107. (9) HEREAFTER NO CHRISTIAN CAN ENTER HEAVEN UNLESS HE BELIEVES ON THE LORD GOD THE SAVIOR, AND APPROACHES HIM ALONE.
It is written in Isaiah:
"Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind... Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy" 65:17-18;
and in Revelation:
"I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and... I saw... the holy... Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband... And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new" 21:1-2, 5.
It is also said in many places:
that none should enter heaven but those who were written in the Lamb's book of life, 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27.
By heaven in those passages is not meant the heaven that appears to our eyes, but the angelic heaven. By Jerusalem is not meant any city coming out of heaven, but the Church which shall descend from the Lord out of that angelic heaven; and by the Lamb's book of life is not meant some book written in heaven, which shall be opened, but the Word which is from the Lord, and which treats of Him. It has been confirmed, proved and established in the preceding sections of this chapter that Jehovah God, who is called the Creator and Father, descended and assumed the Human in order that men might approach and be united to Him. For who, when he draws near to a man, approaches his soul, or who can do so? He approaches the man himself, whom he sees and addresses face to face. It is the same with God the Father and the Son; for God the Father is in the Son, as the soul is in its body.
[2] That men ought to believe on the Lord God the Savior is evident from these passages in the Word:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16.
"He that believeth on Him (the Son) is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" John 3:18.
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" John 3:36.
"The bread of God is He that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world... He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" John 6:33, 35.
"This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" John 6:40.
"Then said they unto Him (Jesus), what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered... This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He (the Father) hath sent" John 6:28-29.
"Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" John 6:47.
"Jesus... cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me... out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" John 7:37-38.
"If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins" John 8:24.
"Jesus said... I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die" John 11:25-26.
Jesus said, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness" John 12:46; 8:12.
"While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light" John 12:36.
It is also written:
that they should abide in the Lord, and the Lord in them, John 14:20; 15:1-5; 17:23;
and this is effected by faith.
Paul testified "both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" Acts 20:21.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" John 14:6.
[3] That whosoever believes the Son believes on the Father, since, as has been said above, the Father is in Him as the soul is in the body, is evident from these passages:
"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also" John 8:19; 14:7.
"He that seeth me seeth Him that sent me" John 12:45.
"He that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me" John 13:20.
The reason of this is that no one can see the Father and live, Exodus 33:20.
Therefore the Lord says:
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" John 1:18.
"Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father" John 6:46.
"Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape" John 5:37.
There are, however, those who do not know anything about the Lord, as is the case with many inhabitants of Asia, Africa and the Indies. If they believe on one God and live according to the precepts of their own religion, they are saved by their faith and life. For imputation is to those who know, and not to those who are in ignorance, just as the blind are not blamed when they stumble; for the Lord says:
"If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth" John 9:41.
