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The Greatest Gamble in the World and All Eternity I talk with many people who tell me they won’t know they will go to heaven till they die. Aside from making Jesus coming and dying for our sin irrelevant by this statement, according to Gal 2:21, it is flat-out false. The greatest gamble in the world is to ignore God’s salvation in Christ's sacrifice in our place and gamble away your immortal and eternal soul. Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man if He gain the whole world and lose his soul Mk 8:37.” This statement summarizes what John was teaching all through His epistle. It is basic to know there was a time when you trusted in Christ to save you from sin and give you eternal life through saving faith that prompts repentance. But there are also several statements John makes all through the epistle that give clarity to our knowing we are saved: -What we are trusting in to save us: John is clear that Jesus saving work on the cross is the Propitiation for our sin, giving us an advocate before the Father 2:1-2. What we love is an indication of this saving faith: We love Christ with all our heart and seek to follow his leadership in chapter 3 by loving others and God, and the last part of chapter 4 tells all about this change that Jesus makes when we know Him as Lord and Saviour. We hate false doctrine which denigrates Christ and departs from the His true nature and purpose. The first part of Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 deal with this understanding. We do not save ourselves by these characteristics, but they are indicators that salvation has occurred in our lives. To be unprepared for eternity is the greatest mistake anyone can make in this life and all eternity. It's like saying you are traveling to a place but need help to look at directions or GPS. I am glad God has made it possible to know you are going to heaven when you did and to be assured that Jesus is in my life in all I do. You can have that assurance and a knowing so salvation if you trust in Christ’s sacrifice for your sins and let Him change your life forever. --# Dan Nelson