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Heaven is a Gift
"The gift of God is eternal
life (meaning heaven) through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
A gift isn't something you work for,
it's not something given because of who you are and it's not given out of obligation.
Therefore, God's gift of heaven can't be earned by being a good person, it's not given
because of social status or family ties and it's offered solely because God loves you.
Man is Sinful
"For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God." Roman 3:23
The reason no one can earn or
deserves the gift of heaven is because we are all imperfect; everyone has done evil
things. Compared to God's standard of perfection, we fall way short, therefore without
God, heaven is unobtainable by everyone. Unless God willingly offered heaven, everyone
would be doomed.
Sin Cannot Enter Heaven
"The wages of sin is death
(meaning hell)..." Romans 6:23
Since everyone has sinned, all are
eternally doomed. This presents a dilemma. Even though God offers heaven to everyone, no
one may enter because of their individual sins. Before you can accept God's gift,
something must happen regarding your evil nature.
God Grants Forgiveness of
Sin
"In Him (meaning Jesus) we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Ephesians 1:7
God says there is a way in which our
sins can be forgiven. That is, they will be erased as if we never committed them. If our
sins are erased, then we can accept God's gift and enter heaven when we die. Furthermore,
we learn forgiveness comes through Jesus Christ, but what does this mean? It means that
before our sins are erased, there is someone we must recognize and something we must do.
Forgiveness is Available to
All
"For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life." John 3:16
Because God loves us all, He has made
forgiveness available to everyone. No matter how terrible the sin you have committed, God
will forgive you. Even though you believe yourself to be a good person, you are still a
sinner in need of God's forgiveness. Remember, all have sinned and therefore all are
doomed to perish. This is a principle applicable to everyone.
We Must All Repent
"But unless you repent you will
all likewise perish." Luke 13:3
Repent means we turn from living a
life dedicated to our own desires, toward one dedicated to God's. This does not mean we
will be perfect while on earth, but that we strive toward that godly standard as described
in the Bible.
Faith in Jesus Christ Saves
"What must I do to be saved?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Acts 16:30b, 31
God says that if we believe in Jesus
Christ, we will be saved from hell and therefore we can enter heaven. What does it mean to
believe in Jesus Christ? It means that we recognize the fact that Jesus came to earth, He
paid the penalty for our sin by dying on a cross, He was then buried and arose from the
grave three days later. All this had to happen before our sins could be forgiven, and
recognizing Jesus' work is essential for salvation.
Faith Means Trust
"If you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved." Romans 10:9
Believing or having faith in Jesus
Christ means we trust Him. We believe Jesus is telling us the truth when He says it was
necessary for Him to die, be buried and to rise from the grave so we could be forgiven of
our sins. Furthermore, faith is not merely knowing facts about Jesus Christ, but
surrendering your life to His leadership.
Jesus Promises Heaven
"And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also." John 14:3
If you will trust Him, Jesus promises
that He will prepare a place in Heaven for you. What a great promise! Jesus gives
assurance that you can live with Him forever if you will simply entrust your life to Him.
The reason Jesus can keep such a promise is because He is God.
Jesus
is the Only Way to Heaven
Jesus said,
"I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
Are there other ways to heaven? The
answer is no. Believing in Buddha, Mohammed or someone other than Jesus will not work.
Jesus was very clear, the only way to heaven is through Him.
Pray for Salvation
"For whosoever calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13
Salvation comes from a sincere desire
to follow Christ, not repetitious prayers, good intentions, or participation in a
sacrament or ordinance. You gain salvation by praying to God, telling Him that you are
turning from a lifestyle of sin, that you accept Christ's sacrifice for your sins, and
that you want to surrender your life to His leadership. The key is the sincerity of your
heart not the simple repetition of a prayer. The evidence of your conversion experience
does not mean that you will become perfect in everything you do, but your lifestyle will
reflect your new commitment.
If salvation through Christ is the sincere
desire of your heart, look at His promise, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
believes in Me has everlasting life." John 6:47
If you trusted Jesus for eternal life by
reading this page, please let us know. We want to rejoice in what God has done in your
life and help you to grow spiritually. Please call us at 904.306.7744 or
email
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