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Are you SURE you are going to Heaven? There is probably no
greater question to be asked! There is no more important answer
to find! The Bible gives us the answers we need. First, we need to identify a very serious problem standing in the way of our getting into Heaven.
I. THE PROBLEM
A. Everyone
has Rebelled Against God. - Romans
3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
- Psalm 14:3 says, “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Have you ever told a lie? Did you ever steal anything? Did you ever disobey your parents? Yes!
Everyone has! Everyone has sinned (rebelled)
against God. Everyone has chosen to disobey God.
Unfortunately, this rebellion has created some serious consequences
for all of us, blocking our way into heaven.
B. Sin Has Very Bad Consequences. - Romans 6:23 indicates that “the
wages of sin
is death.”
- In other words,
the penalty for our rebellion, sin and disobedience is to be separated forever from God!
- We have all earned Hell instead of Heaven! This is a serious problem indeed!
- “But,” you may be asking, “Can't I get to Heaven by doing good things like
being nice to other people, going to church, and things like that?" The answer is "No" because even if we do
all these good things, we are still faced with the problem of our disobedience to God along with the consequences that have
been incurred as a result. The wages (consequences) of our sin have to be paid. That consequence is death and that consequence
has to be paid.
- By now you are probably wondering, “Is there
any hope? Can anybody get to Heaven?” The answer is “YES!” because God has provided the solution to our
problem!
II. THE SOLUTION
A. Jesus is Our Substitute!
- Romans 6:23, which stated that "the wages of sin is death"
goes on to say that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
- Romans 5:8 states, "But God commendeth (demonstrated) His love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus died for us while we were still rebellious, not when we got
"good enough" (which can never happen.)
- God saw our serious
problem (the consequences of death as a result of our disobedience and rebellion) and offered His own solution - He sent His
only Son Jesus Christ to the earth to die in our place! To keep us from having to die, Jesus did so in our place! What marvelous
love!
- Is there any other way to get to Heaven but through Jesus?
No. Jesus' dying on the cross in our behalf, in our place, is the only deed that satisfies the consequences of our disobedience
and rebellion against God. No one else has done that for us.
- Because
of this, Jesus is right in saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me."
(John 14:6).
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).
B.
What Do I Have to Do to Get to Heaven?
Four things are necessary on your part in
order to be genuinely, Biblically saved and Heaven-bound: - Repent. To repent means to turn your back on your old way of living, on your disobedience and rebellion
to God, and to yield your life to God, His will, and His Word (the Bible).
Luke 13:3 states, “I tell
you, Nay, but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
- Believe (Have Faith). This
means that you place your trust in what God has done for you by sending Jesus to die in your place on the cross and that Jesus
rose again from the dead. Also it means you so trust God to take care of your every need now and in the future that you are
willing to serve Him faithfully and obediently.
Romans 10:9-10 reads “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.”
- Confess.
This means that we agree with God that we have sinned (rebelled) against God, and that Jesus Christ is Lord.
See
Romans 10:9-10 above.
- Receive. What God offers you (salvation, forgiveness, and the chance to go to Heaven) is a free gift. However,
it will never be yours until you symbolically reach out and receive that gift.
John 1:12 declares “But
as many as received Him (Jesus) to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His
name.”
Quick Review: To be saved and know for sure you
are going to heaven, you must: 1) Repent (turn from) your rebellion and disobedience
to God; 2) Believe in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection from the
dead and place your life completely in His hands; 3) Confess in agreement
with God your past sinful rebellion and the reality of Jesus Christ’s Lordship; and 4) Receive the free gift of salvation that God offers you through Jesus.
Would you like to
do this now? Remember: according to the Bible, the only way you can know for sure you are going to Heaven is by doing the
above four steps! If you would like to know for sure you will go to Heaven, meditate carefully on each phrase of the following
prayer. When you understand what it says, and are in total agreement with it, then sincerely pray this prayer out loud to
God:
“Dear God in Heaven, I admit to you that I have been rebellious, disobedient,
and sinful. I truly regret this, and am so sorry I have done so. I want to turn my back on this kind of a life and I want
now to yield every aspect of my life to You. I believe that Jesus died on the cross in my place, thereby paying the penalty
and incurring the consequences for my sin Himself. I believe Jesus is God and that He rose from the dead. I ask You to forgive
me of all my sins, and I ask You to come into my life now as my Savior and as my Lord (to be in control of my life). I am
trusting You to take care of me, and I am committing to live my life from now on in obedience to You and to Your Word the
Bible. Thank You, God, for hearing my prayer, and for enabling me to have a new relationship with You both now and in Heaven!
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
III. NOW
WHAT?
A. First, CONGRATULATIONS! You
have now been adopted into God's family and have become one of His children! You are now Heaven-bound!
B.
Remember: You have made a commitment to turn your back on the old way of life and to walk with God now. This doesn’t
mean you will suddenly be perfect, but it does mean you are serious about living your life according to God’s will and
not your own. When you do mess up in your Christian walk, follow the counsel and claim the promises of 1 John 1:9, which says,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us of all unrighteousness.”
Here are FOUR THINGS YOU CAN
DO TO HELP YOU GROW in your NEW RELATIONSHIP to God:
- Share
your decision with as many people as you can.
- Attend a
Bible-Believing / Bible-Teaching Church on a regular basis. Make this a priority in life.
- Be baptized. This is our first official act of obedience to Christ.
- Spend time with God every day. Read your Bible, beginning in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Talk
to God in Prayer.
NOTE: If
you have prayed the above prayer for the very first time, please let us know! We would be delighted to send you some
FREE literature to help you grow in your new relationship with Christ!
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