How can we be certain of eternal life in Heaven?
Friends, we live in an uncertain world.
We are uncertain about the economy.
Uncertain about our health.
Uncertain about the future of our children.
Uncertain about how long peace will last, or what tomorrow may bring.
But there is one thing every single one of us can be certain about.
One day, every one of us will die.
And the most important question is not ifwe will die, but what lies beyond.
Deep down, most people hope there is something more.
Most people hope there is heaven.
Most people hope that when this life is over, there is life beyond the grave.
Some try to be religious.
Some try to be good.
Some try not to think about it at all.
Many quietly hope that, somehow, the good in their lives will outweigh the bad.
But hope alone is not enough.
And today, I want to tell you this: God does not want you to hope about eternal life—He wants you to be certain of eternal life in Heaven.
The Bible says we can know that we have eternal life.
Not just Heaven one day—but life to the full now, and Heaven when we die.
This is the Good News of the Gospel.
And it is Good News for You.
Eternal Life Is a Free Gift
Let me begin where the Bible begins.
The Bible says: “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
And again: “By grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)
Eternal life is not a wage.
It is not a reward.
It is not a payment for good behaviour.
It is a gift.
And like any genuine gift, it cannot be earned, deserved, or paid for.
If eternal life could be earned, only the best people would get it.
If eternal life depended on religion, only the most religious would make it.
If eternal life depended on effort, none of us would ever rest.
But the Gospel says: it is a gift.
That means no amount of good deeds, church attendance, charity, prayer, or morality can earn it. Why? Because the Bible tells us something deeply humbling—and deeply honest.
The Problem: Everyone Has Sinned
The Bible says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Not some. Not the worst. All.
When we hear the word sin, we often think of the big, shocking crimes—murder, abuse, violence.
But God’s standard is deeper than actions alone.
But Jesus said that hatred is the seed of murder. He said lust is adultery of the heart.
And God’s greatest commandments are these:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength
- Love your neighbour as yourself
Who among us has done that perfectly?
Even when we haven’t done wrong things, we have failed to do the right things.
We have lived for ourselves. We have ignored God. We have fallen short.
And because God is perfectly holy, even one sin breaks His perfect standard.
James says: “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10)
Let me put it this way.
Imagine you had to jump across a deep chasm.
One person jumps halfway. Another jumps almost all the way—but still falls short.
Who makes it? Neither. Being better is not the same as being good enough.
And that leads us to a hard truth:
We Cannot Save Ourselves
We cannot undo our past.
We cannot erase our guilt.
We cannot make ourselves perfect.
The Bible says: “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
Sin earns separation from God—now and forever.
And yet—listen to this—God does not delight in punishment.
The Heart of God: Love and Justice
The Bible says:
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”
(Joel 2:13)
And even more simply: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8)
But God is not only loving—He is also just.
A good judge cannot ignore wrongdoing. If God simply swept sin under the carpet, He would no longer be just.
God Himself says:
“I will not acquit the guilty.” (Exodus 23:7) So here is the tension:
- God loves us
- God must punish sin
How can both be true? The answer is found in Jesus Christ.
God’s Solution: Jesus Christ
Who is Jesus?
The Bible tells us: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” (John 1:1,14)
Jesus is not just a teacher. Not just a prophet. Not just a moral example.
Jesus is God in human flesh.
At Christmas, we celebrate that God stepped into our world.
But He didn’t come just to teach—He came to save.
The Bible says: “The Lord has laid on Him the sin of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
Let me tell you a story.
In a country where those who broke the law could be severely punished. A magistrate once faced a young mother who had stolen groceries. She was guilty. The law was clear. The fine was fifty pounds—but she had no money.
Prison would devastate her children. So the magistrate did something astonishing. He stepped down from the bench. Reached into his own pocket. And paid the fine himself. Justice was satisfied. Mercy was shown. The woman went free. That is what God has done for us.
By God’s perfect law we have all broken the laws of God, and the penalty for our sins (breaking the commandments of God) is death.
But on the cross, Jesus took our guilt. Jesus paid our penalty for our sins, and Jesus died in our place so we could go free. Justice was satisfied. Love was displayed.
The Bible tells us.
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
And on the third day—Jesus rose to life again. Jesus is alive today and forever.
And He offers eternal life in Heaven to whoever will receive it.
The Required Response: Faith and Repentance
The Bible tells us. “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.” (John 3:16)
That whoever, includes you. But saving faith is more than knowing facts. It is trusting your life to Jesus alone.
Knowing about an airplane doesn’t get you to another country. You must get on board. Faith means stepping off self-reliance and placing full trust in Christ. And Jesus calls us to repent, and repentance means a change of direction:
- Recognising you are going the wrong way
- Owning it before God
- Turning to go His way
It is not just being sorry—it is surrendering, and when you do, something miraculous happens.
New Life by the Holy Spirit
God does not just forgive you—He gives you a new life.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
The Holy Spirit comes to live within you.
He gives power to change. Strength to obey. Direction for life.
You are born into a new family—the family of God.
And God wants you to grow:
- Through His Word
- Through prayer
- Through His church
- Through living out His purpose
This is not religion. This is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Invitation: Will You Receive the Gift?
Like any gift, you can choose to accept it or reject it.
So let me ask you plainly: Do you understand the Good News? Will you trust Jesus alone for salvation?
Will you turn from sin and receive His gift of life? If you will, God promises:
“I write these things so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
You can know. Today is the day of your salvation, when you receive the gift of eternal life.
Prayer of Response
If this is the desire of your heart, to receive the salvation of God. To receive the gift of eternal life in Heaven.
And if you are prepared to keep the greatest commandment of God. To love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love one another as yourself.
Then you can receive the gift of God of eternal life today.
Just by taking the first step, making a prayer of commitment to God.
My Lord and my God,
I admit I have gone my own way and sinned against You.
I turn away from my sin and ask Your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus died for me and rose again.
I trust Him alone as my Saviour and Lord.
I receive Your gift of eternal life—now and forever.
Help me to live for You by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer sincerely, God’s Word says you have eternal life.
But how can you know for sure it is true? How can you know for sure God exists, that heaven is real, and that God loves You?
You can discover the evidence for God and your salvation by reading the book by David Ramanauskas, This Is The Meaning of Life. And you can read it for free at David’s website –