveness of sins of the cross (and if we commit no sins after believing in it), we can enter heaven, for we are in a pure, white, holy state, free from sin.
However, it is rare for a person to die immediately after believing in the forgiveness of sins of the cross. Those who believe in the gospel of the forgiveness of sins of the cross and are baptized, often live for several years or decades after they believe in the gospel.
Then, after believing in the gospel of the forgiveness of sins of the cross, can one enter heaven no matter how he or she lives? No, it is not so. For example, suppose that a person who was caught for stealing repents of his sins, accepts the gospel of the forgiveness of sins on the cross, is baptized, and becomes a Christian. But then he repeats stealing, does not repent of his sins, and die. Then he will not enter heaven, because he is in a blackened state of sin.
Many churches today teach that if a person believes in the gospel of the forgiveness of sins on the cross and is baptized, he or she will 100% enter heaven. But this is wrong. If this were true, then that serial thief, who committed the crime of serial theft after his baptism and died without repenting of any of his sins, would also be admitted to enter heaven in a blackened state, with sin. This is definitely wrong.
In order to enter heaven, the place of holiness where sin does not exist at all, it is necessary to turn away from sin, be born again, and become a pure white, holy person. That is what the Bible clearly tell us(John 3:3; I Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Heb. 12:14; Rev. 22:14-15; Matt. 7:21-23).
Therefore, after accepting the gospel of the forgiveness of sins of the cross, being washed clean of sins by the blood of Jesus, and becoming pure white, we are required to maintain that state of white robes in our lives. Specifically, we are required to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance (Gal. 5:22-23) and to live according to the leading of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25; Rom. 8:14). In other words, those whose sins have been washed away by the blood of the cross and who have become holy (Col. 1:22) are now expected to become holy in deed.
"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life" (I Thess. 4:7).
"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" (I Pet. 1:14-15).
However, it is impossible for human beings to be 100% holy in terms of conduct. Therefore, we need to constantly repent of our sins. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we should do our best in our deeds, but when we fall short, we should repent of our sins and have our sins washed away by the blood of the cross. In this way, when we keep our robes continually white and live as a holy person, we can enter heaven no matter when we die, or no matter when Jesus returns.
*the Bible: NIV