How to Be Sure You’re Going to Heaven
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When I was a young Christian, just beginning to grow spiritually, a good Christian friend of mine came to visit me one day. During our conversation we talked about several things: how I was doing; whether or not we thought the Royals would beat the Yankees in the playoffs; and how things were going on his job. But the one thing that sticks out in my mind, even to this day, is that he asked me a question I had never really thought about before. And that question was, “Michael, are you sure you have eternal life?” No one had ever asked me that question before.
I thought to myself, “Well, I know I’m a Christian, I attend church regularly, I give money to the church, I try to live right, and I witness to people.” So I looked at my friend and I said, “I guess so.” He said, “You guess so! Michael don’t you know?” I looked at him and said, “What do you mean?” He said, “Are you sure? Absolutely, positively, one hundred percent sure, that when you die you will spend eternity in heaven with God?” I had to admit, I wasn’t – at least, not one hundred percent sure. Well, he got my Bible and read to me the following passage:
“And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; in order that you may know that you have eternal life. . .” (see 1 John 5:11-13)
Then he explained to me that God had the apostle John write this passage to assure us (Christians), of the fact that we have eternal life. He explained, verse 12 means that if a person has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they can be absolutely sure they have eternal life. Why? Because the verse says, “he that has the Son has life.” In other words, a person who has received Christ ALREADY has eternal life. Then in verse 13 the apostle says, I wrote this “that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.” Notice, John didn’t write that you might hope to have eternal life, or wonder about whether or not you have eternal life. He said, “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; in order that YOU MAY KNOW that you have eternal life.”
After my friend explained the passage, he turned to me and said, “Michael, based on these verses God says you can know beyond any shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, because you have received the Lord Jesus Christ.” Well, I want you to know that night I went to bed with an assurance I’d never had before: the assurance that I have eternal life – the assurance that when I died I would spend eternity in heaven with God.
Then, about two years later, I met for the first time a Christian who told me he didn’t believe a person could ever be absolutely sure about their eternal destiny. In fact, he told me the ministers at his church teach that a Christian can never be certain he has eternal life, because there is always the possibility he might lose his salvation.
YOU MUST DECIDE
Well to put it bluntly, it was on that day that I learned the issue of “eternal security” is one of the most controversial issues in all of Christendom. I mean I had never heard anyone say it was possible for a Christian to lose his salvation before. So do you know what I did? I asked my Bible study leader who was right – my friend, or this other Christian? Guess what he did?
He gave me a list of verses stating both sides of the issue, a book on eternal security, and a cassette tape entitled, “Can A Person Be Sure?” Then he told me, “You must decide for yourself.” It’s not that he didn’t know who was right. He just wanted me to decide for myself. So for the next year I studied both sides of this issue. I prayed and asked God to show me the truth. I examined both points of view in as unbiased a manner as possible – and I came to the conclusion that a Christian CAN BE SURE he has eternal life. What I want to do in this lesson is share with you why I came to that conclusion.
THIS IS THE STARTING POINT
But before we get into this lesson let me make a couple more introductory comments. You may be wondering, since this is such a controversial issue, and since there are Christians who in fact do not believe a Christian can be sure he has eternal life, why do we need to study this? Why can’t we just skip this lesson and go on to the next one? Because this is the starting point! This is the starting point of spiritual maturity! And, this is the starting point of spiritual service. You see, you cannot grow into full and complete maturity, as a Christian, until you settle this issue in your life. Indeed, until this issue is settled your spiritual growth will be stunted. Your spiritual growth will be impeded, both intellectually and emotionally; causing you to grow abnormally – causing you to serve God out of fear instead of love.
WHO AM I TALKING ABOUT
Now, as we ponder this issue of whether or not a person can be sure he or she has eternal life, you must understand that I am talking about a “Christian.” In other words, a person who has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior; a person who has
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About the Book
One of the most difficult things for us to do is picture ourselves dead, lying in a casket, about to be placed six feet under the earth. The reason why is because we are all, to some degree, afraid of death. So do you know what we do? We simply choose not to think about it. I mean death can be scary to think about because in the last few moments of our life, we have to deal with the inevitable question: Will God allow me to enter through those pearly gates into the heavenly city? Or will he cast me into hell, into unquenchable fire?
So the real question is “How can a person be sure, absolutely certain, that when they die, they will spend eternity in heaven?” Can a person be sure? Yes! And that’s why this book has been written. It has been written to give you hope and assurance, based upon the scriptures, that if you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you will spend eternity in heaven when you die.
This book provides answers to the following questions:
• How can a person become a Christian?
• How can you be sure you are a Christian?
• How can you be sure you’re saved?
• Can a Christian ever lose his salvation?
• Can a Christian sin as much as he wants without consequences?
• Can a Christian be sure he’s going to heaven?
About the Author
Michael graduated from the School of Architecture at the University of Kansas. Shortly after graduation he joined Here’s Life, America. Here’s Life, America was a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as the CRU), committed to helping churches disciple its members and share Christ in the community. In 1999 Michael became an ordained minister, and he has been helping Christians to grow spiritually ever since.