HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN
1. Realize we are all sinners
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." This means that we have all "missed the mark" and fallen short of God's standard to go to heaven. We may consider ourselves "pretty good" compared to someone else, but we were born sinners, and we are sinners by choice.
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A PENALTY FOR OUR SIN
2. Understand that there is a penalty for our sin
The Bible says in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." Revelation 20:14, 15 tells us about what the Bible calls the "second death." Verse 14 states, "this is the second death." It says in verse 15, "...whosever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." So, our sin has earned us a punishment, which the Bible says is an eternity, in a lake of fire.
RECOGNIZE THAT JESUS PAID THE DEBT
3. Recognize that Jesus paid the debt
We find this good news in Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, God's only begotten Son, which means that He had God's sinless blood flowing through His veins. He lived a perfect, sinless life and then died on the cross and shed that sinless blood as the payment for our sins. The innocent died for the guilty.
BELIEVE ON CHRIST AND RECEIVE HIS GIFT OF SALVATION
4. Believe on Christ and receive His gift of salvation
Romans 6:23b says "... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." A gift cannot be paid for or purchased, because someone else already bought it! Jesus bought our salvation when He died on the cross, was buried, and rose again. Eternal life can't be bought by being good, getting baptized, or going to church. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY
5. Jesus is the only way
The ONLY way to receive eternal life is by believing on Jesus Christ alone and what He did on the cross and receiving Him as your personal Savior. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be save." Why not call upon the Lord now and receive His gift of salvation? Pray this from your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, and I deserve to pay the penalty for my own sins. But I believe You died on the cross and rose again to pay for my sins. I believe on You and trust You alone as my Savior. Please forgive my sins and take me to Heaven when I die. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me."
"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..." I John 5:13
