Expert: Tom Smith - 7/15/2007

Question
Some one told me that somewhere in the bible it says that not everyone can get into heavebible
n. that some people no matter how hard they try or what they do just cannot enter the kingdom of God. do you know where that is?

Answer
This can cover a variety of different topic and I have tried to provide an overview of the various factors below. This answer is divided up as follows:

1) What Must we do to be saved?
- What can man do to earn salvation?
- How are we saved?

2) The Unforgivable Sin

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1) What Must we do to be saved?
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The best verse to demonstrate this is:

Eph 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
NKJV

What this tells us is that there is NO ONE who can get into heaven no matter how hard they work. It is only through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross that we are saved. There is absolutely nothing that any of us can do to be saved. But the path to salvation is open to all who are willing to accept the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for our sins.

The Saviour is to save us from the impact of our own sin and restore the right relationship with God. So, if we need to be saved, by implication none who require a Saviour can be the Saviour. Thus we need to find someone who does not need a Saviour, one who is sinless, yet scripture says:

Rom 3:9-12
10 As it is written:
"There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
NKJV

John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
NKJV

There is no other way to be saved.

John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
NKJV

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
NKJV

And as stated above, this opportunity is open to all.

Rom 10:10-13
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
NKJV

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2) The Unforgivable Sin
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Now there are those who commit what scripture calls the unforgivable sin:

Matt 12:31-32
31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
NKJV

Luke 12:10-11
10 And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
NKJV

If someone is concerned about this, then I would suggest that they have not committed this sin. I believe that anyone who has committed this sin would no longer have any desire for the things of God because the Holy Spirit would no longer strive with them.

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SUMMARY / CONCLUSION
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So in summary, salvation is open to everyone who is willing to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, but there is nothing that we, in and of ourselves, can do to be saved. The only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, but anyone who is concerned about this does not need to be concerned that they have committed this sin.

I hope that this helps.

Tom