I’m Good Enough to go to Heaven!

Have you ever thought something was true, only to find out later that you were wrong?

Well, I had thought that I was a Christian, but later discovered that I wasn’t. My false assumption began because I grew up in a religious home that taught Christian morals and attended church regularly. For me however, church attendance became nothing more than a family tradition or habit. It was simply the thing to do on Sunday, and it didn’t mean very much to me. I went because my parents told me and not because I was interested in getting close to God.

Another reason why I thought that I was a Christian is because when I compared myself to other teenagers, I was better than them. Since my parents disciplined me as I grew up, I stayed away from trouble. And because I didn’t smoke, drink, or go to all-night wild parties, I considered myself a nice person. In fact, other people viewed me as an innocent and good person too. Living this kind of a calm, steady life rather than a crazy wild life caused me to think that I was a Christian.

But as time went by, my clean life did too. I began doing some of the wrong things that my friends did, like lying and cheating and this confused me. Then insecurity and fear set in, when I didn’t know what to do with my life. As a result, I began to question whether I was really a Christian. Doubts arose.

It wasn’t until God led me through a friend to a group of true Christians that I discovered what the real meaning of being a Christian was. Shortly thereafter, I became a true child of God. This happened when I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior, believing that His death paid for all of my sins. I was now completely forgiven of all the wrong I had done or thought and was promised eternal life in heaven, according to the Bible.

Knowing this has given me great security so that I am no longer fearful. As I’ve gotten more involved in this true Christian group, I have learned to grow and mature as a Christian should. Inner changes of attitudes, motives, and values that reflect Christ are taking place, and not just the external nice guy image I once had when I was merely a religious churchgoer. I no longer tolerate lying and cheating in my life.

Since becoming a disciple or follower of Christ, I’ve found real purpose in life. No longer am I confused or without direction in my life. My goal is to tell others of the eternal life that I’ve discovered in the Savior Jesus Christ. And then I plan to make disciples of all the nations as Jesus commanded. No longer do I have to compare myself to others or wrongly assumed that I am a Christian, for I now know for certain based on God’s word, the Bible.

As it says in 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

M.E.G.