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First Baptist Church, Elba

I read that in 1994, Northwest Airlines was offering an unusual round-trip to the public. For $59, you could buy a “Mystery Fare” ticket that allowed you to fly to an unknown destination. You did not find out where you were going until you arrived at the airport the day of your flight. Believe it or not, the airline had plenty of takers. Unfortunately not everyone was thrilled about his destination. One man who wanted to go to New Orleans found out he was headed for Minneapolis.

A lot of people live like this concerning their eternal destination. Through the years, I have had the opportunity to ask people about their relationship with the Lord.

One of the things I often hear when I ask people “Do you know if you are going to heaven when you die?” is “I hope so!”

In 1 John 5:13, John records these words, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

God does not want us to hope we are saved, but rather He wants us to know we are saved. Having assurance of my salvation is one of the great blessings of being a child of God. To go through life wondering if I am really saved is a terrible way to live. John wrote these words so that believers can have confidence that they possess eternal life. The person who has given his or her life to Christ and is following Him daily does not have to live in fear but rather can live with assurance that when he dies that his final destination will be with God.