By confessing to God that you are a sinner and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross and was raised for your justification will be the first step that you’re on your way to Heaven.
Having received and confessed Him as your personal Saviour, I believe that you have made the most important decision anyone can make. But there are many things you now need to know and learn. One of the first things is to be absolutely certain of your final destination; to know for certain that you are on your way to Heaven.
The Bible teaches that we can know we have eternal life in Heaven. The Apostle John writes: “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,” (1 John 5:13).
Isn’t that a tremendous proclamation? The promise of God is that all who sincerely and truly believe in Jesus Christ can know that they have been granted eternal life in Heaven as a free gift.
Even the most casual reading of the New Testament will reveal that one of the most striking characteristics of the Apostles and the entire Apostolic Church was this element of certainty.
These men who knew; they didn’t hope; they didn’t wish; they knew! They knew their sins were forgiven; they knew they had received eternal life. They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were on their way to Heaven.
My friends, today, many find this to be the most startling fact found in the Bible. And yet, we read that the Apostles said in John 3:14 - “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”
First John 5:19 tells us: “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
Ephesians 1:17 states: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” That is the Grace of God.
“My Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1John 3:2).
Romans 8:39 tells us: “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We know that we know! Affirmation is piled on top of affirmation. The Apostles not only knew, but they knew that they knew!
It was this certainty, this unshakable faith that enabled the Apostles to withstand every difficulty, to overcome every obstacle, and to turn the world right side up for Jesus Christ. This was no vain boast, but rather a ringing, glorious affirmation of faith in Jesus Christ; a stirring testimony to the risen Lord Jesus.
I, Carl Greaux, am going to Heaven. But it’s not because of what I’ve done or because of what I am. It’s because of what Christ did for me. I’m going to Heaven not because of what I am, but in spite of what I am.
I have learnt at the Orthodox Church that salvation is a free gift, and you can’t boast about a gift. You can only be thankful. It is no achievement of mine. It is not because I think I am good or pious or holy, because I know I am none of these. I know that I am sinful and wicked and belong in Hell. But, I am going to Heaven!
That is the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. This message of God’s love is summarised in the following passages of scriptures which we need to think about every day:
First, 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.”
And Second, Ephesians 2:8 and 9. 8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” and 9 says: “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
These passages of scripture teach clearly that eternal life is through Jesus and that one is not saved from divine punishment for their sins through doing good works, but only by Jesus Christ, through faith. If you truly believe in Jesus Christ, then you can know you have been forgiven and made God’s child.
My friends, God has promised that if you trust in Christ, He has made you a new creature, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, and with the words of Fanny Crosby, the blind hymnist, we can sing “Blessed assurance, Jesus in mine” as we journey on the pathway to Heaven.
