How to Stay Qualified for Heaven (Christianity)

Last Updated: December 5, 2019 References

Some Christians say that a Christian is "once saved, always saved," but if you look at the Bible, it would seem that one's salvation isn't quite as secure as some think it is. Paul says "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." How do you do this? It may not be perfectly clear, but living a good life filled with devotion to God and kindness to others is a good start.

Steps

1
Recognize that different people have different ideas about how to get into Heaven. Some people think that belief is all it takes. Others think that living a virtuous life matters most. Jesus believes that above all, loving God and loving your neighbor matter.
2
Follow the Ten Commandments.
- Put God first. Do not worship any other gods.
- Do not practice idolatry. Do not worship any images.
- Don't take God's name in vain. Don't say "God believes ____" when you mean "I believe ____." Do not hurt others and say it is because God wanted you to do so.
- Keep the Sabbath day holy. Visit church if you are able. (If you are sick and contagious, try reading the Bible or watching an online sermon at home.)
- Honor your father and your mother. Respect your parents or caregivers, and treat them with dignity. Obey them, unless they ask you to do something harmful or unreasonable.
- Do not murder. Never kill another person unless it is absolutely necessary in self-defense.
- Do not commit adultery. Stay faithful to your spouse or partner, and do not cheat on them physically or emotionally. If a relationship needs to end, then end it before you move on.
- Do not steal. If you are desperate, ask for charity, instead of taking from someone else.
- Do not lie about someone else. Speak the truth about other people. Never lie to get someone else in trouble, or to harm their reputation unfairly.
- Do not covet. While everyone occasionally wishes they had something they don't, do not let jealousy consume you. Instead, work on getting your own or letting it go.
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3
Do good work. You should not only be a Christian in your mind, but in your actions. Try to do something good for someone else every day, whether it's something as small as a compliment or as large as volunteering all day.
- James says, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do....faith without works is dead."
4
Avoid hypocrisy. Your actions describe your character more than your thoughts and words. Do not let selfish desires push you towards bad decisions. Instead, strive to let your actions communicate your beliefs and your character.
- Instead, strive for humility. You should do good things because they are good, not because you want to be praised.
5
Do no harm. Hurting other people in general is a sin. Never intentionally cause harm to someone else, through words or actions. If you do cause harm, by accident or a lapse in judgment, you should apologize and change your behavior.
- Avoid bad behavior like name-calling, yelling, snapping, and malicious sarcasm. Words can hurt.
- Judge not. Do not let cruel words pass your lips.
- Never hit, push, spank, or otherwise harm someone unless it is a last resort for immediate safety reasons.
- Do not vote for politicians who would disenfranchise the poor and oppressed.
- Do not be mean to LGBT+ people. Jesus was unconditionally kind to them.^{[1]
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- Refuse to discriminate against other people. God made every person different, and just because they have a different skin tone, culture, or body type does not mean they are less beloved by God. Even if you believe they are a sinner, show them only kindness.
6
Give to the poor if you are able. Jesus has spoken many times about the importance of helping the poor. Give to charity, consider volunteering your time, and do not hoard large amounts of money for yourself.
- If you have neither time nor money, focus on caring for yourself (and your family, if applicable). Do what you can to improve your situation, so that eventually you may be stable enough to give back to your community.
- Jesus said that it is harder for the rich to get into Heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle. He may be referring to a very narrow passage that was extremely difficult for camels to pass through.^{[3]
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  Research source} If you are rich, be sure to pay all your employees a fair living wage, donate to people in need, and leave a lots of money to charity in your will.
7
Keep in mind that the "abominations" in Leviticus are not believed to apply to modern people. Jesus has said that Christians do not need to follow harsh Old Testament laws (under which you could be put to death for many things, including rudeness towards parents).^{[4]
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Research source} You don't have to worry too much if you do a few things listed in Leviticus, such as:^{[6]
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- Touching an unclean animal or a dead bug
- Eating shrimp
- Going to church shortly after giving birth
- Wearing clothes of different fabrics
- Planting different seeds in the same field
- Trimming your beard
- Loving someone of the same gender
- Getting a tattoo
- Doing a little work on Sunday
- Giving someone a loan with interest
8
Ask for advice and forgiveness when you do sin. Only God is perfect. You will make mistakes, and you will sin at times. When you realize you have done something wrong, handle it with maturity and sensitivity.
- If you hurt someone else through words or actions, apologize sincerely and make amends if you can.
- Pray to God for forgiveness.
- Show goodness by learning from mistake and trying to do better in the future.
9
Love God with all your heart. Jesus says that loving God is important to get into Heaven.
10
Love your neighbor with all your heart. Love is a powerful virtue, so powerful that it can overcome your sins. Treat people with unconditional kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness.
- Follow the Platinum rule: treat your neighbor the way they want to be treated. When this is impossible or unreasonable (e.g. a 2-year-old wanting to be the boss of the household), follow the Golden rule and treat them the way you want to be treated.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I go to heaven if I love someone of the same gender?

Community Answer

This is a tough question. While some factions of Christianity maintain the Biblical stance that only a man and woman belong together, most feel that as long as you have been saved (admitting your sins and letting Christ help you), then yes, you can go to heaven regardless of whom you love.
Question

How do I get rid of all of my sins and follow God's order?

Galasy4969

Top Answerer

You can't. We are sinful by nature. It is our faith in Christ that pays our debts so that we may be saved. If you do need help with certain habits, seek help from a professional.

Warnings

Forgiveness does not mean allowing people to take advantage of you. You should still keep yourself safe. Sometimes, that means staying away from a certain person, or saying "no" to them. Assertively protecting your own well-being is not a sin.

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Don't become overly judgmental of others on these things. Look at yourself first. Jesus said,' "remove the board from your eye before you go around trying to remove specks from other people's eyes."

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