Here is a very profound question.  If you were to die tonight, are you 100% sure that you would go to  heaven?

Truthfully, most people answer the question like this: “Well, I hope so.”  Or they say, “What kind of question is that, nobody can know for sure.”

Neither one of those responses answers the question that we asked. You either know for sure or you don’t. The question is answered either “YES” or “NO“. Do you know for sure, if you died tonight, that you would go to heaven? Or, do you NOT know for sure that you would go to heaven? The Bible puts it like this, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil,” (Matt.5:37).

Now, how would you answer the question? Do you know for sure, or don’t you?  If you answer the question, “No,” then we have some good news for you. The Bible says that you can know for sure. You say, where does it say that? The Bible says that you can know for sure that you are going to heaven (or hell for that matter, if you reject Jesus Christ’s finished atonement on Calvary) in 1 Jn. 5:13.

Read 1 Jn 5:13. God says, “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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  He didn’t say, “… that ye may hope that ye have eternal life.” Nor did he say, “… that ye may think that ye have eternal life.” He said, “… that ye may KNOW!”

Would YOU like to know that you are going to heaven when you die? If you would, we’ll show you how from the Bible.

FIRST, you have to know that you are a sinner. That shouldn’t be so hard, since the Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” (Rom. 3:23).  In dealing with literally thousands of souls one-on-one, we’ve only had 3 people say they didn’t believe that they were sinners after they heard that verse. And in every case, they each admitted that they were sinners as soon as they saw what the Bible calls sin.

One man said that he didn’t believe he was a sinner. We showed him three verses from the Bible on what God calls sin (1 Jn. 3:4; Prov. 24:9; Jas. 4:17). Without prompting, that fellow admitted to adultery, and in humility knelt on the sidewalk in downtown Mobile, AL, and trusted Christ as his Saviour.

Another was an elderly lady who had lived an exemplary life. Her life was a glowing testimony. She had raised her children right, kept the home, submitted to her husband, and kept her mouth from cursing, liquor and tobacco. But, we showed her the greatest commandment from Matthew 22:37-38, and she admitted that she had broken it. She realized that breaking the greatest commandment made her the greatest sinner, in spite of all  the good works that she had done in her life. In her own home, in Pensacola, FL, she bowed her head and trusted Christ to take her sin away.

One lady, at a bus stop in downtown Pensacola, FL, said she wasn’t a sinner. When her husband got into the conversation, he asked her, “Do you want me to tell that man what you did last night?” (Rom. 3:12) “No!” “Do you want me to tell him what you said this morning?” (Matt. 12:36) “No!” “Then what are you going to tell that man?” She looked our way and said “Sir, I’m a sinner.” We led her to the Lord at the bus stop. Believe it or not, you are a sinner.

SECOND, your sin has to be paid for. In case you are wondering what the payment is, just go to the graveyard. Every body dies. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death,” (Rom. 6:23).  If you don’t have something in you to defy gravity, not only will your body wind up in a grave, but also your soul will wind up in hell. As Jesus said, “fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell,” (Matt.10:28).

From there, you will go to a fiery eternity, when God throws death, hell, the devil and his angels, and all the damned into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Isn’t that horrible? It’s just tragic. God never intended for you to go there, but you will if you don’t have Jesus Christ.

THIRD, Jesus Christ already paid for all of your past, present and future sins. Now why would you to choose to go to hell with your sins paid for? The Bible is so clear on this point.  Don’t let some religious doctrine keep you from trusting what God said. Look at 1 Tim. 2:5-6, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.”  Don’t you see that payment includes you?

Jesus Christ took your complete punishment for sin. You have to die, so he died in your place. You have to go to hell, so he went to hell for you. He literally substituted his life for yours and his death for yours that he might pay for your sins and give you his righteousness as a free gift (2 Cor 5:21).  He is not willing that any (that includes you) should perish (2 Pet. 3:9). But, you say, I am going to die anyway because all men die. Yes, but when a Christian dies, the Bible says, “…absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,” (2 Cor. 5:8). That’s not the same thing as winding up in a grave with your soul in hell (Rev 21:8).

FINALLY, you have to repent of your sin and receive Jesus Christ. You say, what do you mean repent? Lk. 13:3 says, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” To repent means that you change your mind about sin. You actually look at yourself the way God sees you and your sin the way God sees it. It’s more than being sorry that you got caught, it’s being sorry for what you are, a sinner. Basically, you realize, “God, you are right and I am wrong.”

Paul preached in Acts 20:21, “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, in addition to repenting, you must also receive Jesus Christ by faith.” As Jn.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.”

You see, salvation is in a man, not in things or good works. People often mistake doing good works for salvation. Your good works are what you do, but salvation is what God has already done for you. You must receive Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can save you. “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,” (Eph 2:8-9).

The Bible says, “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.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” (Rom 10:9-10, 13).

Do you want some help in “calling upon the name of the Lord?” Then try praying like this. Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner and that I am on my way to hell. I don’t want to go there. I want you to save me and take me to heaven when I die. So, right now, the best way I know how, I repent and ask you to save me. I receive you as my Saviour. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live as a Christian, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now if you believe God’s words and receive Jesus, you’re going to know for sure where you are going when you die. You are going to go to heaven!!  Remember 1 Jn 5:13.

If you have recently trusted Jesus Christ, contact us and we will send you some information to help you get started as a Christian.