How do we know that Danielle is in heaven? Was she good enough during her 34 years here on this earth? Was she kind enough to people? Did she always choose to do the “right thing”? Will she make it? Do we have to pray for her a little more so God will let her in? You can be confident of knowing the answers to all these questions, and more!
Here are the short answers:
Sure, Danielle was kind, caring, a great mom, and many other good things but . . . No, Danielle was not “good enough” to make it into heaven.
And, YES! Danielle IS in heaven!
You might ask: “Steve, how on earth could you possibly know this?” Please, if you will, allow me to answer you with a bit longer answers.
No, Danielle wasn’t good enough to make it into heaven. No one is. The Bible tells us: “there is none righteous, no not one.” That’s it, period – no one can be good enough to “earn” their way into heaven.
No one . . . absolutely no one can compare to God’s eternally high standard of perfect holiness. It is actually incorrect thinking on our part to believe that in our sinfulness we could come close to His infinite and solitary position of righteous perfection. We’re sunk . . .
“Why then Steve do you say that Danielle is in heaven?”
The answer is simple – “so simple a child can understand” Jesus said.
Danielle is in heaven because she said “yes” to Jesus.
- she believed in Him – truly believed
- she knew she wasn’t perfect
- she knew she couldn’t depend on her own goodness to make it into heaven
- so she trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to be the way she could be forgiven of her sins and be in right standing before God
- she wanted to have peace with God
- that is why Danielle is with Jesus right now
This is The Gospel – The Good News. Believing that God is who He says He is and that He did what He said He would do. If you have never said yes to Jesus – like Danielle did – I urge you to do so right now. Please say “yes.”
Here are some Bible verses that confirm what I am telling you is true:
Romans 4:3-5 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
Ephesians 2:8-10 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
If you once were close to God but have sort of been going your own way lately – please return to Him with your whole heart. Just tell Him you are returning and depend on Him for the strength to walk it out. And get plugged into a church where God’s Word is taught faithfully, without compromise, and where you’ll find lots of healthy, uplifting, and life-long friendships.
Love you guys . . .
Steve 🙂
P.S. If you made the decision to say yes to Jesus today or return to Him . . . please let me know. I’d love to hear from you. steve@westsideinfo.com
P.P.S. Is Danielle’s baby in heaven? This is a legitimate and heartfelt question and – yes, I absolutely believe the baby is in heaven. Here’s why: (among other reasons) I agree with John Piper who holds to universal infant salvation, based on a reading of Romans 1:19–20, saying, “Because I don’t think little babies can process nature and make conclusions about God’s grace, glory or justice, it seems they would fall into the category of still having an excuse.”