Do you know what will happen to you after you die? This truly is the most important question that you will ever face.
Many people consider that they are a “good person” and therefore ought to go to heaven when they die. Others believe that you must belong to a certain church and follow its teachings to go to heaven. And then some believe we all go to the same place no matter what the religion. There are many beliefs about heaven, hell, and eternity.
Yet it really does not matter what any one of us may want to believe–what counts is what God has said. Just what does God’s Word say about salvation? Here are some basic truths:
God is love, but at the same time, God is holy, that is, without sin.
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God. 1 John 4:16
No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You. 1 Samuel 2:2
By contrast, people are not perfect. Each one of us has sinned, causing us to be separated from God. No matter how many good works we do, we will never be good enough to enter heaven.
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
But your iniquities have separated you from you God; and your sins have hidden His face from you. Isaiah 59:2
We need God’s forgiveness for our sins, but for this, God has declared that there must be a sacrifice. Because we could not do it ourselves, God in His love provided the sacrifice for us–His own Son. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay for our sins.
for it is the blood that makes atonement [a covering]. Leviticus 17:11
…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8‑9
Salvation is a gift that God offers to every person freely. All that He asks of each one of us is to believe and trust in His Son Jesus Christ.
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
…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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10
You can place your faith in Jesus Christ and receive God’s gift of eternal life right now by praying the following:
| Dear God, |
| I come to You and acknowledge that I have sinned and that I need Your mercy and forgiveness. I turn to You now, and I repent of my sins. |
| I believe that Your Son Jesus came to this earth and died on the cross to pay for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I could receive the gift of eternal life. I accept Jesus as my Savior, and I confess Him now as my Lord. |
| Thank you for making me Your child and for placing me in right standing with You. Thank you that my name is written in heaven. |
| In Jesus’ name I pray, |
| Amen. |
If you sincerely prayed the above prayer, God’s Word declares that you are now born-again, that is, born spiritually. From this moment on, you have eternal life! In receiving this gift of God, you have taken a wonderful first step. God now wants you to get to know Him, to follow Him, and to serve Him. Here are some important next steps:
1. Get a Bible and begin to read it. Choose a modern language version that you can understand and begin with one of the Gospels in the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. These books will give you a good introduction to who Jesus was and is.
2. Find a good church and attend it regularly. It is important to become part of an evangelical church that believes in the salvation and lordship of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Bible, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Your involvement in a good church will greatly help your spiritual growth and walk with God. Be a tither and a giver.
3. Be baptized in water. The Lord Jesus commanded believers to be baptized as a symbol of the new birth. It is an outward sign of our identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.
4. Receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit already lives within you, yet there is an additional experience by which He fills you with His power. To learn about this experience, click here.
If you would like to tell us about your decision to believe on the Lord Jesus, we would be delighted to hear from you! Simply write to us using the contact form.
And if you are ever tempted to doubt that fact that you are now a child of God and will spend eternity with Him in heaven, refer back to God’s Word. There are many other verses which promise eternal life to those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ.
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