“Salvation Assures a Believer a Place in Heaven”
John 14:1-6, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:21-23.
Dr. Gary M. Barker
Published in the newspaper August 24, 2020
One of the great blessings of salvation is that it delivers a believer from the fear of death and where he will spend eternity future. Because every human person has an immortal soul (Matthew 10:28), he will continue to live after he dies. The most important issue of life is to determine where a person will live after dying. This is the central issue of salvation. There are two everlasting destinies of every human person. They will either go to heaven or hell when they die. Jesus clearly taught that He came to save sinners from perishing in hell (John 3:16-18). Jesus said in Matthew 16:26: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” The salvation of the immortal soul is the most important issue of life. This salvation was provided by the Savior Jesus Christ by his substitutionary death for sin and His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Belief in Christ as Savior will result in the forgiveness of sin and make it possible for a believer to go to heaven. Jesus commanded His disciples in Luke 24:46-47 to proclaim to the world that forgiveness of sin was possible in His name. When this forgiveness is received by faith, a believer can have the confident assurance of going to heaven.
In John 14:1-6, Jesus promised his disciples several important things. He was going back to heaven from where He came and was going to prepare a place for them to live. Someday in the future, He would come again and take them to that prepared place. He told them that He was the only way to go to this place in heaven. There is only one way to go to heaven: Believe in Jesus as your Savior. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except though Me.” The truth about heaven is: “It is a prepared place, for prepared people.” Preparation is made by believing in the Savior (Acts 16:30-31).
Paul the apostle clearly taught that at death a believer goes to heaven to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:21-23). When a believer leaves his body at death, he will go to heaven to be with Christ. Death is gain. The apostle Paul had a “desire to depart and be with Christ, which was far better.” He was assured and confident that when he died, he would go to heaven and be with Christ. For eternity future, Paul would live in the place Christ had prepared for him. This is the ultimate blessing of salvation. I personally have proclaimed this message at many funerals that I have conducted. I truly hope and pray that you have the assurance of going to heaven when you die.