A few years ago I was asked to be on a panel of Christians who were to answer questions given by Muslims. There were three of us.
I should say first that Muslims do not have a certain hope of entering heaven. Even if they lead a pious life observing every ritual, rite, and pray five times a day, there is still no guarantee. God can just say “I don’t like your haircut” and send you to hell.
During a lull in the conversation, one Muslim asked “Do Christians really believe they are guaranteed a place in heaven?”
There was another lull as others on the panel wondered what to say. I said “Yes. If you turn control of your life over to Christ, you are guaranteed a place in heaven.” The Muslims in the audience looked at me like I had two heads. Then the Imam asked a question to get us off the subject.
Is our salvation certain? Is it guaranteed? A lot of us will doubt our salvation. Just how certain are Christians that we will go to heaven when we die? John tells us we can be sure:
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)
So, we can know for sure we have eternal life. Paul tells us in Romans that The Holy Spirit testifies to us that we are saved:
Rom. 8:16 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Peter says it is through Jesus we must be saved:
Acts 4:12 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
So, we have the definite testimonies of Peter, John, and Paul that say we can be certain of our salvation. But, what about doubt? Can we lose that salvation once we receive it?
Again, in Romans, Paul says this:
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)
Why is this important?
Most Christians doubt their salvation at one time or another, but there is no need to doubt. God has promised our salvation if we turn control of our lives over to Him and accept Him as our Lord.
James says the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea and should not expect anything from the Lord. We need to understand our salvation is eternal and permanent. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
13 In him [Jesus] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13-14).
We receive eternal life at the moment of our conversion. Eternal life doesn’t end by definition. If God removed eternal life from you, it was never eternal and God would be a liar.
So, through the testimonies of at least three apostles and the Holy Spirit who moved them to say so, our salvation is certain. Revel in it, praise God for it, live in the assurance of your eternal life with Christ.
11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, (Heb. 6:11)
Believers Armed and Dangerous 