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Unlock the Truth

Nobody sneaks into heaven.

There are no back doors, hidden tunnels or secret entrances. The Bible says there’s one way into heaven. One. And that’s through Jesus Christ.

Some people don’t want to believe that. The way they see it, there are a bazillion religions in the world, each with its own beliefs.

Surely, they think, if there are lots of ways to be “good,” there must be just as many ways to get into heaven.

Boy, do they have something to learn.

How Do We Know There’s Only One Way to Heaven?
Jesus makes it clear in John 14:6—“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Peter repeats this truth in Acts 4:12 (NIrV)—“You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”

If God Really Loved Us, Wouldn’t There Be More Ways Into Heaven?
God is loving. In fact, He is love (1 John 4:8). But if He didn’t give us one—and only one—way into heaven, we’d end up with thousands of religions pointing in opposite directions. We could never really be sure that we were on the right path or how far we had to go.

Paul assures us in 1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV) that “God is not a God of confusion.” In His mercy, the Lord gave us one, definite, surefire way.

People may try to trick you into taking a different path, but you can know the truth. It’s right there in God’s Word.

Why Do We Need a Door at All? Shouldn’t Everyone Get to Go to Heaven?
God isn’t trying to keep out people. In fact, He wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But He is keeping out sin.

God is holy. Righteous. He hates sin, because sin is rebellion against Him and His laws. It has no place in heaven.

Lots of “good” people follow other religions. However, good isn’t good enough. No amount of good deeds can take away the sin in your heart. Even Christians sin . . . a lot.

Thankfully, God doesn’t ask you to be perfect. Just the opposite—if you don’t want to get locked out, first admit that you’re a mess and need His help.

The Combination
Have you ever seen a combination lock? You might use one to lock up your bike or your locker at school. Combination locks only open if you enter an exact series of numbers in the correct order. It’s a simple but effective way to keep things safe.

Just as your parents trust you with a key to the house, God gives you the combination to enter His house.

Right. Turn right to your Bible and read Romans 3:23. Realize that you’ve sinned. God is perfect, but you are not. You’ve made bad choices, and those choices have consequences.

Left. Skip ahead to Romans 6:23. Because you’ve sinned, you deserve to be left outside heaven. But God loved you so much, He offered you a better choice.

Right. Flip back and read Romans 5:8. Jesus, God’s perfect Son, paid the price for your sins by dying on the Cross. His sacrifice made things right with God. When you ask Jesus for forgiveness, He washes away your sins.

Left. Now all that’s left is to decide if you want to walk through the door.

Do you know that you have sinned?
Have you asked God to forgive your sins?
Do you believe that Jesus has the power to forgive you, because He died in your place?
Do you believe that Jesus is stronger than death, because He rose to life again?
Will you put your trust in Jesus and follow Him wholeheartedly?

If so, put that decision into words:

Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. I know that I am a sinner, and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You died to save me from my sins and rose again. I love You, Lord, and I want to serve You with my life. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer, according to Romans 10:9, you have been saved. You’re officially part of God’s family. Your Father in heaven is excited that you’re getting to know Him more. When you talk to Him and grow closer to Him, you’ll become more like His Son, Jesus.

Nobody sneaks into heaven. God sees us coming from miles away . . . and if we put our faith in Him, He welcomes us with open arms.

Do you know anyone who’s forgotten the combination? It’s not a secret. Share this story and offer to give them the combination to eternal life.

Heaven may not have a back door, but it’s got plenty of rooms.

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Every month, Focus on the Family Clubhouse magazine features fun crafts and recipes for children ages 8-12. More than 80,000 families use the Christ-centered stories, quizzes and puzzles to help their kids learn about and grow closer to Jesus.