Why Can't Everyone go to Heaven?

A few weeks back, I wrote several paragraphs as to why Christianity is not exclusionary but is instead "inclusive with a condition". The bulk of the last post focused on the inclusivity of the Christian faith in the sense that everyone is welcome to join. Whatever your age, nationality or past, the doors are always open to you. However, this inclusion is reliant on the basis that you meet one condition. As you might guess, there are quite a few rules in Christianity and some people might view those rules as conditions. In actual fact, there's only one condition you have to meet to become a Christian. You have to accept that you're a sinner and that Jesus Christ, the son of God and God himself, died for your sins and through Him, you are saved. This time around, I'd like to focus a bit more on the "condition" aspect of the inclusivity and what happens if you fail to meet the condition. Are you as excited as I am for this post? Let us begin!

As much as Christianity aims to be inclusive, if you choose to reject the condition of accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour, then yes you're excluded. I've heard some people argue that it isn't fair to say someone won't go to heaven because they don't meet one condition. Let me ask you this if a stranger turned up at your house and demanded to be a part of your family dinners, you might respectfully and rightfully say "excuse me, this is a private affair". They could argue that it isn't fair that you get to have a nice meal and they don't, but I'm sure you think it's a perfectly reasonable condition that only those considered to be family members should be invited to your family dinners. You might even wonder why a stranger would be knocking at your door demanding a seat at the dinner table.

Similarly becoming a Christian means becoming a part of a family. It means entering into a relationship with God and with other Christians. And heaven is our way of moving in together. So if you can accept that only those you consider to be family should be invited to your family dinners, then why is it that when it comes to heaven people seem to think it should be an open door affair? And as far as I can see people seem to only have this expectation when it comes to Christianity and entry into heaven.

For example, I assume most people think an invite to the Oscars would be fun, but the majority of the world that don't work in the movie industry (and even some that do work in the movie industry) have accepted that they'll never get an invite because the event isn't for them. The Oscars and it's relevant after-parties are for particular individuals that have met particular conditions and based on that the exclusion of the majority of the world is not only understandable, but it is expected. As harsh as it may sound, the truth is that heaven is a party for particular individuals that have met the condition of believing in the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross and have lived their life in reliance on that.

And I know, an Oscar party isn't equal to the perfection that heaven represents and when you don't go to the Oscars, you don't have the threat of "hell" hanging over your head as an alternative. But let's take the time to think about the reality of heaven. The bible says that heaven is a place where there is no pain, or tears or hunger or suffering and where Christians can spend eternity praising God. So yes the first part of that description sounds wonderful to most people, but if you don't like Jesus, let alone believe in Him and if you don't like Christians or you can barely sit through a church service (unfortunately this also applies to some people in the church) why do want to spend eternity, literally forever, praising God with other Christians? Heaven is wonderful to Christians not simply because of the promise of no pain and no tears, but the real reward of heaven is getting to take our relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to a new level. The gift of heaven is the opportunity to experience God forever and ever. It is literally our happily ever after.

I understand that this topic could be viewed as controversial, so let's talk about this. Let me know whether you agree or disagree and what your reasons are in the comment section below. And don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put you off wanting to go to heaven. I want you to want it, but it's important you understand that Heaven is a by-product of Christianity. I'm not a Christian just because I'm trying to avoid hell or because I'm trying to get a ticket into heaven. Yes, that plays a part in my motivations, but those desires aren't enough to drive me to completely change my life and the way I view the world. And even if I could do it for a while, it doesn't lead to lifelong sustainable change. I'm a Christian because I love God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

N.B - Please note that I said that there is a condition that has to be met before becoming a Christain. There is no condition to God loving you. Whether you're a Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, or even a devil worshipper, God loves you. That's unconditional. Now you're still not a Christian and you definitely can't get into the party, but you are loved.