Answers

Q:

What do I have to do to go to heaven? I've always tried to be a good person and help other people, but now I'm facing cancer and I know my time on earth could be limited. I'm not sure I'm ready to die.


A:

The most important question anyone can ever ask is the one you are asking right now: How can I know for sure that God has forgiven me and I’ll go to go to heaven when I die?

And the most important answer you can ever discover is that God loves you, and He has provided the way for us to be saved and be with Him forever in heaven. That way is the way of the cross, where Jesus Christ died to take away all our sins. It also is the way of faith and trust, for only Christ can save us as we open our hearts and lives to Him. Jesus’ promise is for you: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).

You see, most people believe that if they will only be good enough, then God will overlook the bad things they’ve done and let them into heaven. But the Bible tells us that God is absolutely holy and perfect, and even one sin—just one—would be enough to keep you out of heaven. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

How then can we be saved? Only through Christ, who came to earth to open heaven’s door to us. He did this by taking upon Himself all the punishment we deserve for our sins when He died on the cross for us. The Bible says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Accept God’s gift of eternal life by giving your life to Christ and trusting Him alone for your salvation.