ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN?

If you’re not sure of the answer, you’re probably not on the path to Heaven. Salvation involves a conscious act of the will and faith. Nobody is born a Christian nor can they unknowingly place saving faith in Jesus. Acknowledging with your mind that Jesus is Lord, without having come to know Him isn’t saving faith. For the Bible says in Romans 10:9 If you will confess with your mouth (swear allegiance to Christ) that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Saving faith is demonstrated and vindicated through your behavior, or good works! Faith without works is dead. James 2:14-26

When you invite Christ to live in your heart, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within you, your attitude towards sin will change, and you will know for sure that Christ is in you! Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Nobody wants you in Heaven more than God! Jesus tells us that “all of Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents”. He even loves you more than your parents do; He knows how many hairs you have on your head, and He knows your every thought. God in His love for us, ordained a plan of salvation for all of humanity. Salvation is available to anyone who is willing to repent and turn to Christ for salvation. Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love Me, and those who diligently seek Me will find Me”. Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart”. John 4:24 “God is Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth”. 

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

1. Acknowledge that you’ve sinned, need a savior, and that Jesus is Lord (God). 2. Believe that Christ’s death, burial, and ressurection is God’s provision for your sins. 3. Make a sincere decision to turn from a life without God (repent), to a Christ centered life. 4. Ask Him to come into your heart, through the Holy Spirit. And get baptized ASAP, since every conversion recorded in the book of Acts involved a baptism. Click here to read the article on baptism.

Start to live for Christ, and grow in the grace of God – which will teach you to say no to sin, Cf. Titus 2:11-12. Consider daily prayer and Bible reading, obey to the indwelling Holy Spirit; and attend a church to strengthen your spiritual life. Most importantly live a life of holiness, for Jesus has set you free from sin; Cf. John 8:34-36, Romans 6:1. And Hebrews 12:14: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” I’ve attached a prayer at the end of this post. One that I prayed on campus at ASU in 1980, to ask Christ into my heart and save me. I was baptized a week later in a hot tub at an apartment complex!

LET’S EXPLORE SALVATION

The Bible teaches that we’re all sinners and have failed to obey God; this of course is self-evident. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans 5:21 teaches that all of mankind sinned in Adam, and now, we’re all born with a sinful nature.

God is a righteous and just God; therefore, He cannot overlook our sin. So, Romans 5:8 tells us that God sent His only begotten Son into the world to become man. He lived a sinless life being both God and man, and then offered His own life as a ransom for us. God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Jesus as a substitution for us; and demonstrated this through the resurrection of Christ.

Jesus set us free from the slavery of sin; and its consequences viz. Hell. Now God can forgive our sins based on our repentance from sin, and the sacrifice of Jesus. His justice has been satisfied through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. God created us to live in communion with Him. When Adam and Eve sinned; we were cut off from a life with God; yet He has been working through the ages to reconcile us back to Himself. Salvation is more than going to Heaven, rather it is life with God Almighty!

Jesus is God’s only plan of salvation; and each of us must appropriate His death to ourselves through faith. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, truth, and the life; nobody comes to the Father but through Me”. And in Acts 4:12 “There is no other name given under Heaven by which we must be saved”. This is the plan of salvation in a nutshell.

What if you already believe with your mind that Jesus is Lord, but not sure if He is in your heart? If you will truly seek God, ask Him to open your heart to Jesus, and He will. You will then have a spiritual re-birth. Read about this new birth in the gospel of John 3:3; and begin a life of faith (obedience) towards Him. Jesus said in John 14:15 & 23 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments and My Father will love you and We will make Our abode in you.” God knows those who are truly seeking Him with all their heart, and will honor the prayer of a repentant person.

I’ve always said that the distance between Heaven and Hell is 15 inches; this is the distance between your head and your heart. Remember that when the Bible says to believe, it means to trust, obey, and act accordingly. Believe (faith) is a verb, and faith without good works is a dead faith. Once you have placed saving faith in Christ, you need to be baptized. Consider this your first act of faith (obedience); especially since Jesus commanded it.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE JESUS INTO YOUR HEART?

Pray this prayer. Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and lost. I believe that Jesus is Lord and died for my sins, and He rose from the dead. I ask you to forgive me of my sins, and come into my heart and save me. I will repent of my sinful lifestyle and begin to live for you. Please come into my heart and make me a new creation; a Christian. In Jesus name, Amen.

A short tract titled “The 4 spiritual laws” was instrumental in my salvation. Click here to view this tract and please feel free to leave any comments or questions below! I hope you have answered yes to this question of the ages, or will do so soon!