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Maybe you are thinking, that's a pretty personal question, and I don't think it's any of your business! The truth is, it is the most personal of questions! The reason we ask it is because of the importance of the answer. We are asking because we care very much about you .
If you are like I was before I became a Christian, you probably have some quick witted, smart aleck answer ready for "just such an occasion". I hope that you realize that being a smart aleck won't resolve the underlying question of where you will go when you die. All we're asking is for 10 minutes of your time to look this page over.
You may be thinking "Nobody can know that for certain until they stand before God Himself!" The truth is that God's word, the Bible, is very clear on what is necessary for a person to go to heaven!
1 John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..."
So where will you spend eternity? Are you 100% sure that you are going to heaven, or would you have some doubt? If you are reading this right now, you probably are searching for the answer to this question. It's good to know that God's word, the Bible, has clear answers to this most important question!
Here are four simple truths :
Romans 3:10
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"Think about it for a minute... every child must be taught to do right! They instinctively know how to lie, be selfish, take things which don't belong to them... we must teach them right from wrong. This is because like all of us, they are born with a sinful nature. No matter what our religious background, we all find ourselves short of the standard that God has set for us. Nothing that we do in our future can erase the stain of our past sin. There are no amount of good deeds or amounts of money we can donate to pay for the sins we have committed.
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death ..."Revelation 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death . "As frightening as it may seem, God's Word declares that all of us have sinned enough to merit the punishment of Hell. We may not have all committed murder, but it is a safe bet that we have told at least one lie.
The Bible teaches that it only takes ONE sin to be a sinner in God's eyes. For determining if you are saved or not, the Bible is clear...
James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all ."
God's word simply affirms what has been eating at your conscience all along. We know that we are guilty, and God is trying to get through to you that there is something wrong in your life. The truth is, there is nothing we can do to make up for the sins we have committed. Some people think that because we do good deeds, God will forgive us. I used to imagine that after I died, I would appear before God. There would be a giant set of scales, and all of my good deeds would be placed on one side, and all of my sins on the other. The pointer would tell my destination, either heaven or hell...
The Bible tells a different story, however...
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works , lest any man should boast. "
Galatians 2:21
" I do not frustrate the grace of God : for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain . "Romans 3:20-28
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law . "
Romans 5:8
" But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."John 3:16
"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."Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary about 2,000 years ago. The Bible teaches that He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-22), lived a sinless and perfect life , was falsely accused and convicted in a mock trial, then was crucified in our place, dying on the cross with the sin of the entire world upon His shoulders:
1 Peter 2:21-25
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin , neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered , he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously : Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree , that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed . For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
None of us deserves to go to heaven, but Jesus Christ died in our place to make a way. What does the Bible tell us about gaining eternal life?
1 John 5:11 & 12
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life , and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.In verse 11, the Bible tells us that God has given to us eternal life. We can't earn it, or deserve it, but He has GIVEN it to us, as a free gift! What is the gift? ETERNAL life! Eternal means "forever" and "never ending". Verse 12 reveals the truth, and puts it all into perspective. It teaches that the eternal life God promised us is in His Son. Jesus Christ is the Son of God referenced in this passage and throughout the New Testament. The Bible is very clear... if you have Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you have eternal life. Without Christ, you do not have eternal life.
How does a person "have the Son"? We must look to the Bible for the answers.
Romans 10:9 & 10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.What does THAT mean? It means that in order to be saved (receive eternal life), you must believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. Believing in your heart is the key. When a person believes the truth of the Bible story of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross in our place, he trusts that finished work Jesus did on the cross to get them to heaven. That means you trust what Jesus did to get you to heaven, and realize that there is absolutely nothing else that will get you there.
Confessing with your mouth, the other part, happens when you acknowledge that you believe in your heart, as we have just discussed.
Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? It is, too! There's no catches, no secret handshakes or hoops to jump through! It's a matter of believing that Christ did the work for you, and putting your faith and trust in what He did will get you to heaven, not your ability to keep the commandments, obey all the rules, follow without making any mistakes, etc. etc...
If you have any questions about this, feel free to write the church and ask for help or more information. If you believe that you have just trusted Christ and accepted Him as your Saviour because of what you have just read, please drop me a line so that we can rejoice with you over your salvation.
Have a great day, and may the Lord bless and keep you!