Who are the people who are now in heaven?

Whenever I go to a memorial service of a relative or a friend’s relative, I would listen to people paying tribute to the deceased, recalling about the many good and beautiful things that the deceased had done in his life, which is very good to hear, especially to his/her loved ones who so needed to be comforted for the loss.

I would also hear of hopes that their departed loved one is now in heaven.

What is heaven?  Is heaven the destination of all the people who have died?

There are passages in the Bible that describe heaven as a very beautiful place, a place where there will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, and that those who are there are singing praises to God and are joyfully serving Him.

Let us look at what the Word of God says:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  (1 Cor. 6:9,10)

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Gal. 5:19-21)

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.  (Eph. 5:5-7)

Where do the unrighteous—the ones who do not inherit the kingdom of God—go?

Jesus taught we either enter God’s kingdom or get thrown into hell. Elsewhere we learn that in Scripture, at times, the phrase kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are used interchangeably (Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Matt. 19:14; Luke 18:16). We can also safely deduce that entering God’s kingdom is the same as entering heaven, especially in light of the following passage:

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  He who has ears, let him hear.  (Matt. 13:41-43)

Very strong words – if that is the case, nobody can enter the kingdom of God.   Why nobody?

Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

But God loves us so much.  He made a way so that we will not go to hell.  More than two thousand years ago, God the Father sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross of Calvary as to pay the penalty of our sins.

How then can a person enter the kingdom of God?  There are 3 steps to do this:

First - Admit that you are a sinner and repent of your sins.

Second - Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin.  Make it personal.  That he died for your sin, and not just He died for the sins of the world.

Third - Confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord (That if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  – Romans 10:9-10)

For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16)

Then, make this prayer of commitment:

Dear God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner.  I repent of my sins.  I now turn away from my sinful ways.  I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins at the cross of Calvary.  I now accept that and believe that you have forgiven me because I have repented of my sins.  I now confess that you are my Lord and my God.  Help me to be the kind of person you have purposed me to be.

Now, if you prayed this prayer and meant it with all of your heart, you now possess eternal life.  When you die, you will go to heaven.