Would you like to know how to get to heaven?
Some say that there is no such thing as heaven. Others claim that there are many ways to get to heaven. However, Jesus said that there is only one way to get to heaven, namely, through Himself! Furthermore, the Bible tells us how to get to heaven. You see, to understand how to get to heaven, you must understand there is Bad News and Good News! . . .
The Bad News
You are a sinner
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This can be illustrated with throwing a rock . . .
When the Bible says that you and I have sinned, it means we lie, steal, lust, hate, etc. The word “sin” in the Bible actually means “to miss the mark.” In other words, God is perfect and we aren’t. Let me explain! Suppose you and I were to each pick up a rock and try to throw it across the Grand Canyon. Well, you might get it farther than I, or I might get it farther than you, but neither of us would make it! Both of us would come short. So when the Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” it means that God has set the perfect standard that everyone has to meet. That standard is God, Himself who is the only perfect one! Therefore, the only way someone can get to heaven on his own is to be as perfect as God, which is impossible! We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.
The penalty for sin is death
Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death,…”
This can be illustrated with earning wages . . .
Suppose you were to work for me one day and I were to pay you $50. $50
would be your wages. It represents what you have earned. The Bible is
saying that because you and I have sinned with our bad works, we have
earned death. Death is our wages. We are going to die and be eternally
separated from God.
Since there is no way you can save yourself, God has provided the
only way!
The Good News
Christ died for you.
Romans 5:8 says, “but God demonstrates His Love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
This can be illustrated with the death penalty . . .
Let’s say that you have been given the death penalty for murder. If I were to
convince the judge to put me on death row instead of you, suffering your consequences, you would live and I would die because I took your punishment and placed it on myself as your substitute. The Bible says that Christ came into the world and took away the sin that was causing your eternal death. He placed it upon Himself and died in your place on the cross, as your substitute! On the third day, He arose, as proof that sin, death, and the Devil had been conquered.
You can be saved by grace through faith.
Ephesians 2:8, 9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
This can be illustrated with a chair and a gift . . .
“Grace” means “undeserved favor.” “Saved” means “delivered from the
penalty of sin.” The word “faith” means “trust.” For example, whenever you
sit in a chair, you don’t know how well it is built before you sit down. You are simply trusting the chair to hold you. Putting your faith in Christ means trusting Him alone to save you, not anything else. It is only then that God gives you the free gift of salvation. All you have to do is accept it by wanting to follow Christ. You don’t have to do anything to earn or work for this gift, not by “being a good person,” not by baptism, church membership, etc.
Would you like commit your life to Christ?
Would you like to tell God right now that you want to trust in Christ alone for your salvation?
If so, you need to admit to God that you are a sinner, believe
Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead, and trust in Jesus Christ, alone as your Savior. Remember, it is only Christ that can forgive you and grant you everlasting life. This is the “Good News” (gospel) and if you trust in Christ, the Bible actually says that you can know and have confidence that you are a child of God and will inherit eternal life in heaven with Jesus!