What Do You Think?

[shiewhero]

Why does the BIBLE say you have to believe in Christ to go to heaven?

but Jews are still God's chosen people?

[jerrys1960]

Actually it is not a matter of just believing in Christ to go to heaven.

For as it says in James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and tremble."

Or perhaps more obvious section would be where Jesus was entering the country of the Gadarenes and came across a man possessed by many demons. The demons call themselves "Legion" since there were so many demons in the man.

Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee torment me not.

(Other verses stating what the demons said are Mark 5:7 and Matthew 8:29)

Note the part of the statement "thou Son of God most high". This statement is very important to pay attention to. For obviously the demons accepted and believed that Jesus is the Son of God. But obviously they were not making it into heaven.

What is the difference? They did NOT accept Him as Their Lord and Saviour.

What simply believing that Jesus is the Son of God does grant us is ever lasting life. It does not, contrary to what some groups teach, give us a "ticket" into heaven.

As for the decision of who makes it into heaven or hell; that is not ours (living humans) to make. That choice is reserved for Jesus and His Father, for only they know what is truly inside a person’s heart.

As it says in Romans 10:6-11

6. But the righteousness which is by faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down.)
7. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring Christ again from the dead.)
8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.
11. For the scripture saith, whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

As for the Jews being God's chosen people, the bible clearly says they are, however it also talks about people which are Jewish on the outside but not on the inside as well as gentiles which are Jews.

Romans 2:28-29
For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

The Bible tells us what we each must do, and not do, in order to be accepted into heaven.

Most of which starts with one very simple yet complex rule, "Do to others as we would have others do to us."