"Nobody can know for sure that they are going to Heaven, right?" WRONG! "I guess we'll have to wait till we get there to find out, right?" WRONG! " If my good outweighs my bad, I'll probably go to Heaven, right?" WRONG!
To make a presumption that what you have been taught all your life must be true, especially concerning the destination of your eternal soul, is the epitome of foolishness. Your soul is the only possession you have that is eternal! Your wife, husband, children, house, cars, money, possessions, beauty, health, etc. are all temporal. Nobody can, ever has, or ever will be able to possess these forever. Your soul, however, lives on forever in Heaven or hell (see Luke 16:19-31). Do not take chances! Do not trust in what man tells you. What does God have to say about salvation and going to Heaven? That is what is important!
God's Clear Promises
Why was the Bible written according to this following verse? "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..." (I John 5:13). God wants you to know that you have eternal life! John 5:39 says: "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me."
Do not trust in Clergymen to do your searching and interpreting of the Scriptures! What if they are wrong? IT IS YOUR SOUL! Jesus said search yourself!
Proper interpretation is not for a few Clergymen! BOLOGNA! The Apostle Paul, while in Rome, reminded a young man named Timothy, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus," (2 Timothy 3:15). Timothy knew the Holy Scriptures from his childhood. He was taught them, not by Clergymen, but by his grandmother and mother (see 2 Timothy 1:5).
God wrote the Bible so every person on earth could read it and find out what He requires for us to have eternal life. We can know for sure that we are going to Heaven! It is mental torment to have to go through life wondering if we are going to make it to Heaven or if we will end up in hell. A God of love would not want us to be mentally tormented and live in fear and uncertainty all of our days as hostages to some unknown demands of His. HIS DEMANDS ARE KNOWN. If you will do what God says you must do to go to Heaven, you will be saved and KNOW IT!
Ut-oh, We Are In Trouble
God demands perfection, holiness and righteousness. On the other hand, this is what the Bible says of us:
"There is NONE righteous, no not one," (Romans 3:10).
"There is NONE that doeth good, no not one," (Romans 3:12).
"For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23).
"For we are ALL as an unclean thing and all of our righteousness (good works) are as filthy rags," (Isaiah 64:6).
It does not matter how good you THINK your are. The best person reading this article is nothing more than a sinner like the rest of us; and the person reading this who has done the most good works, they are nothing more than filthy rags to God.
The Penalty
Sin is a big joke today. Just watch TV. God never has laughed at sin and never will. It cost Him His Son's life! That is serious. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death," (Romans 6:23). All of us are sinners and will pay the wages. Beyond physical death, the Scriptures teach, "The SOUL that sins, it shall die," (Ezekiel 18:4,20).
God's Word teaches that death has two parts: physical death and eternal separation from God in a lake of fire. "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire," (Revelation 20:14-15).
Jesus Paid Our Penalty
Knowing that we were sinners, lost, hopeless and totally incapable of saving ourselves, JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS! He paid our death penalty in full. He was your substitute! You should have hung on the cross! "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit," (1 Peter 3:18). Christ's suffering was ONCE for all! Why? That He might bring us to God.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8). God loves you! If God never does another thing for you as long as you live, He has already proved that He loves you by sending His son to die in your place for your sins on the cross. "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." (John 3:16). When was the last time someone died for you??? That is love!
You Must Accept Christ As Your Saviour
If you could earn your way to Heaven, then why did Christ have to die for you? No, you cannot earn your way into Heaven by your good works! Consider 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, least any man should boast."
The question, "What must I do to be saved?" was asked in Acts 16:30. Acts 16:31 gave the answer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Romans 4:5 says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Quit working and start trusting! It is not what you can do that will save you, but what Christ has done. Are you believing on Him ALONE, or are you trusting in yourself or religion?
Have you received Christ as your Saviour? John 1:12 says, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on His name." Therefore, being saved is an event, not a lifelong process.
"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:9). Jesus said it! "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," (John 14:6).
If you are going to Heaven, it is through accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour only. Matthew 7:13-14 teaches us that there are many ways to hell, but only one way to Heaven, and Jesus is the only door.
Jesus Christ could not do any more to save you and to show His love for you than what He has already done. Now it is up to you. Will you accept Him as your Saviour or reject Him? When you stand before God's judgement seat, He is not going to ask you, "How good have you been?" He is going to ask you "What did you do with my son, Jesus Christ, who died for you: did you receive Him as your Saviour or reject Him?"
Do not gamble with your soul! Ask Jesus to be your Saviour. God is everywhere. Wherever you may be as you read this, God is there. God says to you, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13). Do it now; do not wait, for tomorrow is uncertain.
To receive Christ as your Saviour, BELIEVING pray, "Heavenly Father, I am sorry for my sin, I repent! Have mercy on me! I do today receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour from sin and its penalty. I believe He died for me and was buried and rose again and trust today in His sacrifice and shed blood for the forgiveness of my sins. Please give to me the free gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Assurance of Salvation
Now claim God's promise- "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life," (John 5:24). "WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," (Romans 10:13).