Where will you spend eternity?

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life. (1 John 5:11–12, NET) 

With the outbreak of the covid-19 virus quarantines have given us extra time to think about our lives. As you meditate on your life, take some time to consider where you will spend eternity.

It's sounds too good to be true, but according to the Bible, you can know for sure where you will spend eternity.  In the book of 1 John we read that God has given us eternal life in His Son.  Whoever has the Son has eternal life. 

We may ask, "Who is this written to?"  or "Why was this written?" According to verse 13, this assurance of salvation was written to all true Christians.  John's purpose was to give reassurance to those who had trusted Christ, that they actually did possess eternal life.  It is the privilege of all who trust Christ to know for certain that they will go to heaven when they die.  This verse also shows us another possibility.  Obviously it is possible for true Christians to lack this same assurance.  That was why John was writing it- so that they would know that they had eternal life!

      These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (NASB95; 1 Jn 5:13)

Jesus also taught assurance of salvation.  In John 10:27-30 He described his true followers as sheep. He reassured us that He gives us eternal life and that we will never perish.  He also said that no one can snatch us out of His hand.  He goes on to further confirm our eternal safety by saying that in addition to Jesus holding us safely, the Father also keeps us safely in His grip.

John 10:27–30 (NAS): My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

When working with a young believer I like to illustrate this truth by saying, "Reach out your hand and  make a fist."  Then, with my right hand I take a grip over his fist, and say, "This is Jesus holding you."  Next I take my left hand and get a further grip over my other hand.  "This is the Father also holding you. Now try to get loose."  With a tighter grip I hold him fast.  He gets the point.  We are promised eternal life, and held safely by both the Father and the Son.  We are eternally secure in Christ.

Another promise of this type is found in Hebrews where Joshua 1:5 is quoted…

Hebrews 13:5 (NET): I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”

The intensity of this promise is seen more clearly in the original Greek.  "Never" is expressed as a triple negative.  The Amplified Bible says it this way:

Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]  (AMP, Heb 13:5)

These three passages shed light on an important truth…. God wants us to know where we will spend eternity. To the true follower of Jesus Christ, we can have the solid assurance that we will spend eternity with God in Heaven. 

Beyond these passages, many others which speak of "eternal life" do so with the same meaning.  Eternal life would not be very eternal if it could be lost or stolen or taken away from us.  Eternal means just what it says, eternal.

But what about you?  Do you know for sure where you will go when you die?  Dr. D. James Kennedy has done excellent work in his training program called "Evangelism Explosion".  In it he asks, "If you were to die tonight, and you were to stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' What would you say?"

How would you answer that question? Over the years I'v heard hundreds, possibly thousands, of answers.  Many say, "I've been a good father or mother, husband or wife.  I've lived a good moral life.  I've been active in church and/or religious activity, etc.  Unfortunately none of these answers are sufficient for the question.  If you honestly believe that you can enter heaven by being good enough, you are sorely mistaken. 

      for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (NASB95, Ro 3:23)

     But God demonstrates His own love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.(NASB95, Ro 5:8)

    

     For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASB95, Ro6:23)

The only reason any of us get to heaven is because of Christ's death on the cross for our sins and through our trusting in His free gift. That's why it is not presumptuous or prideful to assume a place in heaven.  We are accepting His free gift of grace.

          For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

          not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9, NASB95)

We are saved when we transfer our faith from self to Christ.  We accept his free gift of eternal life which He earned for us through His sacrificial death on the cross to pay for our sins and transgressions.  When we receive Christ we become part of His forever family!

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (Jn 1:12, NASB95)

If you are not sure about your relationship to Christ, you can make sure today.  Simply trust Christ by receiving Him as your Savior and Lord.  Here is a prayer I prayed many years ago.  Pray it with all your heart…

"Lord Jesus, I need you.  I receive you as my Savior and Lord.  Thank you for dying on the cross and paying the penalty of my sins.  Take control of my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  Amen"

Where will you spend eternity?  You can be certain, the moment you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior.