How do I Get to Heaven?

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

We now come to the defining verses in this section of the letter.

Paul has already revealed that there will be a future judgment in which the human race will be separated into two distinct groups. One group will receive eternal life; another will face God’s wrath.

The important question is, who will these two groups consist of?

Both categories are described in three distinct ways. Let’s compare and contrast these descriptions:

The first group of people is described as those who are seeking “glory, honor and immortality." The defining characteristic of their life is that they are heavenly-minded. They have a great longing to be with God and to share in the glory of his eternal dwelling. The glory they are seeking is not their own but God’s. The question is – does this describe your own life?

They are also seeking “honour" – the honour that God gives us. They are not seeking to be great in this world. Rather, they are seeking the honour that God gives when he distinguishes one from another. They are not preoccupied with the opinion of the world around them. They are focused on God’s glory and the honour that will come to them from him. The question remains – does this describe your life?

Thirdly, this group of people is diligently seeking “immortality". This word means the absence of decay or corruption of any kind. It is the same word used by the apostle Paul when he describes in 1 Corinthians the return of Christ to the earth at the end of the age: “for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible … and this mortal must put on immortality."

These people are seeking that – they have a strong longing and are actively seeking that state where they are beyond sin, eternally perfect in the presence of God.

This is no casual interest in religion. These people express their longing for heaven in tangible and practical ways. The question remains: does this describe your life?

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