How To Know You Are Going To Heaven

How To Know You Are
Going To Heaven
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"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
John 5:24
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Security! The common denominator of all the aspirations of the human heart. Mankind has longed for it since time began. We have built walled cities, made treaties, sought after power and wealth. Indeed we have tried by every means possible to be secure in freedom, provisions and in relationships - especially in our relationship to God.

But according to the Bible, God's word, there is only one way to true security: Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John we read, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6)." He can satisfy every need for security because He provides membership in God's family for now and eternity: "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who trusted in His name (John 1:12)."

Why is Jesus the only way to true security? The Bible provides the answer. We cannot find security on our own because we stand condemned before God for sin. The Apostle Paul's statement in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and do fall short of the glory of God." lets us know that every person in the world is a sinner. What's more this refers not only to so-called "bad sins" such as murder but to anything which falls short of God's perfection and excellence.

This sinfulness of mankind means that we lack the righteousness God requires and, indeed, can never achieve it. Concerning this requirement, Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20)." Paul puts it bluntly: "There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10)." Again, that includes everyone. Absolutely nothing a person can do on his own can ever earn or merit anything from God, as the prophet Isaiah notes: "All our righteous works are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6)." To Christians Paul said, "He did not save us on the basis of works which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy (Titus 3:5)." The consequence for mankind of this sinfulness and lack of righteousness is spiritual death - separation from God: "The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a)."

How then is it possible to have that righteousness necessary for acceptance by God? The answer is surprising and wonderful: Christ has provided it for us! The Bible points this out in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin in our place in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus, who was perfectly righteous and therefore, did not deserve to die, took the penalty which we deserved (death, the wages of sin) upon Himself. Romans 5:8 says, "God proves His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Peter proclaims, "[Christ] Himself offered up our sins in His body on the cross" (1 Peter 2:24), and, "Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous in place of the unrighteous, in order that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18a)." Then Christ was resurrected from the dead to guarantee resurrection for the righteous (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). In this way God was able both to punish sin - thereby remaining consistently holy - and to forgive the sinner - thereby remaining consistently gracious. As Paul puts it in Romans 3:26: "[He did this] in order that He might be righteous and pronounce righteous the one who has faith in Jesus." God gives salvation as a gift: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)."

There is, however, a condition. That is, salvation is not automatic, for when the Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, "What must I do to be saved?," the reply was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:30-31)." Paul says it this way in Romans 4:5, "To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." The Greek work translated "believe" indicates that the facts about Jesus must be accepted (that He was God in the flesh, etc.) and means that He must be depended on for salvation. In other words, there are two aspects to the meaning of the word - belief in facts and trust in a person.

Therefore, if you think that your sins are not bad enough to condemn you or that you can save yourself by church membership, baptism, etc., you must change your mind about those incorrect beliefs, believe what the Bible says about your sinful and separated condition and trust Christ to save you personally. Then, and only then, will you be saved and secure - when you take God's route to security.

For those who reject God's remedy for sin, the condemnation for sinfulness stands and results in permanent separation from God and punishment in the lake of fire: "The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him (John 3:36);" "and if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15)." This is the scriptural destiny for all those who reject Christ.

Well, what about you my friend? Will you try to find security your own way and regret it for eternity or will you accept God's free gift of eternal life and have real security - now and forever? It is my prayer that you will place your trust in Christ as your Savior right now, wherever you are - and live forever secure in God's family.

Salvation

source

COMPARISON
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:23 (NASB)

It’s a basic part of human nature to compare ourselves to others. We do it all the time, including when talking about whether we’re “good enough” for salvation. Many people feel they’re not good enough and don’t measure up – they haven’t done enough good deeds or have done too many bad ones (compared to other folks they see). Guess what? They’re right! They don’t measure up, but then, none of us do when measured against God’s perfection. That’s just a simple fact. Think of it this way – let’s say I can jump four feet. Well, compared to many of the residents at the nursing home who can’t even jump an inch, I’m a stud, a jumping machine. The pride of my prowess may be quite short lived though if I then compare myself to an Olympic long jumper. Now I find I’m a Class A ZERO. But what if the goal was to jump all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to England?? I don’t care who you are, it’s just not humanly possible. Period. It’s laughable to even consider it and all the squabbling we do with each other about who’s a better jumper is meaningless. OK, but let’s say you really want to get over there. Well, you could try swimming or rowing a boat, but only if you want to spend lots of time with the fishes. Honestly, if you really want to get to England, I don’t care how hard you try or what you do, nobody is going to be able get there under their own power. So now what?

FAITH
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (NASB)

Most people would probably opt to fly in a commercial jetliner. Trouble is, first you need a ticket, but you can’t afford one. Fortunately, a very wealthy patron has an unlimited number of tickets available for free and you’ve been offered one. Woo hoo!! Now you’re ready to go and there is nothing stopping you, right? WRONG!! There’s still something you absolutely have got to have if you’re going anywhere - Faith. That’s right, faith. First of all you have to truly believe in the airline company. You have to have faith that their big hunk of steel and aluminum can actually get up into the air and fly. You also have to take it on faith that they’ve hired competent pilots and mechanics and perform maintenance as required and that they’ve put enough fuel in, etc., etc., etc.

IF YOU DON’T TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE AIRLINE HAS ALL THIS IN PLACE, YOU WON’T STEP ONE FOOT ON THAT PLANE. Even though it’s all true, none of it matters if you won’t believe it. You’ve got a free ticket, your bags are packed and the plane is ready to go, but because of your lack of belief, you are not going anywhere. Not because of the airline, but because of you.

19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Heb 3:19 (NASB)

WHAT’S MY PART – I
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:8-9 (NASB)

Now let’s say I have the faith to board the plane. What else does the airline expect me to do to help the flight safely make the crossing? NOTHING! Do you think the airline might expect me to advise the pilots? Not a chance! Would they expect me to help with the navigation? Only if they don’t care where they end up. All they really expect of me is to sit in my seat and relax. So upon landing, what bragging rights do I have for the successful flight? ZERO, NADA! I didn’t do anything nor could I nor was I expected to. All I can truly do is accept the free ride and be thankful.

WHAT’S MY PART – II

The ticket to ride has been given free of charge and without conditions. That’s been made clear in the literature. What if I’ve got faith to board, but when I go to get my ticket, the ticket agent, on his own, tells me “The ticket’s free, but you are required to assist in the flight. Here’s the deal, to insure the flight will make it, on a rotational basis, each passenger has to stand in the aisle for five minutes flapping their arms like a bird while reciting ‘I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can’ over and over. This is the only way you can make it.”? What??? I’d tell the guy to buzz off because it’s completely unnecessary. Even if the agent himself actually believes it, he’s wrong. To paraphrase one of my favorite Bible teachers, Les Feldick, “it’s the airline plus NOTHING!!!!” There is nothing more expected or required of me. It’s not the airline plus my efforts, it’s the airline plus nothing. That really is how simple it is.


THE JOURNEY
27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 (NASB)

One last thing I’d like to share. Now we’ve boarded and we’re in the air. If you look around, you’ll probably notice some passengers cool, calm and collected and others with white knuckles who are putting permanent indentations in the armrests. Why the difference? Fear. The passenger calmly reading her newspaper has experience with the airline, knows they can handle the program and that the plane will arrive just fine. No problem. The other passenger’s faith doesn’t extend that far. You’ll also see passengers that are good and relaxed until the plane hits some turbulence and then, Hoo Boy! Meanwhile, the more experienced traveler maybe steadies his computer and then just keeps on unfazed. He knows that there’s always going to be some turbulence, some worse than others, but that, in the plane, he always gets to his destination just fine. The real lesson is that we’re all going to get there whether we make ourselves miserable during the trip or not. The plane is going to make it regardless of what we think so, in faith, we may as well relax and enjoy the trip. The quicker we learn and accept that fact, the easier it all becomes.

33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NASB)

CONCLUSION

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Romans 10:9 (NASB)

I hope this helps take some of the confusion out of salvation in Jesus. It’s an incredibly fantastic gift, but it’s not “mysterious”. The simple fact is we are saved by our trust and faith in Jesus and His finished work on the cross. Period. It’s not “Jesus plus….”, it’s Jesus ONLY. When we believe, we are placed in Him and begin the journey. One problem with airplanes is, occasionally they do crash. The Good News is Jesus never fails. In fact, once we’re in Him, the trip is so assured that the Bible says we’re already in heaven! There’s no “if” about it, just when. It’s somewhat like dropping a steel anvil – as soon as you let it go, you could say it’s on the ground even if it takes a few seconds to get there.

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph 2:5-6 (NASB)

Go in His Peace.

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation
by Pastor Ford Porter

My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”

In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).

“ . . . God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, “God . . . commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

“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” (John 1:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray: “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.

God’s power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God’s promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth:

Pray -- you talk to God.
Read your Bible -- God talks to you.
Witness -- you talk for God.
AFTER you are saved, you should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord . . . .” (2 Timothy 1:8).