by Ryan Moody

Created on: January 31, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

As with many issues, compassion and humanism have a way of clouding this issue. However, the answer, although unpopular in today's culture, is black and white, no shades of gray. Let me first state that I know many caring, compassionate people that will whole heartedly disagree with what I am about to write, and that is OK, that is what makes Helium great, it is a place to express opinions. A Christian family member of mine has been struggling with this exact question for some time, and she expressed her theory to me on the matter. She has theorized that we will all be judged on merit, and that devout Jews, Muslims, etc will have a chance to enter Heaven upon their demise. The only problem with this theory is that she is a human, she is not God, and in reality, only God's opinion matters. Recently, a well know religious figure, Joel Osteen, was asked this same question by Larry King on national television. His answer surprised me, and in many ways it troubled me about his resolve. What was his answer to this difficult question? He simply did not give an answer at all. I would have much rather him answered on way or the other, at least that would have shown some backbone. In a world where far too many churches have become more interested with attendance that truth, his lack of an answer weakened the church as a whole. So, what is the correct answer to this question? As with all questions involving God, we must turn to the Word of God to get the only important opinion, God's own opinion. There are many passages that deal with this issue, but for the sake of time, we can look at one passage and get the answer we are looking for.

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

From this passage, it is clear that to enter Heaven, you must come to Christ. There is no wiggle room on this issue, for Jesus did not say you can be born again, he said you MUST be born again. As I stated, this issue is black and white, and I know that I am correct in my analysis because what I have written lines up with the word of God; and any one person and God make a majority.

Learn more about this author, Ryan Moody.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.