FAITH – HOPE – FORGIVENESS by Growing Older

If I were to ask you the question: “If you were to die right now, are you 100% sure that you would go to heaven?”  What would be your reply?

Many have said: “No one knows for sure.” or “I’m 95-99% sure.” “I don’t know.”  I run into a few who say with surety: “I am sure I would go to heaven.”

I would like to share with you, from the Bible, God’s Word, how you can be 100% sure.

I John 5:13 says: “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”.  Notice the word “know.” When you know something you are 100% sure.

Now, how can you know? To simply determine this, one must know what the Bible says in regard to salvation.  Some believe that their religion will save them …. But they are not sure of heaven either.   Many will say that “I must do the best I can.” Others: “Keep the 10 commandments.”  This all amounts to a system of good works.

I submit to you, that if our religion or good works would save our souls – then why did Jesus die on the cross? Let’s see what the Bible says about our good works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “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”.

Galatians 3:1-3 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

In Romans 11:6 we read: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”.

Now, I realize that if I put all of the verses on works from the Bible in this post – it would be very lengthy. Would you read it all?   The verses above basically teach us that our good deeds do not save us – we cannot save ourselves – we need the salvation that the Lord provides for us.

Galatians 3:24-25 regarding the Law – reads as follows: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster”.

Here we read that the Law was given to show us what sin is. The Law was our teacher, to teach us right from wrong. Why? So we could be saved by faith.

One day, someone took their Bible and shared with me how to be sure of heaven. Allow me to share it with you. It changed my life and my destiny.

First of all – in the Book of Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

Vserse 12 reads: “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one”.  Then verse 23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”   I thought “I’m in a bad spot. If I am not good or righteous and am a sinner, I have no hope. What will I do?”

The person went on to share with me the following. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  He explained that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for me. Jesus Christ paid for all my sins, He took the punishment for me, so that I wouldn’t have to.

The, he went to Romans 6:23 which reads: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.  Hmmmm  I’m going to die one day, where will I go?

Being a sinner, I would surely go to hell. But I read and was told that God has a gift for me. That gift is eternal life and it comes from Jesus Christ.  God’s gift does not come through me or my goodness or my keeping the 10 Commandments, but it is a GIFT.

O.K. How do I get God’s gift?  Romans 10:9-10 “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”    God’s gift is received by us when we acknowledge that we are a sinner;

and then we receive Christ into our hearts and lives.

Verse 13 reads: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Whosoever means ANYBODY can be saved and it by faith in what God did for us.   Whosover means YOU.

In II Peter 3:9 we are told that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  You see, God’s will is for folks to be saved and NOT to perisy = spend eternity in hell.    My friend, God loves us so much that He made a plan for mankind. That plan was for us to have eternal life – to be saved – to go to heaven. That plan was for God to come to this world as Jesus Christ – God’s “only begotten son.”  He went to the Cross paying the price for every sin that you and I ever committed. He arose the third day, conquering death, hell and the grave fou you and for me. He offers us salvation, a FREE GIFT – forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven. He says that if we believe and receive, we shall be saved.

My friend, would you, now receive Jesus Gift of salvation?  If so, the following prayer can be of a help to you. It is not just reciting some words, but it is belief in your heart.

“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. Please forgive me of all my sins. I now ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and save my soul. In Jesus name, A-men”.