Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies.
Locked on 07/23/2015 5:47:09 PM PDT by Jim Robinson, reason:

some people refuse to get it



Skip to comments.

How to Go to Heaven
CatholicAnswers ^ | May 12, 2015 | Jimmy Akin

Posted on 07/21/2015 4:48:44 PM PDT by Salvation

How to Go to Heaven

May 12, 2015 |

Sometimes people make it sound like the Catholic understanding of how to get to heaven is really complex.

It’s not.

While you can go into any of Christ’s teachings in a lot of very rich detail, he made sure that this one can be understood even by a child.

I can summarize it in two sentences.

The two sentences are these: To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. And we can show each of these things from the Bible.

The need to repent is shown by the fact that, right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus began preaching the gospel, saying “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The need for faith is shown when the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes that “Without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

And the need for baptism is shown when St. Peter flatly tells us: “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

So that’s what you need to do if you want to come to God and be saved: Repent, have faith, and be baptized.

If you do these things, you’ll be in a state of grace, and as long as you remain in a state of grace, you’ll go to heaven.

But we still have free will, and we can still turn our backs on God and fall from grace, to use St. Paul’s phrase (Galatians 5:4).

St. Paul is very clear about the possibility of us committing mortal sin. He tells us: “Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

To turn away from God and commit mortal sin is the opposite of repenting. So when we fall into mortal sin, we need to turn back to God—to repent again.

We also need to have faith.

And then we need to go to confession. This is something Jesus indicated just after he rose from the dead. He came to his disciples, breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23)

So Jesus empowered his ministers to forgive or retain sins. In order for a priest to know whether he is to forgive or retain a sin, he needs to know about the sin and whether we have repented of it. That means we need to go and tell him these things, and so we have the sacrament of confession.

So that’s what you need to do. To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

It’s all thoroughly biblical.



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; heaven
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 701-713 next last
To: Mom MD

That is the trouble with Jimmy Akin and the others like him. Who cares if it is “thoroughly Biblical”? These lay psuedo-theologians with blogs are so eager to please protestants they don’t “preach” from a Catholic viewpoint. It is not necessary to “prove” something is specifically Biblical to establish if it is true. The Catholic Church is not founded upon the Bible as a written historical document with some nice platitudes and good advice. It is founded upon the person of Christ himself.


81 posted on 07/21/2015 6:17:41 PM PDT by 2tipsea (What can I say?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Nice, Salvation, that is a beautiful passage! You also hit 2 birds with one stone, Apostolic Succession and Sacrament of Penance.

Score: Catholics 1, Biblicists 0.


82 posted on 07/21/2015 6:17:41 PM PDT by 2tipsea (What can I say?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: metmom

....”James tells us that if we’ve broken one law, we’re guilty of them all”......

That one verse was the it which caused me to close the Bible in despair knowing I had no way out and therefore doomed.....I remember the moment vividly because I looked up and told God just that!............But then of course He had another plan which very soon after I would hear.

In retrospect I think God may very well have seen that moment as me agreeing with Him that I was a sinner... and no matter how I tried to weigh the scales favorably, and I was doing just that prior to that one verse,...obvious that verse lets no-one off the hook of damnation.

When ever I see that verse I am reminded of that moment when I KNEW I was doomed.


83 posted on 07/21/2015 6:17:43 PM PDT by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam

Well, gosh, you have a point. Jimmy Akin may be just about the only person left in the Catholic faith that still uses the term “mortal” sin.

On the other hand, for the sake of assessing one’s state of grace, it’s not hard to understand that, for example, there is a difference between, say, adultery and driving 5 MPH over the speed limit.


84 posted on 07/21/2015 6:17:54 PM PDT by 2tipsea (What can I say?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

So by *Catholic bashing* do you then mean absolutely no non-Catholic presence at all on your threads? Is that the definition?

If so, there’s always the caucus label.

If you post an open thread, it’s open.

What did you expect?

You came on open Protestant threads. But we can’t come on yours?


85 posted on 07/21/2015 6:17:55 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

Do you have any “common sense” or do you just attempt to provoke others?


86 posted on 07/21/2015 6:18:23 PM PDT by ADSUM
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: johngrace

Only Christ can truly forgive sins if I have repented of a sin and run to Christs mercy no one can hold it against me no matter who they are the one that the son sets free is free in deed

If I were you with your beliefs I would be worried that I had ticked a priest of at some time in my life and that priest decided not to forgive me....

My salvation is dependent on God alone and no man no matter who they are


87 posted on 07/21/2015 6:18:37 PM PDT by Mom MD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: 2tipsea

The speed limit is mans law not Gods There is no eternal penalty for driving over the speed limit


88 posted on 07/21/2015 6:19:55 PM PDT by Mom MD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
Water baptism is not required to have God put His Holy Spirit Life in a person who is repentant and faithing in Jesus to Save them.

Sure it is, and whatsmore He said so.....

89 posted on 07/21/2015 6:21:14 PM PDT by terycarl (, COMMON SENSE PREVAILS OVERALL)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
Salvation ISN'T hard.

Men make it hard.

God makes it easy.

Romans 10:9-13 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The only respect in which the Christian life isn't easy is because we still struggle with the flesh and sin daily. We don't want to do it but find ourselves stuck in Romans 7.

But thank God for Romans 8 which says..... "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."

90 posted on 07/21/2015 6:21:46 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
When a person becomes a Catholic priest this part of the bible is used in the ceremony besides others. The Laying on of hands.

Acts 6-New International Version (NIV) The Choosing of the Seven

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They Presented these men to the Apostles, who Prayed and Laid Their Hands on Them."

The Laying on of Hands is believed to be the unction of the Holy Spirit for authority. Remember Stephen and others already had the Holy Spirit as a Believer. This was especially for Authority why else they were already christians.

91 posted on 07/21/2015 6:22:10 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: 2tipsea

As is any church The only foundation of any church is Christ And He gave us His written word to guide us. All that is needful to know for salvation is contained in the Scripture It is the final Authority until we are with Christ and see Him face to face


92 posted on 07/21/2015 6:23:51 PM PDT by Mom MD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: metmom

In the same sermon, Jesus said that if your eye or your hand causes you to sin, pluck out your eye and cut off your hand.

Have you plucked out your eye and cut off your hand yet?


93 posted on 07/21/2015 6:23:54 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Wyrd bið ful aræd
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." 39But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn't yet glorified. John 7:37&38

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.John 3:16-18

94 posted on 07/21/2015 6:25:02 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: Wyrd bið ful aræd

It’s has nothing to do with convenience. Stripped down there nothing but the sacrifice of Jesus required for propitiation for sin. There’s nothing I can add to that except accepting the gift. Get past that and its not hard at all.


95 posted on 07/21/2015 6:25:08 PM PDT by zek157
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: Mom MD
However I have been studying for over 50 years

If you study islam for 50 years, you would still be wrong....If you study Catholicism for about 2 years, you will know Christ's truths and learn to accept what Christians have accepted for 2,015 years so far.

96 posted on 07/21/2015 6:25:58 PM PDT by terycarl (, COMMON SENSE PREVAILS OVERALL)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: 2tipsea
Quote: Score: Catholics 1, Biblicists 0.

the crux of the matter. You choose tradition, I choose the Bible!

97 posted on 07/21/2015 6:26:07 PM PDT by jimmyray
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot; bramps
but the terms and classification of mortal vs. venial sin is not in Scripture, but made up by the Roman church

Don't think so.

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. -- 1 John 5:16-17, NKJV

"Leading to death" is pros thanatos in the Greek. It's absolutely reasonable to translate "pros thanatos" as "mortal".

98 posted on 07/21/2015 6:26:15 PM PDT by Campion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN; johngrace

Sorry I meant to finish it but this we believe has been passed by laying on of hands on by authority for two thousand years.


99 posted on 07/21/2015 6:27:07 PM PDT by johngrace ( I am a 1 John 4! Christian- declared at every Sunday Mass , Divine Mercy and Rosary prayers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: ADSUM

Take a deep breath. I am holding to the Biblical narrative.


100 posted on 07/21/2015 6:28:42 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 701-713 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson