If we are going to believe the Bible to be God’s Holy Word, then we must conclude that each person has a soul that will exist for eternity either in Heaven or in Hell. And the Bible makes it very clear that each person gets to decide where he or she will spend eternity. The following steps will help to lead you to possess an eternal home in Heaven with God. (Click here for a video presentation)

Step One – Acknowledge To God That You Are A Sinner
To sin means to fail to do that which God has commanded – to do something He said not to do or to not to do something He said to do. The Bible states in Romans 3:23, “…all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Thus, everyone is a sinner, including you. If we refuse to acknowledge that we have sinned toward God, then in essence we are calling God a liar. In fact, that is exactly what the Apostle John states in 1 John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar…”

Step Two – Acknowledge That You Cannot Get Yourself To Heaven
Jesus Christ was acknowledged by others and by Himself to be the Son of God (Matt. 4:3, 6; 8:29, 14:33; 16:16, 26:63-64). In addition to this, Jesus claimed that an eternal relationship with God could come only through Him. In John 10:4, Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…” And in John 14:16, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Thus Jesus Christ is the “door” and the “only door” through Whom we can gain an entrance into Heaven.

Step Three – You Must Believe In the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
How is it that Jesus is the only way we can have an eternal relationship with God? Jesus is the only way because Jesus was the only One in all of history to have overcome the power of death. The Apostle Paul calls this act the “gospel” and defines the “gospel” as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4) and declared that belief in this gospel would provide us with an eternal relationship with God. He stated in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…” Thus, you must believe that Jesus died, was buried, and that He rose again. Otherwise, He can do you no good if He is still dead.

Step Four – Receive His Free Gift
The Bible states that this eternal relationship with God is a free gift offered to anyone and everyone who will receive it. Once you have acknowledged you have sinned, acknowledged you cannot get yourself to Heaven, accepted the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; then you are ready to receive God’s free gift of eternal life. The Apostle Paul stated it this way in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” How do you receive it? Simply ask. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” To be saved means to be rescued from eternity in Hell. Thus, Jesus Christ can rescue you from eternity in Hell if you will ask Him. Paul elaborated further in his letter to the church at Ephesus (Eph. 2:8-9), “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Step Five – Pray
Here is a model prayer you can follow to receive God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ: Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge I am a sinner and that You are the only One Who can provide me an eternal relationship with God and an eternal home in Heaven. By faith, I believe You died upon the Cross of Calvary for my sins, that You were buried, and that You rose again in order to provide me eternal life. I ask that you provide me with Your free gift of eternal life and that You be my Lord and Savior. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Closing Comments
Now that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and His free gift of eternal life, the Bible commands that you identify yourself as a follower of Jesus Christ by getting baptized and by becoming involved a local congregation of believers (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 8:26-39; Hebrews 10:25).