While in the military, a friend of mine invited me to church. My instant response was, "No thanks! I've had enough religion to last me a lifetime."

He knew I had been raised Catholic and wisely said, "Don't give up on God just because you gave up on the Catholic church."

A couple of friends of mine had already visited this church and returned with glowing reports, so I reluctantly agreed to join them.

The next Sunday morning, at least a thousand people jammed the church auditorium. After a few congregational songs, the pastor preached his sermon. He explained that Jesus Christ had come to earth and died on the cross to pay for our sins. He said that because of Christ's sacrifice, the gift of eternal life was available to anyone in the building.

Towards the end of the service, he asked those who wanted to trust Christ to come to the front. At that point, a noticeable pounding began to occur in my chest. I couldn't explain it. I just knew it was very weird… but very real.

As the pastor continued his invitation, the pounding increased. I could not shake the feeling I was supposed to walk up there. But I thought, "No way! Not in front of all these people."

Eventually, the singing stopped and just as quickly as the pounding began, it ended. I was stunned!

The pastor stepped back to the microphone and began to speak. Although I was sitting near the back row, I was convinced he was pointing his finger directly at me. And the words he spoke are permanently etched in my memory. "Many people have come forward and received Christ this morning, but I sense that someone here is still saying no to Jesus Christ."

I was sure he was talking directly to me. It was as if there was no one else in the auditorium. I was already sweating, but his following words nearly knocked me out:

"Whoever you are, I pray you don't die before you have another opportunity to trust Jesus Christ. If you do, you will burn forever in the lake of fire."

Talk about terrified! His words burned inside me, and I realized this wasn't just a man talking to me, it was God. I knew I was indeed headed for hell. I left the service in a cold sweat, with those words echoing in my ears.

Three days later, I attended another similar service. Once again, the pastor preached, and just as before, the pounding erupted in my chest. But this time, when the invitation began, I walked to the front.

I was met by a young man with a Bible, who explained God's plan of salvation, and asked me if I wanted to trust Christ. I did, and at that moment, I was born into God's family (Galatians 3:26). My name was recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). I had become a child of God (John 1:12).

Someday you and I will stand before God. When He asks us why He should allow us into heaven, there will be only two possible responses. One will be a works related approach, "You should let me in because I was a pretty good person. I didn't sin too much. I was fairly religious and I did the best I could." As you have already seen, this approach will not work.

The only other response will be, "You should let me into heaven because I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior and His precious blood washed away all my sins:

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Titus 1:2

One night Jesus told a religious leader named Nicodemus:

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:1-7

In this fascinating passage, we learn from Jesus Christ that to enter heaven, we must be "born again." Not understanding this, Nicodemus asked if one must crawl back into his mother's womb and be born a second time.

Jesus explained that coming out of our mother's womb was our physical birth. He calls this being born "of water" and "of the flesh." But to reach heaven, Jesus says we must be born a second time… spiritually.

This is a one-time act when you place your trust in Christ alone for your salvation and are born into God's family:

But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

Notice, Jesus never said, "Except a man do good works, he cannot see the kingdom of God." He never said, "Except a man keep the Ten Commandments, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jesus said we must be "born again."

The Bible also refers to this event as being "saved." A prison guard asked Paul and Silas:

…Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30-31

Acts 2:21 teaches the same thing:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Again, good works can't get you to heaven, but being saved will. So the spiritual battle rages. God wants you to be saved, while the devil doesn't.

Wrong! The Bible says:

Wherefore as by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation… Romans 5:18

Because of Adam's sin, you and I were born condemned sinners. Therefore, you don't have to choose the devil. He already owns you. You are his child, and on your way to hell. To do nothing is to remain his child.

He that believeth on him (Jesus) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

If you say, "I'll put it off and decide later," what you are really saying is, "I'll remain a lost hell-bound child of Satan and hope I live at least one more day."