Topical Bible: Heaven: The Wicked Excluded From

◄ Heaven: The Wicked Excluded From ►

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In Christian theology, heaven is often depicted as the eternal dwelling place of God, angels, and the righteous who have been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible provides numerous references to the nature of heaven and the criteria for entry, emphasizing that the wicked are excluded from this divine realm.

Biblical Descriptions of Heaven

Heaven is described as a place of perfect peace, joy, and the presence of God. Revelation 21:4 states, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away." This passage highlights the absence of suffering and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.

Criteria for Entry into Heaven

The Bible clearly outlines that entry into heaven is reserved for those who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 , Jesus declares, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This underscores the exclusivity of salvation through Christ as the pathway to heaven.

Exclusion of the Wicked

Scripture consistently affirms that the wicked, those who reject God and persist in sin, will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 , Paul writes, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."

Similarly, Galatians 5:19-21 lists the "acts of the flesh" and concludes, "I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." These passages emphasize that a lifestyle characterized by sin and rebellion against God disqualifies individuals from entering heaven.

The Final Judgment

The exclusion of the wicked from heaven is further affirmed in the context of the final judgment. Revelation 20:12-15 describes the scene: "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books... And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." This passage illustrates the ultimate separation of the righteous from the wicked, with the latter facing eternal punishment.

Repentance and Redemption

While the Bible is clear about the exclusion of the wicked from heaven, it also offers hope through repentance and redemption. 2 Peter 3:9 states, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." This reflects God's desire for all to turn from their wicked ways and embrace the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, the biblical narrative presents heaven as a place of holiness and righteousness, where the wicked are excluded due to their rejection of God and persistence in sin. However, the opportunity for redemption remains open to all who choose to repent and believe in the gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Galatians 5:21
Contentions, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ephesians 5:5
For this you know, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Or the Gods of Heaven Should be Said to be Ungrateful If...
... Or the gods of heaven should be said to be ungrateful ... aid has been paid and received,
which is very wicked. ... ambition and favour; or if fate is excluded and got ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/12 or the gods of.htm

How is the Kingdom of Heaven Shut and Opened by Christian ...
... How is the kingdom of heaven shut and opened by ... admonished, renounce their errors
and wicked course of ... of the sacraments; whereby they are excluded from the ...
/.../various/the heidelberg catechism /question 85 how is the.htm

General Principles of Interpretation. 1 Since the Bible Addresses ...
... Had the Holy Spirit seen good, he could have excluded them from the ... the anticipation
of a blessed immortality with God in heaven; "The wicked is driven ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxiv general principles of.htm

Letter vii. --For 335. Easter-Day iv Pharmuthi, iii Kal. April; xx ...
... heretics, and schismatics, since they are excluded from glorifying ... is the bread which
came down from heaven, that a ... 6. Now wicked men hunger for bread like this ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter vii for 335 easter-day iv.htm

Pleasures of the Glorified Senses.
... is either dead, inactive, or excluded from enjoyment, in heaven. And why should
any one of them be excluded? ... is more severe in punishing the wicked, than He is ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter x pleasures of the.htm

Sin and Forgiveness Between Brethren.
... that such a one is to be excluded from the ... parable.] 23 Therefore is the kingdom
of heaven likened unto a ... Human nature rarely grows so wicked that it fails to ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxiv sin and forgiveness between.htm

Chapter v.
... many such things; but they are excluded from that ... But I think the expression "in
heaven" means in the ... righteousness: in comparison with which a wicked soul is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter v.htm

The Teaching of Matthew 13 Proves that no Era of Millennial ...
... insidious introduction of the children of the Wicked One among ... and a holy one came
down from heaven; He cried ... Leaven was rigidly excluded from every one of the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/2 the teaching of matthew.htm

The Life of St. Paul the Apostle
... shall fail, and granteth that they shall be excluded from all ... he cried and said:
Take away this wicked man and ... preached to them of the kingdom of heaven and of ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the life of st paul.htm

Psalm CXXV.
... all who dwelt therein have been excluded by wars ... was an infidel Emperor, an apostate,
a wicked man, an ... of Christ, they acknowledged Him only who was in heaven. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxv.htm