Thank you for picking up this booklet about Heaven! The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life in Heaven is available to all who believe in Jesus!

A person’s belief in Jesus guarantees their reservation in Heaven, once their life on earth is over. This assurance comes down to a key question you can ask yourself: “Do I believe in Jesus as my own Lord and Savior?” I know I struggled with this question when I first heard of Jesus. As I discovered more about what the Bible teaches, I learned much more about our sinful human condition and how much we need a Savior.

We all have a mountain of moral debt. We all have done things we should not have done, and we have all not done the things we should have done. The Bible calls that sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The reality of this moral debt, this sin, is that it has a nasty price on it – death, the ultimate defeat: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Death means we’re unable to accomplish God’s vision for our lives, with no chance of a relationship with God, and no entrance into Heaven when we die. It is the opposite of thriving. Sin puts us in a big dilemma.

This sin-condition goes from bad to worse because there is no way for us to cancel or pay this debt on our own. We can’t work it off, can’t do good to counter it, can’t buy our way out, can’t give sacrificially enough, and church attendance won’t erase it, either. The Bible is clear: we can’t win this one on our own. “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).

God, through His love and grace, provided us a Savior – Jesus, who is the only available solution. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Jesus, God’s only Son, came to pay the sin-debt we owe, beautifully providing redemption for those who will receive it. Amid a swirl of controversy, He died on the cross some 2000 years ago. What’s amazing is Jesus did not stay dead. On a Sunday morning long ago, Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death and proving that all His words and promises are true. He is indeed the Savior. The truth of Jesus’ resurrection allows us to finally thrive in life. He has defeated the ultimate enemy – death – to secure the ultimate victory!

Our response is to believe so we might receive the benefit of Jesus’ work for us on the cross. True, saving faith is a mental understanding, but also a trusting action that moves us to follow Jesus’ way of life as part of His family forever. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12). Instead of being estranged from God due to sin, we can be adopted into His loving family of followers forever! To be a child of God is to live life God’s way, which is explained in the Bible. We have the ultimate example of it in Jesus.

Do you agree with these truths from the Bible? Would you like to follow Jesus? If your answer is “yes,” then let God know through a simple prayer like this:

Lord Jesus, I know I have this mountain of moral debt. I am a sinner, and I know that this sin stops me from living the way you intended for me to live my life. I recognize this sin holds me back from relating to You and keeps me out of Heaven. I know I need a Savior, and I believe You, Jesus, paid the penalty for my sin. So right now I ask You to forgive my sin, and I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Thank you! Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God! Your sins are forgiven and you are now free to follow God’s way of life. You have secured the greatest victory possible – a relationship with God! This is the life you were created to live (see Psalm 139). Now you can be sure you will be in Heaven after your life here on Earth is over!

So, what does being in a relationship with God look like? First, begin with reading the Bible and praying so you can get to know God more. Start with Bible books like James or Mark, found in the New Testament. Just read a few verses and ask yourself what these verses say about who God is and how He wants you to live. Some days you will have countless insights and other days you won’t. Even so, keep reading! As you become more consistent in reading and praying, you’ll cultivate a closer personal relationship with God!

I also want to encourage you to attend church regularly, as other God-followers can encourage you there! If you live in our area, we would love to have you join us here at Realm Church! Wherever you decide to attend church, get involved in a small group Bible study too. Here, we call them Community Groups. If you are interested in getting connected here, email info@theRealmChurch.com.

If you made a decision to follow Jesus today, to secure your spot in Heaven forever, we’d love to celebrate with you! Please email info@theRealmChurch.com. We have some materials we’d love to send to you that can help you thrive in your relationship with God!

Thank you for exploring Jesus! He can change your life, and He can ensure you belong in Heaven after your life is over! I am praying for you!

May You Experience God’s Grace and Peace,