Is Heaven Earned By Good Deeds?

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Most persons the world over believe in some kind of life after death and that we must prove ourselves worthy to attain it. In this essay, I’ll survey the beliefs about life after death and the crucial questions involved. Then, I’ll discuss the biblical Christian teaching about how to go to Heaven.

Issues Involved in Life after Death.

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A Survey of Human Opinions

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People have radically conflicting beliefs about what happens at death. Atheists believe we’re just soulless animals so death ends life. Hindus seek to escape the cycle of rebirths to unite with the World Soul of spiritual energy. Buddhists seek Nirvana or self-extinction from craving and the pain it produces. Muslims hope their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds or they die in a holy war (jihad) that may earn them a paradise of sexual pleasure. Greeks believed the Elysian Fields and in a faded soul life in Hades. Vikings believed dying with sword in hand earns the right to enter Valhalla. American Indians imagined going to a happy hunting ground. Who is right? It could be disastrous if we don’t have the right belief. Besides that, other crucial questions must be considered.
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What Is A Good Deed?
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What people call “good deeds” differ radically. Hitler taught Germans were the super race and a good deed was killing Jews and anyone who disagreed with him. The Quran tells Muslims good is killing infidels who won’t submit to Allah. Aztecs believed sacrificing opposing tribes to their sun God was good to ensure prosperity. Hindus believe working off karma is good. Vikings believed good was raiding villages and dying with sword in hand. The Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’ day taught good meant keeping their Jewish laws. Tribes worldwide have believed good meant treating your group with respect, but you could rob, enslaves or kill persons outside your group. Teachings and influences upon our conscience and thinking can make evil seem good, or good seem evil.
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How Can We Know When We Have Done Enough Good Deeds?
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We unavoidably believe in good deeds. But at what point can we conclude I’ve done enough to earn my way to Heaven or the ideal state? Is it 10,000 good acts, less, or more? When do our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds? Can we even keep score?

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Don’t we all carry feelings of guilt and shame? Aren’t there behaviors we wish we had not done or done different? If our friends discovered these acts, might they think evil of us?

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I’ve asked many persons: how do you know that you would go to Heaven? With few exceptions, they reply because I’m a good person or done good deeds. But further conversation reveals they’ve done many regretful things. It requires honesty and courage to admit we’re imperfect.

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                                                       What About Our Motives?

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We agree bad acts are wrong, but what about bad motives? Doesn’t hate lead to murder, lust to rape, and coveting to theft? Wouldn’t a truly good person or pure heart exclude hate, lust, covetousness and even unconcern as well? Certainly, we wouldn’t want such things directed toward us, or to those we love. Then don’t all persons deserve the same good respectful regard and treatment? We all belong to the same human family.

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Isn’t goodness helping persons as well as not hurting them? If we were drowning in a swimming pool, wouldn’t it be a good deed for someone to throw us a life raft? And if it were good for us, wouldn’t it be good for every other human being just like us?

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Can Subjective Human Assessments Provide Assurance of Heaven?

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The fact is people everywhere have conflicting, confusing, biased preferences, feelings and self-interests about ethical issues. How is it possible to acquire any unity and authority? This is why we have disagreements and wars. Mere guesses about right and wrong, good and evil can never assure us of Heaven. We need an authoritative standard of good and evil to assure of a happy life after death.

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According to the Bible this chaotic world is preparing to greet and follow a supreme world leader and tyrant. He will force his way upon us and decide who is slave or free, who lives or dies. It’s always been this way in countries and empires. And in our shrinking world, it will become global. This is exactly what the Bible predicts will happen under one world system headed by the Anti-Christ, the man of sin and willful king for 3 and1/2 years (Rev. 13; 2 Thess. 2:8-10). He will perform lying wonders and make deceptive promises to bring world peace and prosperity that will turn into world conflict and destruction--Armageddon.  

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Now the Christian worldview rejects limited conflicting human ideas of good and evil and of life after death. It gives objective authority on these crucial matters since God has come to us and shown us his way in Christ.
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Biblical Christian Teaching

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The Bible’s God Is Perfect, Not Just Good.

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Multiple times and ways the Bible declares God is eternally perfect, holy, just and yet love. His very nature loathes sin (any act opposed to his nature and will) and is angry toward it every day. His will and actions are an extension of his eternally perfect unchanging nature so he cannot be or do otherwise. His nature is a simple unchangeable unity. Although his actions change in accord with our response to him—when we repent of sin his response changes from wrath to mercy.  

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“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25

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“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20

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God is the infinite Creator, Sustainer, Life-Giver, and Judge of men. His standards determine right and wrong and we’re without excuse (Romans 2:1). The all-knowing God judges us according to truth (2:2), our deeds (2:6), without partiality (2:11), our conscience (2:14-15) and the gospel (2:16).

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Unconscious universal energy or an IT (monism) can’t provide moral standards, can’t know our thoughts and deeds, and can’t punish us—karma is an impossible pantheist myth. Further, any god that is not self-existent or whose nature can change is imperfect and can’t be trusted. Any non-absolute (finite) god must fight against forces he maybe can’t control. So he can’t assure us of a good outcome. A growing process god is imperfect and may change for the worse or decide he doesn’t like people any more. That could be our end. Imperfect limited gods give little ethical incentive in this life and no assurance of a happy state after death. But the biblical God is the one unchanging infinitely good and only trustworthy God.

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“But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.” Psalm 102:27

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“I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

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Heaven Is Eternally Perfect Because Its Citizens Remain Perfect.

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Scripture is clear no sin or evil will be allowed in Heaven. All life’s pain will be justified. The new Heaven will be restored on a renovated earth or new paradise. God’s true people through the ages will be perfect and live in a perfect environment. We trust in God’s promises in Christ and are made pure and worthy of Heaven. Seeing God, we will be like Him, holy and free never again corrupted by sin or have desire to sin.

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“There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27

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“You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church who are registered in heaven . . . to just men made perfect.” Hebrews 12:22-23

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Christ Alone Makes Sinners Perfect.

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God’s apostle Paul on earth said no good thing dwells in him. But in the new Heaven no sinful nature, sin, or devils exist, only love, joy, peace in the Lord. His servants will serve him. We can’t earn Heaven, but we can trust the Lord Jesus who earned it for us—his righteousness is counted as ours. Romans 3:21-26  Won't you pray? Lord, I trust You as my Savior and Guide now and forever, not due to my righteousness but because You bore my sins on the cross.

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“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 

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Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

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When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we first began. Amen (so be it).

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Only true believers in a love-trust relationship with the Savior & Guide can sing Amazing Grace. Can U sing it? You can if U will. Jesus died to save U. Trust Him now & eternally.