Why Am I Here?
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How Do I Get to Heaven?
Why Am I Here?
Why am I here? is a timeless question, inevitably tied to questions of purpose and personal worth. It’s an important question to ask, and the answer one arrives at determines how one thinks of himself and interacts with the world.
Some people advocate the idea that humans came about by impersonal, evolutionary process and that life is just an accident. If that’s the case, then there’s no real reason for why we are here—life has no ultimate purpose. The Bible says otherwise. Genesis 1:1–27 describes how an intelligent Creator purposefully made all things in six days, including the first man and woman. "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." The Lord created mankind to bear His image and rule His creation, but the first humans chose to disobey God and brought the penalty of eternal death upon all people (Genesis 3:12–19; Romans 5:12). Since that time, mankind has been estranged from God (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23). Without an anchoring relationship to the Lord, we are left wondering who we are, why we are here, and what our purpose is.
Why am I here? To glorify God.
Ultimately, God created us for His glory; our purpose is to glorify Him and, in this fallen world, to make Him known to others (Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 28:18–19). Human beings are not accidents; we are not here by chance. Many passages in the Bible make it clear that the purpose of humans is to give God praise and glory, for He created us and gave us life (Ecclesiastes 12:13; Revelation 4:11).
The general reason why we are here—to glorify God—extends to each of us specifically. Psalm 139:16 indicates that God’s purpose for us is as precise as it is personal: "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." According to this verse, God is in control of three things that intimately concern each of us: 1) the beginning of each life, 2) the length of each life, and 3) the exact plan for each life.
Why am I here? To be reconciled to God.
Sin is a crime punishable by eternal death, so there is a price to pay, a penalty that rests on the head of every human being. But God's desire is to pay the price for us. How is this accomplished? First, we have to acknowledge, or agree with God, that we are indeed guilty of sin and deserve punishment. God wants us to repent, to change our direction and our thinking and align ourselves with His truth. God "now commandeth all men every where to repent..." (Acts 17:30). Jesus is the one who paid the penalty. He died a horrifying and difficult death on a cross in our place, taking the punishment for our sins upon Himself (Romans 5:6–8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His own death and resurrection, He conquered the power of sin and death over us, satisfying the law, making it possible for us to have a new, guilt-free relationship with God, thus restoring the relationship that was fractured at the fall of mankind (2 Timothy 1:10; Romans 5:10). When we turn from sin and accept by faith (total trust) in Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are forgiven, set free from the penalty of sin, and are given the promise of eternal life. The Bible describes God as “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Why am I here? To serve the Lord and obey Him.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). There is no higher purpose than being a servant of the King of the universe (see Psalm 84:10).
Why am I here? To prepare for eternity.
Those who are confused about why they are here may end up pursuing pleasure or wealth or fame as the goal of life, but all of those things are vanity, as the book of Ecclesiastes attests. Part of why we’re here is to ready ourselves for the inevitable journey we must take after death: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment..." (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus promoted an eternal perspective, asking, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36–37).
In knowing, glorifying, and serving the Lord, we have the answer to why we are here. In all that we do, even in everyday tasks, we can glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Since the Lord uniquely made each one of us, we can glorify Him in ways unique to our personalities, talents, and gifts (see Psalm 139:13–14; 1 Peter 4:10–11). Because God created us, loved us, and redeemed us in Christ, He is worthy of all praise and glory, and our lives should be a testimony to His grace and goodness.
What Must I Do to Get to Heaven?
To find out, take this Quiz...
INSTRUCTIONS: Check below what you think is necessary to get you to Heaven.
1. Trying to keep the 10 Commandments.
2. Giving to charity or the church.
3. Doing your best; living a good life.
4. Trying to obey the Golden Rule.
5. Being a church member and attending.
6. Praying, and reading the Bible.
7. Doing good works and deeds.
8. Being Baptized.
9. Taking Holy Communion.
10. Believing in God.
11. Being Confirmed.
12. Having faith.
13. Helping out other people.
14. Not hurting anybody.
Now proceed to find out if YOU are going to Heaven...
Dear Friend,
It's a fact of life that we must all die one day. From that point on we will either be with the Lord or separated from Him in the lake of fire forever. If you were to die today...where would you spend eternity? Like most folks you feel pretty confident that it would probably be Heaven, but did you know the Bible says most people will go to Hell and that most people who think they're Heaven bound Christians actually aren't?
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:13-14)
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matt. 7:21-23)
THIS MAY BE SHOCKING!
The sad truth is that people are trusting in some of the things on the list above to save them, some of the very things you may have just checked off! But will any of these actually get you to Heaven? No, not according to what God says. You could join every church in the world, never miss a Sunday service, be baptized in every lake and river, take communion every day, believe in God, try and keep the 10 Commandments, pray, and do everything else on the list, and still not make it to Heaven!
WHAT DOES GOD SAY IN HIS WORD, THE BIBLE?
God the Son (Jesus Christ) told us when He was on the earth 2000 years ago, that "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) My friend, if you cannot point to a time in your past when you were born again, then according to Jesus Christ, you're not going to Heaven! Being born again is so important, that without it, you will go to the furnace of fire forever!
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 13:41-42)
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (Matt. 18:8-9)
"So how is a person born again?"
Well, first of all, it's "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 3:5). You cannot earn your way to Heaven. "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." (Ephesians 2:8-9) That is why Jesus Christ had to come to this planet 2000 years ago: to die on the cross and pay the price for your sins. As a sinner you cannot make it to Heaven on your own merit or goodness. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:23,10). The Bible says you must repent from your sins (which means to change your mind or attitude about your sins). Jesus Christ said, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3). The Bible says "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).
PLEASE READ ON!
My friend, you have an appointment to stand before God one day and answer for every sinful thought, word or deed ever done during your lifetime.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15).
God will not overlook any sin. God will judge the cusser, drinkers, the immoral, thieves, homosexuals, the greedy, dishonest, adulterers, perverts, liars, cheaters, the proud, and every other type of sinner.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (I Cor. 6:9-10).
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21).
All sinners "shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8).
BUT...
The Lord is... longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9).
THERE IS A WAY TO ESCAPE THIS FATE!
Jesus Christ is your only chance of going to Heaven. He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). If you will repent of your sins and place all your faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21) God will save you. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Being born again is not receiving a warm or "tingly" feeling; it is not being righteous or doing good things. It is simply taking Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the ONLY one who can save you from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death. You can know for sure that you're going to Heaven when you die...
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (I John 5:13)
and have a salvation that you can never lose...
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand (John 10:27-28).
God can change your life...
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Cor. 5:17)
He will guide you through this life and grant you eternal life after death.
Please don't neglect your precious soul. It's worth more than the whole world to God. (Mark 8:36) This life time is only a dressing room for eternity. God loves you, (John 3:16) and wants you to be saved. If you "mean business" with God and you're willing to let God be your life, and you would like to be born again more than anything in the world; then you can simply pray the following example prayer, and God promises to hear you.
"Father, I understand that I am a sinner. I agree with you about my sins, how I have offended you by them and that the penalty for my sins is death in hell forever. Please forgive me as I throw myself at your feet and put all my trust (faith) in Jesus Christ who took my punishment in my place by shedding his blood and dying on the cross so he could satisfy the law and save me from eternal hell. Thank you for your promise to do this. Help me now as I choose to live in obedience to your Word (the Bible). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
If you have sincerely prayed the preceding prayer, then you have made the most important decision you will ever make. Now that you've been saved you are a new creation, a whole new you with a brand new, clean slate. You won't be perfect because you are still in a sinful , fleshly body but the power of sin is broken and you get to live the rest of your life as a child of God with a promise of eternal life that can never be taken from you. Now, you should read your Bible and pray every day and attend a church that preaches the truth of the Bible so that you can grow spiritually as a new Christian.
Please call us, e-mail or reach out to us on our Facebook page to let us know about your new-found faith in Christ!
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