Q. Can YOU BE SURE OF HEAVEN?
We met a man at Finsbury Park who recognised us from two years ago when we were preaching at South Kensington. On that day the man had listened to the open air preaching and was troubled. His trouble may be the same as yours as you read this. He had professed to be a christian young in life but had lived a life of sin which he felt guilty about and when I asked him where he would be when he died, he said "probably hell but I'm not sure!" Two years later he was still struggling with the same problem.
One of the great things about salvation is that God wants to save us but also for us to be sure we are saved. By that the bible means that we know for sure we have eternal life and if we die we are 100% sure of Heaven and know we will never be in hell. There are a number of reasons why someone may not be sure.
1) They have never realised I am helpless as a sinner and can do nothing to save myself. They keep trying to improve themselves and keep trying to clean up their own life and though they may say they believe in Jesus Christ they are still trying to do something. But the problem with that is we will never be sure we are saved because we are not! Salvation is alone in Jesus Christ - Period! As long as I look at myself I see only sin and failure and uncertainty. My feelings change so I need something rock solid. That rock is Christ because he paid the price for my sin when He died on the cross and rose the third day. Security is in a living Saviour.
2) Closely related to that, many people fail to accept that the sacrifice of Christ is enough to save them. They believe, yes that Jesus Christ died for my sins BUT it is not enough and I must offer God my works as well. The bible says in Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" Now that means no matter what I offer God it is stained with my sin. If God could accept me by my works why did Jesus Christ have to die and was His sacrifice, God's provision - sub-standard so that I have to add my bit? What an insult to God! If I accept that I am a sinner and my salvation rests on Jesus Christ alone then I have no doubts, I am sure of heaven because being there is dependant on Christ alone. Salvation is a free gift.
3) Another reason someone may have no security is they fail to rely upon what God's word says. Jesus said of those that received eternal life "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28. We could write as many 'nevers' as we want -
"and they shall never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." It makes no difference because when Jesus says 'never' he means never and cannot break His word.
If we are saved and worry because we have sinned and that causes us to doubt our salvation then we are saying that God's word is open to change. "
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. Again when God says 'all sin' He means 'all sin'. Christians should not sin habitually but when we do it is taken care of 1 John 2:1-2. Maybe you should consider the words of a man who was sure of Heaven and as he spoke these words in a short time would have is head severed from his body on Nero's block. His name is Paul and he wrote, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim 1:12
You see Paul was sure because he knew WHO he had believed not WHAT. Salvation and security are found in a person, not you, not me but the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust Him, rely upon His word and you will be saved ...and sure of it.
Jonathan Black
One of the great things about salvation is that God wants to save us but also for us to be sure we are saved. By that the bible means that we know for sure we have eternal life and if we die we are 100% sure of Heaven and know we will never be in hell. There are a number of reasons why someone may not be sure.
1) They have never realised I am helpless as a sinner and can do nothing to save myself. They keep trying to improve themselves and keep trying to clean up their own life and though they may say they believe in Jesus Christ they are still trying to do something. But the problem with that is we will never be sure we are saved because we are not! Salvation is alone in Jesus Christ - Period! As long as I look at myself I see only sin and failure and uncertainty. My feelings change so I need something rock solid. That rock is Christ because he paid the price for my sin when He died on the cross and rose the third day. Security is in a living Saviour.
2) Closely related to that, many people fail to accept that the sacrifice of Christ is enough to save them. They believe, yes that Jesus Christ died for my sins BUT it is not enough and I must offer God my works as well. The bible says in Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" Now that means no matter what I offer God it is stained with my sin. If God could accept me by my works why did Jesus Christ have to die and was His sacrifice, God's provision - sub-standard so that I have to add my bit? What an insult to God! If I accept that I am a sinner and my salvation rests on Jesus Christ alone then I have no doubts, I am sure of heaven because being there is dependant on Christ alone. Salvation is a free gift.
3) Another reason someone may have no security is they fail to rely upon what God's word says. Jesus said of those that received eternal life "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28. We could write as many 'nevers' as we want -
"and they shall never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." It makes no difference because when Jesus says 'never' he means never and cannot break His word.
If we are saved and worry because we have sinned and that causes us to doubt our salvation then we are saying that God's word is open to change. "
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. Again when God says 'all sin' He means 'all sin'. Christians should not sin habitually but when we do it is taken care of 1 John 2:1-2. Maybe you should consider the words of a man who was sure of Heaven and as he spoke these words in a short time would have is head severed from his body on Nero's block. His name is Paul and he wrote, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim 1:12
You see Paul was sure because he knew WHO he had believed not WHAT. Salvation and security are found in a person, not you, not me but the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust Him, rely upon His word and you will be saved ...and sure of it.
Jonathan Black