Knowing with Certainty

That You’re a Christian

As a child, I remember observing God’s creation and marveling at the diversity and complexity. Even a simple housefly would amaze me. Within hours of entering its adult phase, a fly discovers how to use its wings. It knows how to navigate its flight pattern and instinctively what its purpose is. When I looked around at the varied inhabitants of this world, I knew it was no accident; a Designer existed who is far greater than we are. I knew that God had to be real.

Since God existed, I figured the probability for life beyond death was high. The stories about Heaven and Hell resonated with me as legitimate. So I began assessing how I could make it to Heaven. I assumed that at the end of my life, God would somehow weigh all the good I had done along with all the bad and determine which pile was heaviest. If my good outweighed the bad, I reasoned, I would make it into Heaven. So I tried to be a good guy. Some days would go well, but I never consistently maintained a pattern of goodness. With my failures came uncertainty. How could I know for sure that I would go to Heaven?

The Good News, I found out when I was in the eighth grade, is that we can know with certainty that we will go to Heaven. I’ll never forget the simple but profound message about salvation. Let me share with you what hit home with me the night I became a Christian in 1976.

I was told that God loves me and has a plan for my life. Rather than man’s wisdom, reasoning or guessing, the Bible—God’s word—was shared with me as the standard for truth. For example, in John 3:16 Jesus said, 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. God knows everything about me, and He still loves me! I found out that He even longs for people to be saved. The question I had was, “Saved from what?” This was best answered when I understood the effects of my sin.

The principle shared with me is that sin separates us from God. This is because God is holy, and His standard is perfection. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned. Some certainly seem to sin a lot more than others, but the reality is that we have all fallen short. None of us meets God’s standard. I realized the big problem this caused when Romans 6:23 was read; it says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In other words, what I had earned (my wage or payment) for my sin was death. This verse contrasts death with eternal life, so this is an eternal separation from God in Hell, in which unbelievers suffer conscious torment forever (ref. Luke 16:24-25). That’s the ultimate bad news. God is just, so this penalty for sin must be paid. So much for my plan of making it to Heaven based on good works! I realized I could never be good enough to earn a spot in Heaven because even one sin separates me from God. We are individually responsible for its payment, which means I must pay the penalty for my own sins. The only other option would be if I had someone who was willing to pay my penalty of death for me. The obvious problem with that, though, is that no one qualifies because we are all sinners. It would take someone who was like me (fully man) who never sinned and who was willing to die for me.

The preacher continued, sharing excitedly that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins with His death on the cross. For me, the familiar stories I had always heard started to make more sense as I understood the reasons behind the actions. Jesus Christ, God the Son, was willing to bridge the gap that sin had caused between us and God. He really was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life. When He came to Earth, He became fully man while remaining fully God. Jesus was confronted with various temptations but never sinned. He proclaimed, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). I was reminded that Jesus went to the cross willingly and lovingly and was crucified, giving up His life for you and me. His death was full payment for our sin, making it possible to have a personal relationship forever with God. No one else could have paid that price for us. To say that Jesus is the only way to God may not be politically correct in the twenty-first century, but it is the truth. I share it with you in love.

I remember fondly when all the pieces of God’s eternal plan fell into place in my mind; I was ready to accept the free gift of salvation by trusting in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of my sins. The decision I made that night years ago changed my life forever. Now I have the honor of serving Christ out of genuine gratitude for all He has done and continues to do for me. What an awesome life!

Each of us must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior. What an incredible gift! What love! We are offered the ultimate gift (eternal life with God) in spite of what we deserve (eternal separation from God). This is grace. And the Bible says that it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8). It also says in John 1:12, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. No wonder this is called the Good News! God has done everything for us. He even gives us the faith to believe this message. What He asks of us is to make a decision of whether or not to accept His gift of grace, receiving Jesus as our personal Savior. It is not forced upon us; the choice is ours.

You can know with certainty that you’re a Christian! If you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior, the invitation to do so is before you. God was faithful to resurrect Jesus bodily from the grave, demonstrating His power over life and death. He is completely trustworthy and will not only save your soul when you accept His gift of grace, but He will give you a peace about the issue of life after death, a peace that is beyond understanding. You can know with certainty that you will go to Heaven!

If you are ready to accept this gift of salvation, you may do so right where you are. If it helps you, here is a prayer similar to what I prayed when I accepted Christ; feel free to use it, or pray using your own words:

Dear Father,

Thank You for the love You have for me. I thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins. I ask Jesus to come into my heart as my Savior. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. I pray this gratefully in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Congratulations! If you have accepted God’s gift of grace, you have made the most important decision of your life! Do not hide this news; share it joyfully with your family and friends. I encourage you to nourish your newfound faith by time in Bible study and involvement at a local church. Discover God’s ways and enjoy great fellowship with Him and others in the faith.

Be careful, however, not to go on feelings. Not everyone will respond positively to your news or even understand it. Rest assured, God is with you. The promises in God’s word are true. Continue to grow in Him, and, out of gratitude, serve Him wholeheartedly.

I’d also love to hear from you. Please let me know about your decision and any questions you may have. You can reach me through this link.

May God bless and keep you (with certainty) in Jesus’ name!

David Shaffer
Director of Son Shine Ministries