Will Everyone Go to Heaven? – What the Bible Says

He who has the Son has life; He who does not
have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:12

Will everyone go to heaven?

Many people think so. 

Some believe they will go to heaven because they think they are good enough. They compare themselves with the worst sinners instead of the God of the universe who sets the standard.

Others think sincerity is what matters and it’s not fair to keep people out just because they don’t believe a certain way.

But what is the standard, and who decides?

Let’s find out.

Will Everyone Go to Heaven?

The Bible says not everyone will go to heaven. Why not? Because God is perfect and holy. And that’s what He requires for anyone to get to heaven on their own. However, since that’s not possible, God provided another way because He is also loving and merciful. His avenue is open to everyone, but He is clear that it’s not about being good enough or being sincere in what you think will get you there. Your sin separates you from God, period. Jesus paid the price, and anyone who believes will be saved. In other words, It’s what Jesus did, not what you can do.

1. Admit that You’re a Sinner

It starts with admitting that you’re a sinner and separated from God.

God is perfect and cannot allow any sin into heaven. So, there is nothing you can do to get yourself there.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

It’s accepting that God is the One who decides, not you. He loves you and provided a way. It’s His gift to you because He knew there was no way for you to be perfect; there was no other way for you to get to heaven.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”

You must understand that you will die in your sins if you refuse God’s gift.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I hope you see that no one can get to heaven without believing in what Jesus did.

2. Believe Jesus Died and Rose Again

What did Jesus do?

He came from heaven, took on human form, and was born as a baby. He grew up without sinning and spent the last three years of His life in ministry. He lived His entire life without sin.

And then He was crucified because the Jewish people were unhappy that He wasn’t overthrowing the Roman government. From a human perspective, this didn’t look good for Jesus.

However, this is what was supposed to happen from God’s perspective. The Old Testament and Jesus both predicted it. Jesus’ death was God’s plan for redeeming people.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.

But God’s plan wasn’t only for Jesus to die. His death had a purpose–to conquer sin and death. Jesus did this on the cross and then came back to life on the third day.

Acts 26:23 That the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. 

Because Jesus is alive, we can have assurance that He is who He says He is. And that He can save all who believe. 

Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved…

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

3. Commit Yourself to Jesus

Now it’s time for you to decide. Ask yourself:

1. Am I a sinner? Have I ever done anything wrong that would keep me separated from a perfect, holy God?
2. Do I want to go to heaven when I die? There are only two choices: you will either go to heaven or hell.  
3. Did God provide a way through His only Son, Jesus? Only Jesus could do it.
4. Does Jesus’ death on the cross mean I can be reconciled to God? If I believe it?
5. Will I accept by faith God’s free gift of salvation? Do I believe?

If you said yes to each question, you are now born again (spiritually) and adopted into God’s family. You have been freed from the penalty of sin and are on your way to heaven!

Welcome to the family!

It’s just the beginning, so you will want to look at the steps below to aid you in your new life in Christ. You are now free from the penalty of sin, which is the first phase of salvation.     

Next Steps

There are some first steps you need to take if you just now believed in Jesus for the first time:

• Get a Bible and start reading it. The gospel of John is an excellent place to start.
• Find a Bible-believing church and ask to speak to the pastor about what you just did.
• Once you are in a church, get baptized to show your commitment to following Jesus.
• Tell someone what happened to you.

Resources

• Watch the video below to hear the gospel explained again and to get access to more resources.
• To hear more of the back story that led to Jesus coming, read What Does It Mean to Be “Saved”? by Answers in Genesis.
• Click here to read “Freedom From Sin” by John MacArthur.

RELATED > > > > > Are There Three Stages of Salvation – Past, Present, and Future?

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Final Thoughts

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So, will everyone go to heaven?

Hopefully, you now know the answer is NO. Jesus says there is only one way, and it’s through Him.

If you realize you aren’t going, I hope you seriously consider how you can change that.

A sinner, by nature, cannot go to heaven. They are separated from God with no way to get to Him on their own.

That’s why God graciously made a way. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for your sins. Only Jesus met all of God’s requirements. 

You will be saved and go to heaven when you believe this is true.

When you believe, you become part of God’s family. You’ll want to have a Bible to read and a church that teaches the Bible and where you can find others like you. 

I also recommend a book by John MacArthur called Welcome to the Family.