{"id":95372,"date":"2026-05-02T19:44:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T00:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=95372"},"modified":"2026-05-02T19:44:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T00:44:57","slug":"how-can-someone-like-me-make-it-to-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-someone-like-me-make-it-to-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"How can someone like me make it to Heaven?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I wonder how someone like me could make it to heaven.<\/p>\n

I see real Christians, and I’m not really anything like them. I always fall. I repeat the same sins over and over and over. My thoughts are not pure; I’m easily enticed. My faith is knowing that every word of God is true, then I reduce God to “how could He possibly do something like transport people to heaven or hell as soon as they die.” Just as an example, being completely firm and leaving the fact that the Word is factual. My fear of God is more of a fear of punishment, not reverence or an appreciation, because I have almost forgotten the truth of Him. I do not know him the way you do. I am afraid to let go of all of my will. I know it requires suffering, and I feel too critical of other people’s mistakes when I am trying not to make any.<\/p>\n

I hope this makes sense. I don’t know what kind of response I’m looking for. Maybe something encouraging, because I’m having incredible anxiety because I do not feel that I have entered through any narrow gate at this point.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

Going back to the facts often helps combat anxiety. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked<\/em>” (I John 1:3-6). God isn’t expecting you or me to be perfect because that is out of reach for every man (Romans 3:23). However, God does want His people to strive toward His teachings and not to be content to stay in sin.<\/p>\nThis means you cannot compromise with the world and its ways. When you know you are doing something wrong, then you make an effort to change for the better. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;<\/em>
\n7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin<\/em>” (I John 1:6-7). It isn’t always easy, but we must try.\n

Another thing you need to avoid is comparing yourself to others. You don’t know other people’s thoughts or their past. You don’t know the things they are struggling with. However, I can guarantee that everyone is struggling with something. So instead of asking if you are as good as another brother, ask if you are better than you were a few years ago; if so, you are making some progress.<\/p>\n

Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction<\/em>” (Proverbs 1:7). That was a major problem with the Samaritans; they didn’t believe God enough to be afraid of Him. “At the beginning of their living there, they did not fear the LORD<\/em>” (II Kings 17:25). That you have fear of the consequences of what you are doing is a good sign, so long as that fear actually motivates you to make improvements.<\/p>\n

There is a lesson that I think will help you: “Bless the Lord, O My Soul<\/a>.”<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I wonder how someone like me could make it to heaven. I see real Christians, and I’m not really anything like them. I always fall. I repeat the same sins over and over and over. My thoughts are not pure; I’m easily enticed. My faith is knowing that every word of God is true,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[256,47,1302],"class_list":["post-95372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-faithful","tag-salvation","tag-worthy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37822,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-i-know-that-what-i-am-believing-is-the-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":0},"title":"How can I know that what I am believing is the truth?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Just last night I heard someone say that Lucifer was a human king and not Satan. I had thought that they were one and the same and now I am quite confused and discouraged because so many people view the Bible differently. How can I know that what I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2386,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-satan-be-in-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":1},"title":"How could Satan be in heaven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know you get a lot of questions, but I'm hung up on this one. In your answer about Satan's fall from grace, you conclude that Satan was in heaven: \"Satan could at one time appear before God (Job 1:6;\u00a02:1;\u00a0I Kings 22:19-22); thus, he was in heaven.\" Couldn't he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19484,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-refer-to-god-as-jehovah-in-a-prayer\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":2},"title":"Is it wrong to refer to God as Jehovah in a prayer?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 18, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it wrong or scripturally incorrect to refer to God as Jehovah?\u00a0 For instance, when you pray to Him, to address Him as Jehovah.\u00a0In Matthew 6:9, Jesus is showing the disciples how to pray.\u00a0He starts with \"Our Father in Heaven.\" Since\u00a0Jesus never refers to God as Jehovah and when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36088,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/am-i-banned-from-heaven-because-of-my-fornication\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":3},"title":"Am I banned from Heaven because of my fornication?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I am a strong believer in God and Christ. I try so hard to live a righteous life. I'm only 20. I have had sex before in the past, but now I'm saving myself for marriage because I want to please God. I previously slipped up with someone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16488,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-john-316-the-only-passage-that-we-need-to-get-to-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":4},"title":"Is John 3:16 the only passage that we need to get to heaven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I have just found your website and have learned a great deal as well as carry great respect for your ability to answer questions biblically. That being said, I bear an immense disagreement but extremely open to reconsideration if thoroughly convinced. I'm only 23 and have been born\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35541,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-if-i-dont-know-im-sinning\/","url_meta":{"origin":95372,"position":5},"title":"What if I don’t know I’m sinning?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are you saying we are not judged based on our ignorance or things we don't know are sin? If so that doesn't apply to those outside of Christ does it? Can you give me some Scriptures so I can get a better grasp? Answer: \"For there is no partiality\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95372\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}