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| Michael & Pam Williams: Establishing and Multiplying Disciples for Jesus Christ in Albuquerque |
| Copyright 2010 © Michael L Williams |
| When you clicked on the "Heaven" button, did you wonder what you would find? Obviously, you did not find Heaven, but now that you are here, I can show you how you can find the real Heaven with even less effort than clicking on a Heaven button. |
- If you were to die today are you sure you would go to heaven? Have you ever wondered about the answer to this question? I am
sure everyone has at one time or another, but really, what does it take to get there? Perhaps you are like most people who
sincerely believe that after they die they will stand before God so that a decision can be made whether they go to Heaven or
Hell. If they have done more good things in their life than bad things they will go to Heaven. If they have done more bad things
they will go to Hell. Some people do not believe there are a Heaven and Hell and when they die they will just be snuffed out like
a candle; but, what if they are wrong. The problem with this thinking is what if we don't get snuffed out? Would it not make better
sense to plan on not being snuffed out in case we are wrong and have everything to lose?
With this in mind, do you think you have been good more than you have been bad? What if I were to tell you that no matter how
good you have been, it wouldn't get you to Heaven? Would that surprise you or do you think I am wrong? Think about it for a
moment, what makes either one of us right about this issue? Doesn't it seem to make sense that there should be somewhere
that you can look up the answer? There is, it is called the Bible. After all, where better to learn the answers about Heaven and
Hell than the Bible? Let's look at what the Bible says about all of this.
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” When we break this verse down we see five parts to this answer:
1. “For God so loved the world” means God loves everyone. This is explained in 1 John 4:10 and 1 John 2:2 respectively:
- “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
- “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
- Propitiation is another word for atonement. Atonement is something that makes things right between two or more people. When Jesus died on the cross
for our sins, He made a way for things to be right between Holy God and sinful man!
- “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.”
- Begotten means offspring gotten by procreation; in other words, born of a woman. Jesus was born as a baby, grew up to be a man and never once
sinned by breaking any of God's commandments. Because He never broke any commandments, He was not deserving of death because Romans 6:23
says, "The wages of sin is death..." You see, when we sin, our penalty is that we die and spend eternity in Hell. Since Jesus never sinned, He did not
have to pay that penalty, yet He willingly allowed Himself to be wrongfully crucified on the cross to pay for our sin penalty. Jesus died for our sins on the
cross and went to Hell for us. On the third day, he rose again from the dead.
Note: Some versions say “one and only Son.” This is an erroneous translation because according to Luke 3:38, Adam was also the son of God. The
difference is that Adam was created from the earth, not born (or begotten) of a woman: Jesus had a belly button, Adam did not! Thus Jesus is the only
“begotten” Son of God, not the only son of God. Most importantly, Adam was made perfect and chose to sin which made him imperfect; Jesus was made
perfect and chose not to sin which made Him still perfect! Only Jesus could satisfy the requirement for a perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of all
humanity!
This is explained in John 20:21:
- "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
4. “Should not perish” means believers will have eternal security by the power of God and won’t be destroyed or perish
in Hell. This is explained in John 10:28 and Matthew 10:28 respectively:
- "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
- "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
5. “But have everlasting life” means believers will live forever with the Lord. It is explained in John 5:24 and John 6:51
respectively:
- "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
In a nutshell, we are saved as a gift of eternal life from God when we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. Christ died for
our sins and rose from the dead. It is as simple as that! Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead! This is the Gospel, or “good news” that Paul spoke of in
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and John 3:14-18 respectively:
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; {2} By which also ye
are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. {3} For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; {4} And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures:"
- “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: {15} "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life. {16} 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. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth
on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
- "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God."
I am sure you realize that Heaven cannot be found by clicking on a "Heaven" button. Likewise, it cannot be found by anything else you can do either.
Remember, it is a gift and last time I checked, I did not have to earn or pay for a gift. Notice what the Bible says about this in Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5
respectively:
- "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast."
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost;"
In summary, if you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins as a gift from God and understand that there is nothing you can do to earn it, then
you have the confidence of knowing that when you die you will spend eternity with God and no one can ever take that away from you (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30,
John 10:27-29). What is stopping you then from believing in the Gospel, or good news, of the Bible? Remember what we have learned? Jesus died for OUR
sins and rose from the dead. Jesus died for MY sins and rose from the dead. Jesus died for YOUR sins and rose from the dead. No matter what you have been
taught, how bad you are or have been in the past, or the church you attend, salvation is available to everyone, including you!
absolutely sure you are going to heaven, why not take the time now to contact us so that we can show you from God’s Word how you can know for sure that
you will go to heaven at the end of your life. Remember, you can’t earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-6) by works so why continue to go through life
trying?(Matthew 11:38) Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) and God wants you to have the gift of eternal life and make you His child so that He
can bless your life right now (John 10:9-10). When it is all said and done, going to Heaven really is easier than clicking on a "Heaven" button.
May God bless you as you seek Him.