It’s dead simple. It’s by faith alone in Jesus’ gospel (scriptures below). You can’t earn your way to heaven by being a “good person” or “doing good deeds” or “following the law to some extent.” Salvation is a free gift (not earned). Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise:
The first thing is to realize that everyone is a sinner and falls short:
Romans 3:23 — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:10-12 — As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Isaiah 64:6 — But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags [filthy menstrual rags]; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
So you can see, everyone who has ever lived except Jesus is a sinner unworthy of heaven. Now, how do we get to heaven if this is the case? Simple, believe the gospel alone. What is the gospel (the good news):
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the GOSPEL which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are SAVED, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: [1] that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and [2] that He was buried, and [3] that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures
So by simply believing that (1) Christ died to pay for all your sins – past, present and future – (2) was buried and (3) rose again the third day according to the scriptures, you are saved. It’s about what Christ did on the cross – not about “being a good person.” There are many false gospels out there: “turn from your sins”, “follow the law”, “get water baptized”, “confess your sins”, “attend church”, “speak in tongues.” They all add to the one true gospel above, and therefore will lead you to hell.
After believing the gospel alone, you’re instantly sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of your salvation:
Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him you also trusted, after you HEARD the word of truth, the GOSPEL of your salvation; in whom also, having BELIEVED, you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Again, there are many false gospels out there in christianity, Catholicism and other religions, in which most believe in. The bible says the road to heaven is narrow, and only a few find it. Most people are on the “broad road that lead to destruction [hell]”:
Matthew 7:13-14 — “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction [all false works based gospels, all other religions, atheists, etc], and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and confined is the way [the true gospel alone] which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Over the millennia, the institutional church has redefined the word “repent” and have added “of your sins” to the end of it. The biblical definition of repent does NOT mean to “turn from sins.” The true definition is: “to change your mind.” As in – to change your mind about who Christ is, and go from unbelief to belief in Him. It does NOT mean, “to turn from your sins.” Not once in the bible does it ever say to “repent OF YOUR SINS.”
Proof that salvation is by faith alone, and that you can’t bring your “good deeds”:
Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through FAITH, and that NOT of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast.
Matthew 7:21-23 — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [to believe in Christ] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice iniquity [the iniquity of unbelief]!’
As you can see, the person in the scripture above professed to “know” Christ, but brought their works along as the means for their justification: “prophesied in Your name”, “cast out demons in Your name” and “done many wonders in Your name.” They simply didn’t trust in what Christ did on the cross to pay for all their sins as enough. They thought it wasn’t sufficient, and that they had to have good works. Another example scripture next:
Luke 18:9-14 — Also He [Jesus] spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee [religious leader] and the other a tax collector [sinner]. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
What are the “works”, the “will”, the “overcomer”, the “command”, the “obedience” and the “righteous” of God? Let’s find out:
The Works
John 6:28-29 — Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
The Will
John 6:40 — For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
The Command
1 John 3:23 — And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
The Overcomer
1 John 5:5 — Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
The Righteous
Romans 1:17 — For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The Obedience
Romans 16:26 — but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith