Can Christians get to heaven without repenting?

Answer 1

In the first place, it takes repentance to become a Christian. We cannot come into the presence of God without humility and repentance. God hates pride as evidenced in the book of Proverbs and other places. If we don't want to repent then we have no part in what God has for us.

Take the example of Abraham, and the parable of Lazarus and the rich man: Abraham is in heaven:-

Mat 8:11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abrahamand Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven.

When Lazarus dies he goes to heaven, but when the rich man dies he goes to hell because he did not repent:-

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man who was customarily clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry in luxury every day.

Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores

Luk 16:21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. But even the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luk 16:22 And it happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom [ie heaven]. The rich man also died and was buried.

Luk 16:23 And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off [ie in heaven] , and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.

Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented.

Luk 16:26 And besides all this, there is a great chasm fixed between you and us[ie the gap between heaven and hell]; so that they desiring to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they pass over to us from there.

Luk 16:27 And he said, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,

Luk 16:28 for I have five brothers, so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luk 16:29 Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets [ie the Old Testament], let them hear them.

Luk 16:30 And he said, No, father Abraham, but if one should go to them from the dead, they would repent.

Luk 16:31 And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets [ie listen to the Bible], they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead.[ie Jesus Christ ]

No-one can get to heaven without repenting. This applies to everyone, not just Christians today: Abraham was not a Christian but he is in heaven, and he lived in the Old Testament when there was no such thing as Christianity because Jesus Christ hadn't even been born yet! Repentance is obligatory for entering heaven.