In the back of most of our minds, there is a desire to go to heaven. The alternative is far from everyone’s mind.

What is it that prevents one from going to Heaven?

a)Something which happened in Eden
God placed an innocent couple in the Garden of Eden - a couple who enjoyed life and knew nothing of death, pain or sorrow. They rejoiced in the presence and provision of God and enjoyed intimate fellowship with Him. Adam and Eve faced a choice. If they ate of the tree of life they would live forever. If they choose to disobey God and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the outcome would be death, pain, sorrow, and separation from God (read Genesis chapters 2 and 3). Something happened in Eden which prevents the human race from entering heaven.

b)Something which was orchestrated by the devil
The devil entered the Garden of Eden and persuaded Adam and Eve to disobey God. He promised them something better than God had given them, but they soon found out they got something far worse. They were removed from God’s presence and scriptures record that Adam and Eve died. “The wages of sin is death”

c)Something wicked which the Bible calls sin
Sin became a part of Adam and Eve before they had given birth to a child. God had laid down a principle that everything was to bring forth after its kind. Cows bring forth cows and dogs bring forth dogs, etc. Therefore, every child born into the human race would be tainted by sin (Psalm 51:5). I am born in sin and then, because of this sinful nature, I become a sinner by behaviour.

Sin can be described as anything that hurts you, hurts God or hurts others.
1 John 1:8 - “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 3:4 - “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
1 John 3:8 - “He that committeth sin is of the devil;”
1 John 5:17 - “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”

God gave 10 commandments to measure ourselves. When this measure is applied we must conclude with God that we have broken most or all of the commandments.
“For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Rom.3:23) is the bottom line. This is God’s assessment.
A Holy God must punish sin and the punishment is death and separation from God in hell forever. (Matt 25:41)

Conclusion: It is sin that prevents me from heaven

What is it that prepares one for Heaven?

a)Something started in heaven
Since man, through his best efforts could not reach heaven, God began in heaven to move towards helpless, sinful man. A plan went into effect that saw God take upon him human flesh in the womb of a virgin named Mary.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) The virgin birth would prevent Him from being tainted by the sin that has plagued the entire human race.

b) Something unfolded on earth
Jesus’ life would be sinless and not sinful. If the wages of sin is death, Jesus did not have to die. (Rom. 6:23) However, because of His great love for the human race and because He is not willing that we perish, He went to a cross and took upon Him in His body the punishment our sin deserves. (John 3:15,
I Peter 2:24) He stayed until the punishment was finished. (John 19:30) He was buried and then rose from the dead to prove God was satisfied that justice had been done. God remains Holy because sin has been punished and also remains loving because He can now freely offer to a lost sinner eternal life based upon faith in Jesus Christ

c)Something can be real in your life if you believe
“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)
You notice how this verse says we are not saved by a good life, church membership, baptism, giving to charity, our parents’ faith, confirmation, first communion, or any other means. It is not of man and all of God. If you have the faith to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross as your substitute and rose from the dead, you can be saved. This is not a faith that resides in one’s head, but a faith that is a deep expression of the heart. This faith believes to the extent that I turn away from sin and trust in Jesus - and nothing else - to save me.

Are you willing to make that decision now?

Repeating a prayer saves no one. It’s assuming you understand and believe the gospel message. However, if the Holy Spirit is convicting you of your lost condition and your need to trust Christ, then include the following things as you express your heart to God:

Dear Lord Jesus,
I believe I have sinned against you. I am deserving of judgment in hell as the consequence. However, I believe you expressed your love to me in taking the punishment on the cross that my sin deserves. I believe you rose from the dead. I believe that, because of this, you will forgive me and I ask you to forgive me now and to save my soul. I now invite you into my life. Amen!

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