What's next? After this life?

Heaven? Your answer to "What's next?" matters more than anything else.

Jesus offers the answer to that question in the Bible, in John chapter 3, by stating we “must be born again.” Jesus says it's impossible to go to heaven without a spiritual birth! Just as we have a physical birth, we need a spiritual birth. The religious man Jesus was speaking with asked, "How can these things be?" Jesus reminds him, "I know what I'm talking about! I've been there!" 

Then Jesus says in John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Jesus referenced a well known historical fact, a very interesting event! The Israelites had created a serious problem by complaining and murmuring at how bad life was for them. As a result, they faced God's judgment of their sin in a plague of poisonous snakes attacking them. Desperately, they called out to God for deliverance. God showed them that in order to solve their problem they would need to stop trusting in their own answers and turn to look to his answer. If people would simply turn to look to God’s solution to their problem, they would be delivered.

Here’s how this relates to us—We have a sin problem. Jesus used that story to show us God’s solution to our sin problem. God's solution—Jesus lifted up on a cross as our Substitute to suffer and die in our place as our Redeemer. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, but he rose from the grave three days later, so “that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:15-16).”

You can know “what’s next” in eternity when you decide to repent and believe in Jesus. Repentance is to turn from your sin—admitting, “God, you are right. I am wrong.” Believing is to depend on what Jesus alone has done for you to forgive, rescue and save you.

Would you like to receive God's gift of everlasting life? Do you want the answer to “What's next?”

Admit your sin. Turn from it with a repentant heart saying, “I am wrong and God is right.”

Believe that Jesus is God, who came to this earth as a sinless righteous man and died in your place to pay the penalty of your sin and to offer as a free gift to you his righteousness and eternal life.

Confess Christ as your Lord and Savior.

From your heart call out, “Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, and deserve your righteous judgment. Yet, I believe in you. You are God. You died and rose again to pay the price for my sin and to offer me your righteousness. I want you. Lord, I call on you to be my Savior.”

Romans 10:13 says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life!”

Do you desire to talk further about "what's next?" It would be our privilege to speak with you. We are located at 215 Colorado Street in Muscatine on the East side of town. 

Call our office at 563-264-2818 or email us at connect@walnutparkbaptistchurch.com. We look forward to hearing from you.