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How to Be Sure
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe" (Romans 3:20)
"It is the gift of God - not of works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9)
The penalty for our sin has been paid.
We must recognize our need for Jesus to save us.
We must accept Christ as our savior.
Are you willing to place all of your trust and confidence in Jesus rather than in your own works or effort?
The simple plan of salvation is:
You are a sinner - admit it.
Because you are a sinner you need Jesus.
Just believe on Christ Jesus who was your substitute and died in your place, was buried and was raised again from the dead. Simply trust God to save you based on what Jesus did already not what you do.
Then take Him at his word and by faith claim salvation.
You say, "Surly that is not all that is necessary to do to be saved." Yes it is, absolutely all. It is scriptural. It is God's plan that Jesus would do the saving and we would do the trusting. Jesus did it all, all to Him we owe.
DO Vs DONE
There are two opposing views about how to get to heaven.
The first is what I call DO.
The second is what I call DONE.
In the first view called DO; eternal life and going to Heaven is something that we earn by our actions or effort. This means that it depends on the individuals behavior. In this view a person can take all the credit for getting into heaven. The individual could boast "look at me I am good." The individual could look at others and think, "I am better than him". One of the problems with this view is that it does not allow anyone to be sure of their eternal
destination. No one knows how he will behave in the future and for the rest of his life.
In the second view called DONE; eternal life and going to Heaven is a free gift. Everything necessary to provide it has been done already. It was done by Jesus on the cross of Calvary. In this view no individual can take any credit for getting into heaven. No individual can boast "look at me I am good." No individual could look at others and think, "I am better than him". One very good thing about this view is that it allows an individual to be sure of their eternal destination. Behavior has nothing to do with it.
Simply trust Jesus. He did it all, all to Him we owe.
ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS WHEN?
ETERNAL LIFE LASTS HOW LONG?
Some people believe that eternal life starts when an individual dies. Some people believe that salvation is temporary and only lasts until he commits a serious sin.
Jesus taught that eternal life is a present possession that starts the moment that a person believes on Jesus. Jesus told his followers many times that the one who believes in Him has eternal life and has crossed over from death to life and will never perish.
The answer to the first question is ... ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS THE MOMENT A PERSON TRUSTS JESUS AS HIS PERSONAL SAVIOR.
Jesus also taught that a person that received him as savior would never perish and he would raise him up at the last day. A Christian can say with confidence that he is going to heaven for sure. When a person accepts Jesus and trusts him as savior, then all his sins are forgiven. This includes all his sins, past, present, and future. We don't get forgiven because we are sorry.
Forgiveness is the Christian's because Jesus paid the penalty on the cross and not because the Christian is sorry or does penance.
The answer to the second question is ... ETERNAL LIFE LASTS
FOREVER THEREFORE A CHRISTIAN WHO HAS ETERNAL LIFE IS AS SURE OF HEAVEN AS IF HE WERE ALREADY THERE.