THE QUESTION IS PERSONAL
Where Will You Spend Eternity?
Death is certain. Judgment follows.
Many sincere people hope that goodness, religion, or what they have done will gain them entrance into heaven. But none of these can make a sinner right with God.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” HEBREWS 9:27 · KJV
THE PATTERN IN SCRIPTURE
Religion, goodness, sincerity, and wealth cannot save a soul.
The issue is not whether these things appear good before people. The issue is whether they can make a sinner right before a holy God. Scripture gives clear examples.
01 · NICODEMUS
Religion cannot give you a new birth.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, and a teacher of Israel. Yet Jesus did not tell him to become more religious. He told him that he must be born again.
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” JOHN 3:3 · KJV
TRUTH A religious life is not the same as new life from God.
02 · ISRAEL
Zeal without God’s righteousness still leaves a person lost.
Israel had zeal for God, but they attempted to establish their own righteousness instead of submitting to the righteousness God provides through Christ.
“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” ROMANS 10:2 · KJV
“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” ROMANS 10:3 · KJV
TRUTH Sincerity is not enough when a person rejects God’s way of righteousness.
03 · CORNELIUS
Devotion, prayer, and charity cannot replace the gospel.
Cornelius feared God, prayed, and gave alms. Yet God sent Peter to speak words by which Cornelius and his household would be saved.
“Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” ACTS 11:14 · KJV
TRUTH A devout life cannot substitute for faith in the Saviour.
04 · THE RICH YOUNG RULER
Morality and wealth cannot buy eternal life.
He asked Jesus what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life. He trusted his moral record, but eternal life is not earned by man’s works.
“Who then can be saved? … With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” MARK 10:26–27 · KJV
TRUTH Eternal life is impossible through man’s effort. Salvation must come from God.
05 · THE RICH FOOL
Possessions cannot prepare your soul for eternity.
The rich fool trusted the abundance of his goods and planned for many years ahead. Yet he had not prepared to meet God.
“Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” LUKE 12:20 · KJV
TRUTH A person may be rich on earth and still be unprepared for eternity.
THE DISCIPLES ASKED
Who then can be saved?
“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” MARK 10:27 · KJV
Eternal life is impossible by human effort. Salvation is God’s work, received in God’s way.
MAN’S PROBLEM · GOD’S SOLUTION
You cannot enter heaven by your own way.
MAN’S PROBLEM
All have sinned.
Sin separates man from God. No good work can erase guilt. No religious system can make a sinner righteous before a holy God.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ROMANS 3:23 · KJV
“For the wages of sin is death.” ROMANS 6:23 · KJV
GOD’S SOLUTION
Jesus Christ is the Saviour.
God did not leave man to find his own way. The Father sent His Son. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, not to help people save themselves.
“The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 JOHN 4:14 · KJV
“This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” JOHN 4:42 · KJV
“Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” LUKE 2:11 · KJV
GOD’S WAY, NOT MAN’S WAY
Heaven is God’s. Jesus Christ is the way.
Heaven belongs to God, and He alone has given the way to come to Him.
I am the way.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” JOHN 14:6 · KJV
Salvation is not found in a church, a ceremony, good works, family background, religious knowledge, or another name. Jesus Christ alone is God’s way.
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” ACTS 4:12 · KJV
HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
Stop trusting yourself. Trust Jesus Christ alone.
God does not ask you to earn salvation. He calls you to turn from every other confidence and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
01 · SEE YOUR NEED
You are a sinner and cannot save yourself.
Do not compare yourself with other people. Stand honestly before God. You have sinned against Him, and your own righteousness cannot remove that guilt.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ROMANS 3:23 · KJV
02 · BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again.
Jesus Christ took the punishment sinners deserve. He died, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3–4 · KJV
03 · BELIEVE ON CHRIST
Turn from trusting yourself and trust Him alone.
Turn from every confidence in your works, religion, baptism, morality, or anything else to save you. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him by faith as your own Saviour.
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” ACTS 20:21 · KJV
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” ACTS 16:31 · KJV
04 · REST IN GOD’S PROMISE
God wants you to know that you have eternal life.
Eternal life is not something you must guess about after death. God gives assurance to those who believe on the name of His Son.
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” 1 JOHN 5:13 · KJV
PAUSE AND CONSIDER
Do not hurry past this.
If you stood before God today, what are you trusting to bring you into heaven?
- Your goodness?
- Your religious life?
- Your church or baptism?
- A prayer you once prayed?
- Or Jesus Christ alone?
Have you personally trusted what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross of Calvary?
Have you received and trusted Him as your own Saviour by faith—resting in His death for your sins, His burial, and His resurrection?
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 · KJV
Today is not too soon to settle this question. Eternity is too long to be uncertain.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2 · KJV
AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH
You may speak to God from your heart.
Having understood the gospel, you may respond to God with faith and thankfulness.
Jesus Christ alone saves. These words simply express your response to the gospel, your faith in Jesus Christ, and your thankfulness to God.
“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 · KJV
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Search the Scriptures.
If you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, continue in Scripture. See what God says about the life He gives to everyone who receives His Son.