Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in heaven? If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” what would you say? The Bible tells us we can know for sure if we will have eternal life and go to be with God in heaven.
Heaven: Eternal life is a free gift. The Bible says, “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Heaven is a gift. It is not earned or deserved. No amount of personal effort, good works, or religious deeds can earn a place in heaven for you. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
Man: We cannot earn our way to heaven because man is a sinner. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is anything contrary to the nature of God.
God: God is merciful and therefore doesn’t want to punish us. The Bible also tells us that God is just and therefore must punish sin. God loves us and doesn’t want to punish us but He is just and must punish sin.
Jesus: God solves our problem of sin in the person of Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1, 14). Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose from the grave to purchase a place for us in heaven. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity (sin) of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
Faith: The gift of heaven and forgiveness of sins is received by faith. Saving faith is not mere intellectual assent like believing in historical facts. Saving faith is not mere temporal faith, that is, trusting God for temporary crises such as financial, family, or physical needs. Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. It means trusting in Jesus alone and what He has done rather than in what you or I have done to get us to heaven.
If you want to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, here is a suggested prayer to reflect what you already believe in your heart.
“Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Jesus, take control of my life, forgive me of my sins and save me. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You alone for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life.”
If you have placed your faith and trust in Christ, here are a few steps to help you grow spiritually.
Read the Bible (1 Peter 2:2)
Pray (Philippians 4:6)
Worship and attend church regularly (John 4:24)
Spend time with other Christians (1 John 1:3)
Tell others about Jesus (Acts 1:8)
If you have made a decision to follow Jesus, we would love to know and help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. Please fill out the Contact Us form so we may encourage you, give you some helpful resources, and help you come to know Jesus more each and every day.