How can I be sure I am forgiven and going to Heaven?
How can I be sure I am forgiven and going to Heaven?
Dear friend, God loves the world so much that he gave his only begotten son--for our salvation! (see John 3:16) If you believe on Jesus Christ,
it is God's will that you know for sure that your soul will live eternally..."(I John 5:13)
You can know for sure! But it is NOT because we deserve that God would save us from Hell. It is because Jesus died to *pay* for our salvation.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
Four things we should understand:
1. We are all sinners.
Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" This means I am not righteous. I am not perfect.
Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Everyone has sinned. We have disobeyed the commands in the Bible. We have not been living our lives to glorify God. I can not even count how many times I have sinned--how about you?
We should humble ourselves and repent of our sins. God gives grace to the humble...and we need grace!
2. The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
The Bible teaches that Adam and Eve had to die for sinning one time. There are cemetaries all over the world-why? Because we have sinned. But the news gets worse...after we die there is a judgment. We deserve to be judged by our creator, by God. The wages earned by sinning include a 2nd death:
Revelation 21:8, "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."
God is love, but God is holy. God warns us "...the soul that sinneth, it shall die..." God loves you (John 3:16) and wants you to choose his mercy rather than judgment. (II Peter 3:9)
3. God has provided for your salvation through Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
II Corinthians 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
God has a gift for you. You can't earn it. It is free. (Eph. 2:8-9) Jesus died for you. (Romans 5:8) Jesus was buried. (Acts 13:29) God raised him from the dead. (Acts 13:30)
4. Call on Jesus for him to save you.
Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Romans 10:9-11, "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."
Since Jesus died on a cross for you, wouldn't you be willing to ask him to save you?
Could you trust him that he loves you and wants to save you? Can you trust that He is able to save you? (Jesus is listening)
(Example prayer)
Dear Jesus, I accept you as my Saviour forever. Forgive me of all my sins. Please take me to Heaven when I die; and save me from Hell. Thank you for dying for me. Amen.
If you have just called on Christ to save, you, are you now sure that Jesus has saved you? Remember two things: Salvation is by grace, through faith. God will give you grace (save you) when you believe on Jesus. But when you understand that God loved you eneough to send his only begotten Son to die for you, it is obvious that God wants to save sinners.
I John 5:13 tells you that He wants you to know that you will live eternally...The Bible also refers to eternal life as "saved", "born again", etc. and those that are "saved from the wrath to come" will go to heaven when they die.
There are many things in the Bible that God wants you to do, but the first thing mentioned in Matthew 28:19 is to be baptized. Baptism is symbolic of the "death, burial, and resurection" of Jesus Christ, and it is important to do so because God says to in Matthew 28:19.
If you just trusted Jesus to save you, may I recommend that you find an independent Baptist church to get baptized? Ask God for wisdom where to go.
Congratulations!