Heaven residency requirement

Matthew 7:21-23 KJV

v. 21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

v. 22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

v. 23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.⁠

These verses contain some of the Bible's most disturbing sayings: they mean that even after acknowledging Jesus as Lord, you could still be disqualified by Him when you meet Him

The verses themselves are easy to understand for an avid Bible student who takes heed of God's words. Unfortunately, many who profess to be Christians, including church leaders, are caught up in the world and have misinterpreted scripture.

This presents a frightening scenario: believing you are promised heaven only to be informed at your final moment that you fall short of its residency requirements. Furthermore, since you have already passed away, there is no chance to make amends, even if you sincerely sought to.

Every believer should take seriously the sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The surest way to avoid such a disastrous outcome is to abide by God's will. While many Christians cannot answer the question, "What is God's will?" adequately, it is not a difficult question. God's will is clearly manifested in His words, which are fully given in the Bible. The clear reference to God's words is given in Matthew 7:24, “Heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them.”

The Bible contains everything: how He wishes to be worshiped; what He expects from our character; what He wants us to do; and how we must conduct ourselves with authorities, fellow believers, and the people of the world. In summary, whenever our actions are contrary to the Bible’s teachings, we are not in His will.

People in the world are adept at understanding worldly matters. In my line of work, I had a client in the contracting business. When they prepared a tender for submission, the instructions can be as voluminous as two thick books. They must meticulously read the documents and ensure every requirement is fully fulfilled. Any breach or omission of the conditions will result in a failed submission, which the tender committee will not consider. I was told that the requirements in the documents must be fulfilled—nothing more, nothing less. It is admirable that the team displays such diligence in complying with the tender requirements; they simply comply without questioning the reasonableness of the demands.

When we compare the 100% compliance shown in a worldly tender process, I am quite dismayed by how some Christians today comply with God’s will. Whenever the Bible presents a teaching that is unacceptable to them, professing Christians tend to avoid it or reinterpret it as a matter of tradition rather than a commandment of God. Yet, in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, God clearly spells out the required character for believers:

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Many ignore these verses, comforting themselves with the belief that we serve a kind God. This avoidance and omission is a red flag. If a person truly wants to appropriate the blessings of the Christian faith, they must fully comply with the Bible’s standards. If the requirements of a worldly tender cannot be bent, how can God’s eternal words be dismissed?

Our journey to our heavenly home has residency requirements as stringent as any country’s. It is a well-known fact that to gain residency in any foreign country, you must fully comply with all its requirements, as no country, rich or poor, is a respecter of persons. Ironically, many Christians are not taking heed of the verses mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23. Are they deceived, self-deceived, or do they view the Heavenly kingdom as less of a reality than a country on earth?

1 John 2:3-6 KJV

v. 3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

v. 4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

v. 5: But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

v.6: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

I hope this heads-up article will instill in those who desire to enter Heaven the need to arduously comply with God's words. A self-confident approach to this subject is at one's peril. As Deuteronomy 4:2 (KJV) warns, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."

With God’s blessings,

CL