Did you know that it is possible to be
100% certain of your future? It is possible to pillow your head tonight
and never worry about eternity again! Never worrying if you have
done enough “good deeds” or been faithful enough to church to go to
Heaven for eternity. The Bible clearly tells us that we can KNOW that
we have eternal life (I John 5:13) and here is how:
1. Recognize that you are a sinner.
This should be
easy. Know one knows better than you that the person that you shave in
the morning or that lady that you look at in the mirror as you put on
your makeup is a sinner. Even though we may try to be a good person
the Word of God is clear that we are not:
Psalm 14:3 They
are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is
none that doeth good, no, not one.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have
gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD
hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 3:23 For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
2. Realize That There Is
Punishment For Sin
Sin causes us to come “short of the glory of God.” All
the good deeds in the world will not take away the sin that leaves
you “short of the glory of God”. The Holy God has pronounced
punishment on those that come short of His glory. It is the
everlasting death in the eternal place of torment called Hell. Yes,
Hell is a literal place and it is inhabited by literal people that
died in their sins and came “short of the glory of God”
Romans 6:23a For
the wages of sin is death;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned:
Luke 16:22b-24 The rich man also died, and was buried; And
in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in
this flame.
3. Understand that the
punishment has been paid
God in “His
great love wherewith He loved us” (Eph 2:4) made a way for you to
avoid your certain punishment. In His amazing grace and for His great
love He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die a sacrificial death to pay
for your sins and mine.
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.
John 3:16 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.
4. Receive Christ as
Your Savior
Stop trusting your religion, your good deeds, your “Christian
heritage” and everything else and place your faith and trust in Jesus
as your Savior. Nothing else will work. Acknowledge that you cannot
earn it and accept this free gift of God.
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.
Romans 10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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.
It is that
simple. Acknowledge what you already know, that you are a sinner.
Realize that your sin dooms you to Hell for eternity. Rejoice in the
fact that God’s love was demonstrated in His Son’s death on the cross
to pay the price for your sin. And trust Jesus as your personal
Savior.