About Heaven
About Heaven
Getting to Heaven:Q. How do I get to heaven?
A. To get to heaven, all you need to do is believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that Jesus Christ died on the cross unjustly to wipe away your sins, and that after three days Jesus Christ rose from the dead. You should pray and ask Jesus to come in to your heart.
Q. Once I go to heaven, can I lose my salvation?
A. No. The Bible says:
- "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." -Hebrews 6:4-6 (Jesus died once for our sins... not over and over and over again, meaning that once is good enough for eternity. You can't lose your salvation because if you did and then got saved again, it would mean Jesus would have to die again on the cross for you).
- "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." 1John 2:25 (Eternal means forever... if something is forever, it means you can't lose it).
- "And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." -1John 5:11-12 (Once again, eternal life. If you accept Jesus as your savior you will have that eternal life with God, and if you don't accept him, than you will not have that eternal life).
Q. Do I have to stop sinning to go to heaven?
A. No. Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you should try to repent of your sins (try to stop sinning). God wants us to stop sinning, and once you are saved you should want to stop sinning too because you should want to do good things for God. The great thing about Salvation through Christ however is that it is by faith, and not by works. The Bible clearly tells us that you are saved (your sins are wiped away) by believing in Jesus Christ, not by doing good things to get into heaven. It would actually be impossible to repent of every sin you have ever committed because we have committed so many of them we would never remember every one of them.
Q. Do I have to be baptized to go to heaven?
A. You do not need to be baptized by water (this is where the preacher dunks your head under water for a moment in church) to go to heaven. The great thing about Salvation through Christ is that it is by faith, and not by works. The Bible clearly tells us that you are saved (your sins are wiped away) by believing in Jesus Christ, not by doing good things to get into heaven. Baptism by water is simply a symbolic gesture to show that you are ready to give your life to Christ. When you accept Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord of your life, and pray and ask him to come into your life, you are then baptized by the holy spirit. This is a yes and no question. No, you do not need to be baptized by water in a church by a preacher to go to heaven. Yes, you do need to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and be baptized by the holy spirit in doing so to go to heaven.
Q. Do I have to speak in tongues to go to heaven?
A. No. Being able to speak in tongues is supposed to be a gift from God, but you do not need this gift to become saved and go to heaven. The great thing about Salvation through Christ is that it is by faith, and not by works. The Bible clearly tells us that you are saved (your sins are wiped away) by believing in Jesus Christ, not by doing good things to get into heaven.
Q. Can't I get into heaven just because I'm a good person?
A. Unfortunately not. Many "good people" will go to hell because they never accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The great thing about Salvation through Christ is that it is by faith, and not by works. The Bible clearly tells us that you are saved (your sins are wiped away) by believing in Jesus Christ, not by doing good things to get into heaven.
Miscellaneous about Heaven:
Q. What is heaven like?A. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matthew 13:43-44
"...rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. " Luke 10:20
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4
While we don't know what exactly heaven is like, we know there will be no pain and suffering, no sadness, no sorrow, and no death there. We know we will be near to God because Heaven is where God lives. We know from Revelations that God has made us mansions to live in in heaven. We know that only those who are saved (those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior) will be in heaven. If you are saved your name will be written in the book of life in Heaven. Heaven is a place where you can store your spiritual treasures.
Q. What happens to my stuff when I go to heaven or hell?
A. The Bible says that one day all things on earth will be burned, including all of your stuff. Instead of worrying about what things you have here on earth (money, a new car, a big house, a big TV, etc...) the Bible talks about laying up your treasures in heaven. "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" Mark 10:21-23
If you think about it, all of your material possessions will be gone eventually, but the life you lead on earth will determine the life you lead in heaven. The Bible says that when we are in heaven God will have things for us to do. We will also be awarded crowns based on certain things that we have done in our life on earth. "...and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:10-11
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven." Matthew 5:12
Q. Where do angels come from?
A. God created angels (also known as Cherubims) just as He created all things. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, tells us about God's creation of the heavens and earth, and of all things within. Some people mistakenly believe that when a person dies and go to heaven they become angels. The Bible however never says that when you die you become an angel. What it does say is that people who go to heaven will receive glorified bodies. While there is a lot of question about what exactly a "glorified" body is, it is believed to be the body you will have that will be free of death, disease, pain, and aging. Some people also believe that having a glorified body will mean having special powers, such as the power to heal, fly, etc...
Q. Are heaven and hell eternal?
A. No. Heaven and hell are only waiting places. When a person who is saved dies, they go to heaven to wait for the eternal reign of Jesus Christ. When people who are not saved die they go to hell to wait for judgment day. The Bible says there will be a day of judgment when those who are unsaved will be taken through all of their transgressions and then cast into the lake of fire for eternity... the lake of fire is also where Jesus will cast death and disease and Satan. If your name is found written in the book of life you will wait in heaven until the eternal reign of Christ, at which time you will help Christ rule over his kingdom. You can find this information in the book of Revelation.
About God
About God:
A. As stated in the scriptures below, the Bible tells us that God is light and has no darkness (evil) in him at all. God is love. God cannot lie, and God is not the author of confusion (he will not try to confuse us in his Word the Bible), but is the author of peace.
- 1John 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
- 1John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. "
- Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."
- Hebrews 6:18 "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie..."
- 1Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
Q. What are God's other names?
A. God is also known as:
Abba (meaning "daddy" or, "father") Romans 8:15,
Almighty God Deuteronomy 10:17,
Alpha & Omega ("the beginning and the end") Revelation 21:6,Calmer of Storms Psalms 107:29,
Comforter Isaiah 66:13,
Compassionate Lamentations 3:22,
Conqueror of Our/My Enemies Psalms 108:13,
Counselor Isaiah 28:29,
Creator Genesis 1:1,
Director of My/Our Path Proverbs 3:6,
Disciplinarian Psalms 89:32,
Doer of Wonders Psalms 77:14,
El Shaddai (God Almighty) Exodus 6:3,
Emmanuel Isaiah 8:8,
Eternal God Deuteronomy 33:27,
Everlasting God Isaiah 40:28,
Everlasting Strength Isaiah 26:4,
Faithful Lamentations 3:23,
Father Isaiah 63:16,
Father of the Fatherless Psalms 68:5,
Feeder of the Hungry Psalms 146:7,
First & Last Isaiah 41:4,
Forgiving Numbers 14:18,
Gentle Isaiah 40:11,
Gift Giver James 1:17,
Giver of Good Things Matthew 7:11,
Glorious Lord Isaiah 33:21,
Good Psalms 145:7,
Gracious Psalms 145:8,
Great Psalms 145:3,
Healer Exodus 15:26,
Healer of Broken Hearts Psalms 147:3,
Holy One Isaiah 12:6,
Holy Leviticus 19:2,
The Great I Am Exodus 3:14,
In Us All Ephesians 4:6,
Infinite Understanding Psalms 147:5,
Jehovah Jireh (will provide) Genesis 22:14,
Jehovah Nissi (our banner) Exodus 17:15,
Jehovah Shalom (our peace) Judges 6:24,
Jehovah Shammah (is there) Ezra 48:35,
Jehovah Tsidkenu (our righteousness) Jeremiah 23:6,
Judge Genesis 18:25,
Just Isaiah 45:21,
Keeper Psalms 121:5,
King of Glory Psalms 24:10,
King of All the Earth Psalms 47:7,
Lawgiver Isaiah 33:22,
Lifter of Our/My Head Psalms 3:3,
Light Psalms 27:1,
Lord Genesis 15:2,
Lord God Omnipotent (all powerful God) Revelation 19:6,
Lord of Hosts Psalms 24:10,
Lord of Lords Deuteronomy 10:17,
Lord of the Sabbath (Lord of the seventh day) Exodus 20:10,
Lord on High Psalms 93:4,
Majesty Psalms 145:5,
Maker of Heaven & Earth Psalms 115:15,
Merciful Ephesians 2:4,
Mighty Luke 1:49,
Mighty in Wisdom Job 36:5,
Miracle Worker Matthew 19:26,
Most High Daniel 7:27,
Never Changing James 1:17,
Omnipresent (everywhere) Psalms 139:7-10,
Peacemaker Proverbs 16:7,
Perfect Matthew 5:48,
Powerful Psalms 66:7,
Promise Keeper Isaiah 46:11,
Provider Matthew 6:31 33,
Ready to Forgive Psalms 86:5,
Reconciler 2Corinthians 5:18 19,
Redeemer Isaiah 54:5,
Refiner Malachi 3:3,
Refuge Psalms 46:1,
Rescuer Daniel 6:27,
Righteous Psalms 5:8,
Rock 2Samuel 22:32,
Rock of Our/My Refuge Psalms 94:22,
Rock of Our/My Salvation Psalms 89:26,
Salvation Psalms 91:16,
Satisfier of Desires Psalms 145:16,
Satisifier of the Longing Soul Psalms 107:9,
Saviour Psalms 106:21,
Shadow from the Heat Is 25:4,
Shepherd Psalms 23,
Shield Psalms 3:3,
Steadfast Daniel 6:26,
Strength to the Needy Isaiah 25:4,
Strength to the Poor Isaiah 25:4,
Our/my Strength Psalms 46:1,
Strong Psalms 89:8,
Sustainer Psalms 3:5,
Teacher Psalms 119 ,
Trustworthy Psalms 144:2,
Truthful 1Samuel 15:29,
Upright Psalms 25:8,
Wisdom Daniel 2:20,
Worthy Revelation 4:11
Q. What is the Holy Ghost?
A. The Holy Ghost is part of the Holy Trinity (see question below). The Holy Ghost is the part of God that lives within us after we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Holy Ghost takes our souls to heaven if we are saved.
Q. What is the Holy Trinity?
A. God is a three part being: the Father, the Son (Word), and the Holy Ghost. 1John5:7-8 clearly states this. In Genesis 1:26 and Genesis 3:22, God makes reference to himself as "us" and "our image." "Us" and "our" meaning more than one. Some people think of God (the Holy Trinity) as God having multiple personalities. God's different parts allow him to be in many places at the same time however, unlike a human with multiple personalities.
1John 5:7-8 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."
Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
Genesis 3:22 "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever..."
Personally I like to think of God (the Holy Trinity) like this: As a human, you and I have many body parts, all of which work together at the same time to make us live. Our three most important body parts are our brain, our heart, and our soul. I like to think of God as having a brain, a heart, and a soul. God the father is the brain (he created us and can speak things into existence with His Words... he can do all things, hears all things, sees all things, and knows all things). Jesus Christ (aka the Word/our Savior) is like our heart. Without him we cannot get to heaven. It is through Christ that we can have eternal life. The Holy Ghost is that part of God that comes and attaches itself to our soul once we accept Jesus as our Savior, so that when we die, while our bodies and flesh remain here on earth, our soul can be taken to heaven.
Q. If God is our creator, then who created God?
A. Nobody created God. While it is hard for us to wrap our brains around, God was always there, and always existed, before time and space. God created us, the heavens and the earth, and everything within the heavens and the earth. (The heavens are the universe). Many people don't understand how God can exist if nobody created him, but that's ok if we don't understand. Just because we don't understand something completely doesn't mean it's not real.
Q. Are God, Allah, and Buddah the same?
A. No, definitely not. God is our only Lord and Savior. He is the God of creation (the one who created us). The Bible clearly tells us that there are no other Gods, only God himself. Allah and Buddah were men, not Gods.
About Jesus Christ:
Q. Who is Jesus Christ?
A. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is God. Jesus Christ was sent to earth as a baby, lived among humans, taught people about God, left us a perfect example of how to live life with every step he took and every word he spoke, and then died on the cross unjustly for sins he did not commit, so that he could take our place in death so that we could have eternal (everlasting) life with him in heaven.
Q. What does Christ mean?
A. Christ means "Son of God"
Q. Why did Jesus Christ die for us?
A. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 The punishment for our sins is eternal death, but God loved us so much, that he gave his one and only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the punishment for our sins so that we wouldn't have to.
Q. Will Jesus Christ ever come back to earth again?
A. Yes. According to the book of Revelation (the last book in the Bible) Jesus will soon come back to earth to cleanse it and to reclaim his Kingdom. He will reign for a thousand years, and then cast death and hell into the lake of fire, along with disease and the devil, and then he will continue to reign forevermore, with those who have accepted him at his side.
Q. Are Jesus and Satan brothers?
A. No. Jesus Christ is NOT the brother of Lucifer/Satan, as this is never ever said any place in the Holy Bible of God. Furthermore, the Bible says that Jesus is not created, but that Lucifer is created (an angel... God created all angels). How can they be brothers if Jesus is one with God and is not created, and God created Lucifer? That would mean that if they were brothers, Jesus would have had to create his own brother ( "...God, who created all things by Jesus Christ..."Ephesians 3:9)... Jesus and Satan are NOT brothers.
Q. Are there any prophecies about Jesus Christ before he was alive?
A. Yes. Jesus fulfilled around 60 prophecies told by many prophets over many years.
Q. How did Mary give birth to Jesus if she was a virgin, and how was this important?
A. Mary gave birth to Jesus even though she was a virgin because God made her pregnant with Jesus. It is important that Mary was a virgin because of prophecy about the Christ being born to a virgin. A child being born to a virgin was supposed to be a sign that the son of God had arrived. If you think about it, it wouldn't be much of a sign if a young woman gave birth... lots of young women give birth, but a young virgin woman giving birth is not something that has ever happened before or will ever happen again, making it a clear sign.
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