Assurance of Heaven
(January 2000 revision)
Would you like to be absolutely certain that if you were to die right now that
you would go to heaven? The Bible says, "These things are written to you...
that you may Know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13). We can KNOW
we have eternal life! This is possible because of what Jesus Christ did for us.
Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark (1:15), "Repent and believe in the
Gospel."
" REPENT" means to have a change of heart about sin and about
God. God requires perfection and He says that even one sin would separate me
from Him forever. Does it surprise you to know that you and I deserve God's
punishment forever?
Even in this hopeless situation, God rescues us through the Gospel. The GOSPEL
is the Good News about God's Son, Jesus Christ, and what He did for each of us.
Jesus lived the perfect life that we cannot live. Then He was punished for all
of our sins when He suffered and died on the cross. Finally, He rose from the
dead to confirm that His sacrifice paid for our sins and to guarantee our life
with God forever.
I'd like to share this GOOD NEWS with you in a personal way. May I ask
your first name?
May I call you by your first name?
Do you know who
PROMISED that? Yes, God (Jesus) did! Now, if I
promised that to you I could be lying, but the Bible says, "God who
cannot lie, promised!" (Titus 1:2). Now, God cannot lie, and He
promised everlasting life to all through Jesus, who is the Savior from sin.
Isn't it wonderful to know that with Jesus as your Savior you will spend
eternity in heaven.
Would you like to have this certainty of going to heaven throughout your
life?
I'd like to ILLUSTRATE by asking: What would happen to you if you
wouldn't eat or drink anything for six months? Right, you would die physically.
In a similar way, if your belief in Jesus is not fed or strengthened, what could
happen to your faith in Him? Right it could die also.
The Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing the Word of God." (Romans
10:17). Just as you need physical food for your body, you need spiritual FOOD
for your faith to grow. This is why I encourage you to go at every opportunity
to a church where they teach that Jesus suffered, died and rose in victory for
all of your sins. I also encourage you to read your Bible daily. In this way God
will feed your faith and keep you sure of going to heaven.
May someone from our church come and talk with you again about the Lord
Jesus?
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