Aberdeen Wesleyan Church

Real Faith...in the Real God...for Real People...in the Real World.

Home of Aberdeen Christian School North Campus, housing grades 7-12

Of all the issues a person can explore over their lifetime, the one issue that is absolutely the most important is this: where one will spend eternity.

Life doesn't end at our physical death.  Death is the passing from one facet of life to the next.  The fact of the matter is that you are an eternal being, and your time on earth is just a blip on the time-line of eternity.

Are you prepared for eternity?  Jesus came to give us entrance to heaven.  But let me explain a bit what that means.

The Bible says that, the wages of sin is death (physical death, as well as spiritual death in hell - separation from God), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

This is your classic "bad news/good news" scenario.  On one hand, we have the bad news that hell is ready for all who die in their sins, and on the other hand, heaven is ready for those who die in Christ.

Jesus was the perfect, sinless, son of God, who laid down his life so that all who call on him would have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  And it is only through him that a person can get heaven.

He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  (John 14:6)

He also said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."  (John 5:24)

In other words, we can avoid the judgment we deserve for our sins.  You might be thinking, "Hey, buddy - why should I go to hell?  It's not like I've ever murdered anyone, or stolen the crown jewels or raped anybody.  Who are you to say I'm going to hell?"

The Bible says, that all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.  And "all" means, well, all.  That's you, me, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and anybody else you can think of.  And because God cannot allow sin into his perfect heaven, he must exclude those with sin.

But God doesn't want people to go to hell, so he sent his Son so we could go to heaven.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  (John 3:16-17)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  (1 John 4:9-10)

So how do we get there?  What do we have to do?  Let me first address the fact that you can't do anything on your own.  No one can earn heaven, either through doing enough good works or by avoiding sin.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.  (Titus 3:5)

God knew we would never be able to clean ourselves up enough on our own, so he sent Jesus to die for us - in spite of the fact that we are undeserving.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)

Jesus died for one main reason: to bring you to God.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.  (1 Peter 3:18)

But back to the question: what do I need to do to get to heaven?  It boils down to one word: TRUST.  When you place your trust in Christ and what he did for you, both dying and rising from the dead (Romans 10:9-10), the Bible says you are saved.

You're saying to God: "I believe that I can only find forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven through Jesus.  I want what you have offered.  I need your help to turn my life around, because I can't do it on my own."

Maybe you think you're too far gone, that maybe you've sinned too much and God won't want you.  Let me assure you that's not the case.  He loves you!  And he wants to live in you, changing your life to experience the wonderful life Jesus offers to all who follow him:

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  (John 10:10)

Do you want a life of significance and the security of heaven?  Do you want to know you are forgiven for everything you've ever done, no matter how serious?  Do you want a life filled with purpose - the purposes of God alive in you?

If that's what you want, then you can say a simple prayer like this:

"Dear God, I'm a sinner and I know it.  And I need the forgiveness of sins you offer through Jesus.  I believe Jesus died for me and rose again so I could be forgiven and go to heaven.  Jesus, I invite you into my life.  Please give me the eternal life you promise, making me a new person, a child of God.  Please give me your Holy Spirit to help me live for you, because I can't do it on my own.  Thank you for forgiving me and giving me a home in heaven.  Amen"

If you have prayed this prayer from your heart, then you have the assurance that your sins are forgiven and you will go to heaven when you leave this earth.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  (1 John 5:11-13)

SO WHAT'S NEXT???

You need to find a good church.  Chances are good that there is at least one Bible-believing, Christ-centered church in your area.  There are many good churches, so take some time in finding a good one.  (By the way, there is no such thing as a perfect church, so don't waste your time looking for one.  Churches are made up of imperfect people who make mistakes sometimes!)  Tell the pastor that you trusted Christ as your Savior, and that you would like help in learning to live for him.

If don't already have one, get a Bible.  Get one that's printed in an easy-to -understand English, such as The New International Version or The New Living Translation.  Begin reading the New Testament, asking God to help you understand and apply what you're reading, so you can get to know God better and love him more.

Being a follower of Jesus is an exciting adventure!  Get around other followers who can pray with you and for you, and who will encourage you in this new relationship with God.

In the meantime, please let me know that you prayed to receive Christ, won't you?  I'd be thrilled, and I will send you some materials to help you get started walking with God through Jesus.

Please e-mail me at P_B@aberdeenwesleyan.org, or use the contact information on the home page.  I'll be praying for you!

Your friend,

PB

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Last modified: 7/16/08