Requirements to Enter the Kingdom of God
Righteousness is a Requirement to Enter
Suffering is one of the fires of purification in the process of reincarnation by which righteousness is accomplished. Righteousness is one of the main attributes that is needed for worthiness to enter into the kingdom of God.
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (2Th 1:5)
“…and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22)
To enter the Kingdom of God, righteousness is required — contrary to Christian religious belief that it is not.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in NO CASE enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:20)
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment*: but the righteous into life eternal. (Mat 25:46)
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Mat 13:43)
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness‘ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:10)
*”everlasting punishment” is actually an incorrect translation. The word “aion” was translated everlasting which actually means “age”. In this context “age” would be a fixed period of time. So the punishment of the unrighteous more accurately would be a punishment for a certain period of time and not time without end. Depending on how well or how badly the subject conducts himself is how long or how severe the punishment.
Luke 12:47-48 speaks of the Lord punishing his servants at his return for them with “Many” or “Few” stripes. These words are countable, for example: Many could mean 100 and few could mean 10. In any case, the punishment does NOT have the meaning of time without end, but a certain period of time. Moreover, many or few also indicates the severity of the punishment.
This doesn’t mean that the unrighteous will go to Hell for a fixed period of time, but it does mean that they will have to spend more lifetimes getting things right and learning the lessons they need to become righteous, in purging and purification, supposedly depending on the progress made.
I can just imagine the relief some of you have knowing that a certain loved one you thought would be going to Hell for an eternity, you may again see some day and the only “hell” he or she may have to endure are future lives!
Even Paul taught that righteousness is required:
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit (enter) the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,”
“Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit (enter) the kingdom of God.”
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified…” (1Co 6:9-11)
“…Envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit (enter) the kingdom of God.” (Gal 5:21)
“…no whore-monger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance (shall not enter) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph 5:5)
Good Works is a Requirement to Enter
Matthew 25 reveals clearly that good works and righteousness is required to enter the Kingdom of God:
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?” (Mat 25:37)
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Mat 25:40)
“And these (the disobedient and unrighteous) shall go away into everlasting* punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Mat 25:46)
By the wording it appears that good works are equated with righteousness since those who do good works he calls the “righteous”, and in another place good works are referred to as “works of righteousness”.
Not only is good works a requirement to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do good works will be rewarded and considered great:
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:19)
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Mat 16:27)
Doing the Will of God is a Requirement to Enter
Doing the will of God is another requirement to entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul said that salvation was a “gift of God“, in other words something you can’t work for or merit. However, Jesus said that only those who DO the will of God would get to enter the Kingdom. Jeremiah said it was obeying the voice of God and keeping the commandments, which goes right along with doing works of righteousness.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Mat 7:21)
Jesus also said it was about keeping the commandments:
“And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Mat 19:17)
The only “commandments” there was in Jesus’ time was the laws of Moses, therefore according to Jesus keeping the commandments of the Old Testament was a requirement for them to enter into “life” or the kingdom.
As did God Through Jeremiah:
“Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” (Jer 7:23 )
Jesus said those who do his father’s will would get into the Kingdom earlier than others.
“Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Mat 21:31)
For them that persist in evil there is no rest, but they go out and in, and suffer correction for ages, till they are made perfect. But for them that have done good and attained to perfection, there is endless rest and they go into life everlasting. They rest in the eternal.” (Gospel of the Nazirenes 69:3)
He also considered those who kept the commandments those who loved him:
- “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)
Next: The Kingdom of God | The Kingdom of God Part 3