If I Die Without Confessing My Last Sin, Will I Still Go to Heaven?

We had visitors in our home recently who were traumatized by the suicide the day before of one of their closest friends and companions, because he could not handle a divorce and the loss of his son. Their passionate question was, "Will he go to heaven, since he sinned by taking his own life?"

Scripturally unprepared to answer the question

Wow! First time I had ever been asked that! I struggled to answer in as comforting and biblical way as I knew how, but I sure wished I had a Scripture verse on the tip of my tongue that would knock the ball out of the park and give me a home run in answering this very difficult question. I didn't then, but I do now.

I recognized that as Catholics, they believed in last rites, where any last minute sins would be atoned for and not be a barrier in the afterlife. I was sure I didn't believe in last rites. Somehow, I was confident that Christ's atonement on Calvary covered ALL my sins for all time - past, present and future - and I did communicate this belief to them.

I realized that since I had begun two-way journaling, I had experienced God's incomprehensible love. He loved me and celebrated me, even in the midst of my biggest mistakes. He affirmed to me these were just learning curve mistakes. All I needed to do was press on in Him with joyfulness in my heart. Wow! Really. No whipping? 

The home run verse

Now, for the prize verse which puts this all in clear perspective. My thanks to Derek Prince for showing this to me in his book Blessing or Curse:

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:14 NKJV). 

And yes, the NKJV translation above fully and accurately translates the verse from the Greek.

The Greek behind the verse

To describe what Jesus accomplished, the writer uses the perfect tense: “By one offering He has perfected forever” (emphasis added). What Jesus has done is absolutely and eternally complete. Nothing need ever be added, and nothing can ever be taken away.

On the other hand, to describe the outworking of the sacrifice in those who accept it for themselves, the author uses the continuing present: “those who are being sanctified” (emphasis added). Our appropriation of the sacrifice is not immediately complete; it is progressive. The process by which we appropriate it is described as “being sanctified”— that is, being set apart to God in holiness. As we bring our lives progressively into line with God’s requirements of holiness, we are able to enter into His blessings more fully.

When confronted with this challenge, Christians sometimes respond, “But I thought I got everything when I was born again!” The answer to that is yes— and no. There are two sides to this issue: the legal and the experiential. The answer will differ according to which side we view it from. Legally, you did indeed “get everything” when you were born again. According to Romans 8:17, when you became a child of God, you were made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. Legally, from that point on, you were entitled to share Christ’s whole inheritance with Him.

Experientially, however, you were only at the beginning of a process that takes a lifetime to complete. The Christian life could be described as a progression from the legal to the experiential. 

(The above is taken from Blessing or Curse by my favorite author, Derek Prince.) 

The divine exchange which happened at Calvary

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul refers to Isaiah 53:10 and at the same time he also presents the positive aspect of the exchange: “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Paul does not speak here about any kind of righteousness that we can achieve by our own efforts, but about God’s own righteousness— a righteousness that has never known sin. None of us can ever earn this. It is as high above our own righteousness as heaven is above earth. It can be received solely by faith. This third aspect of the exchange may be summed up as follows: Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we might become righteous with His righteousness.

(Prince, Derek. Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (pp. 195-196). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.) 

Salvation includes all the following plus more

Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven. Jesus was wounded that we might be healed. Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we might become righteous with His righteousness. Jesus died our death that we might share His life. Jesus became poor with our poverty that we might become rich with His riches. Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory. Jesus endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance as children of God. Jesus became a curse that we might receive a blessing.

(Prince, Derek. Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (p. 206). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition) 


 

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Through the Bible 6: Life of Christ Complete Discounted Package

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Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the Life of Christ in 10 sessions in these CD and DVD sets. This package contains part six of our Through The Bible series, which gives you an overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like Him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

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Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the New Testament in three modules. This package includes parts six - eight of our Through The Bible series, which offer you an overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

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Through the Bible Old Testament Complete Discounted Package

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Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the entire Old Testament in these five modules. This is a part of our Through the Bible series, which gives you an overview of the entire Bible. This package contains five sets of CDs and five sets of DVDs which span the Old Testament and includes the Through the Bible workbook

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Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams Complete Package

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Can I succeed like others have? What do I need to do? How do I go about it? What if I don't have the gifts necessary to do something great?  The wonderful truth revealed in Scripture is that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary feats, especially when they say, "Yes, Lord" to the destiny He has prepared for them!

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Unleashing Healing Power Mastery Package USB Flash Drive

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Joy strengthens us (Neh. 8:10). Peace rules us (Col. 3:15). Love compels us (2 Cor. 5:14). Compassion moves us (Matt. 9:36). How do we live continually in these holy emotions of God’s heart? 

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4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice DVD Package

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Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond? When things don't seem to be going your way and your prayers aren't answered the way you had hoped, wouldn't it be great to hear Him tell you where He is in the midst of it, and what He is working out in your life? Are you ever just a little bit jealous of others who say with such confidence, "The Lord said...."?

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Counseled by God DVD Package

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35th Anniversary Edition.The foremost training series in the world teaching you how to become emotionally whole by hearing the voice of the Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6)! This is your best value, putting all the tools in your hands you will need to ensure this message bears fruit in your life and equipping  you to share it with others.

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Everyday Angels DVD Package

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Prayers That Heal the Heart DVD Package - Revised & Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition

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Prayer counseling that breaks every yoke! Everything you need to experience deep healing of your soul and spirit.

Did you know that you don’t need to be continually plagued by negative thoughts, feelings, pictures or memories?

It is not part of the "human condition" to feel the constant nagging of doubt, insecurity, or anger. No matter what sin you are trying to overcome, what lie you think you’ll always believe, or what traumas your heart has suffered in the past, you will receive total freedom and restoration by praying these prayers in faith. 

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49 Lies DVD Package – 49 Religious Lies Jesus Told Me to Stop Believing

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This package includes 49 professionally recorded sessions, each 5-12 minutes long, which is my testimony of breaking free from each lie. I discuss what the lie is, its impact on my life, what Jesus spoke, my prayer of repentance and the new freedom I experienced which allows me to step into a new life in Christ.

If you have ever believed any of the following lies, then this book is for you: "Emotions are soulish;" "Money is evil or secular;" "It is wrong to seek vision;" "Don’t trust experiences;" "God gave me a mind and expects me to use it;" "Politics are evil;" God is always beating on me;" or one of 43 more such detestable lies...

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