Loving God = Keeping God's commandments.
"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." - John 14:21
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." 1 John 5:3a
Not Keeping God's commandments results in Punishment, Separation, Destruction, & Death.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." -Exodus 20:4-6 (Part of the Ten Commandments)
"... when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might..." 1 Thessalonians 1:7-9
But it doesn't seem to be so cut and dry...
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Romans 2:12-16
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
John 10:16
Excuse me for a moment for taking issue with this but it's not personal and it needs to be said:
God doesn't discriminate. It's not your theological beliefs or commitment to empty rituals that get you His favor. The religious elite would have you believe that. God judges people based on their heart, how they really are. Else why would Jesus condemn those who followed the law!?
Following religion doesn't get you into heaven!
How could God both be fair and discriminate based on whether you were a part of a certain institution or tradition!? If both Paul and Jesus say that there are those who aren't a part of it that are considered acceptable and that many who are a part of it aren't, then why do we make it sound like you have to be a part of this or that club to make it!?
Having faith in God isn't about being in a club!
God made us all and loves us all. If he didn't clearly outline everything in a systematic statement beforehand, then evidently that's not the way He wants us to learn about Him. People will say, "Creation teaches us about the nature of God," and they're right. We learn about God through simple things, thus God can judge based on that.
I think a person trying to be honest and who considers others before himself but doesn't know much about God will be rewarded as opposed to the preacher who oppresses and criticizes a mass of people for his inflated sense of power. Surely the latter will be punished for what he does.
Added to that, that the bible teaches that everyone will eventually be saved in the long run.
And that "heaven" or an ethereal world of spirits isn't our ultimate destination, and the earth will always be our home. Our whole hope lies in the resurrection.
So to everyone else I say that Christ will save and resurrect us all through whatever hardships we go through, and will discipline us if He has to in order to get us there. The whole earth will be made brand new for us all to enjoy, with the Spirit of our loving Father right here amongst us. Worldwide peace, happiness and love.