Have you ever wondered what happens after you die? Can you really know for sure that you're going to heaven? The Bible says you can! God loves you and wants you to have a personal relationship with Him. But our sin separates us from God. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a way for us to be forgiven and receive eternal life. Here's what the Bible says about how you can be saved.
The Bible says you can!
God loves you and wants you to have a personal relationship with Him. But our sin separates us from God. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a way for us to be forgiven and receive eternal life.
Here's what the Bible says about how you can be saved.
1 John 5:13 — “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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
What Does This Mean?
God doesn't want you to wonder whether you're going to heaven. He wants you to KNOW!
That confidence isn't based on how good or religious you are. It's based on what Jesus Christ has done for you.
Romans 3:10 — “As it is written, There is none righteous (perfectly right before God), no, not one:”
Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
What Is Sin?
Sin is anything we think, say, or do that goes against God's law. God's law is His perfect standard of right and wrong. The Ten Commandments, for example, teach us not to lie, steal, dishonor our parents, or put anything before God.
Even breaking one of God's commandments makes us guilty of sin.
None of us are perfect. We've all broken God's law, and we all need a Savior.
Romans 6:23 — “For the wages (payment) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Just as wages are the payment we receive for working, the Bible teaches that the payment for sin is death. The Bible describes both physical and spiritual death.
Romans 5:12 — “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
Hebrews 9:27 — “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Physical death is the end of our earthly life. Because sin entered the world, death became part of the human experience.
Ephesians 2:1 — “And you hath he quickened (made spiritually alive), who were dead in trespasses (violations of God's law) and sins;”
Sin separates us spiritually from God. The Bible also warns of a final judgment called the second death.
Revelation 20:14–15 — “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 — “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
The Bible teaches that heaven and hell are real. Those who die without salvation face eternal punishment and separation from God.
But here's the good news: God loves you and has provided a way for you to be saved!
Romans 5:8 — “But God commendeth (demonstrates) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten (one and only) Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:17 — “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
God loves you, even though you have sinned.
Because of His love, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment for our sins. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross in our place, was buried, and rose again three days later.
Jesus paid the price for our sins so we could be forgiven and receive eternal life.
You don't have to make yourself worthy of God's love. He already loves you!
Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 — “For by grace (God's undeserved favor) are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
A gift isn't something you earn. It's something you receive. Salvation is the same way.
You cannot earn your way to heaven through good deeds, church attendance, baptism, religion, or trying to be a better person.
Salvation is God's free gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ.
We are not saved by what we do for God, but by what Jesus Christ has already done for us.
James 2:19 — “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils (demons) also believe, and tremble.”
Romans 10:9 — “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.”
Acts 20:21 — “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance (turning to God from sin) toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Simply believing God exists isn't enough. Even demons believe in God.
Saving faith means personally trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior.
The Bible also teaches repentance, which means having a change of heart toward sin and turning to God.
You don't have to become perfect before coming to Jesus. You simply need to recognize your sin, turn to God, and place your faith in Christ alone.
Romans 10:10 — “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness (being made right with God); and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:13 — “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Notice the word whosoever. That means anyone—including YOU!
No matter your past, your mistakes, or how far you feel from God, you can call upon Jesus Christ for salvation.
Here's what the Bible teaches:
Jesus promises to save those who genuinely place their faith in Him.
You don't have to wait until Sunday, attend a church, or become a better person first.
If you understand that you're a sinner, believe Jesus died and rose again for you, and are ready to turn to God and trust Him alone, you can call upon Him right now.
You Can Pray Right Now
You can express your faith through a simple prayer like this:
Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died on the cross for my sins, and that You rose again.
I repent of my sin, turn to You, and place my faith in You alone. Please forgive my sins and save me.
Thank You for loving me and giving me the gift of eternal life. Amen.
Remember: A Prayer Doesn't Save You. Jesus Does.
There are no special words that save you. Salvation comes through personally placing your faith in Jesus Christ. The prayer is simply a way to express that faith to God.
What Happens Next?
John 5:24 — “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
Jesus promises that those who believe in Him have everlasting life—not someday, but right now!
If you've trusted Christ as your Savior, your new relationship with Him is just beginning. We encourage you to read the Bible, pray, be baptized as a testimony of your faith, and connect with a Bible-believing church.
If you've trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior or still have questions about salvation, we'd love to hear from you.
At New Hope Baptist Church, we're here to help you know Jesus, find community, and grow in your relationship with God.
You don't have to have everything figured out. We'd be honored to walk alongside you.
There is hope. There is forgiveness. There is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
We would love to connect with you. Whether you have questions about New Hope Baptist Church, want to learn more about our vision, are interested in attending a Vision Service, or simply need prayer, we would be honored to hear from you.
Our desire is to build a Christ-centered church family in Orange County where people can find hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are also always happy to meet personally.
If you would ever like to sit down, hear more about the church, ask questions, or simply connect, we would love to meet you at a local coffee shop and treat you to coffee on us.
