How to know you're going to Heaven.
Having been raised in several churches as a child, I was confused about what was required of me to go to Heaven. Every church seemed to be saying something different, and I could not figure out who was right.
One day, when I was 16, a friend of mine asked me if I knew for sure I was going to Heaven. I said, "I’ve been baptized 2 times, catechized, pasteurized and homogenized, what else is there?"
He said, "That is not what I asked you. Do you know if you are going to Heaven?"
I said, "No."
He said, "Would you like to know?"
I said, "Yes, I would."
He took his Bible and explained the way God has provided for sinful man to be cleansed and go to Heaven. There is only one way to Heaven. Some teach that all religions lead to Heaven. This is a lie of the Devil to keep people from learning the truth.
The first thing we must realize is that we are all sinners before a perfect and holy God. God cannot allow sin into Heaven. If He did, it would soon be like Earth. We are hopelessly and helplessly lost. God created the universe, He owns it and He makes the laws. God gave us His commandments and we have not kept them. Isaiah 53: 6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;" Romans 3: 23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Unless a person realizes and admits they are a sinner, they cannot be saved.
You (and I) have broken God’s laws and commandments. This is called sin. God is a perfect God and cannot allow even one sin or sinner to enter Heaven. Because He is Holy and Just He cannot look on sin. So God had a problem. He loves you and wants you to live with Him but your sin makes that impossible.
Secondly, we must realize and admit that the penalty for our sin condemns us to
hell. I Kings 8:46; "there is no man that sinneth not," Ezekiel 18: 4; "Behold, all souls are mine; … the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Romans 6: 23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." We cannot save ourselves. We are guilty before a righteous Judge who cannot overlook our sin.
The only thing that can pay for sin is death. In the Old Testament it was the death and blood of the lamb that covered their sins from God’s eyes. So God Himself became a man (Jesus) and died on the cross in your place. He is called "The Lamb of God" in the Bible. However, this lamb was different. His blood does not cover your sins, it washes them away forever! The only problem now is how can I get the blood of Jesus put on my sin account.
God loves us and wants to save us from our sin. John 3:15-16, "whosoever believeth in him (Jesus) should not perish, but have eternal life. 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 10:28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Since we have all sinned, only a perfect substitute can die in our place.
An illustration may help here:
Suppose you had murdered someone and were standing before the judge being tried for your crime. The judge must be fair and obey the law so he pronounces you guilty and sentences you to death for your crime. Then, the judge takes off his robe, steps down to where you are and says, " I love you. I don’t want you to die. I will take your punishment for you. I will die in your place. This is the only way the law can be satisfied and you get set free at the same time. This is what God did. We were guilty of sin and deserving of death but He took our place." Now, His blood can pay for our sin if we ask Him to save us. All we need to do is believe that He died for us (and rose from the dead) and receive His free gift of eternal life.
You received a free gift of physical life from your parents. You did not pay for it, work for it or deserve it. They did the work, paid the bills and went through the pain so you could get the
free gift of life. Jesus did the work, went through the pain and paid your sin debt so you could have eternal life. Romans 6:23 says: "For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus once told a man in John 3:3, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The way you get "born again" and become God’s child is by receiving Him. John 1:12 says: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" The way to receive Him is to call and ask for His forgiveness and salvation. The Bible says in Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved." I called on the Lord and asked Him to save me Feb. 9, 1969. That is my birthday into God’s family.
Getting born into a human family or God’s family only takes a few moments and requires the work of someone else, growing up in either family takes a long time and requires effort on our part. Just as you need to eat, rest, exercise, etc., to grow as a human, you need to: 1. Read your Bible (II Peter 2:2), 2. Pray, talk to God like your father 3. Go to a church that believes and teaches the Bible, 4. Get baptized to show others you have been saved, and 5. Tell others about Jesus. These will help you grow in the family of God.
Many people try to do the things that make Christians grow when they have never been born into God’s family first. Some churches even teach that our works somehow make us acceptable to God. Nothing could be further from the truth. Isaiah 64:6; "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" Eph. 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." Titus 3:5; "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us," The Bible is clear that nothing we can do can save us, help save us or keep us saved.
There is no magic prayer, God knows and sees your thoughts and motives, but if you would pray sincerely a prayer like this you could claim God’s promise of eternal life: "Dear Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I have broken your laws and stand before you guilty and deserving of your judgment. Please forgive me and save me right now. I receive you as my Savior."
If you prayed that prayer from your heart, God promised He would forgive your sin and take you to Heaven. Write today’s date in your Bible to remember this day as your birthday into God’s family. Then, begin doing the things that help you grow as God’s child.
A simple illustration may help explain what receiving Christ means:
"The seed and the dirt.":
When you put a seed in the dirt it will grow a tree (or plant). Dirt is 100% stupid. It does not know how to grow a tree, the seed knows how to grow a tree. If the seed is left on the kitchen counter it will not grow. A seed left on top of the ground will not grow. The dirt must receive the seed. The two work together in a marvelous way. The seed grows and the dirt simply provides a place for it to grow.
Jesus is like the seed. He knows how to make a new person in us, we do not. We are like the dirt, all we need to do is receive the seed and let Him grow in us. It is amazing to watch the changes that happen to a person who receives Christ.
After a person becomes a child of God, it is important to get involved in a good Bible-believing church. I have studied the subject for years and feel that an independent Baptist Church like the one I go to is closest to the church model given in the Bible. Of course there are good ones and bad ones in many different denominations, so ask God to guide you. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have as you grow in God’s family.
Once you have accepted Jesus as your Savior you become a child of God (John 1:12 and 3:1-7). Welcome to the greatest family in the universe! Now there are several things you should do to grow into a mature
Christian:
Read your Bible even if you don't understand it all. Babies don't digest everything they eat either but you will get some of it. (1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:). I use the King James Version and explain why on video #7. The entire Bible can be read in about 60 hours. The more times you read it the more you will understand it. There are about 20 old English words we don't use today that you will need to study but then it is easy.
Find a church that believes and teaches the Bible and ask the pastor to be baptized to show others you have been saved. Baptism in the Bible is always after salvation and only by immersion (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Acts 8:38). Baptism is a public symbol of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. It is like a wedding ring. It is an outward sign to others of an inward change in you.
Tell others about how to go to heaven. Feel free to use my videos if that will help.
Support the work of God with your time, talents and money. The Bible says that 10% of our increase (called a tithe in the Bible) is the least we should give to help get others saved and growing in Christ.
Be on the look out for the traps of the Devil. He is not happy about what you have done and since he cannot get your soul he will try to ruin your life and effectiveness for the Lord. Jesus not only wants to save your soul, He wants to save your life. (Luke 9:56)
Satan will try to make you doubt or sin. (2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.) Don't get discouraged. (2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.) If you fall or fail just tell the Lord you are sorry (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) and get going again. You probably fell down many times learning to ride a bike but you got up, dusted off and tried again.
Call me if I can help in your new walk with the Lord. I take scores of calls every day I'm in the office and my secretary can almost always find me when I'm gone.
Sincerely,
Kent Hovind,
877-479-3466
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