Testimonies

How to Get to Heaven

One of the most common misconceptions among Christians and non-believers alike is the idea that being a good person is enough to qualify for heaven. This notion ignores the fundamental need for Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. It shows a lack of understanding of what God considers "good" and the absolute sinlessness required to satisfy a holy God.
     The Bible, which is God's inspired Word, has much to say about humanity's so-called "goodness." According to the Bible, God is not just good, but holy. God's standard for getting into heaven is not merely being good, but rather being completely free of sin. We all have a common problem. The Bible says that "There is none righteous. No not one." Since mankind can never be holy enough to get to heaven, God provided a way through justification for them to be credited with the righteousness of the only one who was ever perfect - Jesus Christ.

So, how do we get into heaven?

In this article, we will explain what the Bible has to say about our condition before God.

Man's Dilemma
We are natural-born sinners. Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Sin is anything that violates God's law.
     The Ten Commandments is called the Moral Law. One way to see if you are a sinner is to use this Moral Law as a standard for judging your life. If you are unsure whether you have sinned, consider if you have ever told a lie, stolen something, or blasphemed God's name. These are just three of God's Ten Commandments that He will judge your sin by. If you have broken just one of the Ten Commandments only once, then you are a sinner and guilty of God's punishment.
     Every one of us has broken God's commandments. We are all classified as sinners. Even the best of people fall short of God's standard of righteousness. Because God is perfect and no sin can dwell in His presence, His standard for eternal life is sinless perfection. This poses a major problem for all of mankind as we are all born in sin. "Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Romans 5:12.

The Hard Truth
Sin has a punishment, as Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death...” Because God is eternal, our consquence for breaking His law is also eternal. God, the Righteous Judge, shows no favoritism. Hell is the eternal fate for all who stand before God as guilty lawbreakers.

God's Dilemma
God cares deeply about you, and He doesn't want to see you perish. He wants you to live with Him forever. That is the reason man was created. We were made to have fellowship with God. First John 1:3 states "...and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
     In Genesis, the Bible tells us that God walked and talked with Adam and Eve. God loves all of us, and He wants us to love Him back.
     But there is one problem…we are all sinners. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all," James 2:10.

How does a righteous God satisfy the death penalty for the guilty that He loves so much?

One of the Bible's most well-known verses is John 3:16, which tells us, “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.” We see this stated also in Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God, the Righteous Judge, set out to prove His love by sending His Son.

The Good News
The good news is that our sin has been paid for. Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God who took away the world's sins. Through Him, our sins can be forgiven, and we can receive the gift of eternal life. If we look at the second part of the same verse above, we see, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Did you know that if you go to court for a speeding ticket, the judge can let you go free if your fine has been paid for? If someone pays for the speeding ticket, you can go free even if you are guilty!
     The same goes for your sin! You are guilty of your sin, but Jesus paid your sin debt with His life on the cross. That is what He was saying when He said "It is finished." He was saying, "Paid in Full." You are free to go because He has paid your fine. All you have to do is accept the gift! This brings us to the final point, which is to accept the gift of salvation.

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

The Bible says in Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." All you have to do is ask for forgiveness for your sins. Remember, God loves you and cares for you. He doesn't want you to die and spend eternity separated from Him. He doesn't want you to go to hell. He wants you to live with Him, and to live for Him. The gift of salvation is free for everyone. And God wants you to accept it.

Recognize and Repent
Remember the verse 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.” Put your name in place of "the world". Just like God saved me, "For God so loved (Silas) that He gave His only begotten son..." Just like He saved my parents, "For God so loved (Beau and Kasandra) that He gave his only begotten son..." Just like He wants to save you. "For God so loved (               ) that He gave His only begotten son..."
     God loves you, and He wants you to love Him back. He paid the ultimate price to redeem you back to Him. He wants to have fellowship with you, and He wants to save you from your sin. So what are you going to do? Stand before Him guilty or forgiven?

Will you meet Him as your Judge or as your loving Father?

If you want to accept Jesus as your Savior, you can read this prayer. But I want to warn you that reading a prayer will not get you into heaven, only the blood of Jesus will. You have to truly mean it from your heart, and truly accept Jesus as your Savior to be saved. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9. With that having been said, here is a simple prayer for you.

"Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving me even though I do not deserve it. I acknowledge that I have broken Your laws and that my sins have separated me from You. I repent of all my sins; please forgive me. I believe your Son, Jesus Christ, died, was resurrected from the dead, and is alive today, and that He hears my prayer. I invite You to become the Lord and Savior of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen."

If you have truly asked Jesus to be your Savior, then He promises to come into your heart and save you. As John 1:12 says, "But as many as receive Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." This means that God will forgive you if you have truly asked for forgiveness. Jesus shed His blood as the perfect sacrifice to satisfy your sin debt to God and offer you His righteousness in exchange for your sin. You can know for sure that you are on your way to heaven. "...thou shalt be saved."

Wait! Don't stop here! If you have decided to follow Jesus, we would love to hear about it. You can contact the pastor of OBBC via phone or email. Or you can tell the creator of the Testimonies website here.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, then it's important to attend a local church and become a member. Check out our article Why is the Church Important to understand the significance of church membership and which ones to avoid. If you don't have a church you attend regularly, this should be your next step as a follower of Jesus.