I’m going to Heaven
Billy Graham said,
“I'm going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: 'Lord, remember me.”Billy Graham.
So my question to you the reader is, Are you going to Heaven like the thief on the cross?
Luke’s Gospel records the incident between the two criminals that were crucified with Jesus and Jesus, while they were dying on the cross. It reads,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43.
That criminal who it seemed truly believed who Jesus is got to heaven that day. He did without knowing it, what the apostle John said to do,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
He believed Jesus was who he said he was. He had faith in Jesus and accepted God’s saving grace that comes through him. The apostle Paul telling us,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
As a Christian I firmly believe getting to heaven is relatively simple. The apostle Paul states,
“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.” Romans 10: 9,10.
I admit it seems too easy, even strange. After all why would God allow His one and Only Son to die on the cross for sins he didn’t commit?
The apostle Paul noted that, when he wrote,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
It comes down to the fact God’s ways are not our ways.
It comes down to the fact God loves us, and was in a very human way showing how much He loved us. The apostle Paul explaining,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” Romans 5:6-11.
C. S. Lewis points out,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” C.S. Lewis.
This is what Christians believe. Unlike any other faith I know, Christianity is God reaching down to man. Saying I love you believe in my Son Jesus Christ. Confess your sins to him and you will get to heaven.
Please think about it.
Billy Graham said,
“I'm going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: 'Lord, remember me.”Billy Graham.
So my question to you the reader is, Are you going to Heaven like the thief on the cross?
Luke’s Gospel records the incident between the two criminals that were crucified with Jesus and Jesus, while they were dying on the cross. It reads,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43.
That criminal who it seemed truly believed who Jesus is got to heaven that day. He did without knowing it, what the apostle John said to do,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.
He believed Jesus was who he said he was. He had faith in Jesus and accepted God’s saving grace that comes through him. The apostle Paul telling us,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
As a Christian I firmly believe getting to heaven is relatively simple. The apostle Paul states,
“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.” Romans 10: 9,10.
I admit it seems too easy, even strange. After all why would God allow His one and Only Son to die on the cross for sins he didn’t commit?
The apostle Paul noted that, when he wrote,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
It comes down to the fact God’s ways are not our ways.
It comes down to the fact God loves us, and was in a very human way showing how much He loved us. The apostle Paul explaining,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” Romans 5:6-11.
C. S. Lewis points out,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” C.S. Lewis.
This is what Christians believe. Unlike any other faith I know, Christianity is God reaching down to man. Saying I love you believe in my Son Jesus Christ. Confess your sins to him and you will get to heaven.
Please think about it.
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