Editor’s Note: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s death was announced by the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Saturday morning, December 31: “With pain I inform that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died today at 9:34.” What was anticipated in this blog has now been realized by Retired Pope Benedict, formerly known as Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger.

What’s Next with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI?

When news broke this week by Pope Francis that the 95-year-old Benedict’s health was deteriorating quickly and was “very sick,” people began to ask, “What’s next?” Now, to be honest, I understand the question. Retired Pope Benedict is the first Pope in over 600 years to face this situation. When a Pope dies, there are laws and protocols for dealing with it. When a Retired Pope dies, there are not. This is the issue everyone is talking about. However, there is much more pressing answer to, “What’s next with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI?”

The most pressing answer to What’s Next relates to the Retired Pope’s soul, not his body or his funeral. The real question for Pope Emeritus Benedict is, “What’s next?”

The Pope Is No Different Than You, Me, Or Anyone Else

The Bible makes no distinction whatsoever between people. King Charles III, President Biden, your favorite actor or actress, Pope Francis, and Retired Pope Benedict all face the exact same issue at death. As the Bible teaches, God is not a respecter of persons. He treats all people at death the same. If we could ask Queen Elizabeth II, she would tell us the same. So would Princess Diana, Franco Harris, Kirstie Alley, John Aniston, Jerry Lee Lewis, Barbara Walters, and Angela Lansbury. They would all give you the exact same story. When they died, God treated them all equally – no different than any person in your town or community that no one has ever heard anything about.

The Retired Pope and all those others faced the same exact question from God upon death?

How did you respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Why? Because all people, no matter how famous or religious, face the same reality upon death. Each person as a sinner has sinned and does not earn heaven on their own cognizance. In fact, just the opposite is true. Each person has earned eternal punishment for sin. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Further, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12).

What Gets You to Heaven then?

Every person – including each one listed above – ultimately faced or faces eternity with the same question. That question?

Have you believed in Jesus for the remission of your sin?

Notice, believing in Jesus is the issue – not believing in yourself or any of thing to get you to heaven. The church can’t save you. Your parents can’t save you. Money given in offering either before you die or after you did cannot save you. Living a good life does not save. Believing your good outweighs your bad does not. Nothing. Only through Jesus can you be saved.

What about belief in Jesus saves you?

You must believe that God will forgive your sin based upon the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

Jesus as the perfect God-man died. He was innocent/pure of all sin. He lived 100% righteously, always pleasing God the Father. Yet, He was arrested, accused, and hung on the cross as an innocent person.

What did this do for us?

Just as the first Adam brought sin upon all men, Jesus defeated sin making it a possibility that we may be forgiven by God. As a man, Jesus lived innocently. He fulfilled the law in every way – as a man. As God, Jesus has infinite power to pay for every person’s sin. Through Jesus as the God-man, every person has an opportunity to get to heaven.

The only way you make it to heaven though is by having God personally forgive you. Jesus’ death made forgiveness possible. God poured His wrath out on Jesus making it possible for God to place Jesus’ righteousness on you. In other words, God applies Jesus’ death on your sin account erasing the sin and guilt of your sin.

Back to Our Question – What about Retired Pope Benedict?

The retired pope will go to heaven if he has depended upon Jesus Christ alone for his salvation. That is true no matter who you are. If you depend upon the church, your own behavior or the goodness of God, these things will not work. You will not make it. Instead, do it God’s way.

1. Pray and recognize God that you are sinner who needs forgiveness.
2. Ask God to forgive your sin based upon the payment for you sin by Jesus on the cross.
3. Admit to God that you, your efforts, and your church are insufficient for salvation.
4. If you believe that God will in fact forgive your sins because of what Jesus did – and desire to follow Jesus as a Christ-follower, then you will be saved.

You nor anyone else will be able to question “What’s next?” for you. The answer is guaranteed by God. What’s next? Heaven.