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Going to Heaven


My entire life, I have pretty much grown up in the Church. I have heard many messages, techniques, programs and ways to grow in my faith, to serve in the Church, and to find my calling in life and in ministry. Usually, it wouldn’t be uncommon that the information I received along the way about these things have varied or differed according to what Church I was attending at the time.

However, there is one thing that hasn’t changed…or hasn’t seemed to have been offered in a different context or become varied throughout the years. That “one thing” was about “going to Heaven.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I DO “want to go to Heaven” upon my death. However, my reasoning for “going there” and sharing about salvation and eternity has had to change in the recent years.

For years, I have heard it said (evangelically) time and time again, “accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, so that you can go to Heaven.” Alright. That’s a positive question and something good to ask….however, I have found that it is not FULLY the “right way” to pose the question.

I am more convinced than ever before, that I accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Personal Savior NOT “just” so I can go to Heaven. I accept Jesus because I want a personal relationship with Jesus…I want Jesus to change my life by forgiving my sins and filling me with the Holy Spirit….I want be like Jesus…live and walk like Jesus. I want everything I do to be centered around Jesus. I want to have a personal, intimate, loving relationship with Jesus. And, yes…just ONE of the “benefits” of all these things I establish with Jesus is being with him, forever, in eternity….which, of course, is “in Heaven.”

I am not trying to make light of the issue, be nit-picky, upset anyone intentionally or to drag things “down in the weeds” over this subject. But, accepting Jesus for nothing more than to “punch our ticket” so we can “go to Heaven” (and stay out of Hell) and for no other reason, is missing the point entirely. We accept Jesus for just that….Jesus, Himself.  

Yes, Jesus said in John 14, that he was preparing a “place” for us….but that was still secondary. The “reason” for preparing this place was so that we would be with him! John 14:3, “…I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

It isn’t “just” about going to Heaven. It is about making a commitment to be in a life-changing relationship with the Living Savior, Jesus Christ to experience an eternal, never-ending loving relationship that is spiritually real “now” here on Earth, but one day, physically real and face-to-face in the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Messiah for all eternity in Heaven.  

Heaven, by no means, should be peddled as if it is an “after-life time-share” destiny. Nor, should “going to Heaven” be the sole purpose and message of the Gospel. What I am saying is that we need to revisit how we choose our words to explain the Gospel and to be sure our witness is carefully studied and cultivated so that we are very intentional towards our approach in telling others about the Good News.

When we tell the “Good News” we need to tell them ALL of the Good News….not just select pieces and parts of it. If we don’t tell them ALL the Good News, then we end up cheating them out of knowing the real reason why God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins and how He went to great lengths to redeem and restore our relationship with Him as our Heavenly Father.

Yes, Heaven is one of many parts of all that….but, it shouldn’t be our “one and only selling point” for why people should accept Jesus as their Savior. We accept Jesus, because that is who we want to have a relationship with….Jesus. It is all about Jesus.

So, live your faith….speak openly of your faith….prove the Gospel is true by how you live and what you say (in love, gentleness and respect)! We have a lot to say and live for because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is more powerful and life-changing than “just to get into Heaven when we die.”

Go forth and love in the name of Jesus. Go and be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus to love, serve and pray for the people and world around you. By your lifestyle, actions (and reactions) you can spread God’s love and message of salvation found in Jesus Christ. Help others “want Jesus” even more than they want Heaven itself.  

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