The attainment of eternal life in the heaven is the ultimate objective of most people, who joined
religions with the hope that someday they will be able to achieve it. Everyone
who worship the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ has placed their faith in
its ultimate achievement when our Lord comes for the second time.
We shall not pass judgment upon the validity or futility of other religions.
Rather, we shall refer to teachings of the sole judge appointed by God — no less than
the Lord Christ Jesus — who could teach us who among the billions of people
in
the world would qualify for heaven. We cannot be misled in our
search if we subscribe to the mandate and teachings of the Holy Scriptures,
for in it are written the laws and promises of God which are taught by the
Lord Jesus Christ.
50A.1 Who
could be certain of being
with Jesus in the Holy City?
In John 17:24, our Lord Jesus Christ said this when he prayed to
God the Father in heaven:
Father, I desire that they also, whom you
gave Me, maybe with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory
which You have given Me; for You love Me before the foundation of the
world. (NKJV)
Not all people could hope to meet our Lord Jesus Christ on his second
advent. Only those who are given or entrusted by the Father to
Jesus Christ, our Lord assures, could be certain to be with Him in the Holy City to see
His glory.
50A.2
Why is it that those
people given to Him by the Father are assured to be with our Lord Jesus
Christ in the Holy City?
In John 6:37, Christ Himself gave this assurances:
All that the Father gives me will come to me
and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out. (NKJV)
The same verse in the New Jerusalem Bible:
Everyone whom the Father gives me will
come to me; I will certainly not reject anyone who comes to me, (New Jerusalem Bible)
Christ will certainly not cast out nor reject anyone of those people
who were given to Him by the
Father.
50A.3 Are there people who will be
frustrated in their hope when Christ comes?
There are people who shall come and serve God and Christ but will
be frustrated in their hope as Christ declares in Mathew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
"Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
"And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
(KJV)
Despite
having professed belief in Christ, as attested by the deeds they have
done in His name, still they are being denied of recognition.
And what could be more grievous and shameful is that the Lord's
declaration, "depart from me, you who practice lawlessness".
What is the reason of their rejection?
They did not do the will of the Father in heaven. .
50A.4
What is the will of the Father
regarding His chosen people?
In John 6:39, the Lord
Jesus explained:
"This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. (NKJV)
Jesus said that the will
of the Father is
50A.5
Did the Father in heaven
gave the Lord Jesus Christ the authority to give eternal life to His chosen
people?
In John 17:2, Jesus said this as He prayed to the Father in heaven:
as You have
given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to
as many as You have given Him. (NKJV)
Certainly, the Father in heaven
gave authority to the Lord Jesus to give eternal life to those whom God has given Him.
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Only those who are given or entrusted by
the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ, could be certain to be with Him in the
Holy City to see His glory. Christ will certainly not cast out nor reject anyone
who were given to Him by the
Father, for God has given Him the authority to give eternal life to
them.
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