6 Reasons Christians Can Be Certain Of Heaven Part 2 Series

Romans Series # 40 May 29, 2002

Title: 6 Reasons Christians Can Be Certain Of Heaven

Website: www.newlifeinchrist.info

Email: pastorsarver@yahoo.com

Introduction: Welcome to New Life in Christ. We are currently in Chapter 8 of Romans as we continue with message #40 of our verse-by-verse study of the Book of Romans.

Read Romans 8:28-30

Opening Prayer

Many of you probably remember the commercials for the Maytag Appliance Company, which featured the advertising icon known as the Maytag repairman. In the commercials the Maytag repairman was a lonely old man who hung around a dusty 50’s style repair shop. He was always reading magazines, bored, and unable to stay awake because Maytag appliances were so reliable that he had nothing to do.

I wondered if the advertisements were based on reality. Are Maytag products that reliable and dependable? Does the Maytag Company believe enough in its own product to back them up with realistic and firm guarantees? I did some research and found that Maytag appliances may not be as reliable as advertised. There were literally hundreds of complaints from consumers on the Internet about broken products from Maytag. I wondered what type of guarantee was given with the purchase of a Maytag appliance, so I went to the Maytag Web site and read the warranty. The first part of the warranty was fairly general in nature, so I read further down the page where I discovered sections entitled “exclusions” and “limitations.” Let me read a portion of the sections to you.

EXCLUSIONS

This Contract does not cover service for replacement of light bulbs, plastic, porcelain or enamel parts, exterior or interior finishes, knobs, dials or handles, trim and/or appearance parts or external accessory items such as water or electrical connections and venting equipment. This Contract does not cover service or replacements made necessary by any external cause including without limitation, rust, corrosion, fire, theft, Acts of Nature, negligence, misuse, abuse, alteration, installation, delivery, unauthorized repairs, power failure or shortage. In no event shall Maytag Appliances Sales Company be responsible for consequential or incidental damages, (including food loss) or damages due to delays or failure in furnishing parts or service for any reason beyond our control including, without limitation, strikes or other labor shortages, Act of Nature, failure of transportation, inability to secure fuel, goods, supplies or power at current prices or on account of shortages thereof.

LIMITATIONS

This Contract does not include preventive maintenance. Also, in order to receive services and parts under this Contract you are obligated to: Provide preventive maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions; Ensure that the product has been installed and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions; and make your product readily available for service in your home. If you do not perform your obligations, the services will not be performed under this contract.

A guarantee with so many exclusions and limitations is hardly reassuring at all. I suppose we should not be surprised because most things in life do not come with genuine, ironclad guarantees. There is no guarantee that medical treatment or surgery will be successful. There is no guarantee that your marriage will endure the trials and temptations of life. There is no guarantee concerning your career or earthly future. Life is filled with uncertainty about most things, but there is one thing that is absolutely guaranteed. There’s one thing about which you can be absolutely certain and that one thing is your future in heaven. If you are Christian, you can be sure of eternal glory!

I. Christians can be certain of eternal glory because God is for us.

This is the primary emphasis of the latter half of Romans Chapter 8. Paul wants us to understand that God guarantees our future and that there is no fine print. To reassure Christians who were struggling and suffering, the Bible gives Christians 6 reasons we can be certain of our future in heaven. We looked at two of them last week.

1. Christians can be certain of their future in heaven because God’s Spirit prays for us perfectly.

2. Christians can be certain of their future in heaven because God is working in every Christian’s circumstances for the good.

This brings us to the third reason Christians can be certain of their future in heaven.

3. Christians can be certain of their future in heaven because God’s predetermined plan is that all Christians are glorified.

This point is the main emphasis of vs. 29, 30. Paul wants all Christians to know that God has already decided their future. He has predestined them to be glorified. Your relationship with God is not like a marital engagement they can be called off if things change. Your status as a child of God is not like that of a new employee on a 90-day probation period to see how things work out. Your trip to heaven is not like a modern day flight on airplane that is destined for Honolulu but diverted by bad weather to Los Angeles. Your relationship, position, and destination is certain because it is already planned by God, and nothing can foil his plans. God has a predetermined plan for you to be like Jesus, including sharing in his character and glory.