NO BARS TO HEAVEN, MR DEAN?

Recently, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean was addressing 3,500 Jewish leaders at the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities. During his address Dean asserted that “there are no bars to heaven for anybody.”

“Dean’s comments followed an address by the University of Tennessee's head basketball coach, Bruce Pearl, who told the crowd that as a Jewish student in public schools, he always felt uncomfortable when he was playing sports and his team's pre game prayers would end with an invocation to Jesus.”

Dean’s speech was an overtly political one, charging that the Democratic Party is religiously inclusive, and the Republican Party is not only exclusive but racist.

"This country is not a theocracy," Dean said, according to JTA. "There are fundamental differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party believes that everybody in this room ought to be comfortable being an American Jew, not just an American; that there are no bars to heaven for anybody; that we are not a one-religion nation; and that no child or member of a football team ought to be able to cringe at the last line of a prayer before going onto the field."

I shy away from bringing up politics on this blog, for the simple reason that it’s not the point of the blog. Now, no one that I know of would point to Howard Dean as a theologian, but his statement doesn’t hold up to Jewish OR Christian theology! Over at A Goy for Jesus, Jews for Jesus friend Geoff Robinson had this to say in response:

“I hate to break the news to Howard Dean. There are bars on heaven keeping people out. It isn't based on race. It is based on sin.

God is holy. His Law condemns us. We lie, steal, and covet. We don't honor our parents as we should. We don't love our neighbor nor our God with all our heart.

And our only hope is the grace of God made manifest to us in Jesus the Messiah. If we do not trust in Him, we are doomed and will find bars to heaven. No matter what Howard Dean may tell you.”

I think Geoff has nailed it right on the head. While Howard Dean is certainly entitled to express his opinions and beliefs on the nature of Heaven (and how one gains admission to it), his statement that there are no bars to heaven simply doesn’t line up with the Word of God.

The Hebrew Scriptures make some things perfectly clear. One of these is that our sins separate us from God.

“your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” Isaiah 59:2

The Scriptures also make pretty clear that this is a problem for ALL of us, not just a few.

“Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.” Ecclesiastes 7:20

As if being separated from God by our sin wasn’t bad enough, God has made very clear that there’s a further price to be paid for our sins.

“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.” Ezekiel 18:4

Try as we might, there is nothing we can do by our own power to overcome our separation from God.

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” Isaiah 64:6

God DID provide a means that our sin could be paid for, a way that death could be avoided. That means was blood sacrifice.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” Leviticus 17:11

The blood of animals could only atone for sin for a short time, however. Thankfully, God loves you and I enough that He was willing to provide a sacrifice that would atone for our sin once and for all time. God sacrificed His own Son, Jesus, who lived a perfect, sinless life. His blood has paid the price for our sin.

“But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:10,11

Jesus made clear that there was only one way to Heaven, and that was through a relationship with Him.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

Howard Dean apparently believes Heaven is a place to which ANYONE can gain admission. To that, there’s only one response:

“the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14