FAQ from student: Is going to church gonna get me into heaven?

No, just showing up to church and plunking yourself down in a pew isn't gonna get you through the pearly gates. In fact, neither will working your tail off for Jesus.

See, this is where Christianity differs from all other religions in the world. Going to church, doing a bunch of community service, trying to be as good as possible - isn't gonna make you good enough.

That sounds like a real downer - like God is out to keep as many people out of heaven as possible. But the truth is, God is just the opposite. He wants as many people in heaven as possible!

We've all got a problem - it's called sin. It's where we differ from God - 'cause he's perfect and we're not. He's pure and there's times (sometimes a lot) when we're not. And because of his purity, he can't have anything to do with anything that is impure.

So he sent us Jesus, his perfect one and only Son - to live as God in human flesh and live a perfect life.

Did we forget to mention that our sin requires death by God's standard? Sounds pretty harsh, eh? But here's the good news... Jesus died even though he was perfect - and by rising from the dead, he made it possible for anyone who believes in him to "beat death", as it were, and live forever in heaven with him.

So going to church won't get me into heaven - in fact, nothing I do will; I can't measure up on my own - it's what God has done for me through Jesus that brings me life forever.

So, I suppose not going to church doesn't automatically mean you're doomed to hell either - it's our own desire to hang onto our sin and reject the one and only gift that God has given us to bring us life that does that. But simply believing in and accepting God's gift of his Son will give us new life that will last forever with him in heaven.

...And going to church can sure help in learning more about him and how to live a life that follows him in response to the amazing love he has for us!

But don't take our word for it... Read God's own Word:

John 10:10 - "...I have come tha they may have life, and have it to the full."

Romans 3:23 - "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1 Peter 3:18 - "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God."

John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

1 John 5:13 - "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."