Hi there. I've just recently finished reading a book "Heaven is so real" by Choo Thomas. I'm not sure if anyone has read it or heard about it. I have since seen numerous reviews that it wasn't such a good book to have read. I'd appreciate any comments if anyone has read it or not. Since then I've had numerous questions in my mind about whether or not I'm actually saved and worthy to go to Heaven. Does God put 'conditions' on our being saved or do we go to Heaven if we have given our lives to Jesus and are reborn? Do we have to have been 100% obedient to God's word. I know it says that we must be obedient and repent, but we all know that man is sinful and we all sin. I'm now totally confused and not sure if I'm going to Heaven even though I'm saved and reborn. Please can someone help me through this time of confusion.

Dear Friend,

Satan is the author of things of the flesh, including fear, anxiety, and confusion. As an assurance of your salvation, God's Daily Word ministry has a clear and simple discussion about it on this web site. Here is a quick link.

http://www.gdwm.org/salvation.htm

I personally stay far away from any books that serve to create any type of anxiety, confusion or fear in my mind that I am somehow unworthy to not receive God's Holy and perfect gift of everlasting life. I also stay away from, and I believe we are instructed to do so, books that serve to add to or explain certain new revelations from God not already written for us in the Bible.

After reviewing this book, I would warn you to simply throw it away. It is trash, pure and simple. While it's author may have been lead by a spirit to write the book and enter into her experiences she writes about (and even done so with sincerity) we must test the spirits that follow as written in 1 John 4:

1 John 4
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

I would caution you as well to look neither to the right nor to the left, as we are instructed so beautifully in Proverbs 4:

Proverbs 4:25-27

25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

The entire 4th Chapter of Proverbs might be good for you to meditate on as you seek wisdom and assurance of your salvation. Also, the book of Romans. There is a beauty in that assurance and it will be yours as you seek Godly wisdom about it.

Many Christians read the Bible very little, but will rush to read the book du jour of the month. Why? They will say the Bible is difficult to understand. They seek to know their "purpose". Some will say they want to attain knowledge specific to their issue or problems, or whatever. Sin in us makes it difficult to understand the Bible fully because to do so, we must approach our God who is Holy. So in our fleshly weakness, we turn to the writings of earthly man, who is sin filled and wholly fallible. Yes, man's writings may be exciting, easier to understand, and even entertaining. They may speak in some way to our quest for knowledge, but I would caution, isn't this the supreme error of Eve and Adam in the garden? Who tempted them and what were the deadly consequences of their quest?

I am not saying all books are bad, or that the writings of man are somehow to be suspect of truth. The devotions on this site are an example of what is good and pure in that the text points us back to the Bible that we know to be truth.

In closing, my friend, there is nothing you can do to merit God's gift of salvation. All God asks of us is to accept the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ into our hearts. Repent of your sins. Accept Him as your Savior. If you have done this, your salvation is sure. Then love Him by reading and meditating on His Word and speak to Him through prayer. We can never be 100% obedient to Him. We are still all sinners, and rebellion will rise up in us time after time. Our sin, though, has been blotted out by the blood of the risen Christ forever once we have accepted Him as our Savior.

I will be praying for you.

Nick P.

Take a look at Romans 6 -

1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Focusing on verses 1 & 2 & 15 & 16 wich tell us not to sin on purpose (some sins are accidental but ignorance is no excuse cp 1 Cor 14:38 "But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant") then look at verses 3 & 4 which tell us that when we are reborn into the family of God that we die so that Jesus can live within us cp Gal 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." . Just remember that Jesus said "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Jn 15:1-5 this tells me that Jesus is the one who gives us the strength & desire to not sin & be obedient. Obedience is important, just remember that it is impossible to be obedient without Jesus living on the inside of us cp 2 Cor 13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" & Col 1:27b "Christ in you, the hope of glory: " .

Salvation is a free gift, impossible to be earned - Eph 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." & Rom 11:6 "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" but we are saved for a purpose - "What is that purpose?" you may ask; look at Eph 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." so God saves us for the purpose of doing good works & the obedience is a byproduct of our salvation, not a requirement cp Rom 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

If you want assurance of your salvation check your love level - "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. " Jn 13:35, also check your obedience level & your relationship with Jesus cp Jn 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments" & Mt 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." also check your heart "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." 1 Jn 3:20-21. It is possible that you can be obedient to the scriptures without being obedient to the Spirit of the Lord remember 2 Cor 3:6b "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life" .