How Can I Go to Heaven?
If we were to ask you your opinion about what you understand it takes for a person to enter into heaven — how would you respond? Please continue reading to find out how the Bible answers this question.
This question can be answered through an acrostic of the word "FAITH".
F is for Forgiveness
We cannot have eternal life and heaven without God's forgiveness.
The Bible says "In Him [meaning Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Ephesians 1:7
A is for Available
God's forgiveness is Available.
It is available to all.
A favorite verse for many people is John 3:16 which says "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."
However, God's forgiveness is NOT Automatic.
In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said "Not everyone who says unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Why? Because. . .
I is for Impossible
It is impossible for a holy God to allow sin into heaven.
As previously mentioned, God is a God of love, John 3:16 shows that. But. . .
God is also just.
The Bible says "For judgment is without mercy." James 2:13
And man is sinful by nature.
Romans 3:23 states "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
This poses a dilemma for mankind. You see, sin deserves to be punished. The punishment is an eternity separated from God in a place the Bible calls hell. Since we all have sinned (disobeyed God) we deserve to bear the punishment for it, and cannot reach heaven by our own merits. The question is then, how can a holy God allow sinful people into heaven, where God cannot allow sin?
The answer comes with T.
T is for Turn
To turn means to change directions. The Biblical word for turn is repent.
Turning means three things:
1. You turn from something - sin and self
The Bible says "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3
2. You turn to someone - the Lord, Jesus Christ
The Bible also says "Christ died according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3. You trust Christ only
In Romans 10:9, the apostle Paul wrote "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."
And doing this will bring you to H.
H is for Heaven
Heaven is eternal life.
It is eternal life here on earth.
Jesus said "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10
But it is also eternal life in the hereafter.
Jesus said "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3
How?
If you have understood the presentation above, and have come to a realization that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, you can have a life-changing experience with Jesus right where you are. Just pray the prayer below, or something like it. The prayer below isn't a magic formula, what matters is that you repent, believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, and mean it with all sincerity from the bottom of your heart.
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me that I am a sinner in need of You as my Savior. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that You rose again from the grave on the third day. Please forgive me of my sins. I ask You to come into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you Jesus for saving my soul. Amen.
If you have just accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, we would like the privilege of praying for you. Please take a moment to fill out the form below.
Tell us about your decision!
If you've just accepted Christ, we want to know about it. We'd like to send you some information to grow in your new relationship with Christ. Please fill out the form below so that we can pray for you and send you some material about the decision you've made.
