How Can I Know for Sure Where I Will Go When I Die?

Posted on: Sunday, July 30, 2023

Written By: Nick Jones

God Wants to Have a Relationship with You

God created the earth and everything in it.

God is perfect and completely good. All that God does is good.

God created a man named Adam and a woman named Eve. They were the first people.

God created people so that they would live in a perfect relationship with him.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought evil and death into the world.

This is why there is evil and death in the world.

We All Have Done Evil Things

Just like Adam and Eve, we all have disobeyed God through our evil thoughts and actions.

Our evil thoughts and actions have broken our relationship with God.

We deserve never-ending punishment for how we have disobeyed God.

No One Can Earn Forgiveness

Nothing we say or do can repair our relationship with God.

But God did something we could not do. God sent His Son named Jesus to repair our relationship with God and offer us forgiveness for how we have disobeyed him.

Jesus Is God

Jesus is both fully God and fully man.

Jesus was born as a man and lived a perfect life. All that Jesus did was good.

Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we deserved.

Jesus Took Our Punishment

God showed His love for you and me by having Jesus take our punishment by dying on the cross in our place.

After Jesus died, He stayed dead for three days.

On that third day, God brought Jesus back to life. This showed that Jesus has repaired our relationship with God and offers us forgiveness for how we have disobeyed God.

We Are Forgiven by Belief in Jesus Alone

The good news is God loves you and wants to rescue you from the never-ending punishment you deserve.

God offers you his forgiveness as his free gift.

You can accept God’s free gift of forgiveness if:

  1. You agree with God that you have disobeyed him through your own evil thoughts and actions. You admit that you cannot rescue yourself.
  2. You truly believe in Jesus as the person who took your punishment and gives you a close relationship with God.
  3. You want Jesus to be in control of your life and help you think and do good things.

If you truly believe in Jesus, then God promises to forgive you, give you a personal relationship with him now, and give you never-ending life with him after you die.

God Wants to Forgive You Right Now

Do you want to accept God’s free gift of forgiveness and never-ending life?

If you do, then talk to God right now.

Say to God something like this:

“Dear God, I admit that I have disobeyed you by having evil thoughts and actions in my life.

I admit that I cannot rescue myself.

Jesus, I believe that you are alive today. I believe that you took my punishment on the cross.

I truly believe in Jesus. That you alone can rescue me from the never-ending punishment I deserve.

Jesus, I want you to be in control of my life. Help me to think and do good things that make you happy.

Please forgive me and give me a close relationship with God.

I thank you for rescuing me and loving me so much that you died for me!”

Did you say these words to God just now? Did you truly mean these words with all of your heart? If you truly believe in Jesus, then God promises to forgive you, give you a personal relationship with him now, and give you never-ending life with him after you die.

My Sources for This Article

  1. How to Share the Gospel in 90 Seconds
    1. By: Travis Cunningham.
    2. Link to Website: youtube.com/watch?v=3c7ay8Pp2Pw
    3. Please Note: This gospel presentation was adapted from: How to Share the Gospel in 90 Seconds.
  2. What We Believe – The Gospel
    1. By: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS)
    2. Link to Website: sebts.edu/about/what-we-believe/
    3. Please Note: This gospel presentation was also adapted from: What We Believe – The Gospel.
  3. Explore the Bible – Adult Personal Study Guide – CSB Large Print – Fall 2021 – Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon
    1. By: Lifeway Adults.
    2. Note: You should find the original prayer on page 2 of the study guide.
    3. Please Note: The prayer at the end of this gospel presentation was adapted from the prayer in: Explore the Bible – Adult Personal Study Guide.
  4. The Importance of Evangelism – The Message of Evangelism
    1. From: Holy Bible - Baptist Study Edition – NKJV.
    2. By: James Merritt.
    3. Published By: Thomas Nelson Publishers
    4. The Message of Evangelism is found on page 1875.
  5. Systematic Theology, Second Edition
    1. By: Wayne Grudem.
    2. Published By: Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
  6. Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
    1. By: W. E. Vine; Merrill F. Unger; William White, Jr..
    2. Published By: Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
  7. Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
    1. By: William D. Mounce.
    2. Published By: Zondervan Academic.
  8. Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know
    1. By: Wayne Grudem and Elliot Grudem.
    2. Published By: Zondervan Academic.
  9. How can I know for sure that I will go to heaven when I die?
    1. By: gotquestions.org.
    2. Link to Website: https://www.gotquestions.org/know-sure-Heaven.html

Helpful Information from My Sources

  1. What Are the Key Parts of the Gospel?
    1. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
    2. Salvation cannot be obtained either by religion, ritual, or righteousness (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
    3. Christ died on the cross to pay for all our sins (1 John 1:7).
    4. Salvation comes by repenting from sin and by faith in Christ as Lord and savior (Romans 10:9).
    5. SOURCE:The Importance of Evangelism – The Message of Evangelism, From: Holy Bible - Baptist Study Edition – NKJV, pg. 1875.
  2. What Are the Key Parts of a Gospel Presentation?
    1. A clear explanation of the facts concerning salvation.
      • All people have sinned (Romans 3:23).
      • The penalty for our sin is death (Romans 6:23).
      • Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8).
    2. An invitation to personally accept salvation from God through repentance and faith in Jesus (Romans 10:9).
    3. A promise of forgiveness and eternal life (John 3:16).
      • That is: The assurance (promise) that repentance and faith in Jesus will bring about forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God.
    4. SOURCE: Elements of the Gospel Call, From: Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know, pg. 1875.
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