Going to Heaven?
Luke’s gospel records
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.
Do you go to church on Sunday? How about during the week? Do you go to church during the week? Are you active in the church? Do you fast? Do you tithe?
Do you know you can do all of the above and not go to heaven?
Sadly many people who go to church including those who are in places of responsibility in the church, Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, Pastors, Evangelist, may not be going to heaven.
O they’ve prayed the sinners prayer and do good work in the church, but just because they do this doesn’t mean they are going to Heaven. It does not mean they are justified before God.
The evangelist Leonard Ravenhill once said,
I believe you can go to heaven without saying the sinners prayer. All one must be willing to do is confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe God raised him from the dead you will be saved.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans explained it this way,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:9-13.
So my question to you the reader is, Do you truly believe Jesus is Lord?
Your answer to that question can have eternal consequences.
Remember Jesus warned,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
Please think carefully about it.
Luke’s gospel records
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.
Do you go to church on Sunday? How about during the week? Do you go to church during the week? Are you active in the church? Do you fast? Do you tithe?
Do you know you can do all of the above and not go to heaven?
Sadly many people who go to church including those who are in places of responsibility in the church, Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, Pastors, Evangelist, may not be going to heaven.
O they’ve prayed the sinners prayer and do good work in the church, but just because they do this doesn’t mean they are going to Heaven. It does not mean they are justified before God.
The evangelist Leonard Ravenhill once said,
“The sinners prayer has sent more people to hell
than all the bars in America.”
Leonard Ravenhill
Sadly the sinners prayer has become a formula, at least here in North America. It can and does many times give a person a false sense of eternal security.I believe you can go to heaven without saying the sinners prayer. All one must be willing to do is confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe God raised him from the dead you will be saved.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans explained it this way,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:9-13.
So my question to you the reader is, Do you truly believe Jesus is Lord?
Your answer to that question can have eternal consequences.
Remember Jesus warned,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
Please think carefully about it.
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