HEAVEN, OR HELL? YOU *CAN* CHOOSE – TODAY!
Most people believe in Heaven, as well as Hell. And most people would very much prefer to go to Heaven when they die. I know I do! But many people don’t know how to get there. You could ask the average man on the street, or a teacher in a school, or even a pastor or a priest. But these are all men. No worries! God has given us a Book – His Holy Word – the Bible – which tells us all we need to know for life and godliness, peace and happiness, now and into eternity with Him!
Heaven and Hell were created by God. Now when we think about God, we think about a loving being. So it makes sense He would create Heaven – by why Hell? The Bible says that Hell is a place of “…everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Sadly, the Bible also says about Hell:
Isaiah 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
So, no, no person thinking about this in the right way wants to go to Hell. So, how do we get to Heaven? One person has said about Heaven that it is a place of eternal bliss, a happy place which has been prepared for a people prepared to go there. Well, then, how can we prepare to go there?
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Being “born again” isn’t some term Baptists came up with – Jesus Himself gave us this term. What does being born again mean? It means we have to experience a rebirth on a Spiritual level, from the inside out. And if you aren’t born again, you “cannot see the kingdom of God.” You will never go to Heaven.
It’s that important, my friend. So you might wonder, “How can I be born again?”
Let me suggest three simple points.
First, you must recognize that you are a sinner. So is everyone born since Adam & Eve!
Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Heaven is a perfect place. Sin doesn’t belong there, therefore sinners can’t get there, no matter what they might do. Doing good works, being baptized, joining a church, being a good dad or mom or son or daughter – you name it, nothing we can do will ever be sufficient for the Lord. As God’s Word says:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Doesn’t seem like we have much hope, and outside of what God has done – we don’t! That is why God the Father sent Jesus (God the Son) to the earth – to live a perfect life, die a death for all of us (even, the Bible says, the death of the Cross (Phillipans 2:8). And after He died, He was buried, and on the third day, God raised Him from the dead! This proves God accepts His payment for our sin!
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 1:4 And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
That is, in essence, what the Gospel is. The Bible also puts it this way:
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen…
This is why the Gospel is “good news.” It is God’s provision for you & I to spend eternity with Him.
Once you recognize these facts – that you are a sinner, you can’t do anything to get your self to Heaven, and you come to place where you have sorrow for your sins, then you can repent.
What does the Bible declare?
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Very simply, the Biblical word “repent” means “a change of mind.” But what are you changing your mind about? Paul spoke about this, when he was saying goodbye to his friends & converts in Ephesus:
Acts 20:20 [And] how I kept back nothing that was profitable [unto you], but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we repent, we change our mind about Who God is, especially when compared to who we are – He is Holy, we are sinners! – and in that comparison we sorrow in our souls, thinking that we really have no reason to believe we should go to Heaven – and yet we can be made glad because we also realize we CAN go to Heaven, NOT because of ANYTHING we might do, but ALL because of the finished work of Jesus – What Christ did for us on the Cross! And then, rising again, victorious overr sin, death, hell and the grave!
And so we exercise “faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” But after we recognize our proper place and condition and need before Almighty God, and we repent – turning from Self & sin and turning towards Jesus – then it is simple as receiving what He has provided. Romans 6:23 explains this point well:
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do we deserve Heaven? No. We deserve Hell – eternal damnation – a Spiritual death which goes on forever and ever, no end to it at all. BUT! God has given us a gift – “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I have explained this to children before very simply. If your mom or dad buys you a gift, do you think they are going to get you something you want or need? Will it fit? Will it be perfect for you? Will you enjoy it? Generally, we would expect the answers would all be “Yes!”
Would they make you pay for it? No! Wouldn’t be much of a gift. Imagine if I give you a birthday gift… and follow it up with the bill, asking you to pay for it. No, a gift is a gift, and it’s free from the giver to the recipient.
But if I bring you a gift, tell you it’s yours, and leave it there – it’s still not yours… Not until you receive it, pick it up and make it yours. That is what Romans 6:23 is teaching. God has given you a gift – Eternal life because of what Jesus did. The price has been paid! All you have to do is say Yes! And – good news!
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Can you be sure of this? You can – You have God’s Word on it:
1 John 5:13 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.
My friend, do you recognize that you are a sinner? That you deserve to go to Hell, but God in His grace and mercy and merciful loving kindness sent His Son Jesus to die on the Cross to pay your sin debt?
Will you allow this great truth bring you to a place where you repent – change your mind about Who God is, Who you are before Him, and thus, receive the gift of eternal life especially for you, from Jesus?
Oh friend! Won’t you make this great and important and eternal decision today, now? Repent of your sin, and Receive Jesus Christ as your God and Savior. By faith speak to God, confess to Him that you know you are a sinner, you know there is nothing you can do to be saved, but you humbly wish to accept His free gift of salvation! Jesus *IS* the only way to Heaven:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
One of the best known and beloved verses in the Bible sums it up, this way:
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.
My friend, you CAN possess the gift of eternal life NOW, the forgiveness of your sin, and the assurance that Heaven will, in fact, one day be the Home you share with the Lord Jesus, forever and ever.
If you said yes, we are thrilled, but you might be wondering, “How do I?” Well, you can do it simply by talking to God. Here is a simple suggested prayer
"Dear God, I believe in you and that your Son, Jesus Christ, is Lord. I believe He died for my sins and was resurrected. I repent and ask for forgiveness of my sins. I've decided to follow Jesus for all the days of my life. Thank you for your forgiveness and for the hope of eternal life. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen."If you still have questions – or, if you accept Jesus – we would love to hear from you. You can contact Pastor Scott @ smcelyea@fbcphoenixny.org. Or you may call us @ 315-695-2888.
NOW THAT I’VE BEEN BORN AGAIN, WHAT NOW? Glad you asked… >>> CLICK HERE!