The objective of this article is to show that heaven is only for those who love God. The Bible is exceedingly clear on this. Those who don’t love God won’t go to heaven, no matter how well they know the Bible. The Pharisees knew the Bible very well, but when the Messiah stood before them, they didn’t recognize him.
Let’s start with the most important commandment. Can you go to heaven if you don’t obey it?
[Matthew 22:37] You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Those who love their earthly families more than they love Jesus are not worthy of Him. Can you go to heaven if you are not worthy of Jesus?
[Matthew 10:37] Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
True children of God love Jesus. Pretenders don’t.
[John 8:42] If God were your Father, you would love me.
God prepared heaven for those who love Him.
[1 Corinthians 2:9] What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.
[James 2:5] Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
Can you go to heaven if God doesn’t know you?
[1 Corinthians 8:3] But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
Can you go to heaven if you are accursed?
[1 Corinthians 16:22] If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.
The grace of God is only for those who love Jesus.
[Ephesians 6:24] Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Only those who love God will receive the crown of life.
[James 1:12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
It cannot get any clearer than that.
And that’s not all. Other verses tell us that loving our brothers and sisters in Christ is also a requirement for salvation, and that those who don’t love don’t know God and therefore won’t be saved.
[1 John 3:10] By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
[1 John 3:14] We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
[1 John 4:7-8] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
[1 John 4:20-21] If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
True Christians love God and their fellow believers. Loving one another is a commandment, not a suggestion.
[John 13:34-35] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
[John 15:12] This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
[1 Peter 1:8] Though you have not seen him, you love him.
All things work together for good only for those who love God.
[Romans 8:28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Salvation is by faith, but love is greater than faith.
[1 Corinthians 13:13] So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Here is another trinity: faith, works, love. These three cannot be separated. True believers have them all. True faith works through love.
[Galatians 5:6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Love is listed as the first in this well-known series:
[Galatians 5:22-23] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
In closing, please also read and meditate on these words.
[John 14:21-24] Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. … If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.
Love is absolutely essential. It is the mark of a true believer and a requirement for salvation. Salvation is only for those who love God and their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Do you love God? How do you show this love?