My First Adventure in Faith....
When I was 17, a senior in high school, I was asked this question: “If you were to die 5 minutes from now, do you KNOW you would spend eternity in heaven?” I realized I did not know the answer to that.
Does everyone go to heaven? Who doesn’t go to heaven? A friend showed me in the Bible – Romans 6:23 – where it says, “For the wages of sin is death…” I knew I wasn’t perfect. I knew I’d “sinned”; I had done bad, wrong things. Oh, I didn’t kill anyone or steal things – but I’d lied, I’d been unkind, been mean to others; I’d wished bad things on people; I used foul language when it suited me. But everyone does those kinds of things, right? So if those things kept people out of heaven, then no one would be there! So I must be okay…
But as my friend continued, I realized that I wasn’t good enough to get into heaven – no one is. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. Wow. That’s pretty plain. I couldn’t even DO anything good enough to warrant getting into heaven. So, how do you get there? I asked.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. Okay – I believe in Jesus. Always have. But, my friend went on to explain that Jesus died for ME, specifically – Tammy. And he died for my sin, so I wouldn’t have to be punished for my sin. So I could enter the presence of a Holy and perfect God in heaven. And all I had to do was accept the fact that he did that – just for me. To recognize and admit that I was a sinner and that I NEEDED Christ’s forgiveness. The gift he gives is free – but like the present under the tree with your name on it, until you claim is as your own and open it, it really doesn’t mean much to you. So on that night, March 1, 1981, I accepted that free gift – I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to come into my heart and save me. And he did. Now I KNOW I will spend eternity in heaven with Him because he saved me.
Admitting you are a sinner is not shameful - it's simply the truth. We cannot enter heaven, into the presence of a Holy and Righteous God, with sin. We ALL need Jesus to remove that sin for us. Won't you accept Him today?
