Do You Meet Heaven’s Entry Requirement?
Thoughts on Goodness vs Righteousness – Part IV
Goodness Is Valuable, but Righteousness Is Greater
In The World Needs More Good Christians, which is Part III of this series, I focused on the virtue of goodness and why it’s essential for Christian living. If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, God desires that you live a good life in how you relate to other believers and to the world.
However, you must understand that while goodness is good, righteousness is greater. It’s similar to how Proverbs weighs the value of wisdom:
“Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.”
– Proverbs 4:7 NLT.
Proverbs is teaching that whatever your life’s pursuit may be, acquiring wisdom must always come first.
Paul made a similar value judgment when he wrote:
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…”
– Hebrews 12:14.
Living peaceably with all people—which is goodness—is important. But holiness must be your primary pursuit, because without it, you will not see God. Practicing goodness never outweighs living righteously.
In this post, I want to show you that righteousness is the essential requirement. Whatever good you may do, make sure, above all, that you live a righteous life. In Part II – Good vs. Righteous: What Really Matters? – I made a bold statement:
“You’re not likely to make it to heaven if you’re only a good person, but you will if you are only a righteous person.”
Now I want to return to it and unpack it in this final post of this series—Thoughts on Goodness vs Righteousness.
Salvation Alone Is Not Enough
Many Christians believe that simply being “saved” is all that’s required to make heaven. But this is mistaken. It’s untrue, and it’s a serious error. I heard a Baptist pastor the other day on social media say that if he were to die in sin, he’d make heaven. He won’t.
In fact, the doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS), which I referenced in a previous post, largely originated in the Baptist tradition. But it is not true at all—or, depending on how it’s interpreted, only partially true.
Take, for example, those who claim they are saved yet continue to live homosexual lifestyles. This isn’t hypothetical; I once knew someone like that. I’d be charitable enough to say that maybe they are saved, but they still won’t make heaven.
Jesus calls us to repent and forsake sinful living, not to hold on to it. And the Bible is clear that homosexuality is sin. Don’t fall for the lie that it is not.
God made His eternal displeasure against homosexuality crystal when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. That judgment stands as a permanent warning to humanity—just as the rainbow is a permanent reminder of God’s promise to Noah in Genesis 9:12–15 that He would never again destroy the world with a flood.
I’ve seen so-called Christians and even pastors twist Scripture to erase this truth. They claim Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed only because they were inhospitable. Yes, those actions were part of their wickedness, but the Bible makes the primary reason unmistakably clear. Jude, when comparing God’s judgment on rebellious Israel with His judgment on Sodom, says:
“...Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
– Jude 5–7
There are others who call themselves Christians yet think nothing of fornication. They engage in pre-marital sex and convince themselves it is acceptable. It is not.
And there are married Christians who commit adultery while somehow believing they will still make heaven. They won’t. Scripture condemns these sins repeatedly and clearly.
Sexual immorality includes fornication (sex between two unmarried people), adultery, and homosexuality. If you insist on believing some so-called pastor or minister who tells you otherwise, then go ahead. But you will discover on the other side of eternity—when it’s too late—that they lied to you.
Righteousness is the Entry Requirement
Righteousness—not goodness—is the entry requirement into heaven. You can be good and still miss heaven, but you cannot be righteous and not make heaven.
Salvation is your invitation to heaven, but the invitation alone does not get you there. You must live a righteous life to enter heaven. Heaven is the home of righteous people. Hebrews describes the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, as the dwelling place of:
“the spirits of righteous men made perfect.”
– Hebrews 12:23 NIV.
The teaching that Christians can accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and then live however they want—and still make heaven—is often well-intentioned, but it is false. OSAS, for example, originated with Calvin, though it’s said he also emphasized perseverance. Later, it was popularized by Baptists and adopted by other groups, including some Pentecostals and Evangelicals.
The apostles never taught anything like this. Instead, they repeatedly warned believers about the danger of falling away and falling into condemnation.
Jude wrote:
“...I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
– Jude 3.
And why did Jude feel compelled to write this? He explains:
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
– Jude 4.
Apostle Paul also reminded the Roman church:
“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
– Romans 14:17.
And he wrote these instructions to Timothy, who once pastored the church at Ephesus:
“...pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
– 1 Timothy 6:11.“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
– 2 Timothy 2:22.
But maybe you doubt me—or even the apostles—not that they ever contradicted Jesus. So what did Jesus Himself, the ultimate authority on truth, say?
“Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but those who do the will of my Father in heaven.”
– Matthew 7:35.
And as if to underline that only the righteous will be in heaven, look at what Jesus says in Revelation, the final book of the Bible:
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
– Revelation 21:8.
If you reject the testimony and authority of Jesus, then there is nothing more to say; you are already lost.
Goodness alone will not get you to heaven, but righteousness alone will. Your righteousness will qualify you for heaven; just your goodness alone will not.