Mark Broadbent
MISUNDERSTANDING
> We can't be sure of where we will spend eternity
Someone once told me "If you're not sure that you're going to heaven, then you're probably not".
I am still unsure how I feel about this statement. I think that there are several reasons why people might not be sure that they are going to heaven. But it is undeniable that most people aren't sure because they are trying to earn their way to heaven, which will in fact keep them from getting there.
There are two main reasons why we can be sure:
1. ETERNAL LIFE STARTS NOW
"Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24)
Eternal life is not something you get when you die. The new life in Christ starts now and goes on for all eternity.
2. GOD WANTS US TO BE SURE
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13)
God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants us to be confident of where we stand before him. It's only when we feel safe and secure that we can be grateful, and it's only when we feel grateful that we will be able to truly serve God from the heart, and not out of guilt and shame.
