Great multitudes of people have high hopes of going to that place called heaven; but who is going? Are there qualifications for that place? What does the Bible say about those qualifications? These are questions that should be deeply considered. In Psalm 24 the Psalmist raises this very question in verse 3, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His Holy Place?” In the following verse (v 4) he answers the question, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.” What does that mean someone may be asking? It means what it clearly implies, which is absolute purity in heart and conduct. You ask, do you mean no one is going to heaven but those that are perfect? I mean exactly that. I was reading an account of the last thoughts of a dying soul, Mr. Pederman was his name?: “Had I now a thousand worlds” (said he) “I would give them all for one year more, that I might present unto God one year of faith and devotion. You perhaps wonder when you consider that I have lived free from scandal and debauchery and as a member of the church, that I should be so full of remorse and guilt at the approach of death. “But, alas! What wretched comfort to me to know only that I have lived free from murder, theft and adultery. You know well that I have never been a drunkard, but you have also been frequent witness of my intemperance, gluttony, sensuality and selfishness. And if I am now going to a judgment where nothing will be accepted short of unblemished purity, I have nothing to plead for me.” You see my friends; this Mr. Pederman was dying without Christ, therefore without hope, without hope in this world or the world to come. Without Christ a man has no acceptance with God. All of his good is rejected as if he had done no good at all. My only hope of heaven is my acceptance in Christ. My trust is not in my works and merit, but Christ as my substitute. When Christ said “it behooved Him to fulfill all righteousness” He meant that He must literally fulfill all the righteous requirements of the holy law of God as a substitute for those who believe in Him as their Surety before a Holy God. One of the greatest gospel texts in the Bible is II Corinthians 5:21. Paul was dealing with the subject of reconciliation, and in conclusion to those remarks he said, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” The word “made” in that text is a forensic word, that is a word used in legal matters. The text literally says to us that those who have been reconciled to God through the cross of Christ are “legally constituted righteous in Him, because He had been legally constituted sin for them.” So you see the man that goes to heaven trusting Christ goes there with “clean hands and a pure heart.” Christ is that man’s purity. Those who are in union with Christ and those alone are the ones going to heaven. I ask you therefore, are you in Christ? Will Christ walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death with you, and then will you rest in Him and His works? Oh blessed assurance Jesus is mine. ~~Terry Worthan, 1938-2022
Older
Top
