When I was 17 years old I trusted Christ as my Savior and became a Christian. Before that I thought that as long as I was a "good person" I would go to heaven one day. Then I began to go to a bible believing church that preached the truth straight from the Word of God. That's when I realized, no one
is good enough to get to heaven.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one;" Romans 3:10. After all, if we are truthful, we have all sinned before in our life. So where is the line that some sins are OK and some are too horrible and those people won't be able to go to heaven? There isn't one. To God, sin is sin. "But the fearful, and unbelieving and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8 In this verse God lists liars with murderers. Wow!
Seems pretty depressing huh? We all sin, so are we doomed? If it weren't for Christ we would be! Here is the great part. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Have you every thought of the reality of God giving His only son for us? I have two sons, and I could not ever give them up for a bunch of people that wouldn't even appreciate it, even though some and few would.
There is a story of a man that worked on the train booth lifting up the tracks for the boats as they come by. One day he brought his 8 year old son to work with him. His son was playing down in an area that he shouldn't have been, and he fit down there because the tracks were up while a boat went by. After the boat went through the man couldn't find his son, so he called for him and realized his son got stuck. At that moment he heard the blare of a train coming. The tracks were still up, and his son was stuck. Paniced he reached down to pick up his son, but couldn't get him out. The train was coming.. if he put the tracks down for the train his son would be crushed. If he didn't everyone on the train would crash into the river and perish. His heart raced as he had to decide what to do. He tried again quickly to pull out his son but was unsuccessful.
His son was scared and crying for his father to help him. He told his son he loved him and with tears screaming down his face he pulled the lever to put the tracks down, and in doing so his son was crushed. He watched as the train full of people rode by safe, laughing and drinking tea, unaware of the sacrifice the man had made to save their lives. I know without a doubt I would save my son. That story makes me cry every time. That is what God did for us with His Son. He gave Him to die so we might live. And sadly so many people live unaware of the price Christ made for us so we can have eternal life.
God made salvation so easy for us. There is nothing we have to "do" to receive eternal life. Many people believe that by giving to charities, or working at a church or an orphanage will maybe make them good enough to get to heaven. Those are all great things, but if we could do enough to get to heaven on our own, God would not have had to give His only Son! Many people are members of churches, and do good things for others, and assume it is enough. But God's Word says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 We can do all good things but we still come short. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2: 8-9 That verse is really clear wouldn't you say? It's by grace we are saved from eternal life in hell, not of our own works.
Many people ask, "Is hell real?" The bible talks a lot about a literal hell. There are many verses I could show you, but that would be really long so here is one passage. " And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham a far off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime recievest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented"..." Then he said I pray thee therefore father, that thou wouldest send him to my fathers house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the profits, let them hear them. And he said, Nay father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded through one rose from the dead." Luke 16:23-31 In this passage Jesus was speaking and telling His disciples this story of the rich man and the beggar. Earlier in the chapter the beggar, Lazarus asked the rich man for crumbs from his table and he denied him. The beggar had faith in Jesus Christ we know because he went to heaven. The rich man didn't. He was too busy with all his material possessions and busy lifestyle to accept Jesus. They both died, and Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man went to hell, where Jesus said was in torments. The rich man asked Abraham to have Lazarus be raised from the dead to go tell his family that there is a real hell! He said he wouldn't believe Moses and the prophets, but surely he would believe a man that had died. And Abraham said, If they didn't believe Moses, they won't believe Lazarus either.
What is heaven like? "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself: that where I am there ye may be also." John 14:3-4 I love this verse because, to me, even if heaven was just a plain room where I was safe from the flames of hell, I would want to be there! But no, God is so good to His children, He gives us a mansion! On streets of gold. And best of all.. so we can fellowship and worship Him. Wow!
And the best part... how to know %100 that one day you will have eternal life through Christ! "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10
It's so simple! God says, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, and you will be saved! You can pray to God right now where ever you are. Asking God to save you is the most important thing a person will ever do in their life. You can pray and ask God to forgive for your sins and accept His gift of salvation, His son. I am so thankful someone told me about salvation, and that is why I want to tell others.
If you have any questions about salvation please leave me a comment and let me know! :)
