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Why Isn't Everyone Going to Heaven?

Writer: Dwight SchettlerDwight Schettler
4 hours ago2 min read

When should I forgive?

Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation - Lesson 5, Forgive as God Forgave You, Question 17, p. 76


The message of John 3:16 is one of the sweetest declarations of the Christian faith: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." This verse encapsulates the core of the Gospel, emphasizing God's immense love for humanity and the sacrificial act of Jesus for the redemption of sins.


However, a question arises when we read John 3:18: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." If Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and His forgiveness was accomplished before we were born, why isn't everyone going to heaven?


To address this question, we need to understand the nature of belief and free will in Christian theology. While Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was indeed for the sins of all humanity, this redemptive act requires a personal response of faith. John 3:16 highlights "whoever believes in him," indicating that belief is the key to accessing the forgiveness and eternal life offered through Jesus.


John 3:18 further clarifies the consequences of unbelief. It tells us that condemnation is not a result of an arbitrary decision by God but rather a consequence of rejecting the gift of salvation. The verse underscores the importance of individual choice in that there is a serious consequence of rejecting Jesus. Thus, while the gift of salvation is universal (Ephesians 2:8), it can be rejected. The consequence of rejecting the gift is eternal separation from God.


In essence, salvation is both inclusive and conditional. It is inclusive because it is offered to all—every person is given the opportunity to believe and be saved. In fact God desires all to be saved as we read in 1 Timothy 2:3-4: "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." It is conditional because it requires faith.


Therefore, not everyone goes to heaven according to John 3:18 because some people reject the gift offered to them. The gift of salvation is available to all, but it must be received through faith, which is a gift of God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).


 

This blog series is adapted from Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation. You can experience this teaching in several ways:

 
 
 

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