What Do We Need to Be Heaven Bound

Many of us consider the Church an important part of Christian faith and it is. However, many times you will find Church goers leave their faith at the Church. In other words they will go to Church and think they're done. They think Church saves us but it doesn't. Church is simply an institution built by man to instruct those who wish to better their faith. It serves the purpose of a single building where those of the relatively same faith come together to worship God and recieve a lesson on maybe one way we could better our faith walk. But to think that a building can save us is absurd. Following Christ is a 24/7 job. It requires faith both in and out of the Church and it dictates some action on our part. James 2:17 says "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (NIV 2011). Now I beg you do not think that this means that good works will grant you passage to Heaven because if you believe that you are sadly mistaken. Paul actually tells us what is required to gain access to Heaven. Romans 10:9 says "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (NIV 2011). So what exactly does this mean? This means that you must confess with both words and actions that Jesus is God. That he is the one true God Almighty the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. You must not be ashamed that this is what you believe. This also goes back to the 'Great Comission'. This is where Christ instructs first his followers and then us to spread the Gospel to all nations and proclaim Christ to everyone. The second part of Romans 10:9 says that you must believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead. This means not only truely believing that fact but in essence believing that God has the power to do such things. It also means believing that Christ died for our sins and then ultimitely defeated death securing a spot in heaven for all believers. So these are things are what it takes to secure a spot in Heaven. Not simply going to Church but living an active faith. And make sure you never mistake motion for action.