Have you been good enough to make it to heaven?

Would you consider yourself to be a good person? Do you think God would consider you to be a good person? If you are not certain that you are right with God and that you will spend eternity with Him, you can know for sure by asking yourself a few questions.

Answer these questions truthfully to find out what is true:

1. Have you ever lied?
2. Have you ever stolen anything irrespective of the objects value?
3. Have you ever used God’s name in vain?
4. Have you ever looked at another person with lust? (Jesus said that anyone who looks with lust is guilty of adultery – Matthew 5:27-28.)
5. Have you ever murdered anyone? (Jesus said that anyone who has hated another person is guilty of murder – Matthew 5:21-22.)

Would you be found guilty of breaking even one of these commandments on Judgement Day? If yes, the Bible says that because God is a God of justice He must punish you. Even a good earthly judge must punish criminals! He would not be good or just if He didn't.

God says that the just and reasonable punishment for breaking any of His laws is hell. But that is not what God wants for you (2 Peter 3:9).

God sent His only Son to receive the punishment all people rightly deserve. Through the cross, God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus, and God’s justice was satisfied. No other payment or good work is needed. Jesus paid it all! And after He had died and been buried he rose to life three days later defeating death!

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Please, repent (turn from your sin in sorrow and brokenness), ask God to forgive you and put your trust in Jesus for your salvation. For those who respond in faith to the invitation of God for the forgiveness of sins, the Bible says, receive eternal life. You may want to use the following prayer as a simple guide to express what you know to be true.

God, I admit that I am a sinner. And I know that I do not deserve your forgiveness. But I also believe that because of Your great love You do forgive me based on the crucifixion and death of Your Son Jesus. I believe He was killed on a cross as penalty and payment for my sin and proved that He was God by coming back to life 3 days later. Because of what Jesus did for me I know that I will live forever with You. From this day forward I will seek to turn from my sin and commit my whole life to You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can live a life pleasing to You.

God will now begin to produce in you new attitudes and behaviors that are pleasing to Him. Here’s what you should do now:

BE BAPTIZED and then...
◦Begin reading your Bible every day (start small).
◦Begin praying to God on a daily basis.
◦Become part of a Bible believing church.

All three of these exercises foster intimacy with God. And God genuinely wants us to know Him more, for knowledge of God changes us from the inside out. But it’s not just “head” knowledge we’re talking about here. In fact, knowing about God and knowing God are vastly different things (read James 2:19).

For example, someone might know all sorts of things about Michael Jordan or some other famous person. Their height, weight, accomplishments, even their likes and dislikes, but unless they’ve actually spent quality time with that person they would be lying to say that they “knew” that person. And so it is with God, He wants us to spend quality time with Him so that we might “know” Him.

Reading and studying the Bible, daily talking with God and fellowshipping with other believers are the three main ways we can come to “know” God better and better. Don’t put it off another day.

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