What about Heaven? Can You Be Sure?

There is one question that I am often asked. Maybe people ask you also…

“How can I be sure I am going to heaven?”

I thought it might be good to list Scripture on this.

First, I’ll give you what Jesus said about eternal life, recorded in the Gospel of John. Then statements from Peter, Paul, and others about eternal life, from other places in the New Testament.

In all of these there is one clear message:

Those who believe in Jesus are given eternal life.

I’d like to suggest you try something with these verses:

1. Read each verse, and circle every time it talks about believing in Jesus.

2. Then read each verse again, and underline words like “have” or “has” eternal life.

3. Then read each verse one more time, and put a square around “gave” “give” or “gift.”

Here you go:

The following statements were made by Jesus:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…” John 3:36

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” John 6:27

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40

“I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.” John 6:47

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” John 11:25

“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:2,3

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

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The following statement are from the Epistles (writings by Peter, Paul, James, etc.)

“…just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:21

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16

“…a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…” Titus 1:2

“For by [God’s] grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7

“And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.” 1John 2:25

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1John 5:11-13

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God’s gift of eternal life is for all who believe in Jesus. We don’t earn it. It is God’s gift to us. It is so amazing, so unexpected, that we need to see it over and over again in the Bible, to realize God really means it!! It really is true!!