SALVATION
How to Know for Sure that You're Going to Heaven

Salvation, or being saved, means that you have eternal life.  This does not mean that you won't die physically, but that immediately upon your physical death, you'll go to Heaven to spend eternity with God.  The alternative is that you'll experience "spiritual death", which is an eternal separation from God in hell.  In this article, we'll answer such questions as "Can you be saved?" and if so, can you know for sure.  We'll also tell you how to be saved. 

There are many philosophies and theories available today on how to get to Heaven.  Most religious founders and leaders think their method is the best way, but teach that you can't know for sure.  We figure, that since God created Heaven, that He would know the correct path to get there.  Therefore, we are taking this method directly from God's Word, the Holy Bible. 

There are many short Biblical tracts which you can get through in a minute of two.  This will take you a bit longer, but isn't your eternal state worth a few extra minutes.  Since this is the most important decision that you will make in life, we want to make sure you fully understand what it involves, and guard against giving you a false sense of security. We pray that this article will be a blessing to you and please contact us with any questions.
 

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Saved from What?

Have you ever been asked the question "Are you saved?", or been told that you need to be saved.  Your first questions is probably "Saved from what"?  When we refer to spending eternity in heaven, we're talking about being saved from the righteous wrath of the Holy God. 

...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Heb 9:27).

The Lord will judge his people.  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:30-31).

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Rom 1:18-20).  

Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. . . . But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed (Rom 2:2,5). 

Jesus said "Then they (unbelievers) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Mt 25:46).

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).

A secondary question that sometimes comes up is "Why do I need to be saved".  From the scriptures, it obvious that the first benefit is avoiding the terrible wrath of a just God and spending eternity in hell.  Many people say hell is just a myth.  Did you know that the Bible actually says more about hell (with the majority coming from the words of Jesus) than it does about Heaven.  Many other benefits of salvation will be understood as you grow in your Christian life.

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Can You Know for Sure that You're Going to Heaven?

One of the most important questions that you should be able to answer is "Do you know for sure that you will spend eternity with God in Heaven".  Did you know that you can know for certain.  Most people think that they can only hope for the best.  The Bible says

I write these things to you ... so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 Jn 5:13).

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Can YOU be Saved?

Many people think that, although others may go to Heaven, they themselves are not worthy.  They believe they've done too many bad things in their life, or haven't done enough good. 

Fortunately, we don't get to Heaven because we're worthy, we get to heaven because we're forgiven.  The greatest saints of the Bible were ordinary folks just like us.  David, called "a man after God's own heart", was a murderer and adulterer.  Paul, who wrote over half the New Testament, was on his way to kill Christians when he was "saved".  Remember that you can't sink too low that God can't raise you up, but our time is limited.

The Bible says that no one can come to God unless He draws them (John 6:44,65). Actually, the fact that you have doubt and regrets about whether or not you can be saved is a sign that God is still drawing you to Him.  Those past this point no longer feel the need to be saved.  No one knows how much time we have left.  Please don't be like the foolish virgins in Matthew 25.

 ...And the door was shut. Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!...Open the door for us!"  But he replied, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you" (Mt 25:10-12). 

It is sad that there will be so many people, who will one day stand in judgment before the door to Heaven, sorrowful and desiring to enter, but too late, because it is shut.

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How NOT to Be Saved?

Before we get into how to be saved, let's look at some things that many people think will get them to Heaven.

Being a Good Person and Doing Good Deeds
Belonging to a Particular Church or Denomination
Keeping the Ten Commandments
Going to Church or Mass
Getting Baptized
Being a Pastor or Teacher
Having Christian Parents
Giving Money to Charity
Praying Daily
Helping Others
Taking Communion
Doing Penances
Creating a Christian Website

While these are good worthwhile endeavors, they will not get you to Heaven.

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How to Be Sure You're Going to Heaven?

After reading the previous section, many folks are probably wonder how anyone can be saved.  Let me start this section with some GREAT NEWS:

Heaven is a FREE GIFT - It can't be earned or deserved.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).

You'll notice that all the ways listed in the previous section entailed man attempting to earn his way to Heaven.  Salvation is by the grace and mercy of God, not by the merit of man.

Before we go any further, let me mention that there is one way that you can save yourself by your good deeds.  The Bible gives us the standard that we must uphold:

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48).

So, as you can see, all we have to do to save ourselves is to be as perfect as God.  Can I get everyone out there who is as perfect as God to raise their hand.  Anyone?  Hmm - I think we need to get back to the free gift method.
 

As I was saying, Heaven must be a free gift because...

Man is a Sinner who cannot save himself.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

What is Sin? 

Sin is anything contrary to the law, character or will of God, including things you do that you shouldn't and neglect to do that you should.  Sin can be by thoughts, actions or attitude.  Common examples are lying, stealing, cursing, lust, anger, deceit, and immoral behavior, just to name a few.  God's law is not just an arbitrary set of rules, but is based on His character.  For example, God doesn't say "Do not lie" just because He thinks it's a good command, He says "Do not lie" because it is against His very nature to lie.  So, when we sin, it is an attack on the holy nature and character of God.  We must not underestimate the seriousness of sin, or the holiness of God.

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  Death means eternal separation from God, who is so Holy that He can't even look upon sin.

Your eyes (God's) are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong (Hab 1:13).

Many people think that because they've been better than many others, that God will let them into Heaven.  Unfortunately, God doesn't grade on the curve, so only one minor sin will keep you out of Heaven.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10).

As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one (Rom 3:10).

So, trusting in own efforts will obviously not get us into Heaven, but before you resign yourself into thinking there's no way to get there, please read on and remember that

What is impossible with men is possible with God (Lk 18:27).
 

Speaking of God, let's look at a few of His attributes...

God is merciful and doesn't want to punish us.

God is love... (1John 4:8).  This means that God's love is so deep, consistent and profound, that it is the ultimate standard to which all other forms of love are compared.

He also says "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jer 31:3).
 

But God is also just, and therefore must punish sin.

He says "...I will by no means clear the guilty..." (Ex 34:7).

The soul who sins shall die (Ezek 18:4).

So, you see the dilemma.  How can God love us, punish our sin, and forgive us without violating His own laws and just nature?  The answer to this question is the greatest news ever shared.  

God solved this dilemma in the person of Jesus Christ.

We must ask the question "Who is Jesus Christ".  Jesus is not just the Son of God, but "God the Son".  He is God in the flesh, fully human and fully divine.

In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made... The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (Jn 1:1-3,14)

Jesus who came to earth to reveal God's love for us by living a perfect life and paying the penalty for our sins.  So what is the penalty for our sin?  As we mentioned before, The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).

Jesus died on the cross for us, taking our place in judgment. and paying the debt we could not pay.  He then rose from the grave, and ascended into Heaven to purchase a place for us. 

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).

Notice that He died for us while we were still sinners.  We didn't have to do anything to merit this (and indeed, we could not).  He loves us the way we are, with all our imperfections.  Remember earlier when we said that you have to be a perfect as God to get into Heaven. 

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2Cor 5:21).

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us... (Rom 8:3-4).

by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy (Heb 10:14).

The incredible news is that, at the cross, He bore our sins, letting the wrath of God fall on Him so that we could be credited with being as perfect as God. 

Now that Jesus offers us eternal life in Heaven as a free gift, we must ask "How do we receive this gift".

The greatest gift ever offered is received by FAITH.  "Saving Faith" is the key to Heaven's gates.

We all have an idea of what faith is, but exactly what is this "saving faith".  I think it might help to list a couple of things that it is NOT. 

First, Saving Faith is NOT mere "Intellectual Assent", that is believing certain historical facts.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder (James 2:19).  So, intellectual knowledge of God merely qualifies you to be a demon.

Second, Saving Faith is NOT "Circumstantial Faith", that is trusting God in temporary crises such as financial, illness etc.  This is like treating God as a spare tire.  As long as everything is going great down the highway of life, you don't acknowledge God, but you want Him to be available in case something goes wrong.  When you have a blowout such as a lost job, you want to call on God, but as soon as the crisis passes, you put him back in the trunk so He doesn't interfere with your agenda.

Now, you should have an intellectual knowledge of God, and you should trust Him in a crisis, but this is NOT saving faith.  SAVING FAITH leads to repentance (recognizing, being sorry, and choosing to turn from our sins), and involves trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation.  It means committing your life to Jesus and relying on what He has done rather than what we have done in our vain attempt to get to Heaven.  Charles Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher used to offer this illustration of saving faith:

A young girl was trapped on the third floor ledge of a building engulfed in flames.  She looked down as a strong firefighter yelled for her to jump and he would catch here.  Now the girl may have had faith that the firefighter would catch her, but she would only be saved, if she jumped.

Believe (trust, commit) on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved... (Acts 16:31 NKJV).

Notice it says to believe in the Lord Jesus.  Many people today think that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere.  The object of our faith is actually even more important than the amount of our faith.  To illustrate, many people may remember the Tylenol incidents many years ago, when someone laced bottles with poison and about a dozen people died.  So why did the folks that took the poisonous pills die and the folks that took the untainted pills did not.  It certainly wasn't the amount of faith.  The folks that died had just as much faith that the Tylenol would cure their headaches as the folks that didn't.  The difference was the object of their faith.  Those that took the real Tylenol lived, while those believing they were taking the real thing, but unknowingly were taking a false Tylenol, died.  Likewise, many people today are putting their faith in a false God, such as their own good works.

You have now heard the GREATEST NEWS EVER TOLD.  Now I'd like to ask you a question.
 

Would YOU like to receive the Gift of Eternal Life with God in Heaven?

Because this is the most important question that you will have to answer in your lifetime, let's take a moment to review and clarify what this involves.

 

God created man to fellowship with Him.		Man's sin broke that fellowship and separated himself from God.
All man's attempts to bridge the gap will fall way short.
God Himself provides the only way as a free gift.		You must accept the gift by trusting in Christ alone.

You can express your faith and receive Jesus Christ right now in a prayer to God.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Rom 10:9-10).

Jesus said "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Rev 3:20).

Here's a suggested prayer to call on God, asking for the gift of eternal life.  The exact words are not as important as the attitude of your heart. 

"Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and need to be saved.  I believe you died in my place and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me.  Jesus, I repent of my sins and turn from trusting in myself and look to you alone to save me.  Lord Jesus, come into my life and save me, take control of my life and help me to be the person you created me to be.  I accept the free gift of eternal life."

If this prayer is the sincere desire of your heart, let me share another promise from the Bible.

I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life (Jn 6:47).

Notice Jesus says "Has" rather than "will have".  That means that you have eternal life now and will never be separated from God.

“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" (Jn 5:24 NKJV).

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand (Jn 10:28 NKJV).

in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:37-39).

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:13-14).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation (2Cor 5:17-19).

Welcome to the Family of God!

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12).

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What's Next?

Just as a newborn baby grows physically, you will need to grow spiritually.  Here we list a few steps to help you grow into a mature Christian.  We're currently working on a "Guide for New Christians", which should be loaded in the next couple of weeks, and will provide lots more info.

Spend time in Prayer each day with God.  Prayer is a direct conversation with God.  You can pray about anything, not just religious matters.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Php 4:6-7).

Read your Bible daily.  See our Bible Study Guide for reading plans and other helpful information.

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby (1Peter 2:2 NKJV).

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Tim 3:16-17).

Worship in a local body of believers.  Find a good Bible believing church for regular worship and fellowship.

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord! (Ps 122:1 ESV)

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another (Heb 10:24-25 ESV).

Baptism.  There is no saving power in Baptism.  Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.  Baptism is the first step of Christian obedience, as commanded by Christ. Baptism also identifies us with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (Rom 6:4-5).

Witness.  Tell others about what Jesus Christ has done for you.  Our friends need to know how to receive the gift of eternal life also. 

Jesus said "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven (Mt 10:32-33).

Please feel free to print and copy this page for your own use in witnessing to others.

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.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (Jn 3:16-17 NKJV)

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Special Thanks to D James Kennedy and the good folks at Evangelism Explosion for the basic outline of the "How to Be Sure You're Going to Heaven" section.